Today, we left Agra to travel to Lucknow by train.
We were collected at our hotel for our short drive to the train station by coach after breakfast in the hotel. I was surprised we needed a coach to get there and quickly deduced that we would not be travelling from the train station next to the hotel.
Train journey.
When we arrived at the train station, our coach was met by an army of baggage handlers who were to transport our luggage to the train for us. I was worried that the luggage wouldn't make it on the train with us. The organisation was haphazard, with different people grabbing different bags and putting them on different wooden carts. Our guide seemed happy, and we were led across the muddy road and into the train station.
The train station seemed very old, and people were using the platforms to sleep on. Our guide got everyone's train tickets and handed them out to us. We had to make our way around the sleeping people and across the train tracks using a large iron bridge. Would we make the train in time, as we only had minutes to spare before the train was due to depart? We were shepherded on board the train, and lots of baggage was brought on and stashed on overhead shelving above our heads. I didn't see my case anywhere and hoped that it had made the train and was safely stashed somewhere I couldn't see.
As I approached my seat with a lady from the tour group, an Indian man was stretched out asleep across our seats. The lady I was with looked at me questioningly, so I just shook the man awake and moved him from our seats. We sat down, and he moved into someone else's seat before a train guard eventually moved him. The train wasn't what I was expecting after seeing so many Indian trains on television documentaries. Our carriage, at least, wasn't packed, and everyone had their own seat. There was no one hanging out of windows or sitting on the roof of the train. It did, however, look as if it was as old as me and didn't look like it had been cleaned or serviced since its inauguration. It looked like, and I suspect maybe it was, an old British Rail carriage from the early 70s or before.
We were soon underway, and although it couldn't be described as comfortable, it wasn't uncomfortable either. The seat was semi-reclined and wouldn't move either back up or recline any further. Several times during the journey, the train staff gave us food, which was quite good and brought us drinks or snacks throughout the journey.
Lucknow.
When we arrived in Lucknow, we were met by another army of baggage handlers who removed all the bags and cases from the train. I still hadn't seen my luggage at any time and hoped I would see it again. We were led out through the train station to a waiting coach, and when the baggage arrived, we had to identify our cases and bags before they were loaded onto the coach. A short time later, we were travelling through the heavy traffic of Lucknow on our way to our hotel for the night.
Fortune Park BBD hotel.
The hotel for our stay in Lucknow was the Fortune Park BBD. After we had checked in, we were given a short time to refresh ourselves and get a drink. I went into the hotel bar and joined some of my travelling companions for a cocktail. I had a Mai Thai cocktail and have to say it was the best I have ever had. After finishing our drinks, we were taken to the hotel restaurant for lunch and another buffet.
We were supposed to be going on an organised trip this afternoon, but our guide informed us that the company running the tour had called to cancel the trip because there was a problem with the transport and the bus couldn't be replaced at short notice. My companion, Michael, asked where the nearest ATM was, and I walked with him to the nearest ATM, a short walk down the road from the hotel. On the way, we were approached by lots of beggars and by women offering me their babies and calling me daddy. It was all very humorous. We had all been warned about the beggars by our guide, who was originally from Lucknow. He told us that most of the beggars were very well off and that they had homes, cars and an income better than his. When we arrived at the bank with the ATM, Michael went in but was out quickly because the ATM wasn't working. We walked back along the road, dodging the cars, bikes and beggars and back to the hotel.
Lucknow shopping trip.
Our tour guide, Digamber, managed to arrange a fleet of tuk-tuks to take those of us who wanted to go into the Lucknow shopping area. The tuk-tuk I was in with Michael soon got split up from most of the others in the heavy traffic, but our guide knew a shortcut. It was a little disconcerting that he was taking us down trash-filled alleys that the tuk-tuk only just fitted and around the back of old, derelict buildings. When we eventually got to the main road, he stopped, told us to get out and pointed up the street, telling us to walk that way. Another tuk-tuk arrived behind us, and we all got out and began walking to where the drivers had assured us we would meet the others and where we should have been dropped off.
We couldn't find anyone else and crossed the road to a small shopping area we saw. It wasn't the big shops that a couple of the ladies who had joined us wanted, but we sat and had a drink in the sun. Eventually, we found the place we were supposed to be on Google Maps and made our way there. There were a few larger shops, but it was nothing like the shopping centre that the ladies had wanted to go to. Very soon, a line of tuk-tuks formed, and our original driver waved to us, and we climbed onto the tuk-tuk. Once again, he seemed to go a different way from anyone else, but he did get us safely back to the hotel.
We had dinner in the hotel. By now, we were all looking for anything that didn't taste of curry and had all got used to keeping an eye out for the bones in the food we were served.
Agra to Lucknow Photos.
These photos were taken on my trip from Agra to Lucknow and around Lucknow on arrival there.
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