A Family Affair: Delhi, Jaipur, Agra, and Lucknow in 10 Days (Part II)

Summary: My parents get the “real” India experience, where nothing goes as planned yet there’s always another way. As I always say, no trip in India is complete without a train fiasco.

This day deserves its own entry. Sorry, mom and pop, for a wasted day and a miserable 6 hours.

Day 6, Jaipur: The day of heck. I had planned for us to take an AC deluxe bus to Agra (again, new experiences), reaching Agra by mid-afternoon. Murphy’s Law, or a series of unfortunate events, took over.

Unfortunately, there was no AC bus leaving for Agra at our identified time.

Fortunately, there was a non-AC bus. Fine, we’ll roll with the punches.

Unfortunately, the bus moves a foot, before driver turns off the engine and steps off. Passengers gradually follow suit. I have no idea what’s going on; the few words communicated to us are in Hindi.

Fortunately, I find someone (Puru) who can explain the situation to me in English.

Unfortunately, he tells me the bus is cancelled, because the road to Agra is closed due to violence, a byproduct of the recent elections (déjà vu!).

Fortunately, he also needs to get to Agra and finds out there’s a train leaving in 3 hours.

Unfortunately, it’s hard to buy tickets on such short notice. Either General Seating (everyone I know cringes at the thought) or Tatkal (expensive, and also probably not available).

Fortunately, there’s usually a tourist quota for Tatkal tickets, making it a somewhat feasible option.

Unfortunately, nothing, not even Tatkal, is available. The train is completely overbooked.

Fortunately, I’m able to buy waitlisted tickets, with numbers 430, 431, and 432.

Unfortunately, the seats are in sleeper (non-AC) class, which may be moot since there’s no way we’re getting pulled off the waiting list, and hence we can’t officially board the train.

Fortunately, I visit the tourist office, which confirms that buses started running again an hour after the initial cancellation announcement. We can still catch the next bus.

Unfortunately, we don’t know if the roads will close again, and we might be stranded midway.

Fortunately, I’m still holding onto our waitlisted tickets. This is India, and there’s always another way. We’re still going to board the train, and I’m going to “talk” to the conductor to work things out. Puru will be boarding at the next station (15 minutes away), and he’ll help make the arrangements.

Unfortunately, we still don’t have confirmed seats.

Fortunately, we hop on as soon as we can to try to find seats and space for our luggage. We manage to find a completely open berth (bench) and claim it.

Unfortunately, the actually belongs to another family.

Fortunately, the family doesn’t say anything to us, even though we’ve clearly usurped their seats.

Unfortunately, this means we’re all very cramped, and it’s 120°F outside.

Fortunately, the conductor comes around, checks my ticket, and doesn’t say a thing.

Unfortunately, we have 120°F wind blowing in our faces for the next 6 hours.

Fortunately, we make it to Agra at ~9:30 pm (only 5 hours after planned!) and check into our air-conditioned 5-star hotel (again, thanks to Monitor). Upon checking in, they give us drinks and chocolate! We don’t bother leaving the room to search for food.

My parents somewhat aptly describe the experience as “going from hell to heaven.” When such highs and lows are experienced in succession like this, it really makes you appreciate what you have.