I got help all the way

I had to travel from Pune to Mumbai by train recently.  My train was to depart at 6:45 pm, but I reached the train station at 4:30 pm.  The station was PACKED.  Passengers were spilling to about 50 m away from the station.  I managed to find my way through the crowd and reached the first platform.  Again, there was standing room only.  I noticed signs for AC Rooms and AC Dormitory two levels above the platform, and I found my way there. 

At the reception, I was told that all rooms are occupied, but I can have a bed in a dormitory.   I wanted to see it before I pay for it, and I was taken in.  It was a spacious hall with about twenty bunk beds.  Each had a storage box.  I decided to stay there for the two hours.  I paid 5 USD for a bunk bed for three hours.  The attendant brought washed sheets and pillow cases, and showed me where the bathroom was.  Thinking of public restrooms in developing countries, I was not keen on using them.

 Pune Train Station Dormitory with Bunk Beds

There were four male passengers, all engrossed in their devices.  I removed my shoes and lay down to rest.  After an hour or so, I had to relive my blader.  To my surprise, the toilets were clean, and if I wanted, I could have a shower.

I returned to my bunk, and by 6:I5 I got ready and went to the platform.  There was a LONG train, but the train number displayed on the screen was different from my train's.  I thought, once this train leaves, my train would come.  However, by 6:30, the number changed to my train's, but the destination, was not Panvel, was not on display.  Then I realised that mine is one of the stops on its 30-hour journey.

                                        A sign posted at Pune Station - Note the sign for Cancer

Now I need to find my seat, which means I need to locate my compartment.  The compartment number was not clear on my ticket.  The ticket was an A4 sheet document in which my seat number was buried.  I looked for an officer, but, despite 1000s of people, there were none.  Most people couldn't understand why I was asking for the correct compartment in English.  Then, a person pointed me to a compartment, and I looked for my seat. 

There was a family, seated, which included a young girl.  I asked her if she spoke English, and she nodded affirmatively.  Then she showed me where to look for my seat number on my ticket.  The seat number was a string of alphabets and numerals, separated by forward slashes.  She told me that I was in compartment B3, and I need to go to compartment B1.  Good enough, I rushed towards B1, and felt that someone was following me closely.  It was the young girl who wanted to ensure that I found my seat.  Together, we found the seat.  I thanked her, and she left.

Seated in front of me was a middle-aged man who reminded me of Tamil movie actor MS Baskar.  We started conversing briefly.  He asked where I was from, and I said I am from Sri Lanka.  He inquired about Sri Lanka's debt crisis and whether China had captured markets in the country.  The conversation was pleasant.  He owned a factory that produced a component for Bajaja Scooters.

Then I wanted to recharge my phone, which I desperately needed to find an Uber from Panvel station to the hotel.  The international adopter I had would not stay in place, as the train traveled.  He took his charger and offered it to me.  I wanted to recharge my second phone, as I had the Indian SIM on one to hotspot the phone, which had the UBER app.  He offered his powerpack.  The EXPRESS train took 2.5 hours to travel 120 km.  India is far, far away from China in this regard.  The train reached Panvel, and the passenger in front of me (passenfer-1) told the passenger (Passeenger-2) next to him, who was also getting off at Panvel, about me, and my lack of Marati language skills. 

At the Panvel station, I thanked passenger-1 and got down with passenger-2.  Passenger-2 did not speak much English.  We walked silently to the road, negotiating our way through crowds.  I ordered UBER.  Passenger-2 stayed with me until the Uber arrived.  He located it among hundreds of cars, auto rickshaws, and pedestrians, and explained to the driver where I had to go.  I thanked him, and he went on his way, trying to reach his detsination, after losing 15 minutes, helping me about.

I was helped all the way on this journey.  There are too many good people around, willing to help without any return.  They keep the world liveable.