Haridwar

Haridwar is a very holy city for Hindus. It's where the Ganges River spurts out of the mountains. I bought my train ticket from the second class booking line (they didn't have a "no class" booking line. Who am I Rodney Dangerfield?). It cost 23 rupees. I couldn't make out the ticket, so I asked an official where my train was located. He told me Platform 1. So I sat in a sleeper coach and asked another official if I was in the right spot and he gestured that I was. Later, a woman wearing a brown kameez, standing next a man in an official uniform, took my ticket. She said I had the wrong ticket. I started, "But two men told me..." I was cut off by the other man, who motioned that I was fine.

On the train, a man dressed in a woman's pink salwar kameez and bangles (not the Icky Woods kind), who wore a wad of ten rupees like a ring, demanded ten rupees from the young man next to me. He eventually obliged. When this character came to me, I said I didn't understand (which I didn't) and he left. Later, a beggar kid came and sat across from me, persistantly asking for food. I stared into his eyes. Strangely, they differed from the rest of him. They weren't pleading at all. Upon arriving at the Haridwar station, the sign was covered in drying clothes, so I had some trouble deciphering where I was.

I didn't stay in Haridwar long, only for a few hours. I walked to the Ganges Canal and the Ganges River, both magestic flourencent green. The canal was moving fast like it had a train to catch. I soon realized, as the wind kicked up, that the reason was because a storm was coming. I headed away from the water for cover. I found it under a tree just before it began to pour. After it stopped, I walked around a bit. Besides what I've already mentioned and habitating numerous Hindu pilgrims and exclusively veg food, not much distinguishes Haridwar from elsewhere in this area. Then it started to pour again and I took shelter with a bunch of cycle rickshaw drivers.

I decided to head back to Dehra Dun and discovered that the bus was my best bet. It put into perspective how bad that Mussoorie bus ride was. This one, which last a little over 2 hours, did not have the absurd climb of the Mussoorie trip, which I read elsewhere is actually 7,500 feet up (I said 6,500 yesterday). But it was a rough trip nonetheless. All bus rides in India are.

I deboarded at the bus stand 5 KM away from my hotel by the train station. I tried to figure out how to get to my hotel. I had to ask a lot of different people. A couple of guys wanted me to walk 2 KM to Tampur train station and take the train to Dehra Dun. They wouldn't tell me how to go to the Dehra Dun train station otherwise. Often, I ask for directions to a place over 5 KM, the person will not allow me to walk. Not that I wanted to this time. But I wanted a better option. Finally, I found a blue shared autorickshaw that's popular here and made the journey for 10 rupees.

I wasn't feeling well, so I ordered room service. The cash countdown has begun and it will be a close call as to whether or not I have to withdraw more and lose the ATM fee again. I ordered chicken curry (even pointed to it on the menu), which was 65 rupees. I was brought a dish and after eating two pieces, realized that there was no way this was worth 65 rupees; there was way too much food. I was brought karahi chicken (full) worth 240 rupees, not chicken curry worth 65. I asked about it, then made a big stink about it. They still wanted to charge me for the two pieces I ate, but I told them it wasn't my mistake, it was theirs. I got my way and my chicken curry, with only 2 pieces and very little meat on either one.