Making friends on the way to Mysore

I had prepared myself for a lengthy journey to Mysore in Karnataka, and it didn't disappoint.

I caught a train from Varkala up the coast to Calicut, some 7 hours away. I was in a 3AC carriage (more about the trains later) and its coolness was such a treat after the hot fan-circulated air I have learned to live with.

I sat with an old couple who were going to visit their daughter in Goa and they insisted I share some of their still warm home-cooked food. Then every hour, they produced package after package of fried Jack fruit, rice balls, salty banana chips and more, pouring handfuls for me before digging in themselves. Indian people love their food and they love sharing it even more!

The relaxing train journey came to an abrupt end and I found myself thrust into the brash and bustling city of Calicut. I sought cover in a taped-up taxi cab to take me to the bus station - a place best frequented by daylight. After much to-ing and fro-ing and cow dodging, I realised I would not be going anywhere that evening.

There was nothing left to do but check myself into a marble-floored hotel for the night for a bit of crisis-curing luxury. In the white sterility of that hotel, I realised just how grubby myself and my backpack possessions had become. So I got power-shower happy and indulged in television and hotel freebies.

Refreshed and cleansed, the next morning I found myself a breezy window seat on the bus to Mysore. And it was time to make my next friend of this epic journey: a girl in her twenties who, rather than go for mundane introductory chit chat, simply fell asleep for the best part of the journey nuzzling into my shoulder. Not a word was spoken between us for the entire 9 hours but I think we are now friends for life.

We flew (yes, there were definitely times when all four wheels were off the ground at the same time) through the mountains as we crossed through Karnataka state. The lush forests and deadly drops were breathtaking - as was the driver's pace and confidence. He took on hairpin bends at bonecrushing speed and the bus clanked, dodged and screeched its way to Mysore.

And by some miracle, we did arrive in the city of incense and fine silk.