I Hear That Train A Comin', Comin' Round The Bend...

i generally enjoy traveling by train. the gentle rock of the train and the rhythm of the chug chug chug soothes me to sleep. trains can be the most comfortable way to travel in india...or perhaps the least. we hopped a train to Cochin (the largest city in the southwestern-most state of kerala). what a trip! it is cheap, sure! i did not sleep a wink over the course of the 9 hour night train ride. we rode second class unreserved b/c that was the only available. it cannot possibly be that bad, right? hmmm, i think i might have to argue that one, although i am glad on some level that we experienced it...once. i have gained a whole new level of respect for those who travel this way more than once. they are way more self-disciplined than me.

when the train arrived, we forced our way onto the crowded car, and luckily found an empty bench on the top/second tier. meant for 3 people, meg, tim, and i fit perfectly. but it does not work that way. each 3 person bench squeezed 4-5 people on, and each stop brought more passengers, piling on the seats, and spilling into the aisles. people were sitting on the ground, standing, and intertwined on the seats trying to find a position comfortable enough to settle into. my body was not quite able to find that position, however. maybe i can dangle my legs (but then they are hanging in people's faces). okay, i will sit cross-legged (but there isn't enough space). i will try hugging my knees (but the bar my feet rest on is digging into my heels and the bar between my buttocks isn't super cozy). i got it. i will sit on my shoes and rest my feet on the bench across from us. damn, i can only reach with my toes. i hope that roach does not scurry over this way. and that was the extent of the night, repeating itself in a predictable cadence. once we arrived in Cochin, we found a clean guesthouse, and the best night's sleep i have had in weeks!