12/6 Very Population and Oceans of Humanity

12/6 Got to video Skype with the family in the restaurant at Hotel Ajanta today.  The connection was great on my end.  I was really nervous about getting on the train. So I had tea on the roof.   I tried to walk around the hotel but just didn’t feel safe .  That particular area is really not meant for walking - at least for a newbie.  Decided to leave for the train station early as I was just getting more and more anxious. So two seconds into my first rickshaw ride a group of drunk young men yelled at the rickshaw and lurched towards us.  This and once in New York were the only times I’ve gotten really scared … heart pounding scared.  No harm done though.  We arrived at the train station in just over two minutes and were surrounded by smallish men in red worn coats.  As the swarm grew larger, the rickshaw driver shouted in Hindi refusing to accepted my torn 50 ruppee note, so I give him 100 and stepped out.  I randomly choose one of the smiling red coated men to carry my ridiculously heavy bag.  He threw it on top of his head and said we had a  kilometer to walk!  And only 500 rupees, my goodness.  I totally didn’t believe him.  I thought my bag was gone for sure.  Regardless we start the walk upstairs to the pedestrian bridge.  Gradually the crowd got more and more dense.  Then we came to a stop.  I start to panic not like the heart pounding fear I had earlier, but a deeper more intense fear.  The crowd was so thick.   Everyone was shouting and pushing.  I try to calmly tell myself there is no need for panic.  This is normal here and no one means any harm.  For some crazy reason, this worked.  I started to relax and the crowd started to shift.  My kule (sp?) shoed back at me, “Very population!“.  Yes, very population indeed.  We walk down to the platform were we wait for about an hour that seems to pass in a just a few minutes.  After finding out there is no hope for an upgrade, I resign to make the best of my first train experience in third class AC.  Luckily, I get to sit in between a doctor and older woman by the name of Basanti, or Spring.  The doctor kept asking “Why is it so busy?  And keeps saying with serious exasperation “the Oceans of humanity” over and over.  There aren’t any festivals?  Finally, it was confirmed that it is wedding season.  So we are off.  The train ride turns out to be quite nice.  Bed time rolls around and the bunks come down.  The train supplies two sheets, a blanket, and a little towel for washing.  Two very tiny Japanese women arrive around 8p and easily climb around the bunks.  I’m a little nervous as I have to climb into the middle bunk and am not so agile. But again I hope for the best and climb the little stairs.  Somehow I succeed without hurting myself or anyone else! For all the morning angst, the day turned at surprising well and I slept even better.