“There and Back Again: A day in the life…”

It was raining the day we were to travel by train a week ago. The taxi didn’t come on time so we hopped into 2 rickshaws Joseph brought from outside our apartment complex. After piling ourselves and luggage into these ‘bullets on wheels’ we drove through the traffic to the station arriving in the nick of time. The train was delayed so we had enough time to go to the proper track at the station. Merrilea even had time to purchase some food from the main vendor and walk back to meet us. The train arrived but we knew it would only stay for 5-10 minutes. We found our proper train couch and got in and found our seat numbers - which were spread out. After settling ourselves in the seats we began asking if some men would change seats with us so we could all be together (a common practice). After some talking, they agreed.

Finally all was OK till the Tickemaster came and said we got on the wrong couch. We were supposed to be in the next one over! So, I slowly moved our belongings and us over to that one. We even talked with the Ticketmaster and he agreed to change our seats so we could be all together. I don’t make mistakes like this often but my family had mercy on me! We were all tuckered out.

Finally all was OK till Maria broke her leg. That would take some pretty tricky work getting on and off the train on crutches when the train only stops for 5 minutes in the train station. We made sure we were got at the right spot where the train would come. I made sure we got there early enough. I think the rest of our family thinks we got there WAY early. About 30 minutes BEFORE the train was to arrive it pulled in…on the OTHER side of the station! We had to bolt with our luggage and Maria on her crutches over the tracks on a bridge, find our couch and get in, all within 5 minutes. All of us scrambled to gather our stuff and ran…well Maria hobbled with Merrilea. Joseph, Danielle and I got in the train just in time as it started pulling away from the station! The kids and I kinda freeked.

In each train couch there are metal cables to pull to make the train stop in case of emergency … well, I did it. Merrilea and Maria were helped onto the train. Someone had helped them with the one piece of luggage Merrilea was carrying...thump, thump, thump down the stairs of the bridge over the tracks. That bag held the new router for the computer. (My hat is off to Linksys…it took a beating but still works!) Through the window, I saw a policeman with a clipboard and some people gathering so I went out and explained in their language what happened. They were ok with it.

Finally all was OK till they told me that our train comes 2 times through this station – once coming to the city and once leaving after about 30 minutes! We had got on the train at the wrong time! So, if we had simply waited another 30 minutes the train would have come to our side of the station without our crazy experience!
We’ve been here for several years and never stop learning new things all the time.

PS
This last week we had guests but very little water pressure in our plumbing. The humidity from the rains make drying clothes take about 2 days. Water pressure has returned to normal now!