On to Bandhavgarh and Monsoon Forest lodge
We took an overnight train from Junebadh to Ahmedabad which we had been a little nervous about doing on our own but it was a breeze! Everyone was very helpful and we quickly found our bunks and settled in for the night as the train rattled and rolled through the pitch black of the Indian countryside.
At Ahmedabad a drive met us on the station platform and whisked us across town to the airport where we took a flight to Delhi. With plenty of time before our next overnight train we enjoyed a great meal before boarding the train for Katni.
This time we managed to get the wrong seats/bunks and there was some confusion but quickly sorted, thankfully. Not the case for the people opposite who had a rather large and stubborn cuckoo in their seats. A family had booked four seats, one each, but a lady was now sat in the middle of them and refusing to budge. Even though we could not understand a word the body language spoke volumes and we sniggered as the soap opera was played out before us. All sorts of other people in the carriage chipped in their comments, a large man who got out of his bed just to join in. The ticket collector seemed rather afraid of the big women who was glued to the seat she had chosen and retreated leaving the passengers to try and sort it out. At last she relented and flounced off down the train to find the seat she should have been in. Only problem was she left all her luggage behind, and boy she had plenty to leave! Bags, boxes and large sacks, no wonder she was not keen to move on. The poor family who had booked the seats ended up being porters and shifting all her stuff down to her new home!
Disturbance over we settled down to watch the sun setting over India as it rattled past the window. Once the light had gone we made up our bunks and tried to sleep with thoughts of Tigers to come…..