The Pilgrimage
Disheartened with my friends gone….it had been great having such good company over new years, but now I had to disconnect and carry on with the rest of my journey. It was the 3rd and I was scheduled to arrive in Ramnager for the Mahseer Concservancy project on the 7th. I had scheduled a couple of days in Chitwan National park I thought….see some elephants. I caught the bus to the small town on the edge of the reserve where most of the expensive resorts are, but I wangled a cheap cottage for the night despite being hounded by hotel touts.
We were out of the mountains now and the green fields and country roads reminded me of the countryside back home, especially in the south in Oxfordshire where i would often visit family. Long green grasses and a misty sky. I had a hot meal in a cafe not knowing it would be my last in some time. The village seemed dead and a forest trek alone wasn’t apealing to me at this point..neither was the expense…I simply wanted to get to the tiger reserve and start the project. So I booked a bus out the next day.
I would head to Sonali. I almost felt like Chitwan had been an unnecessary detour, but it was good to see it, break up my journey and relax for the afternoon plus I now knew what was there was to return to. I had abandoned my ‘simple’ plan of going direct to Delhi and then to Ramnagar, I would over shoot the mark, spend unnecessary time on the road and spend more money. So Sonali it was, then a bus to the nearest train station Gorkapur, 4hrs away then overnight train to Lucknow and finally a train to Ramnagar. Passing through immigration wearily after an early morning start and4hrs on the bus, I was tired and hungry, and vulnerable. Inevitably (although I took as many precautions as I could) the travel agents took advantage.
I was led to these guys by an Indian man who had first wanted to bundle me into his already over filled landrover and drive me to Gorkapur for only 100 rupees…this might have saved me a lot of money but there was no point turning up at the train station without a ticket. I must book first. I was wary as the agent demanded money even before he;d made a phone call to confirm the ticket…I insisted i see the tickets first. I wanted two. One to Lucknow then to Ramnagar. He had me sit in a roadside Chai stall while he got the tickets then hurried me back to his office and took a considerable amount off me….but calculating it it worked out about right for 2 late notice confirmations….it was then he got me…
In a rush he thrust one ticket and a bit of paper into my hand and yelled ‘Quick! Quick! Bus bus…and practically pulled me on to a bus where him and his friend blocked me into a seat and demanded more money for extra false charges…when I argued they said if i wasn’t going to pay they would cancel the tickets …after protest and demanding explanation I realised they had me..I was on a bus heading to a train station and I could either have a ticket when I arrived or face a night at the statio… if they canceled the ticket I would lose the money already invested plus have no guarantee of a train…perhaps possibly for the next few days..who knows….In the end I gave them the extra they were scamming me for. The also over charged me for the government bus ticket, not letting me speak to the conductor, just demanding money then giving a small denomination of my fare to the driver….they then wanted a further 70 rupees for baggage!….’No no no!’, they knew they were pushing it and my outcries were drawing attention. They hastily jumped off the bus.
At least I was rid of them, even if I had paid 6 times too much for the journey….it should of cost me around maybe 5 pounds and sneakily in their small denominations and harassment they took 30…I turned to the rest of the bus in outrage, shocked and very pissed off….’Its not right’ an Indian voice said…I was glad some one sympathized….I sat writhing in anger for a long while trying to tell myself it was the first time I had been scammed..I was safe, I had all my belongings and atleast had one legitimate train ticket….it could have been a whole lot worse.
After swearing my trust in these local people was forever lost…ivery soon it was restored as a kind Nepali couple bought me chai and sympathsied with me at the next tea stop, also after seeing what the rouges had done the husband kindly walked me to the train station as we arrived in Gorkapur- knowing full well any rickshaw would take advantage in the falling night. He sat his wife at a chai stop and walked me into the station and made sure I found the inquiries office. There are kind people in the world after all….if I had the means to do anything for this couple at that moment in time I would of done. Though I couldn’t restore health and sadly they were on a journey to Lucknow for medical treatment. A long journey from their home town in Kathmandu. Saints.
I had worked out on the 4hr drive from Sunali to the rail head at Gorkapur that my first train ticket was authentic….dates times ect….as for the other scrap of paper…well, we would see. I had plenty of time to contemplate options of guest houses,buses,taxi’s as I waited the 4hrs for my train…which was then an hr late. I sat reading The God Delusion (which might account for my religions references) A controversial book to read in most places…and in India most travelers pick up some Buddist read or Guru teachings to guide them to enlightenment. I had picked out this well argued investigation in to the exsitance of god while ill in Kathmandu. It had been the conversation starter for the South African guys also, as one had read it and I had said it reflected my current mood….
The books and people watching entertained me, the usual packs of dogs hunting fun up and down the platform gave me a break from watching people watching me. the rats helped me to keep weary of my surroundings as exhaustion crept in. I found an omlete man as I hadn’t eaten anything but some digestives and a samosa all day. When I returned to the guards office to check my train hadn’t change platform (I failed to work out the announcements) I was told to ‘Sit!’ and relax….my train was late but two policemen getting on the same train would make sure I got to my bunk without any trouble….personal armed guards….nice.
Finally I could sleep…well after my ticket was checked and I had ignored a guard that tried to tell me Ramnagar would be 3 stops BEFORE Lucknow…..my trusty map told me otherwise.(I love maps..)…Ramnagar was a good 9hrs after Lucknow… which was where the train stopped.
I was vaguely aware of movement in the night, but being so tired dreams confused me….all my luggage was attached to some part of me….though when I woke up my scarf/blanket was gone…..I was pretty sure I had gone to sleep with it round either my head or my legs….scary to think someone had managed to make off with it….why MY scarf? There were plenty of other warmer blankets on warmer bodies knocking around…..oh yeah…because I’m a foreigner.
So I arrived in Gorkapur and pretty much as I expected the travel agents had fobbed me off with the scrap of paper…telling me I had a ticket for 8am.. TUH!…there wasn’t a booking made and the only train to Ramnagar was at 9pm….I didn’t fancy a day in the station or paying for a guest house, or trying to tour round Lucknow…I just wanted to get to Ramnagar…I was on a mission….or should we say a pilgrimage, to get to the project I’d been planning for a year or so..the promise of which had got me through college.
Buses were easier then trains, as no advanced booking or extra fees were needed. I headed to the bus station and inquired about Ramnagar….I was still a good 12hrs away by road. Quickly sent to the interstate bus station for 6ruppes I inquired again. Helpfully they told me I could catch a bus to Moradabad then a bus to Ramnagar….not bad I thought, Just another day on the bus.I was told to get to Moradabad it would take around 7-8hrs so I would arrive around 4pm. This seemed a reasonable hour for me to catch what couldn’t be more then a 3hr bus to Ramnager, in good time to get a hotel.
Though I hadn’t calculated in Indian inaccuracy, traffic and chai stops….So as we headed west to Moradabad, racing the setting sun I realised that I would be arriving in that place well after dark…..Moradabad…it doesn’t sound like an idyllic place to be in daylight never mind night time…Would there still be buses to ramnagar at 8/9pm? Would I have to find a guest house? (this transport centered town wasn’t in the lonely planet)…Who could I trust….Would I wait at the train station?…Ect ect…In a saner part of my head I had several options; stay the night -train stations are better for advice then the streets or I could always fork out for a 3hr taxi ride (equivalent in price to a 20min taxi ride back home)…atleast I would be safe….I had plans. Though luckily as I was thrown off the bus at the final destination my request for a ride to Ramnagar was rewarded with news that a bus was leaving soon….I had time to sit, thank which ever god I’d chosen that day;….fate…luck…my intelligence and persistence….smoke and buy some sort of food that resembled dough in batter. Urgh. But I’d had maybe a packet of crisp and some chai all day.
I would reach Ramnagar tonight and consulting the faithful lonely planet it looked like there would be a hotel, even a decent budget one which would provide me with a bed!…Finally!…..So after 39hrs on the road….6bus stops, 2 train stations, 2 immigration offices, countless chai stops and one rickshaw, I arrived in Ramnager, had a comfortable bed and the promise of porridge in the morning. Hats off to me.
I met some Irish bird watchers the next morning and set out with the aim of contacting the project manager, Sumantha.The first two attempts sent me back to the hotel without luck and in the need of coffee…the 3rd later in the morning however; prevailed and I was to be picked up in half an hour. I had no idea what to expect of this project, it look all very well on the paper. Really interesting infact when I reminded myself about the things I would be doing…but how would the people be? What would the work be like? Other volunteers maybe?.Would i want to stay a whole month??? It was crunch time, D-day. As with Sadhana I was finally going to find out what this place was about.
Tags: india
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