Train of Chaos

We just got back from a wedding in a village. It was a very interesting trip. An all night train ride that we got very little sleep on. It was loud. One gentlemen decided to get a newspaper around 4am and I guess he wanted to be a news broadcaster, so he read it out loud so we could all hear the news. Others played their radios or talked loudly. So we didn't sleep very well. We arrived and went to the wedding.

That night we got to sleep in a hotel. That was nicer, but also loud. The housekeeper washed dishes outside our room and talked with other workers during the night. Then the call to prayer at 5am was the loudest I had heard. And the guy who sang it must have just woken up. He was still clearing his throat as he sang.

Well the last night was also spent on the train. We waited at the platform until over the load speaker we were told to go to another platform. So our group rushed with all the other people, up the stairs, over the tracks, down the stairs, with all our luggage. When the train finally arrived we only had five minutes for people to get off and us to get on (along with 100's of others). So we ran to the spot where are car was but the doors were being held shut from inside. I guess they already had enough people. But all the other 100 people who were suppose to get on were panicking. So we pushed and shoved and someone finally opened the door. So people started fighting and yelling and shoving to get in. We thought we would be smart and just get in the next car and then make our way over to the correct one. But others were also smart and were doing the same thing.

Then the train blew its whistle. We weren't on yet. There was also no room to get on. So we were shoving people on. We were next when the train started to move. We pushed Micah on and then I had to get on. But still no room. So I was shoving and yelling with everyone else. Still Steve and our friend needed on. Some guy was panicking because his grandpa still was outside. He was leaning over us which causes us to lean out the train. No one was able to move and the train was still moving along slowly. Well someone eventually pulled the emergency cord and it stopped. Steve and our friend were able to push on, with one leg outside the train. Police came on with their guns and climbed over everyone.

We were still not anywhere near our seats and it didn't look too hopeful. I stood in the bathroom with an old beggar lady. There was a blind man sitting on the floor outside the bathroom and probably 20 people all bunched together. Micah was a little ahead of us with a friend standing between the two train cars. Well eventually Steve put our huge bag on his head and just started pushing his way through. We had to step on people's feet and their bags to make it to our seats.

So once we got to our spot I climbed up to the top bunk where I was safe. Next to us was the fight with the police and I didn't want to be in the middle of that. Micah got up with me. There were others already in our seats who apparently had waitlisted tickets, which means you just go wherever you can. People were still trying to get to their seats but had to literally climb on the sides like a monkey to get anywhere.

In our berth we had six bunks, three on each side. There were twelve people in all who squeezed together. I slept with Micah and a stranger sat at the end. He kept my feet warm. I didn't have a blanket or anything to keep me warm. Our bags were several berths away and we didn't want to even try to go anywhere. So that was a horrible night of tossing and turning and freezing.