Day 9: Ahmedabad-Bombay

24 December 2006: The final day of our trip we spent in the train. After having our swift transfer in Ahmedabad at 4.55 am we changed from sleeper train to 2nd non-AC train, which would take us from Ahmedabad back home. Seeing the 2nd non-AC compartment where we were supposed to spend at least 8 hours did not really make me jump with joy. There were benches with some synthetic cover on which you were supposed to sit with 3 people facing another 3 people. All in all, they fit 108 people in this compartment and a couple more who were forced to stand. For the first time during this trip I was also forced to use the pit toilet in the train, which reminded me of some sort of torture room due to all the shiny metal or maybe a more appropriate thought would be a very cold and clinical room where you deliver your baby. Anyways, crap-a-dee-crap. Having been squeezed together for over 8 hours we passed by the train station where I normally catch my train to work. This meant adding another 45+45 minutes to the original train ride :S Yep, we went all the way to the centre only to travel back along the same track again to reach home. I can guarantee you that that does not make you more friendly after having spent an entire week in trains. Being back in sweaty and busy Bombay I found myself fitting at the people around me, who were employing their usual behaviour: staring and making comments. One woman asked me to take my bags of the seat, telling me I could not sit like that. Thinking of it later I should have actually replied: I can sit like this. Your problem is you do not want me to sit like this, because you want to sit down. Maybe it was best I did not say this in her face. I merely told her that I could not stuff my bags elsewhere since I was about to get off the train and I would make room for her after the next stop.......... But here I felt the adding frustration of having been here for 7 weeks now. I have been squashed in sooo many ways in these trains, have seen people with bags of amazing sizes and then to have someone tell me I cannot sit like this............ well........... I will just use their slogan: This is Bombay. This is India. And apparently that is still supposed to cover it all.......

Travel time: 10 hour train ride (Ahmedabad-Bombay+Bombay centre-home)