Our train from Khajuraho was set to leave at 9h10. I had booked 1st class AC, the best I could get. If I’m going on a train, I’m going in style.

Yes I know, I’m skipping the ‘real’ Indian life in 3rd class. I’m sure it’s an experience… but I am so glad I had my own cabin with Mallory, who decided to go to Agra, too.

The train already left 50 minutes late (even though Khajuraho was the starting point) and then accumulated another 7 hours over its journey.

In the end, out of 8 hours train ride for some 400 km, Indian Railways made 16 hours.

Honestly, I was close to losing it. If your train, that is already five hours late, stands still in the middle of nowhere for 30 minutes, then rumbles on at the pace of a goat for 10 minutes, just to stop again for another 20… I’m done.

No staff could tell you anything besides an ever-same 3 more hours… whenever you asked…

To our relief, a caterer came through at one point and sold some food. Instead of 5 pm, we arrived at 1 am in the morning.

Luckily, Aman of our lovely Aman Homestay Guesthouse, stayed up that long and guided us through to them, talking to the Tuk-Tuk drivers, and then even offered us some late night fruit.

At around 2 am we were finally in our beds.

And on top of all of this, while on the train we realized: we arrive in Agra on Friday… the one day that the Tja Mahal is C.L.O.S.E.D.

EPIC. PLANNING. FAIL.

Read about we got out of that one tomorrow….