Stowaways on the Mangalore to Cochin line
Posted on Apr 19, 2010 under Blog update | 107 Comments
When it came for us to get the overnight train from Mangalore to Cochin, we were determined.
We’d already had a bad experience with Indian trains and been left on the platform with our tickets, tired and confused as we watched our train pull away without us. This time it was going to go as planned.
We booked our ticket on the internet and made our way to Mangalore station. Once again, our names hadn’t made it to any of the lists that had been taped to the side of each carriage. But we confidently got on anyway and made our way to the air-conditioned compartment we had been promised on our print-out ticket. But it seems our ticket was merely that, a promise, as we were soon ordered to leave the train.
We stood firm and eventually the conductor fined us and moved us to second class. We had no idea what this meant but as the carriages aren’t connected, we had to wait until the next station to find out.
It was fine! We easily found seats and spots for our luggage and contentedly sat down, prepared for our nine-hour journey. As people got off we had more space and could stretch out completely, we had no idea why we hadn’t chosen this class in the first place.
But at the next station, it seemed as though half of south west India joined us. The row of seats that comfortably sat four people (of Indian proportions), now had six people, including us, two, much taller and broader westerners. People were sat in the aisles, at our feet and on the luggage racks above our heads. Just when you thought no more people could possibly fit in, 20 more people would find tiny spaces to contort themselves in to. Small villages and spectacular scenery whizzed past in the dusk as we tried to grab a bit of the air coming through the red-barred window.
We’d never been so pleased to get off a train. Tired, achey and clammy we found an auto-rickshaw driver to take us to our hotel. After some half-hearted bartering on our part, we agreed a price for him to take us to Fort Cochin, a popular tourist area brimming with European heritage and culture and famous for its Chinese fishing nets. Squeezed in with our luggage in the back, we banged our heads and grabbed our bags, and each other, as the driver hit potholes and swerved around sleeping cows and dogs in the road. When we arrived at our lovely heritage home-stay there was no sign of life. I had booked and paid, but we were late and there was no chance of us finding any other accommodation at this peak time of year, in the middle of the night. And after the journey we had just had, knowing there was a big comfy bed behind the big brown gates was pure torture.
Fortunately, our auto driver was also determined. He wasn’t going to leave us stranded with nowhere to stay. He rang the number displayed on the board outside and eventually managed to rouse the owner.
We doubled our kind driver’s pay with a generous tip and will never forget the look on his face as he kissed the money.
Have you had a similar journey in India? I’d love to hear about it. Please do write in the box below if you have any comments or questions about this post. This post has been entered into the Grantourismo-HomeAway travel writing competition.
April 21st, 2010 at 8:48 pm
i’ve not been to india, yet. it seems really discouraging as a traveler with disabilities. that said, the kindness you found (as evidenced by your fantastic taxi driver!) is global, isn’t it?
good luck!
April 21st, 2010 at 10:23 pm
Hi Jessiev
Don’t be too discouraged, there are other ways to travel. This was over New Year and an incredibly busy time. If you can book ahead it’s much easier but the train system is quite complicated if you can’t get to a train station and do it over the internet, so research and organisation is required – something we couldn’t do as our travel arrangements changed at the last minute due to flight delays. However, for other parts of the trip we hired a driver. That worked out to be quite good value, and we got taken to amazing temples and other places that we would never have seen otherwise.
I loved that taxi driver!
May 10th, 2010 at 2:16 pm
Hi Ali,
Just thought I should let you know that this month Grantourismo is running a new competition with the theme ‘Food and Travel’, so if you have a memorable food experience from your travels please feel free to share it with us. We’d love to hear from you again!
http://grantourismotravels.com/2010/05/05/grantourismo-travel-blogging-competition-may/
July 21st, 2011 at 7:55 pm
buy@generic.LEVITRA” rel=”nofollow”>……
Need cheap generic LEVITRA?…
July 29th, 2011 at 6:11 am
Order@Coral.Calcium.Online” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buygeneric pills…
July 29th, 2011 at 10:41 am
Buy@Cheap.Abana” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buygeneric pills…
July 29th, 2011 at 7:35 pm
Purchase@Abilify.Online” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buywithout prescription…
July 30th, 2011 at 12:27 am
Cheap@Generic.Abilify” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buygeneric drugs…
July 30th, 2011 at 1:42 am
Buy@Abilify.5mg.10mg.15mg.20mg.30mg” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buyno prescription…
July 30th, 2011 at 2:26 am
Buy@Generic.Abilify.5mg.10mg.15mg.20mg.30mg” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buywithout prescription…
July 30th, 2011 at 9:20 pm
Purchase@Discount.Acai” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buywithout prescription…
July 30th, 2011 at 11:12 pm
Cheap@Acai.Online” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buynow…
July 31st, 2011 at 7:38 pm
Buy@Cheap.Coral.Calcium” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buynow it…
August 1st, 2011 at 6:02 am
Buy@Cheap.Coral.Calcium” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buygeneric meds…
August 1st, 2011 at 11:55 am
Order@Discount.Abana” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buygeneric meds…
August 1st, 2011 at 2:24 pm
Buy@Abilify.Online” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buynow it…
August 3rd, 2011 at 4:08 am
Buy@Cheap.Abilify” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buygeneric pills…
August 3rd, 2011 at 7:42 pm
Buy@Cheap.Acai” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buygeneric drugs…
August 3rd, 2011 at 9:07 pm
Buy@Cheap.Acai” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buygeneric drugs…
August 3rd, 2011 at 11:05 pm
Order@Acai.Online” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buyit now…
August 5th, 2011 at 10:31 am
Order@Discount.Energy.Boost” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buynow it…
August 5th, 2011 at 7:29 pm
Buy@Discount.Accupril” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buyno prescription…
August 5th, 2011 at 8:33 pm
Order@Accupril.Online” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buygeneric drugs…
August 6th, 2011 at 7:56 am
Buy@Discount.Accutane” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buynow it…
August 6th, 2011 at 10:11 am
Order@Cheap.Accutane” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buygeneric drugs…
August 6th, 2011 at 7:33 pm
.…
Buygeneric drugs…
August 8th, 2011 at 4:10 pm
Cheap@Aciphex.Without.Prescription” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buynow it…
August 8th, 2011 at 6:42 pm
Buy@Aciphex.20mg” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buygeneric meds…
August 11th, 2011 at 1:11 am
Cheap@Generic.Actonel.35mg” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buygeneric meds qmo…
August 11th, 2011 at 8:25 am
Get@Actoplus.Met.Online” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buygeneric pills zdg…
August 11th, 2011 at 11:12 am
Order@Cheap.Actos” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buygeneric drugs zfk…
August 11th, 2011 at 6:53 pm
Buy@Actos.Without.Prescription” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buyno prescription luw…
August 13th, 2011 at 7:40 am
Order@Discount.Abana” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buynow it vhx…
August 14th, 2011 at 9:52 am
Order@Cheap.Acai” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buyno prescription gdt…
August 15th, 2011 at 9:30 am
Generic@Acai.500mg.Without.Prescription” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buyno prescription wkp…
August 16th, 2011 at 2:04 am
Buy@Cheap.Accupril” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buygeneric drugs nih…
August 16th, 2011 at 5:47 am
Order@Cheap.Accupril” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buynow it fnp…
August 16th, 2011 at 3:49 pm
Cheap@Accupril.Online” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buygeneric drugs ajd…
August 17th, 2011 at 2:49 am
Order@Accutane.Online” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buyit now sge…
August 17th, 2011 at 4:56 am
Order@Discount.Accutane” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buygeneric drugs mby…
August 17th, 2011 at 6:56 am
Purchase@Cheap.Accutane” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buywithout prescription ccw…
August 17th, 2011 at 9:50 pm
Cheap@Accutane.10mg.20mg” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buyit now ojb…
August 18th, 2011 at 5:27 am
Buy@Aciphex.Online” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buygeneric drugs itj…
August 18th, 2011 at 9:02 am
Order@Aciphex.Online” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buynow it lmg…
August 18th, 2011 at 11:27 am
Order@Discount.Aciphex” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buygeneric meds svb…
August 22nd, 2011 at 12:12 pm
Order@Actonel.Without.Prescription” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buydrugs without prescription jlg…
August 23rd, 2011 at 4:23 am
Order@Advair.Online” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buyit now irl…
August 24th, 2011 at 7:47 pm
< a href="http://trig.com/advair5771/biography/?ml=Advair-25mcg/50mcg-25mcg/125mcg-25mcg/250mcg-50mcg/500mcg-50mcg/100mcg-50mcg/250mcg-Without-Prescription Advair@25mcg50mcg.25mcg125mcg.25mcg250mcg.50mcg500mcg.50mcg100mcg.50mcg250mcg.Without.Pr…
Buydrugs without prescription ygy…
August 24th, 2011 at 10:28 pm
Buy@Cheap.Aggrenox” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buygeneric meds dxy…
August 26th, 2011 at 3:48 am
Buy@Cheap.Aldactone” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buydrugs without prescription hak…
August 26th, 2011 at 3:32 pm
can@you.take.aciphex.and.nexium.at.the.same.time” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buygeneric pills…
August 27th, 2011 at 3:31 am
actonel@and.heart.irregularities” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buyno prescription…
August 27th, 2011 at 6:11 am
advair@copd.advertising.campaign” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buynow…
August 27th, 2011 at 9:46 am
aldactone@kidney.problems” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buygeneric drugs…
August 27th, 2011 at 11:31 pm
buy@amoxicillin.500mg” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buynow it…
August 28th, 2011 at 5:51 pm
actonel@and.dvt” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buygeneric meds…
August 29th, 2011 at 1:52 pm
arimidex@or.nolvadex.steriods” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buywithout prescription…
October 17th, 2011 at 5:29 am
levaquin 500mg…
Buy_no prescription…
October 19th, 2011 at 3:53 pm
steroids abuse sexual dysfunction…
Buy_it now…
October 19th, 2011 at 7:13 pm
hiv aids in california in 1997…
Buy_generic pills…
October 19th, 2011 at 8:53 pm
impact rating journal of clinical psychology…
Buy_now it…
October 20th, 2011 at 4:35 pm
financial aid for alzheimer’s…
Buy_without prescription…
October 21st, 2011 at 12:54 am
heart worm medication…
Buy_no prescription…
October 21st, 2011 at 11:25 am
viagra in the uk…
Buy_no prescription…
October 22nd, 2011 at 5:45 am
blood pressure medications…
Buy_now it…
October 22nd, 2011 at 3:45 pm
what are three effects of obesity…
Buy_it now…
October 22nd, 2011 at 7:49 pm
arimidex and marathon…
Buy_generic drugs…
October 25th, 2011 at 10:26 am
good and bad drugs…
Buy_without prescription…
October 25th, 2011 at 12:06 pm
is hepatitis b contagious…
Buy_generic pills…
October 25th, 2011 at 6:46 pm
drug rehab center british columbia…
Buy_generic drugs…
October 26th, 2011 at 1:26 am
hepatitis b shot…
Buy_it now…
October 26th, 2011 at 9:46 am
drug trafficking in latin america…
Buy_drugs without prescription…
October 28th, 2011 at 3:06 pm
terbutaline autism claim…
Buy_no prescription…
October 28th, 2011 at 4:46 pm
iv zofran…
Buy_drugs without prescription…
October 29th, 2011 at 10:19 am
permanent removal of adult acne scars…
Buy_generic meds…
October 30th, 2011 at 11:42 pm
does birth control control moods…
Buy_generic drugs…
October 31st, 2011 at 1:23 am
drug test company…
Buy_without prescription…
October 31st, 2011 at 3:03 am
chf vs pulmonary edema…
Buy_generic drugs…
October 31st, 2011 at 6:03 pm
social etiologies for patients with schizophrenia…
Buy_it now…
November 1st, 2011 at 2:23 am
weight loss tricks for 40 somethings…
Buy_drugs without prescription…
November 1st, 2011 at 2:02 pm
itching after sex…
Buy_no prescription…
November 2nd, 2011 at 4:43 pm
epson salt and lemon juice diet…
Buy_generic pills…
November 2nd, 2011 at 9:43 pm
l91 energizer e2 lithium aa cells…
Buy_generic drugs…
November 3rd, 2011 at 6:03 am
hypertension police ma…
Buy_drugs without prescription…
November 3rd, 2011 at 11:03 am
how to buy glucose meter…
Buy_generic meds…
November 3rd, 2011 at 4:49 pm
skin cancer foundation australia…
Buy_generic drugs…
November 4th, 2011 at 11:11 am
psychostimulant treatment of depression…
Buy_drugs without prescription…
November 4th, 2011 at 2:30 pm
copd lung sounds…
Buy_it now…
November 5th, 2011 at 3:07 am
clinical features of sickle cell disease…
Buy_generic drugs…
November 5th, 2011 at 11:27 am
images of tongue cancer…
Buy_generic meds…
November 6th, 2011 at 10:48 am
depression medcine xr…
Buy_drugs without prescription…
November 7th, 2011 at 4:47 pm
azithromycin doxycycline over the counter…
Buy_generic pills…
November 7th, 2011 at 6:27 pm
forensic drug test swab…
Buy_no prescription…
November 8th, 2011 at 5:01 pm
school age adhd self absorbed…
Buy_now it…
November 11th, 2011 at 11:21 pm
meal plan for hypertension…
Buy_generic drugs…
November 12th, 2011 at 1:01 am
how to make glucose water…
Buy_it now…
November 12th, 2011 at 4:21 am
dr loss phil ultimate weight…
Buy_no prescription…
November 12th, 2011 at 9:01 pm
indomethacin opthalmic drops…
Buy_generic pills…
November 12th, 2011 at 10:41 pm
scabies in dogs help…
Buy_generic drugs…
November 13th, 2011 at 5:21 am
hormone shot for prostate cancer…
Buy_generic drugs…
November 13th, 2011 at 10:22 am
herbals for pregnancy…
Buy_drugs without prescription…
November 13th, 2011 at 10:01 pm
tobacco alternatives herbal…
Buy_generic drugs…
November 16th, 2011 at 3:19 pm
black molley slang drug name…
Buy_generic drugs…
November 17th, 2011 at 2:59 am
diet secrets for models…
Buy_now it…
December 9th, 2011 at 6:09 pm
depo@provera.bone.loss” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buygeneric drugs…
December 11th, 2011 at 4:24 pm
best@medicare.plan.d.for.nexium.40.mg” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buygeneric meds…
December 11th, 2011 at 8:39 pm
infant@prevacid.dose” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buygeneric drugs…