Train to Lucknow

We took a 5-hour train ride to Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, from Varanasi.

Train stations in India were amazing... full of people camped out on the floor waiting for their trains. People spread out a light cloth like a bedspread and then picnic or lie down to sleep there--whole families.

The most shocking sight, however, was the porters carrying our suitcases on their heads through the entire train station, up stairs to Track 8 and then down the stairs.

At first I tried to get them to pull my heavy suitcase, which had wheels and a pull handle, of course.

But they insisted on arranging a small cloth on their heads and carrying one or two suitcases on their heads while holding a bag in each hand as well.

Thus the eight of us with several porters paraded through the Varanasi train station.