To Shimla on the Himalayan Queen
Trip Start
Jul 02, 2007
1
8
38
Trip End
Aug 03, 2007
Shimla,
Himachal Pradesh,
India
Saturday, July 7, 2007
Stumbled blearily from my bed at 4am in time for an autorickshaw at 4.30. This turned out to be unnecessary since the roads were pretty empty and I ended up waiting at the station for an hour. But better than missing the train hey?
I spent the hour sharing a seat with a small Indian child [after I'd given her permission to sit there, bless] and watching the pariah dogs fight. Annoyingly I have a song in my head since I heard it in Thuptim's taxi from the airport. 'Who Let the Dogs Out' by whoever it was. One line, mostly, and very apt here: Get back you flea infested mong-rel in a vaguely Jamaican accent. To shut it up I read 'Kim'. Because Mum felt I should.
The train arrived and departed on time. Ironic how the British legacy makes this one of the most efficient public transport systems in the world, yet the Brits themselves have an ARSE public transport system...
Hey! Bill Bailey quote! England! [asthmatic breath] England!
I had chosen aircon after yesterday's heat, but it turned out cloudy and I was cold instead. I had to go stand in the join between the carriages, braving the nearby toilet smell, so I could warm up. It was comfortable though, there was even a holder thing for my water bottle. I was sat next to an Indian guy from Goa. We chatted and when I was falling asleep [grrr] he even put up with me sleeping on his arm. Bless. We read the newspaper together and shared snacky things - it was beautiful. Heh. We even searched together for the small bird we had heard. It turned out to be a weird mobile phone ring.
I was aware that Delhi is on the great plains, but still, I was amazed by how flat it was! Though not as amazed as seeing the hundreds and hundreds of people defecating by the trackside. Unbelievable. They line up, squatting with their butts out and a little pile underneath them. For ages and ages, with their chins resting in their palm. India must be a country of constipated people.
At Kalka I swapped trains since the one up to Shimla is a narrow gauge toy train. This carriage wasn't aircon and initially I was fine. But then an Indian man asked if I could swap seats so he could be with his family. No problem, say I. So into the next carriage where I find at least 8 foreigners. I got chatting with a group of 5 from Belgium: Dirk, Ann, Jenny, Katryn and Françoise. When the conductor came round, he wanted to know why I wasn't in my seat and told me to swap at the next stop. Er, nope. I tried to explain, but it was only when he came back later [presumably having talked to the guy in the other carriage] and I explained again that it was on the request of an Indian family and not mine, that he allowed me. Crazy huh? The seats are the same, same cost, same class, who gives a rat's ass? Curse those British! ;)
The Belgians want to trek the Spiti Valley too, and they aren't super fit or anything. In fact they are all middle aged, with the oldest 59, so if they can do it, so can I.
The train climbed up through the hills, winding around and then the sun came out. It was beautiful and soon got cooler. Didn't stop it being sticky and hot in the carriage though. The 6 of us all fell asleep at some point, often I'd wake to look around and find them all asleep. One of them (sorry Françoise) was utilising my special technique and sleeping with her head tilted back and mouth open. Super attractive.
I tried not to fall asleep but the heat and the rocking conspired against me. The next carriage had a load of scouts in it and every tunnel we went through [and there were 103] they hooted like monkeys. We stopped about 6 times at stations along the way - one of them I bought some bonda [fried potato patty things] and water. A family of three missed the train and we had to roll back to pick them up. When Francoise got up to go to the bathroom at one stop, we pulled off and the others thought she was not on the train. In their haste to open the window and check they slammed my arm in it. Ouch.
At 7pm we got to Shimla, and I shared a taxi with the Belgians to the lift in town. This is the way to get up the hill to the main bit of town, since no vehicles are allowed. The walk was exhausting but the quiet afforded by the lack of vehicles was worth it. I had the honour of being trapped in the lift door by my backpack. Shimla is at 2200m so hopefully this counts slightly as acclimatisation for the trek.
The hotel we chose was Hotel Dreamland - a single was 300 rps, basic but fine. I had a cold bucket shower and my day got even better. It is at least 15C cooler here than in Delhi, so it's perfect. I even had to put a jumper on for dinner. Getting dressed was done to a soundtrack of explosive and sustained sneezing coming from outside. I didn't know someone could sneeze that much for so long and not hurt themselves.
We walked along the Ridge a little, then chose to eat at Himani's. We ordered naan and rice and 7 different veg dishes. Yummy! Another Holly moment. The paneer dishes [unfermented cheese] are particularly good. 3 of us ordered lemon soda - but it took the longest to arrive. We were a little baffled as to why it took so long to squeeze lemon into some soda, and it became a joke with the harassed looking waiter. He had a slim Afghani face and crooked teeth that he bared when he grinned. Every time he came over to see if we needed anything else we'd end with, "...and 3 lemon sodas!" I wished Sam was there for a 'I can has lemon soda?' moment.
Eventually he arrived with 4. Oh well.
I think I've become an honorary member of The Souptjies - some term for chickens, a Flemish in-joke. I've made it clear to the group that they should tell me to get lost at any point, but if they're willing to let me join them that'd be great.
And then to bed, under a duvet! Albeit a slightly smelly one.
Tally:
- Since Abu Dhabi airport I've not got lost, nor lost anything. Go me.
- There's been 1 Bill Bailey and 1 Lolcat moment apiece.
- 6 days toothache free - though it's taken a new direction and I've got a raw cheek instead.
- 0 Shaun sightings, unsurprisingly.
- 0 tropical diseases.
- Mum wouldn't have liked the humidity on the train, nor the sheer drops out the window.
- Holly: good food abounds!!
- Jem: play the lottery and get your ass out here. The train particularly reminded me of our Asia trip. That, and my photo skills are crap.
