I took Darcy on her first train journey today and the good news is that she loved it!
Aftab our driver took Darcy and I to Vikrolli station and I arranged with him to meet us again a few stations up the line at Bandhup. I entered the station, backpack on my back and Darcy in my arms and dutifully queued up with a room full of around 70 Inidans. Four serving windows and curiously 8 queues - each window showed a queue for 1st and 2nd class! Twenty minutes it took to to slowly move forward to the serving window at which point my window was closed so still holding Darcy and trying to keep my place, sweat pouring off me, I had to try and switch lanes and fend off people then trying to push past me. This didn't last long as I rather lost my temper and set a few people straight and then used my backpack to maintain a space so I could get my ticket. Ended up with a ticket to Bandra instead but at only Rs7 (11p) I didn't care that it was in the wrong direction for twice the price I had a ticket!
Strangly we were pretty much left alone on the platform save for a few smiles which made a nice change. Train arrived and we jumped onto the first carridge which happened to be first class....same as 2nd class with maybe 200 less people trying to get in, the carridge interior separated by bars between 1st and 2nd. Darcy and I sat down on the backpack near the open train doors and watched the world speed by, it really is a great experience and Darcy quietly enjoyed her ride.
Getting out at the other end I had a call from Aftab to say he was in place at the end of the bus depot. Walked along the whole platform, out into the heat, noise and bustle of an Indian market and the bus depot. I felt very relieved to see Aftab and jump into the quiet calm and cool interior of our car.....done my bit of integration for the day, now off home to watch the F1 race and then go swimming.
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