An Overnight Indian TrainOdyssey
A train journey in India is rarely dull but our latest overnight journey has been the most dramatic I have ever experienced. We boarded the train at Mughalserai, 20kms from Varanasi and one of India's busiest junction stations. Try to picture the scene: it's dark, the tracks are a seething pit of giant rats, there are many beggars and shoeless children collecting recyclables amongst the rats. Travellers of all types are waiting for their trains; it is especially busy because of the Durga Puja Festival. Thousands upon thousands of people are there of which only two have white faces. We are like zoo exhibits, but we can live with that - it's actually quite amusing. Our train was only a little late, which is a great relief as the previous days was delayed by almost eight hours. The 24 coach train is one of the most crowded I have ever seen. In second class people seem to be about three deep, every inch of corridor is covered with a seething mass of humanity. The...