Lucknow to Varanasi

With work finally over for the week, I set off for the two days of exploration I have tagged onto the end of the trip. After a week of air conditioned hotel living, the heat, dust, smell, bustle, beggars and rats of Lucknow Railway Station came as a shock to the system. The train arrived over an hour late, and rather than being able to sit on the train and watch the countryside roll by, I found myself on the top bunk of a cramped and grubby compartment with no view at all. In any event, the late departure meant that it was soon dark and I settled down to five hours of reading and snoozing. My cell mate was a friendly elderly Indian, who promised to make sure I didn't miss my stop and then proceeded to fall into a deep sleep and had still not stirred when I got off at Varanasi. No snoring but a steady procession of noisy farts came forth from down below. First class train travel, Indian style! Even when I yelled out due to an agonising spasm of cramp in my leg, he remained comatose. Finally, at 10:30 pm, I emerged into the chaotic world of Varanasi ...