Even with declaring I was leaving the night before it still took a few hours to book out. Rooms at 1200 rupees per night. All the other services thrown in, including booking me the train to Amritsar and the running around to help me post the package to Ravi. With train ticket 13400 rupees making the train journey 5000 rupees. I couldn't even work out the number of nights I had been at the hotel.
At the station I spotted a kiosk with medicines on the note board. I asked for lozenges for a sore throat. He shew me a strip of individually wrapped Strepsils. So I took six strips. Smaller than the UK version and not as strong an antiseptic. Still got a runny nose, a bad cough and sore throat.
In having a second class A/C compartment it placed me at the front of a very long train. Three others, a Punjabi family, a mother and her two teenage daughters. They were eating and immediately offered me some food. I had not long since eaten breakfast!
The train left a little after the scheduled 11:25. I had asked for the next do
able train to Amritsar and this one will take until 21:25, 10 hours.
I got my computer out and after a little difficulty finding the cable I was sure
was but wasn't where I thought I placed it I picked one of the more recent Hindi
films from my collection "Hindi Medium" (2017). The moving flashing images and
sound track drew mum and her youngest daughter into watching. The elder daughter
climbed onto the buck bed above and slept. It was nice and to share the jokes
and fun They are going to a wedding and had henna decorations on their hands.
Fortunately the tablet and external drive lasted off the battery and they got to
see to the end before leaving.
I set up my phone as a wireless hotspot and checked in on the e-mails and
Facebook. I am finding reading from the phone or tablet to put me into a
state where I can not take it in and start to fall asleep.
Late evening chill and much colder than Delhi. I already put my sweat shirt on over the tee shirt and then go out my jacket. I put my location up on google Maps and tracked the progress of the train.
The train was running very late. No taxi waiting and I was trying to work out why I had the wrong phone number entered to contact Raj as he didn't give me a hotel name either, nor a printed bill.
The driver came over and had a print out of Mr George. It will do. As the only
non-Indian on the train there was not likely to be another he was looking for.
At reception, with no printed confirmation slip I was told they were fully
booked. I was taken to the Hotel next door. I think they spoke to Raj Shabir and
then marched me back to the first hotel.
The bruise pain in my leg leg has gone. It still pains after a relatively little walking. Swelling is also not as bad and does not flare up as it has the first few days after the flight.
The Grand Hotel has on-suite but the water is luke warm. No towels. Wardrobe, hanging rail too high to reach, a coffee table, two chairs and a vanity desk and mirror. Double king size bed. More than the Himalayan Hostel and a far larger place. I am on the fifth floor.
Three nights here, but that means only two days with the third perhaps taken up by more travel.
Last updated 13th December 2018