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As we
got closer into Chennai, we saw many street dwellers - some
still asleep, many awake and brushing their teeth at the edge
of the road! A pleasant commitment to dental hygiene I thought
- and pondered if every big issue seller should be given brush,
paste and floss!
We arrived at Chennai station to see crates covered in burlap
and stitched up lying everywhere. These were interspersed
with people and dogs asleep on the floor of the station. Long
queues for tickets gave us a sense of the value we had gained
by MF travelling some weeks ago to buy our tickets and queue
on our behalf so we could be assured of seats on the 7.15am
Brindavan Express to Bangalore. We settled into our seats
around 6.15 and positioned our luggage safely under the benches.
The train soon filled to capacity and people jostled and instructed
others as to where to be and what to do. None of that British
reserve which gently suggests what you might hope another
would do if only they read your mind!
The journey was made on hard benchseats - a little narrow
and not very deep- backache inevitable - but fans in the ceiling
kept temperatures bearable. The non-stop traffic of vendors
coming up and down the aisles with tea, coffee, various cooked
goods, toys for children, jewellery, books for all and tomato
soup and croutons (of all things) was extraordinary. I watched
a woman buy a bag of flower buds and crochet them into a hairpiece
to dangle down her long black braided hair. Children slept
or sat quietly on the knees of adults and constant busy-ness
was generated by sellers - who every now and again stepped
over beggars who crawled disconcertingly along the aisles
on all fours asking for money.
Towards the end of the journey Sandra Saleh discovered that
in the next coach along there was a first class cabin with
seats and air-conditioning - perhaps more comfortable but
certainly less intriguing. Each seat more than what we paid
for all 3 of us to travel but still good value and the trains
ran on time. Our 5-hour journey cost 375 rupees for all three
of us - about £55 in total. We found a man befriending
us about 20 minutes before our stop - full of friendly chat
to start but his conversation soon moved into curiosity about
money and how we'd got here. Oblivious to this as I was standing
and out of hearing - I missed this awkwardness but he then
sought to include me by introducing me to his wife - a small
woman with short hair (most unusual) who seemed interested
in housing and care for older people. She invited us to Poona
but I explained on this trip - it was not possible. We disembarked
at Catonement station and were met by Dr Chandra Thomas -
who brought us home to her lovely house where we got hot showers,
our clothes washed in a machine and a chance to trip into
the village for a few snacks, decent Italian coffee and a
hunt for wine. Chandra informed us that wine is really only
drunk at weddings and Christmases. But she had a 3-year-old
partially drunk bottle we could have which she brought down
on our return! Sadly we found no wine for sale in the village
so guess what - we decided sherry wasn't so bad after all.
Catriona and John came by with Chitra from CUF before we hit
the bottle. We caught up on some stories and discussed our
arrangements for the next few days. We had arranged to meet
Kanika for dinner but at the time of writing I find myself
a little worried that she's not here and I can't reach her
as I suspect she has run out of credit on her new Indian Sim
card. The two Sandras and I waited eagerly and as we did a
power cut reduced us to sitting by candlelight, drinking the
limited sherry and accosting anyone who sounded like they
might be Kanika coming in. As luck would have it - this game
led to us meeting Ash the recently graduated Law student from
London who has come to teach at CUF for a number of months.
We shared the no alcohol shock story which she too had experienced
and gave her a sip of sherry and heard a little of her stories.
I may ask Kanika if she fancies an introduction as Ash looks
plucky, fun and since she is well travelled may be another
interesting contact whilst Kanika is here.
So I await Kanika, food being brought in and perhaps some
wine. If not, a nice cup of tea has been my nightly tipple
and of course my chance to capture and share my day Tomorrow
will be busy - so a little quiet time is most welcome X
Day Four
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