Back to Bangalore

We took the night train back to Bangalore last night - it was once again wonderful - we were so anxious that we could not get the 1st class and yet travelling 3rd class sleeper turned out to be the most fun! On our return we were with an executive from a chemical company in Hospet - so were westerners might not travel this way - junior and even upper middle managers and some executives travel this way. The trains leave EXACTLY on time - but they may take a little longer on the road! Another gentleman was from the steel company and another fellow was a manager with Dell - it was a little odd - you are in a compartment as described before - three bunks one side, three the other, and then a passage then two on the other window, there are 8-10 compartments like this in one train car - so if I heard Jacquie was doing this...I would freak out - but it is totally safe - the men of india 30-50 are very cool to talk to - those of working class because they speak english and are completely used to working with women - they have been westernized! OK it was a little odd to wake up and look 5 feet away and see a strange man sleeping there - but you talk for 3-4 hours before you pull down the bunks...hummm...it was good to see Susie below me sleeping. You now get thrown off the train if you harass women - YEAH! There was an upper military man in our little group of 8 but you could tell he thought we were riff raff, included the two indian men, not just us - so he got "TT" (Ticket Control) to move him...ha - his loss! Susie has Delhi Belly - she was so sick on the train and this am - she is better now but back on a diet of digestive cookies and water and Coke...poor thing - I am fine. We are back to the honking of Bangalore - shopping on MG road and happy to be back at Chalukiya - had our one meal of the day in the Bangalore Central - a mall just off MG road - we usally scope out a safe restaurant and eat once a day - rest of day we have water and maybe a granola bar.
Hugs from India - to Mysore tomorrow and overnight where i am not sure if Internet will be easy to find.