We did not buy our return tickets before we left, as we were not sure exactly which day we would be leaving. When we went to buy the tickets on our first day back from Ajanta, we were dismayed to find that all the trains were booked! To our disbelief, it was a busy few days because of yet another festival! (The number and frequency of festivals had reached the point where it seemed like a joke over a month ago, and they're still going strong.) Luckily, there is some kind of emergency scheme, where a block of tickets is released a few days before, and we were able to get those, although we had to pay an extra 1000 rupees to have someone go to the station and wait in line at just the right day and time.

We got on the train without incident, and when it made it first stop on the outskirts of Bombay, I was surprised to see a crush of people pushing onto the train. Families and individuals of all ages were packing into the train with their luggage, and many people were left on the platform. From then on the train was filled to at least double capacity, with the same scene being replayed at each subsequent station, although with less room on the train for them to fit.

It was a difficult night, as I was on the lower side bunk, and people kept sitting by my feet and stomach. I didn't get much sleep. People were everywhere, including one man who laid his blanket downin the aisle. The train remained crowded throughout the next day, and is wasn't until 1PM that a conductor came through to check tickets. I don't know if the other people on the train had tickets or if it was just a free for all. But we eventually made it home, though now we miss our friends!