Indian Rail

After Munroe Island, I’m inspired to finally go scuba diving, the thing I’ve been talking about for so many weeks. I look at destinations for good diving and the coast in the state of Karnataka comes up. I’m pretty content with that option because my next few destinations would be closer to me.

I finally got a booking on a night train, 2nd class AC to Mangluru and I’m elated to try it out.

While arranging the booking for scuba diving, the place that seems to have safe PADI scuba diving in Mangluru is not available for my advanced certification. I continue searching up the coast and find a shop in Kandapura, a small fishing village. I look and there’s availability for an express train to Kandapura from Kollum that only takes 9 hours overnight, instead of the 14 local train that I’m booked for. I book it and I’m stoked that I have so many options.

While leaving Munroe Island, I realize Kollum station is a lot farther than I thought. Easy, says the hostel manager. Take the 2:30 pm train to Kollum and you’ll be there an hour or so before your train leaves. Things seem to be working out swimmingly.

I get on the local train and confidently get off at the next station. Looking around, I start to think this looks pretty quiet and deserted for a town that is supposed to have so many trains coming through it. By the time I realize I’m at the wrong station, the train is gone, and I don’t see a single person in sight. Even the ticket counter has a sign in a different language that either says out for lunch or no one lives here. I do a bag check and make sure I have everything of mine. Backpack, check. Suitcase, check. Wallet, check. Water bottle? Fuck.

I’m at an open-air station with no people in sight, no English on any of the signs, and no shade to hide from the sun but it’s okay because my water bottle made it to the correct station.

I start going through my options. No Ubers in the area. No autos in sight. No cars are parked nearby. Google Maps always has an answer. I can walk 2.5 hours on the rail tracks or wait for the next train that arrives 2.5 hours later. These are reasonable options but I would miss my express train and have to make it work with the local train booking. We’ll figure it out when I get back to civilization I suppose. I sit next to a sketchy chilled water fountain and use the water to wash my hands and face every 10 minutes to stay cool. I have a plan and a phone with a full battery - it’s all gonna be okay.

In the abundance of free time I have, I start hallucinating about all the crazy things that can happen. I use my go-go gadget legs to jump on a train that’s moving at 50 kmph, a lion attacks me, a kid mugs me, I end up kidnapped by random people, or maybe I catch the train anyways. That last scenario might be possible. I find a new rail app and check where the trains are. The express train is delayed 2.5 hours and I’m genuinely excited that I can make it. I haven’t showered in 28 hours and am drenched in sweat and smell terrible, but I’ll get from point A to point B in one piece. Now I’ve run out of things to do. I’m washing my suitcase in cold water to stay sane and kill time.

The train finally arrives and I make it to Kollum, check the train schedule, and make a plan to be back at the station in 2 hours. I find a coffee shop with air conditioning I can chill at for the time being. Being the savvy traveler that I am, I decide walking the 1 kilometer it takes to get there is better than spending a dollar on a cab. I’m dragging my newly cleaned suitcase through sand, mud, and shit to roll up to a coffee shop at 5:30. Of course it’s closed. I’m so fed up that I hail an auto Rikshaw and tell the driver to take me to the nearest mall.

All my life experience of being unprepared playing outside with a water bottle and being obsessed with maximizing every minute of recess as a kid comes in handy. I cure my dehydration and heat-induced headache by sitting in front of the A/C, drinking two water bottles, ordering Baskin and Robin ice cream, and putting in a large order at McDonald’s.

After a restful stop, I get back to the station, find the platform for my train, and wait. I realize I still have a booking for the other train I should cancel. The cancellation policy is a bit stricter than I thought and I’m not eligible to get a refund. Being the cheapass I am, I start thinking of options to get my money back (for context it’s about 20 bucks). I’m now sitting around submitting all kinds of claims to the Indian rail system. What am I doing? I slowly realize it’s probably not worth it and I should just be content that I’m getting to my destination without too much delay.

I’m still waiting for the train when it dawns on me that I might be on the wrong platform. I walk up the never-ending stairs with my overstuffed suitcase and check with the information desk. I was in the right