I don't have a lot of choice over where to sleep, and so for ease i choose a hotel opposite the train station. It's cheap and the guide book says it's clean. I don't verify this as I'm in a hurry to catch a bus. Later i find this isn't the case when my feet turn black and i catch a cockroach in a glass. I don't get much sleep - every couple of hours the train pulls-up in my room and the tannoy over my head shouts at me. I decline a shower as i worry about my health upon entering the bathroom. I liberally apply some 'freshy' instead - talcum powder. It's cooling ability turns to burning ability - what have they put in this thing and why did i have to put it between my legs. I go to a 'restaurant' in the morning for breakfast seeing as i have a long train journey. I'm startled out of my stupor by a rat the size of a small cat running past my feet, upon watching where it went i can see a mouse running around the kitchen. Hmmm...I've already eaten my meal and i wasn't sure of what i was eating - it was delicious though. I have a 10 minute conversation with the owner and i don't understand a word of it. I have to walk slowly to catch the train as I'm likely to be chased by stray dogs - there are many of them and i stand out a mile. One of them watches me from the middle of two lanes of traffic where it's happily laying.
I catch the train it's 30C and the few windows that are open are letting in dust and ash from the managed fires that are everywhere. The guy next to me is eating fried insects while wearing a t-shirt, sweatshirt, jacket and a woolly hat. He looks about 80, is probably 60 and moves with incredible slowness. Picking bugs legs from between his teeth is a pleasure that takes at least 5 minutes. In this time I've been offered dozens of different meals, fruits, vegetables and drinks - most of which i don't recognise from the many hawkers plying their trade up and down the train corridor. My seat is supposed to take 3 people but i take up nearly 2 spaces - I'm several inches taller and wider than most people here. Every time i move or speak their eyes are watching me. One old granny is particularly fascinated by me - i give her my best smile and she rewards me by ignoring it and continuing to stare, i have to be careful though as i can give offence just by pointing my foot in the wrong direction or touching someones head?
Apart from the being stared at, and being chased by stray dogs (only happened once so far) I like it here - it reminds me a lot of China, and i enjoyed my travels there. Still it's early days.
