Durians have a strange, incredibly pungent smell that is both sulfury and fragrant. The fruit consists of sections of light yellow slime around large smooth seeds. The taste is like custard made with a beautifully ripe mango, burnt sugar, and rotten eggs. So it's complex: first sweet, then horribly bitter, then fragrant and bizarre. You sure can't eat it fast, if you can eat it at all.
The smell is another story altogether. They are not allowed on the train because the smell is SO strong - it must have lots of really weird volatile sulfur compounds! The man at the stall sealed up the half we couldn't eat very tightly in a box and plastic wrap. Even so there was no question about sneaking it onto the train. As I got into the cab the driver said, "You have durian!" I offered to get out but he said it was OK and we talked about them for a while. By the time we got home, the plastic wrap was inflated and turgid, and when I pierced it the kids feigned vomiting and death. It is in good new Tupperware in the fridge, but you can tell it's here, and if I get it out and eat a piece we have to open the windows and leave for an hour or two. It deserves its reputation 100%!