Delhi - Mumbai (By train)
The train to Mumbai departed at 5h30 am. Ernest lent a hand (I think he
wanted to make sure I got on the train), and by 03h00 we were on our
way to the station. First, I went to the ticket office to confirm my seat,
where the staff asked for a bribe, claiming the train was full. Eventually,
a different officer arrived and I was assigned a spot without parting with
any additional money. Then, I went to the parcel office to hand in the
bike and panniers. Next, I went from Platform 1 to Platform 16 and back
to Platform 3. Thankfully, many willing porters helped cart my luggage
to and from the train.
I was relieved to find myself on the train to Mumbai and a huge weight
lifted from my shoulders as the train pulled out of Delhi station. The
constant effort of remaining upbeat and dragging someone along who
clearly didn’t want to be there drained me emotionally, not to mention
the financial expense.
I was as happy as the proverbial pig, as travelling by train always felt
like an adventure. The carriage had sleeper seats and was comfortable.
The compartments accommodated four people and had a curtain that
could be drawn for privacy. Tea and coffee were consistently offered, and
occasionally, trollies offered typical Indian snacks, including samosas
and biryani.
Mumbai
Spot on time, the train pulled into Mumbai where porters were available
on the platform. Getting my belongings off the train and in a taxi to
Bentleys Hotel was significantly more straightforward and less stressful
than I had anticipated. Bentleys Hotel wasn’t just centrally located for
my return, but could also store the bicycle and panniers.