24hrs in amritsar then bagshu

Asia
June 8th 2010

Published: June 8th 2010

just when we thought we were totally experienced and cool with the train system, it flummoxes us once again. we were waiting for the train at haridwar for amritsar, and had been told it would be platform 1. so we waited on platform 1. most of the standard platform announcements are made in english as well as hindi, and actually, i can now understand the standard announcements in hindi anyway. but then there were several non standard announcements, in hindi only, and we knew just enough to be able to hear our train number, and the word "platform" (which is quite easy, because the hindi for platform is, well platform).

lots of people suddenly started moving to another platfrom, so okay, the platform was changed, no problem, we asked around and followed everyone to the new platform... on which our train stood. great,. now to find the correct coach. we asked some officials and they told us don't worry, your coach is not here yet, it will arrive and attach to the rest of the train after "some time". i have heard of trains splitting before but not two trains arriving and joining to together. so they told us to go over to the end of the platfrom and wait for the rest of the train. once again, after "some time" there were more announcements, and everyone ran to the opposite platform and started boarding the train. helpful people called out - that is your train! but it was on the wrong platform, and not attached to the rest of the train??? we hesitated and the train started to move away, everyone was shouting at us to get on, so, another first time experience in india, we actually ran and boarded the train as it was moving! it was a bit scary but okay. now we are on the train but have no idea which coach we are in. or even if indeed it is the right train actually as the original train on the other platform definately had the right number on it. well, what happened is actually this part of the train moved off some way, then reversed back onto the original platform to join with the rest of the train.... people were laughing at our confused expressions as if this was all perfectly normal.

in the end it was one of the best journeys, we both fell asleep really quickly and monica had to actually wake me on arrival at amritsar.

i don't mean to be rude but i think 24 hours in amritsar is about all that is needed. i mean maybe we didn't give it a chance, and we are just not in the mood for cities recently, but it was not particularly charming. the golden temple is very impressive, although a bit smaller than i imagined it from photos. but i suppose it is completely coated in gold plate so what can i expect. i mean, it was much, much nicer than the taj mahal. the sikh people visiting were quite calm there was much less pushing etc even though it was quite busy.

we then went in the evening to the border with pakistan, where there is a famous ceremony for closing the border every evening. i wasn't that keen to go, as thought it is just a tourist show and i have seen it on the telly when Michael Palin went. but it was worth it, it was so funny, the guards strut up and down looking really stroppy, but the main thing is the crowd. 100s of people were there, there is grandstand seating built specially for this as it is so popular. they play music (inlcuding jai ho from slumdog millionaire) people are dancing and there is an MC whipping up the crowd with chants "long live hindustan" etc. the pakistan side is doing the same and it's more like a football match or a big party than anything. for two countries who could drop nuclear bombs on each other at any moment it's quite bizarre and extremely good natured.

anyway, we left the next day and after another whole day of being on a bus we are in bagshu, which is a small village near to dharamshala. it's in the mountains and very beautiful scenery. and it's.... wait for it..... COLD! and raining! it feels like being at home. instead of checking rooms for a fan, or AC we have been asking for blankets and a hot shower! how bizarre. it's very refreshing. and everyone is saying all the time "isn't the weather great?" if it was like this at home everybody would be moaning.

we feel like we might stay here for a while, monica is going home an less than three weeks and is a bit tired of moving every few days. i am thinking that when monica goes i want to find a nice place with plenty of people around where i feel comfortable to be on my own, so it might be around this area. although i also wouldn't mind going back to rishikesh or varanasi. we'll see.

there are lots of tourists here, and we have already bumped into several people we have met previously in goa, the people who run guesthouses or restaurants spend the winter (our winter monhts, oct - mar) in goa and then come up here for the rest of the year, so it almost feels familiar.

well, that's all for now as i have an aching shoulder and am tired from sitting at the computer. i don't see how i will be able to return to my office job after all this.......

24hrs in amritsar then bagshu

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