Misery Express

Trip Start Aug 29, 2009

Trip End Ongoing

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Where I stayed

The train

(Jaipur hotels)

Flag of India Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
Monday, November 2, 2009

I was finally glad to leave Jaisalmer. The place was starting to get to me, with the heat and all the tourists. There is only so hassle you can take from Indian people trying to sell you their wares. Dad and I were booked for a 17:15 hr train from Jaisalmer to Jaipur. As we were responsible travelers, we got to the train station 45 minutes early. This turned out to be wonderful planning, as the train left 30 minutes early. WHO EVER HEARD OF A TRAIN LEAVING EARLY!! ESPECIALLY IN INDIA. Overall, we were very lucky to not have missed our train. We were sat among 2 Spanish girls, a young Korean couple, and an Indian family of 3. The first part of the trip goes fine, we read our books and eat the chicken tandoori nicely wrapped up by the hotel woman. Since our train arrived around 5:30 am, we decided to try to go to sleep rather early. Before doing so, I go to the bathroom and encounter a chubby Indian man. The conversation goes as follows, which is the exact format as most of my conversations in India:
Chubs: Hello my good friend, what is your name
Me (totally enthused): Jeremy
Chubs: Ahh, Germany. Very nice to meet you, good sir.
Me (after a long awkward silence): Uhhh, where are you from
Chubs: Ahh, I am from nonsenseville
Me: Ahh, nonsenseville. very nice
Chubs: Germany, where are you from?
Me: France
Chubs: Ahh, I have a friend in France
(They all say that)
Me: Okay, nice meeting you.
(And I go back to my seat, not haven used the bathroom because Chubs was kind of breaking my balls)

Falling asleep around 8 pm seemed reasonable, as it would allow a decent 8 hour sleep. Nope, I only slept for about 3 hours. The train was so noisy, it was as if I was trying to sleep in a mall on black Friday. Indian were talking left and right. Here is the best conversation I overheard from an Indian guy speaking to our Korean neighbors around 11pm:

Indian man: Ahh, my good friends, where are you from? China? Korea?
Meek Korean couple: Ehh, Ko-ree-ah
Indian: Where are you heading?
Meeks: Delhi
Indian: Ahh, do you know Ung Kim in Delhi?
Meeks: Uhh, no.
Indian: Do you know very famous lady in Korea? Miss Park?
Meeks: Uhh, no.
Indian: Do you know my friend Ming Ung Kim?

This went on for 30 minutes as I was trying to sleep 2 feet away. There are over 13 million people in Delhi and this douche was throwing around all of the most common Korean names in what world. There must be thousands of Kims and Parks in Delhi! When I was not listening to trash like that, I was listening to Indian men snoring. It sounded like chainsaws cutting through lawnmowers.

We arrived in Jaipur on time and jay was there to pick us up. I just wanted him to drive us to Ranthambhor so I could crash and go to sleep. But of course that wasn't going to happen. jay decides to stop in a field and ask the women if they would give us 2 of the items they were harvesting. I though this would turn out to be a tasty treat. No. He brought back with him 2 cauliflowers. What the hell are we supposed to do with 2 cauliflowers. That has to be the least edible thing to bring to people in a car. it must be washed and steamed. I was about to slug this guy. I didn't slug him. We got to our camp in Ranthambhor 5 hours later and I slept most of the afternoon.