...or probably was just one of the most intense and challenging one...16 hours according to the schedule, 20 officially to reach one of the most popular and historically important part of the country: Bagan and his thousands temples...
The train station was packed but the crowd was quiet and smiley, the platform was assigned 5 minutes before the expected departure time, the train arrived only 40 minutes later..the carriage is just dated and dusty but pleasantly looking comfortable, with a reasonably good toilet and a side room for the backpacks...no connections to other carriages, all the sleepers were carriages for themselves, to go to the restaurant or seating class you would have to get off the train (when stopping in a station!) and get to that carriage..we were trapped!!and the fine for pulling the alarm is just 5000 kyats (little less than 5 euro!!)...I got the little devil on my shoulder tempting me to do it just for fun!!!
Train travels are always fun, they carry so much energies, yet this route in particular was and is well know for his bumpy and uncomfortable reputation and poor maintenance..it's ok I thought, I can sleep anywhere, I will get used to the poor conditions of the vehicle and railways and enjoy the view when sun rises!!
After the first few kilometres we (in the compartment with me a young and mannered turkish boy and a chatty and friendly french couple) started to notice that the bumps of the train could turn potentially dangerous so as soon as sun set we opted to lie down...the feeling was like somebody was moving our bed continuosly, shaking it and then lifting it and pulling it right and left, a washing machine feeling but dry...at one point I started to get concerned that I could just easily fly down the upper berth I was assigned if one of this bumps was too bad, I haven't actually considered that the train could derail just badly to be honest..I woke up endless times and it was always dark..it's been a long night and a very uncomfortable one but I remember I dreamt a little bit too!!!
Sunrising I got up hoping to release the nausea and diziness that the train ride had been giving me with a tea, but I knew what the stomach was really asking me......the countryside was dry and desert like, and the last stretch before arriving at destination just an immense plain of tall and lined up palm trees, some sandy villages and a lot of expressive nothingness...
I must be getting tired of this way of traveling yes I know, I must be getting old and yes I was shocked and shaken getting off the train yet relieved, I was not as excited as when I had bought the ticket from the counter in the morning, but I survived it and I guess you will never know, if you never live it...
The train station was packed but the crowd was quiet and smiley, the platform was assigned 5 minutes before the expected departure time, the train arrived only 40 minutes later..the carriage is just dated and dusty but pleasantly looking comfortable, with a reasonably good toilet and a side room for the backpacks...no connections to other carriages, all the sleepers were carriages for themselves, to go to the restaurant or seating class you would have to get off the train (when stopping in a station!) and get to that carriage..we were trapped!!and the fine for pulling the alarm is just 5000 kyats (little less than 5 euro!!)...I got the little devil on my shoulder tempting me to do it just for fun!!!
Train travels are always fun, they carry so much energies, yet this route in particular was and is well know for his bumpy and uncomfortable reputation and poor maintenance..it's ok I thought, I can sleep anywhere, I will get used to the poor conditions of the vehicle and railways and enjoy the view when sun rises!!
After the first few kilometres we (in the compartment with me a young and mannered turkish boy and a chatty and friendly french couple) started to notice that the bumps of the train could turn potentially dangerous so as soon as sun set we opted to lie down...the feeling was like somebody was moving our bed continuosly, shaking it and then lifting it and pulling it right and left, a washing machine feeling but dry...at one point I started to get concerned that I could just easily fly down the upper berth I was assigned if one of this bumps was too bad, I haven't actually considered that the train could derail just badly to be honest..I woke up endless times and it was always dark..it's been a long night and a very uncomfortable one but I remember I dreamt a little bit too!!!
Sunrising I got up hoping to release the nausea and diziness that the train ride had been giving me with a tea, but I knew what the stomach was really asking me......the countryside was dry and desert like, and the last stretch before arriving at destination just an immense plain of tall and lined up palm trees, some sandy villages and a lot of expressive nothingness...
I must be getting tired of this way of traveling yes I know, I must be getting old and yes I was shocked and shaken getting off the train yet relieved, I was not as excited as when I had bought the ticket from the counter in the morning, but I survived it and I guess you will never know, if you never live it...
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