With the train to Nasik

The first journey with the train: I was sitting with some old couples, men and women, an approx. 20 year old girl and some boys in a quater, after a while the girl started to speak with me and translated it to the other people, who didn't speak any english. As I experienced later, she started to ask me the usual questions:
"What is your goodname?" - Stefanie
"From where?" - Austria
"Australia or Austria" - Austria, Europe, Vienna
if she know Austria: "Austria, Vienna" otherwise "Atscha (O.K.)" (and still thinking of Australia)
"How long in India?" - "6 Months"
"Where" and if I like that places...
"Only one/single?" - Yes, only me.
"Why? No friends?" - I like, no friends.
"No dangerous/problem?" - No, people here are so nice and helpful. I never had any problem.
"Thank you. Married?" - No, too young.
"Age?" - 16, no joke, 28.
"Haha" if understandd or "Atscha"
"What is your profession?" - Student - or if understand better english - Finish university and now break (before job: sometimes) ... then some also ask about money from where, currency, and how much for all travel I need in India, parents name and job, political state, ... and they tell me something about India, the area ...
At every station, when the train stops, people come into the train and sell food, tea, cold drinks, pop corn, ice cream, little things (like stickers, nail cutter, necklaces, locks...), some beggers asking for money, or children tidy up the floor a bit for money, ... when I saw that the first time, I was very impressed - "wow that is India, how alive". Some people offered me to try from their food, fruits,... and when another curious person comes to sit near me to ask me some questions, the people who know it, answer before I even take a breath. "Stefanie, Stefanie, Stefanie", "Austria Vienna, not Australia"...
I often went with the train, and because I mostly decided spontaneously, I didn't buy a tourist ticket, so I experienced how many people can fit in a train very well, and always when I thought now its full, I saw - no, not yet, and also the tea seller or a begger has to pass here right now. Often I sat also on the floor, or next to the toilet, and my luggage was anywhere. The people always were very nice to me, looked good that I get out at the right station, sometimes remember me to watch my luggage because of thieves, sometimes told me something about their life, or just sat next to me and shared quietly the time with me. And when a women angel saw me, I got a seat or better standing place, one man has to move.

At 8 pm I reached Nasik, and after I denied the girls offer to come to her house and stay there overnight, because its dark outside now, I found the bus to the center and a nice hotel with even a TV in this rather non-touristic town. Nasik is one of the holiest Hindu cities with the holy river Godavari, where people come to bath, giving offerings to the river, and also wash their clothes. Its a nice place to hang out and watch the people, or walk around the (vegetable) market next to the ghats, or visit the temples and temple areas where sadhus (spiritual men) are hanging around. Of course, Nasik has also busy shopping streets and bazars. Some pictures:













A riksaw? normally the cheap taxi's of India, here used for political advertisment.

In Nasik, it was the first time in my travel, I really was alone (I counted not more than five other tourists there), and I had to get used to it, also to be the center of attraction and reason of some smiling faces, and waving hands. Nearly no one I met, knew english more than "five" words, so not even a small conversation was possible, but people, especially women often joined me sitting near the river and watching the people, and told me their stories, don't bother if I understood or not! Although I was never so a big talker, I had to get used to be more quiet, spending time without speaking and just by my own, also the trial one evening to get company - I chose a restaurant recommended in the Lonely Planet - led to the outcome that I really felt to be alone on this planet, being the only guest of this big touristic restaurant and served and watched from at least 4 waiters ;-).