Written May 7th
After waiting a few days in Delhi we were able to get tickets to our contact site in Bangalore, India. Usually tickets take a few weeks to get but with prayers and God’s blessings we were able to get them in less time. Travel days are getting easier and easier and 16 hours on a bus or 8 hours on a plane is nothing to a seasoned World Racer. But when we were told 3 days on a train I was a little nervous. Once our tickets were purchased we found out that the train ride was only 41 hours and being on the race that seems manageable. We were set to leave Delhi at 9pm on Friday and arrive 2pm on Mother’s Day. Long ride but manageable… I have been on a long-distance train a few times in the States but never a sleeper train, so I wasn’t too sure what to expect. Well…any expectations I had of this train ride were out the window. We arrived at the train station platform where we saw another sleeper train about to depart. People were hanging out of the train it was so overbooked. We had an hour before our train arrived so we took our bags off, surrounded them to protect them, and waited.
This train, probably built in the 40’s, packed full with more people than a large graduating class & hotter than imaginable is what we called home for 43 hours. Vendors walk up and down the carts yelling ‘copee/chai/tomato soup/or other indescribable meals’. With the help of the contacts in Delhi we boarded the train, found our little nook with 6 fold-down beds, and piled up our gear in any available space. And then I prayed. The moment I got on this train I was ready to get off. Being on the WR you don’t really have standards to modes of transportation as long as it gets you from point A to point B. Nothing is ever really glamorous and you almost always live exactly as the locals do. So here we were, 7 American girls (our SL Courtney is with us this month), on the lowest class train in India. We stuck out. Anyone who passed our bunks stood there for a minute staring and usually continued on. It’s been a joke with my team of 6 girls that we have a 7th team member. Contacts always have a 7th plate out or serve us 7 cups of less than appetizing hot curd. It has happened a number of times so we have made Jesus our honorary 7th team member. So I prayed that He would protect us and hid us from trouble. After praying for a few moments I felt at peace with the train and off we go…!
–17 hours into the ride-
I can’t believe that we are actually in India. This is exactly what I pictured when I thought of the World Race. We have been spoiled for the last 4 months, well as spoiled as missionaries in 3rd world countries can be. To be honest, India was the country I least wanted to go to. At training camp when I heard there were some changes in our route I was hoping India would be taken off our list. I was the one who prayed that our India visas would be declined. But God called us to India so here we are. And now being here I’m looking forward to it. I imagine that this country will have me totally relying on God, and that now excites me.
I don’t really know how to explain what India is like, besides that it is the most culture shock to date. I feel as if I have been placed on another planet. This feels more like a movie scene than real life. Sewage runs the streets and leaves a very distinct smell. Trash is everywhere. I was told that cows roam the streets but I didn’t really believe it. Traffic jam ahead? Quite possible that a cow has decided to take a nap in the middle of the road. And it’s hot, 109 forecasted for today. Being on the lowest class train we do not have air conditioning. We’re now used to just having fans and being hot but this train ride has brought a whole new level to being hot. We alternate who sits next to the window thinking that cool air will come in. Air sure does come in but its HOT air. Almost like trying to cool yourself off with a hairdryer on the high setting, doesn’t really work.
But this is India and I’m excited to see what adventure God has planned for us.
