After leaving the Internet cafe last night, I stopped at the restaurant we had been to the night before to get a pizza to go, figuring I'd eat half for dinner and the other half for lunch today on the train. While I was waiting, I noticed a sign on the wall that said, "Absolutely no one under the age of 25 may consume alcohol." Oops. I guess the US doesn't have the highest drinking age, after all. By the time I got back to the hotel, eating pizza was the last thing I wanted to do, so I packed up my bags and went to bed early. I woke up in the middle of the night feeling terrible. Afraid to be sick on the train, I popped an antibiotic and laid awake for the next few hours, wishing I could just fall asleep. Our 3am wake up call came too soon, and we loaded up on the bus. I was not the only one feeling ill, as it turns out. My roommate was sick the day before, and another girl looked as bad as I felt.
When we got to the train station, I was feeling a little better. Our train was delayed, so we sat and waited. The train station. The largest rats I've ever seen, feasting on a smorgasbord of garbage. The smell. The putrid smell of excrement. The smell of cannabis. The smell of sweaty, hot, India. Extreme fatigue started setting in, and tears started welling up in my eyes. Oh, how I longed for my bed. My bed, some peanut butter, and a tight hug. I pulled out the i.pod, despite the strange looks, and listened to my pick-me-up song, "End of the Line" by Bob Dylan. Thank God for music. Thank God. Ironically, the next song that played on shuffle was Tom Petty's "American Girl." How true, how true! I am a very fortunate American girl, indeed, and I miss it.
As it turned out, our train was delayed because the Gujjars, a tribe that is not yet recognized by the Indian government, were protesting--civil disobedience--how appropriate. The train we were supposed to take was rerouted on the way to Delhi to avoid the protests, but there was no telling when it would arrive. So, we returned to our hotel--the best news I had heard all day! We had to be ready to leave at a moment's notice, so we couldn't wander too far. This wasn't a problem for me, though, since I was so incredibly grateful to have some time to rest in the comfort of a bed.
The day passed, and still no news of our train. Finally, we heard it was coming at 7 pm. Rather than take the train at night, though, our professors decided we will be taking a bus tomorrow. It will be a long drive, and we must leave at 5am. Nonetheless, I am so happy that I didn't have to spend today sick on a train!
As it turned out, our train was delayed because the Gujjars, a tribe that is not yet recognized by the Indian government, were protesting--civil disobedience--how appropriate. The train we were supposed to take was rerouted on the way to Delhi to avoid the protests, but there was no telling when it would arrive. So, we returned to our hotel--the best news I had heard all day! We had to be ready to leave at a moment's notice, so we couldn't wander too far. This wasn't a problem for me, though, since I was so incredibly grateful to have some time to rest in the comfort of a bed.
The day passed, and still no news of our train. Finally, we heard it was coming at 7 pm. Rather than take the train at night, though, our professors decided we will be taking a bus tomorrow. It will be a long drive, and we must leave at 5am. Nonetheless, I am so happy that I didn't have to spend today sick on a train!
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