The trip to India was more of a race for Wolfgang, who had a train at 5:40am the next day. For me it was a risk-free way to get to my Gorakphur train, and to share the cost. £35 each for 12 hours of driving wasn't bad!
Today was the day that I got trigger-happy with taking phots of "Tata" trucks and buses! They are decorated in the most excellent manner!
Our driver to the Nepalese border was a lot of fun! He played the songs from the old Indian film "Khabi Khabi", and we talked Bollywood on the way to the border! And talk about service... he unveiled a DVD player in the sun-flap and let me watch an Abmitah Bachan film en-route! He was, however, a dangerous driver, often letting go of the steering wheel with a mobile phone in one hand and a cigarette in the other. I also saw a chicken cross the road... but I didn't question why.
After Wolfgang and I got our Visas stamped... it was time for the REALLY crazy driver! The Indian looked like a Bollywood Villian, and when questioned on some of his money collection strategies, he claimed "I'm not a cheater man!". But was he? He seemed to REALLY dice with death, driving dangerously close to pedestrians despite there being a lot of space to go around them! The highlight was when he asked me to pay for his supper - NOT part of the deal! I left him hungry.
Below are some scenes of India en-route:
Finding the "best hotel" near Gorakphur Junction train station, I parted company with Wolfgang who needed to sleep before his train. The "Hotel Sunrise" was very ragged and dirty, but £10 a night for a private air conditioned room with uninterrupted power supply. It was also the best one of the 5 that I asked to look at the rooms of! It's saving grace was the balcony and roof-top restaurant overlooking the bustling life outside the train station... the Chicken Masala and 5 rotis were absolutely delicious!!
