Choosing your Sleep Train bunk: why the top?

Sleeper Train – why the Top bunk? Wny Not

The Top bunk provides privacy, peace and quiet and the chance to take the overhead storage space in the berth. However…there are some let downs:

1 – Air Con – you suffer from the blasts of cold air during the night. It is therefore essential you pack a jumper…even in the hottests of countries. Nothing worse than a summer cold during a holiday. You can also wake up extremely dehydrated!

2 – The Berth Room light. The light goes off and you have navigate your way to the bunk. The morning arises and suddenly the light comes on, right in front of your face. If you wanted a wake-up alarm then the top bunk is the way to go. And why does it always tend to have the most intense bulb?!!

3 – No window – don’t expect to enjoy the views from the bed like the beds below you. Nope…you have to suffer the view of well…nothing! So make sure there is a window seat somewhere you can enjoy

4 – Balance – if you’re balance is rubbish, and your flexibility is minimal then climbing to the top bunk could be something that should well be videoed and YouTubed. That, or it gives you a chance to show off your military climbing techniques!!! Just put water in-take to a minimum throughout the journey…pee breaks are the worst!!!

Enjoy your journey!

Beijing to North Korea (DPRK) - to another world

Waking to a busy, lively train while cramped in the top bunk of a sleeper is not most people’s idea of enjoyment and excitement but for me it is one of those days in the year that put a smile on my sleep. I had managed to survive the night without rolling off the bunk, kept myself warm from the onslaughts of air con blasts from the roof of my berth (thanks to my Vietnamese silk sleeping bag), and had manoeuvred my way up and down the three bunks twice during the course of the night without disturbing anyone, in pitch darkness on a moving wagon! 

As you can tell I was mighty pleased with myself! The top bunk is not many people's choice but it certainly means people won’t disturb you. I then sit up - bang! I hit my forehead square on the train roof! Good morning! Half crunch and that's the space in my bunk compromised. 

Then I need to manoeuvre out of the bunk, changing clothes and packing while the body is still waking up and muscles aren't quite stretched. It makes me wonder how I did this during the course of the night. Especially during my mid-sleep pee break!

Settled on the bottom bunk with my friend Emily we engage with the scene whipping past our window. Large limescale hills fill the background immersed in greenery, fields packed full of crops for as far as the eye could see. Small villages, packs of houses - neither the cottage kind, nor the high rise we had experienced through much of the country from Beijing so far, instead these were well-constructed brick/concrete abodes. The city had met the countryside. 

China is fast becoming a first world leader leaving behind its third world roots that I had come to understand as a child 20 years ago. It had leapt ahead. The train system seemed well designed, if somewhat delayed for a 14-hour journey, but the tracks are immaculate. Long roads of concrete embedded with thick iron railway tracks. Robust tunnels drilled into the descriptive countryside and above ground routes illustrating the countries commitment to sustainable travel. This is not a railway built for the sake of it; this rail network connects towns, cities, people, communities throughout the country with high-speed bullet trains and quality night sleepers that spreads travellers between air and land. 

For always the beauty of train travel is the opportunity to digest the scenic offerings of the country, take in the culture of locals travelling to visit friends and family and taking a step back from the chaotic nature of air travel and the stress of security. Though everywhere in Beijing they do rank their security of utmost importance, as we enter Tinnanamen Square and so too the train station our bags are scanned - though to be honest as I took a second look I wonder if its actually more routine than security caution! At which point it was just a hassle than stress. 

Beijing train station is huge and the two-storey departure lounge reflected the sheer size of the country and population. As we waited in our departure hall with hundreds of others taking the same train it certainly does dawn on me how well organised this country is, especially in comparison to near neighbour - India - whose chaotic platforms and deteriorating departure halls are a stark contrast. Yet both developing world leaders, as part of the BRIC countries, what's interesting to see is how each Chinese person is reasonably supported by the state, something India has failed to do - perhaps the nugget of communist capitalism, or a future for China to be weary of?!

See India travel post.

Agra - make it a small pit stop!

I felt at peace! Was this the Varanasi effect?

I arrived 2 hours early, I wait patiently at Varanasi train

station gently nodding in our of sleep while watching other passengers calmly letting time pass. Trains were delayed - I couldn't tell if it was by minutes or hours. I wasn't too bothered mine was still on time. 

Other than a platform change at the last minute I found my carriage. An upgrade from my last journey. A 4-berth cabin. The carriage was pretty empty. The steward arranged my sheets and pillows then demanded money - I was bewildered - money money!

 

I fell straight to sleep and only woke at 6am when another passenger boarded my berth. I rolled over and slept further, my alarm rang at 7am to prepare me for my arrival in Agra at 7.30am. 8.30 came and I began to get nervous - were we that delayed? My fellow passenger woke at 9.30am and explained the train had been delayed 2 hours when she boarded - and was delayed by a further hour. We exchanged chitchat (it’s amazing how you pick up this word in India) and she advised me for the next hour until we finally rolled into Agra Fort.

 

Touts were awaiting me - I knew this beforehand but this would be the start of my dislike for Agra. They knew how to spin tourists. They hassle beyond hassle, walking with you the entire way waiting for you to give in. 

I made a wrong decision - bartered and took a rickshaw driver with a bad personality. Hotel bound we then fixed a day rate deal - big mistake number two! It would have been cheaper for separate rides and more at my own pace! 

First stop - Taj Mahal. 750R entry, no cigarettes nor video cameras allowed! Screwed again on both counts. The sky was hazy, thick with pollution, so the backdrop was not a stunning Rio blue. The Taj is terrific and worth the visit.

Next stop - Agra Fort, this is very impressive and worth spending about 2 hours whiling around. Fantastic architecture, fine design and brilliant views of the Taj. 

Finally I wanted to walk Taj Ganj for sunset, so I found a rooftop terrace enjoyed a Lassie ( a local milkshake type drink) whilst I chatted to a German traveller, then I moved to another rooftop for nighttime photography and dinner while chatting to yet another German traveller.

My night was done and having ended my tour with my rickshaw driver earlier, I negotiated a deal that was half the rate to get to my hotel. Typical

That was my time in Agra done! 

Kolkata to Varanasi

The driver lugged my backpack to the entrance of Howarth train station, the entrance was bursting at the seams as travellers fought their way in and out. Stepping over bodies of people casually waiting for tickets, I made my way into the huge waiting area, groups of Indians scattered around huge mountains of luggage - announcements shrieking over the tirade of chitter-chatter of patiently waiting passengers. The time was 5.30pm, my train departed at 7.10pm, I had time to kill!

 

Taking a seat I watched couples engrossed in conversation. Mothers trying to control their children and men trying to capture the attention - and affection - of lone women travellers. My train, number 13005 arrived - it was time to board. Making my way to the platform I fought the hundredss if not thousands of other passengers trying to grab their seat. I was booked, I has a reserved space (but only at last minute having been a little unaware how much in advance you need to book trains in India – 4 weeks!!!) my second class air conditioned sleeper carriage was awaiting me on coach B1. 

India has one of the largest train networks perhaps, only second to china, originally built by the British – and by all accounts very little has been added since the Brits colonial rule. Spanning the width and breadth of the country it is one of the most efficient ways to travel - my tickets - R850 - just over £10 for a 14-hour journey. Not bad at all!

In the section where I was positioned their were six beds, I crammed my six foot frame into the Top bunk that barely fitted within the confines of the bed. I spoke to a Chinese traveler and a local Indian before falling into a deep sleep. 7am I woke. How I managed a 10 hour-kip is beyond me…especially on a train.

The train pulled into Varanasi at 9.17am - just 5minutes delayed having traveled over 500km. Well done India! (I can travel only 13 minutes, one stop in London and be over 7 minutes delayed…at least this is one habit I see the Indian’s managed to shrug off from the British – but this is my first trip afterall).

Varanasi station was bustling but much calmer than Kolkata. A tout tried to encourage me to travel by motor tuk -uk with him. You need to be careful here, they will try to take you where you don't want to go. Fortunately, I had booked the Sahi River View Guest House in advance having read praise in Lonely Planet and Tripadvisor. 

I attended the tourist information desk at the station who confirmed the hotel booking by phone for me and then arranged a tuk-tuk to take me there. R150 - sure I overpaid but at less than £2 I wasn't complaining, it turned out to be a 20minute ride through the town.

It was a hive of activity. Markets strewn across streets, cows meandering at their own free will - feeding on food & trash - dogs slept in the shade. The smells kept changing: flowers, fruit, feces, piss, herbs and spices. Rubbish sprawled the sidewalks as children made their way to school. 

So this is Varanasi? 

This is what I've read! And what's expected! Time to explore!