When the train arrived in Orcha it was very dark and it was such a small station that we hadn't realised we'd arrived because there was no platform. As a result we had to try and jump off the train which had begun to move again wearing our huge, heavy backpacks. It probably shouldn't have been, but it was very fun, a good adrenaline rush!
The beautiful forts of Orcha
After the awkwardness and web of lies in Khajuraho I really wanted to find somewhere peaceful where we wouldn't be bothered. Orcha was the perfect place. Recommended by a fellow traveller, it was a small town surrounded by interesting forts. The people were warm and friendly and no one was trying to trick us. The pace of life wasn't as hectic as in the city and I just felt so relaxed and at ease that I spent ten days there.
The people of Orcha were so laid back. I had no one pushily shouting at me to look in their shop, which gets incredibly annoying. After one day of being there, the owner of the guesthouse happily gave me his 9 month adorable baby daughter to look after whilst they popped across the road for half an hour. I think I was more worried than they were given that was the longest I'd ever held a baby. A group of ten children of the rooftop opposite ours also invited us onto their roof to chat and learn some Bollywood dance moves (which they were brilliant at).
The guesthouse owners baby was entrusted to me!
We visited the forts which were pleasant to walk around, but one of my favourite days was when we hired rickety bikes to cycle around the nearby nature reserve. I've never ridden such an uncomfortable bike for such a long period of time before. But it was lovely to be able to paddle my feet in the river and bask on the rocks like a lizard in the warm sun. The ride to the nature reserve itself was hilarious as we were smiled, laughed and waved at by so many Indians. Apparently there is nothing more amusing than seeing Westerners on bicycles, the reaction was so funny. By the end I was exhausted, not just from cycling in the heat, but from saying hello to so many people.
Knee deep in the river playing 'throw the bottle in a circle' with some kids
Leaving wasn't so simple. I'd booked a train to make the 1200km (22 hours) journey back to Kolkata where I needed to go to meet my friend Lucy who was flying in and to be able to return to the school. I arrived on time for my train but the last few days had been unusually cold for an Indian Winter. The fog was causing delays of hours and hours. Being completely alone again by this point and not having met anyone helpful who knew what was going on, I was so confused about what platform my train was due to leave from and how many hours delay it had. After four hours of waiting I made some enquiries only to find that it had left, without me! Shit! It seemed I wasn't yet ready to leave Orcha. although absoloutely devestated at the time, and worried for Lucy who I now couldn't greet at the airport, the extra two days spent in Orcha waiting for another train were really fun as it was like coming home to all the friends I'd just had to leave behind...........Oh and the train only took 28 hours once I did manage to get it the second time.
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