Words Fusion

As many travellers know, letting your comfort zones slip away when you’re on an adventure is often something that can’t be helped. On my journeys so far I have found this is usually the more the case when you’re attempting to get from A to B.

One of the worst travel encounters I have experienced on my travels is undoubtedly the night train when exploring India. Taking the train from Vizianagaram to Hyderabad seemed like the most sensible way of getting across the country, so at about six o’ clock one evening, we began our journey. With the announcements being made at the station being in the Hindi language, with no English translation, finding the right train and buying tickets was enough of a challenge in itself.

After six of us managed to secure a carriage on the train we sat on the narrow fold out bottom bunks on each side and watched the beautiful scenery through the tiny window. On each side of the small carriage a total of six beds folded down from the wall, creating an incredibly cramped and claustrophobic space for each of us to sleep in! With just a few inches between your head when lying down and the bunk above you, it wasn’t the most comfortable sleep ever.

As if the sleeping space wasn’t bad enough, a trip to the ‘toilet’ made a very long journey even more interesting. The tiny room offered just a hole in the floor which was particularly difficult to aim through in the dark, especially whilst the train continued hurtling along at speed; it was possibly the most challenging bathroom experience of my life.

Another travel memory that I’d rather forget would have to be an epic bus adventure through Thailand. Heading up to the islands from Bangkok on a budget meant that flying was out of the picture and the 24 hour bus and boat journey was the only viable option. Sitting in the same seat amongst 30 or 40 other people in constant light and noise while wishing the time to pass wasn’t the best experience of the country, but at least the toilet was a step up from the Indian train.

Fortunately, on both of these occasions, the travelling to andfrom each point was the only bad thing about each country and the rest of the trip made it all worthwhile. India and Thailand were both great adventures that I’m looking forward to repeating!