Last Stop...Mumbai

And so it was time to leave Jaipur behind and get our final train towards Mumbai. Mumbai would be our last stop before going home and we were having very mixed emotions about the final day approaching. I had got a much stronger urge to go home during my “down time” in Jaipur, but now I was back to my usual self I felt that one last push for Mumbai was certainly in order.

Due to the taxi driver not turning up when we arrived in Jaipur the hotel owner arranged for his driver to drop us off at the train station as a mark of good faith. That was unexpected but was very gratefully received. At the station we found our platform and waited. We had the usual passers-by glaring at us in wonderment (more so for James than for me) and then we parked our bags near the end of the platform where our carriage was due to arrive. We needed to feed ourselves on the trip as it was only just gone noon and the jam/cheese sandwich we had got from the hotel wouldn’t go far. So we purchased a wide variety of crisps, snacks and cakes that would hopeful do us for lunch, dinner and breakfast the next day. This travelling lark, it really doesn’t do good for your diet.

Waiting for the last train...

With our names on the sheet of paper plastered to the side of the train we found our seat numbers and climbed aboard. After we had settled in to our two-up two-down booth we were asked if we wouldn’t mind switching seats so a family could sit together. We did so (after my initial protestations of “I can’t be bothered”) and if anything we got better seats/beds as they were along the side of the aisle and we got a curtain for each bed which gave us some privacy at least. We managed to pass the time with a few games of cards and a couple of movies before it was time to turn in for the night. It wasn’t the best of beds bearing in mind that I had all my luggage on the bed with me and had people walking past at all hours of the night, especially the chap selling chai tea, very loudly seemingly every 20 minutes.

My bed for the night...