SoFoBoMo – day 3 [at the abandoned Rail Yard]
Day 3 [at the abandoned Rail Yard]:
A commonly used “by-pass” or short-cut to the airport from the city, passes along the rail tracks where many old rusting rail wagons have been used as temporary housing by the homeless… and small “bastis” or make-shift homes made from bamboo, plastic sheeting and thatch had sprung up years ago.
The kids play along the tracks, and the adults bring back drinking water in discarded plastic bottles from nearby facilities.Â
We spent an hour or so photographing the going-ons and the trains passing by. Mostly local trains carrying commuters and villagers bring in farm produce to sell in the city markets.
People ride atop the trains, sometimes because there is no space inside, sometimes because its cooler on top and sometimes because its just cool - for the kids – to be riding on top and running on the roof and jumping from coach to coach!
The kids wanted their photos taken, I probably did several dozen of them. They kept poking their heads into the frame when I tried to photograph something else. Had to shoo them away. They’d come back.
We decided to move on elsewhere. The kids wanted “some money please“. I said NO. They insisted. I asked them what they would do with the money, the youngest said he’d buy lolly-pops. The older girl almost whacked him over the head, and said no it was so they could buy some food. We gave them some money as we got into the car and I guess they went running off to the nearest shop for some candy.
Wow! At the rate you are going, you will have enough photos for your project in no time. Your photographs and accompanying text wonderfully succeed in taking me to a world I have never experienced. The people come to life. This will be a fascinating book.