You don’t, at first, realise that your life can change on a train. And I’m not talking about the romanticised version of life-changing, the Before Sunrise one where you meet a gorgeous European backpacker and embark on an evening of intense conversation. I’m talking about your entire world view being rocked, just by getting from A to B.
Of course, this takes place in India because where else is a train carriage an entire universe, filled with humanity and all its quirks and foibles?
I’m 24 years old, I’m travelling alone, I’ve been in Chennai for a few days, and I’m moving clear across the country to Mumbai. That’s 24 hours of travel by rail, a second-class ticket to the world’s greatest…