Train Ride #2 - Now This Is More Like It!

Mr Sashi waiting to pick us up at the train station in Aluva, Kerala.

Scenes from the train ride to Aluva. Kerala has much more lush countryside.

There is our train engine visible around the curve

Some very interesting houses along the track - but can you imagine living this close to the tracks!

A great play area along the tracks - Always friendly and like their picture being taken.

One of many rivers in Kerala. Monsoons start in another month so the water is very low

Commuting along the rails rather than by rail

They must know a train is not due as they have no place to get off until the other side

We piled into our compartment as soon as the train pulled in - no first class this time but 3-tier sleeper instead. With 3 tier sleeper the compartments are all open to the aisle. On one side of the aisle are two seats facing each other with a bunk above running along the length of the train. On the other are two bench seats facing each other which allow seating for 6, 3 people facing 3 with knees touching, while far above each side is a bunk. At night the backs of the bench seats fold up to form a third bunk on each side - hence the 3-tier name. We boarded at approx 8:30 PM and by then bunks were already in position with people planted on them. Thus commenced the game - whose ticket matched which seat/bunk, will you swap positions, where will the bags go, etc. Eventually all was arranged with Merv and James on the 2 high bunks, Phil and I on the middle bunks and 2 Indian ladies on the bottom bunks (what was the seats during the day). The bunks are the width of my shoulders and 6 feet long, so I was side to side with my feet sticking out into the aisle, face level for walkers, if I was not careful. This is still more luxurious than the old days though - it is air conditioned and the bunks are all padded. It used to be just hard wooded seats and bunks and no AC - just windows open to catch all the breeze we could. Most trains then used steam engines and you could stick your hand out the windows and fell little bits of coal hitting you as the engine huffed and puffed. Now it all seems to be diesel engines which are much cleaner. They also now provide a sheet, pillow and blanket for the night. It did not seem possible we would need the blanket, as it was still hot and stuffy in spite of the AC. However, around midnight I woke up and had to pull up the blanket as it was getting chilly. By 4 AM both Phil & I were up - the people down below were getting ready to get off - and by 5 we had put our bunks down and were sitting again. Merv and James kept sleeping - perhaps a good defensive reaction? :-) With the arrival of daylight it was clear we had arrived in a new area - thick and green with vegetation. So this was Kerala. It was going to be interesting to see a whole new area of India - one where they have adopted as the slogan for the state "God's own country"