Out of practice I am slightly apprehensive and a little
disorientated. From the top of the bridge I see that the platform is swarming
with people, I had expected it to be nearly empty. I see the new blue seats on
the platform and there are two free. I
sit on one. A lady sees the one next to
me is free and calls her sister. There
is only one seat though for the two ladies...dilemma... so one of them sits on
me... as you do...and so as expected I get up and move down the platform.
As I stand watching a screen on which an eagle is flying
over mountains, a beautiful sight, I feel a warm splatter on my left arm. I think I swear and take a look at the gunk. Of all the people on the platform, it decided to poo on me... unbelievable...It also splattered my bag that I was carrying on my front, good job as my
clothes are practically spared. I get my wet wipes out, only one man has noticed, he doesn’t seem bothered. It’s just another day at the station.
The train comes in on time.
Everyone pushes and jumps on the moving train even though it will eventually
come to a stop. People push me, but I stand my ground. We get in the train with
our tickets in hand ready to find our seat numbers and suddenly...the lights
turn off! Not so convenient for finding
our seats that is for sure. They come back on and I find my seat by the window.
I sit and breathe and calm down.
The train leaves the station with a huge effort and shudder.
A man sits beside me and another in the seat in front. He asks me if we are in the right
coach...doubt suddenly enters my mind! But it’s ok, after checking with the man in the green uniform, I don’t have to move.
The man next to me opens his food packet, it smells delicious,
I look at it too long and my stomach rumbles, I didn’t have any dinner, I only
have my pack of Tipi Tips (light weight puffy crisps).
I am happy to see that there is an arm rest in between
us. It means no waking up to a man
sleeping on my lap...it’s happened too many times!!
Something suddenly crawls up my leg. I definitely swear this time and squash it
away with my other foot before it goes further up my leg.... my heart races. I
wish I had worn jeans and not three quarter lengths, what was I thinking!
I sit with my bag on my knee knowing that sometimes dodgy
water dribbles down the carriage and wets them... water, pee, stuff...and so I
take necessary precautions.
The man next to me has finished eating, he throws the remnants
of his dinner in front of me and out of the window. I know what is coming next
but still try to think that he is a gentleman and won’t do it. But he does. He leans over me to the window.
I move right back into my seat as the man in front has reclined his so there is
little space. My neighbour then proceeds
to get his water bottle and washes his hand.
Thanks to the wind from the train going along, the water splatters back
in and on me. He doesn’t care so he carries on. He then brings his hands back
in and drips the water all over me and my bag.
Thank you not so kind sir. He is so not bothered.
The train is so loud and is so uncontrollable it’s like a
rodeo ride. Sudden jerks take me off guard but I gradually relax and just go
with the flow. Suddenly the jerks turn into bounces and thoughts of a better time fill my head of not that long ago, when I used to play on the trampoline at my friends house, I would sit on it and she would jump and I would bounce all over the place and laugh uncontrollably...so fun on the trampoline, not so fun on the train...
The man next to me falls asleep. I smile and gently push his
arm off the armrest, it’s finally mine!! I take out my diary and start dreaming.
From time to time sellers come through the
aisles shouting ‘copi copi copi’ or ‘milo, bunnies’ waking people up, but they
go back to sleep quickly and I am left giggling to myself each time he says 'bunnies' instead of buns!!!! It never gets tiring hearing 'bunnies'!!
I can’t sleep yet; it’s only 8.30pm so I look outside at the
pitch black scenery.
In twelve hours I
should be at destination where a motorbike should be waiting to take me to the
village... where the next adventure will begin...
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