A ride in the track lanes II

7:30 a.m. - I arrive to the Nizamuddin Railway Station, 3 kilometers from the New Delhi Railway Station. I start conversation with a foreign couple looking puzzled at a map. They had just arrived to India that morning, and were heading to Rajasthan from that station later on the day. They were there just to know where the station was, though, they had no clue where they were. So the three of us head outside for a rickshaw driver. They were heading to Connaught Place and I was heading to New Delhi Station, so I bargained a rickshaw for the three of us.

It was a hard bargaining. I wanted to pay only 30 Rs. He wanted 100. We ended up paying 60 because the other couple went for it. So they payed ended up paying 40 Rs. asking me if it was enough. Of course it was, I was going further away. I felt as if I was ripping them off 10 Rs.

Once in the station, I wanted to double check on my train ticket. It was just a printed piece of paper. It wasn't a complete sheet, it had been cut from the middle. The face of "What the fuck were you thinking of" when they saw my torn paper said I needed the whole sheet. So I start to panic. I had paid 500 Rs. for that ticket. I call Immy and tell him to send me the whole ticket to my email account. They try, but nothing comes out. After several unsuccessful tries, I gave up and decide to get in the train with what I had.

At 15:15 I get in the train. A fat guy with what appeared to be a mixture between a burlesque and a grotesque face started conversation with me. It was a long trip, so I had to keep it on. The worst thing you can have in long journeys are enemies. So just try to be always nice and patient. He offered me peanuts, and I took them. Only 5 minutes later a group of people sat in front of me and also started conversation. One of the first things one of the guys tells me is: "Don't accept food or drinks from anyone." I knew this. I've always known this. Tourists travelling alone have been robbed of all their belongings after they accepted a drink or food that would put them to sleep. I was starting to relax, to get confident. My experience in Bundi had served just right, or maybe the other way round. I was back in India, and I felt comfortable with it, more than I had felt in my almost two months in Goa and surroundings. On that train, on that moment, I realized I was going to miss it, I was going to miss India on my stay in Nepal. The rest of the trip went on, with new faces coming and going until a whole family occupied the rest of my compartment with bundles and bodies of kids and grown ups.

I had been reading about Varanassi in my Lonely Planet. I was getting freaked out. I had just read the "Dangers and annoyances". If you don't really want to go there, just read that section and your mind will be cleared on not going. No doubt at all. But I was already going. I had to go. I wanted to go. It couldn't be that bad.

And finally, after a 16 hour journey I arrived to Varanassi at 7:30 a.m. The train had been too cold. Not even my sleeping back was enough. I had a runny nose that came from my journey from Kota to Delhi and that would keep on with me for the next 3 days in Varanassi.

I stepped out of the train thinking I would find thousands of Indians trying to get me into a hotel, a taxi or a rickshaw. I was ready for the battle. But only one person came. He got me to the Pre-Paid rickshaw stand and I paid 70 Rs. There was nothing to bargain, nothing to argue. That seem too peaceful for me despite of what the guide said.

Finally, after checking out three guest houses near the Assi Ghat I stayed at the worst option possible. Staying near the Assi Ghat had been already a bad decision. But I would not know about that until later on. However, before going for a decent sleep I had some breakfast on the rooftop, where I talked with an Indian guy working in Zurich as a waiter and visiting the Holy city on holidays. Strange I thought. But that was just a preview of what Varanassi can get to be. Actually, that was insignificant to what Varanassi really is.

At 9:20, finally, I go to sleep.