Shadowing Practice: I Survived India's Brutal 4 Day Sleeper Train - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
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This is me on the longest sleeper train in India.
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Bin!
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In the bin!
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And let me tell you, it was the longest four days of my life.
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There's just way too many people for one carriage.
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Okay, so the train is called the Vivek Express, the longest train in India, which is 74 hours and 45 minutes long.
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That is mental.
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It starts at the top right of India and makes it all the way down to right at the bottom.
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We're just trying to get a ticket on this train.
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It's incredibly hard.
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Like every ticket is booked up.
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I mean, it's the most populated country on the planet, so I guess that makes sense.
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After a bit of research, however...
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Okay, I have eventually found tickets.
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The cheapest ticket on this train for three and a half days is 1 ,310 rupees.
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What is that in pounds?
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10 pound 20 for three and a bit days on a train.
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So I've booked the ticket.
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Okay, we're off to India.
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Vivek Express, here we come.
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I first got a flight from England to Delhi.
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It is hot.
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Any advice for the train? Be careful.
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Keep eyes on your bags.
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They would not be able to survive that.
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It's not gonna be good.
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I mean, I would not wake up.
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I slept over that night and then the next morning I had to get a flight from Delhi to Dibragar, which is the start of the train journey.
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We have landed in Dibragar.
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I got there at 2pm and the train left at half seven that night.
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We're going on the Vivek Express.
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Have you heard of it?
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Yes.
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Paper gloves.
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Glass in Ottawa.
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There is too much hot.
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CPR belongings safe.
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It's very important.
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Yeah.
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out getting in going out very busy I don't travel with train oh why don't you travel with train
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because I scare just get
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These locals were saying backed up wide researched a few nights before leaving Vivek Express India's longest train
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and probably the Filthiest to had so many cockroaches crawling around me in
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that train opinion on Vivek Express Top comment do not travel in sleeper
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and I'm traveling in sleeper I'm not gonna judge anything until I've tried it myself The time has come.
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We are at Dibragar station, which is the start of our journey.
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75 hours on an Indian train to the other side of the country.
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I'm quite excited.
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I'll be honest, I'm quite excited.
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Let's fucking do it.
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This is the train.
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This is the train that we're spending the next three days on.
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I was getting a lot of funny looks at the station and people
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Some people saying it was the first time they'd seen a white person.
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I'm starting my journey here on sleeper class.
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Now sleeper is the cheapest and lowest class on the train.
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But there are two other classes, middle and upper.
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Now I've purchased a ticket for all three and in this video every 24 hours I will move up the class.
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We're boarding.
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Thank you, it's dark in here.
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I made my way to my assigned bed.
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It is very dark in here.
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This is me.
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Amazing.
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Let me give you a little room tour.
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We've got a plug, a window which fully opens up.
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And then the bed itself which it did the job but it was quite thin and not much space.
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The seats have a bit of padding as well which is brilliant.
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After only like two minutes on this train though I was already sweating.
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See there's no air con in this carriage, just some fans. And off we go. was genuinely a vibe.
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The wind blowing onto me looking at the views of India, the fair amount of space.
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I'm not complaining right now.
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While it's quiet, I'm gonna give you a little tour of the carriage.
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There are toilets at the end of each corridor.
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This is the toilet.
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Nice dick drawn on the toilet.
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Oh, two dicks.
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Oh, three dicks.
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And as I walk back to my seat, oh my f*ing god.
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The door is just wide open as the train's moving.
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Now as the journey went on the train started getting a bit busier.
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Now this was Rumi who I was technically sharing a bed with on the train.
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How many hours are you on the train?
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You understand?
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No. Now as we were kind of bunk mates I didn't want it to be awkward but and she couldn't speak mine.
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I will take your photo.
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Yes, no problem.
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But despite not being able to communicate, we got on fine.
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Now as the journey went on, I got a little bit peckish. Can I buy?
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Is it good?
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Yes.
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Rumi, you want one?
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No?
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No. 120 rupees.
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How much?
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120. 120.
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Now, 120 rupees is only 93 pence.
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She looks pretty good.
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That is good.
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I ate a bit of a meal but it's too hot I can't eat.
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Where's the bin?
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The bin?
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This is out for you.
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Look at that.
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You want me to chuck it out the window?
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No problem.
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You just chuck this over there?
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No, no, no. No, I can't do that.
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That's littering.
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That's not good.
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Now at the end of the carriage there was actually a bin.
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But what's What shocked me is no one on the train used it.
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I mean even the cleaners who were employed on the train were just chucking bottles out the window.
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Do you have a bin for this?
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Buy it?
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Do you want to buy it?
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No go.
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Alright.
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It was honestly pretty horrible to see.
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We'll go to sleep in the air.
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Sleep up there?
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Okay.
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I thought I was on the bottom, turns out I was on the top bunk.
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I could tell Remy was gassed, that was f*ing off.
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This is pretty sick.
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Definitely more private up here, but it's a lot hotter because I don't have the breeze of the windows now.
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Now as it got to about midnight, the lights switched off.
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I'm gonna try and get some sleep.
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But honestly, it was one of the worst sleeps I've ever had.
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I was tossing and turning all night, it was blazing hot.
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That is going to be one of the worst night's sleep to ever have.
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It doesn't really get quiet on the train.
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There's no air con in here.
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So I'm just sweating my tits off.
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And then at like half three in the morning, a family gets on the train.
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The family's just got on half three in the morning.
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Non -stop walking through the carriages were people selling food.
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How much?
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Seven piz.
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39 p for seven bananas I wasn't complaining at that.
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Slowly but surely the train started getting a lot busier.
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It is boiling in there.
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There was no showers on the train so I washed myself with baby wipes and changed into a fresh t -shirt.
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I'm still feeling so dirty.
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And the train got even busier.
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Look how busy the train.
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It's getting low.
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It started getting to the point where people came onto my bed.
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What's your name?
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I'm Joe.
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Where are you from?
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India.
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With it being 40 degrees outside and the train being this packed with no aircon, I was just a mess.
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I hated it.
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You throw it out the window.
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Is that popular here?
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Is everyone does that?
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Yes, yes.
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Hello, good boy.
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I was honestly just waiting for the 24 hour mark so I could move up to the next class.
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It's getting hot, it's getting sweaty, the smell is getting really bad.
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Yeah, I'm very much looking forward to moving up to the next class.
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You good?
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Look, the ticket was £10 so I really couldn't complain but it just was not as you can expect a nice experience.
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It was now time to move to the next class.
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I packed my belongings away and headed out of sleeper.
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The seat that I'm walking to now is 3 ,180 rupees.
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That is £24 .93.
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And as I walked into this new carriage, already it was a lot quieter.
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I mean already this is so much nicer.
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There's air con.
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How are you doing?
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You good?
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This is very nice in here.
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Very nice.
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Seat 71 3A? Is this?
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This is the reserve seat.
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Yeah, I have a reservation.
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After having no idea where I was, eventually someone showed me to my seat.
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This is the seat.
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Turns out I was sharing.
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Hello.
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What's your name?
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I'm Joe.
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Joel.
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Joe.
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Joe.
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We're sharing a bed tonight by the looks of it.
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I didn't realise I was sharing a bed, but it's fine.
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We've got a aircon.
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It's not packed full of people.
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How much I was dying in there this sacrifice i would say is worth it maybe
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that was just me coping
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but honestly i was just trying to stay positive is it okay
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if i just film some stuff on my youtube yeah thank you
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so i am in
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that the shism is there there is less room than the other one pillow
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and a blanket
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which we didn't have before the toilets were a slight improvement they actually had a toilet now so i freshened up
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But the bed was so thin and there was no space and honestly it was another really bad sleep, just tossing and turning the entire night.
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The last two nights I'd hardly slept so I tried to get a few hours in during the day
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They want to see your eyes, they want to see your eyes.
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Your eyes are very pretty.
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Ah, thank you.
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England people have pretty eyes, no?
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England people have pretty eyes.
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I agree with that, yeah.
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For some reason, they were obsessed with my eyes.
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And then he started investigating my legs.
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You have white hair, Nazi white hair.
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But India is black.
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They're gold.
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Pure gold.
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shows that this train went through some of the most isolated parts of India.
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I bought a bag of crisps for 20 rupees, which is literally 16p.
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And while I was absolutely sleep deprived, this was probably my favourite part of the trip.
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The group that was around my bed, they were all proper sound and they could speak decent English.
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So we just chatted for several hours.
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And after sharing a bed for probably too long, I decided to get out of my seat for a bit.
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and just enjoy the view.
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I've got loads more space, and also this is just a vibe.
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Now all I had to do was wait for the clock to hit 7pm.
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We're officially coming to the gate, I was in for the journey.
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And you know what that means.
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See you later, good to meet you my man.
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See you later, I'm off to higher class now.
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Very nice to meet you guys.
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This ticket was 4 ,600 rubles, which equates to 36 pounds 7 pence, which was the highest class ticket you could buy on this train.
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The guys at the last place, they were all so nice.
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And I'm just so excited to have a bed to myself, to not be cramped up and finally get a good night's sleep.
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I'd been on this train for two days straight now, laid down, cramped up, barely moving for two days.
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But knowing I was going to the highest class, I was just so happy.
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I'm in a good mood right now.
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I just upgraded my ticket.
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This was the daughter of a class.
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Hiya.
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Is this 51?
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Okay.
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I'm Joe.
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Good to meet you.
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Nice to meet you.
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I don't know what to say.
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That is so annoying.
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How can the most expensive ticket on the train be a
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ticket where you have to share a bed with a random stranger?
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I'm looking forward to having my own bed.
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But hey, it wasn't this guy's fault at all.
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I felt just as bad for him as I did myself.
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So I just tried to get to know him a little bit.
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- I'm in the army.
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- You're in the army?
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- No way.
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- What do you think of the Vivek Express?
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- Bad.
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- Bad.
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Yeah.
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He couldn't really speak much English, but there's always one question that everyone understands.
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Okay, I have a question.
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Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo?
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- Cristiano.
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- Cristiano?
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Nah.
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Messy bear.
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Now the bed itself there wasn't really any difference to the previous class.
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You had a plug, pillow and blankets.
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The only thing that was different is you had a curtain so you had a bit more privacy.
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Listen I can complain all I want but honestly I need to consider myself lucky.
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I just went into sleep well just about got into sleep class.
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This is how it's looking at the moment.
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This coat well there's hardly anyone in it.
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So I got ready for bed and tried to get some sleep but again it was just so cramped.
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I just couldn't get comfortable, I couldn't sleep.
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I've done a lot of crazy stuff on this channel.
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Stuff that has really pushed me mentally.
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And I'm not saying this lightly, I'm not exaggerating for the video.
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This is the worst thing I've ever done, without a doubt in my life.
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last three nights.
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But all of a sudden the train pulled into a stop.
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He has just left, he's got off the train.
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I actually have the bed fully to myself.
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I can actually stretch my legs.
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This is one of the deepest sleeps I've ever had in my life.
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In upper class you've got a complimentary meal which was curry.
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I need some new clothes.
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I've run out of tops and I feel stinky as hell.
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Luckily some lady was selling clothes on the train.
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This?
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Yes?
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100 rupees.
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It cost me 78p.
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It's slightly too small.
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But hey, can't complain for 78p.
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The train is stopping to 3 minutes.
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I've come here.
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I want that. That is the spot.
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As the train started leaving I jumped back on.
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And for the next few hours I just sat and took in the views again.
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We are at the home stretch now.
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This feels amazing.
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Nearly done.
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I then found out that this guy, the person I was sharing a bed with last night, he actually hadn't got off the train.
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So I just found out that Arun, who I was sharing the bed with last night, who the bed is as much his as it is mine, he saw me struggling to sleep and he decided to leave
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and go and sit out in the corridor so I could sleep.
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Even though he was struggling to sleep himself to myself.
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What an amazing person.
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I've only found out now.
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I feel awful but just what a selfless person.
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Aaron can you say can you come say hi to the...
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Hi.
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Here he is.
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This is the fucking biggest legend ever.
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Genuinely.
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His English isn't the best.
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We've got a translator who's helping.
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He went to sit next to the toilet door to give him joy to sleep in the bed.
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He was very happy to help you brother.
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hours just so I could sleep.
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Aaron you are an amazing person genuinely thank you so much my man thank you.
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And as the train got to one of the last stops.
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Goodbye.
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Goodbye.
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See you later brother.
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Aaron said his goodbyes.
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Just past midnight we've got about an hour left.
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Honestly this was one of the worst 75 hours of my life.
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Like mentally it just really took a toll on me and I think that was because of the lack of sleep.
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But I really did meet some awesome people, so there is that.
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Okay.
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Oh shit, we're here!
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And that has been the Vivica Express.
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I'm not gonna miss it.
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Hey guys, I'm back home.
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My voice is gone.
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Just a quick little plug to end the video from me.
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YoungLA, one of my main sponsors, who I wore in this video, they've got one of their only sales of the year going from the 7th to the 14th of this month.
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My code JOE, 20 % off everything on the side.
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If you want to support me in any way, just checking that out would mean a lot.
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Thank you everyone.
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Boost Your English Speaking with This Indian Train Adventure Video
What You'll Learn
This video is a goldmine for practicing real-life English! You'll build skills like casual storytelling (describing a journey with excitement and humor) and expressing opinions (sharing thoughts on a challenging experience). Plus, you'll learn to ask and answer travel questions—perfect for planning your own adventures! Use a shadowing site to mimic the speaker's tone as he talks about booking tickets, interacting with locals, and reacting to the train's conditions.
Listen For These Sounds
Notice how the speaker uses connected speech to keep the conversation flowing. Phrases like "it was the longest four days" blend into "itwasthelongestfourdays" with smooth linking. You'll also hear reductions, such as "I'm" instead of "I am" and "don't" instead of "do not." Pay attention to how "Vivek Express" is pronounced—stress the first syllable of "Vivek" and keep "Express" short. These sounds are key to sounding natural, so practice with shadow speak to master them.
Say It Like a Native
To mirror the speaker's rhythm, focus on stress and intonation. He emphasizes words like "mental," "excited," and "filthiest" to show emotion—copy that emphasis! When he says, "Let's fucking do it," the rising intonation at the end shows enthusiasm. Use a shadowing site to repeat his lines, matching his pace and energy. Remember, native speakers don't speak in perfect sentences—they pause, use filler words, and vary their speed. Practice this with the video, and you'll soon sound more confident in your English. Whether you're using shadow speak or learning English with YouTube, this clip is a fun way to improve your speaking skills while exploring India's iconic Vivek Express!
- Use shadowspeak to mimic the speaker's casual tone.
- Practice linking words to sound more fluent.
- Focus on stress to convey emotion like a native.
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | I've booked · have landed · I've tried |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | India, which is · Dibragar, which is · station, which is |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | is called · is booked · were employed |
| Past continuous was/were + -ing — an action in progress at a moment in the past | were saying · was getting · was already sweating |
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.