Thursday, January 30, 2014

On my Longest Train Journey

I started series of travel for the year 2013 with a train journey and ended  it on the same note. Train tourneys are fun and now have become more comfortable compared to the times when we were kids. But they are fun if you have company, in-case you are travelling long distance and you are alone , you just committed a big mistake that you going to regret till the time you don’t board the train again.

Here's something I penned down during the 36 hour long Journey:

Night 1:
I rushed to the station scared of missing the train.My mom did. Last time.Thanks to Bangalore rains and traffic.Even if you leave your home 2 hours in advance there are high chances of you missing the train!!!
But as I kept 2.5 hours margin I was right on time , yes, right on time.
The 2nd thing people of our age pray and hope for is interesting people on the next seat after all you have to bear them throughout. There is nothing more disappointing then irritating company 
So I entered the bogie mentioned on my ticket, the chart wasn't put up yet so I was all apprehensive . I prayed hard for no families with babies (for they cry endlessly), no newly married couple ( for they make you feel you are incapable of this feeling called love!! yes they do) , no old people ( anyone beyond 60 , they share their experiences too much ) and no noisy bunch of guys.
God wasn't  in a mood to listen to me this day and I had all the people from the above mentioned category, a lady with a 4 year old kid ( replaced the baby but still a a mini human ,that too one who can talk!!!) , and gang of 8 guys!!! I felt like jumping off the train but it had started already………..

The train  starts and people struggle hard to adjust their luggage, figure out the final destination of each other and Exchange berths!!
Its 9.30 pm , the food has been served and the entire place smells of  sambhar and chicken and later on ice-cream.Finally, sheets are spread , births open and I can hear lot of snores.. What a relief..No noise, no food smell ..Finally a moment of peace in the train. Well not really , I have company of 3 different snore sounds!!

Day 1:
My Morning was an early one as  the mini human got up at freaking 6 am and started a conversation full of questions with his sleepy mom . I put some cotton in my ears and doze off again  to be woken up by the attendant  only to realize all other 7 people have eaten and staring at me!
So Breakfast is done.

I feel like hours have passed , I look at the watch and its just 10!! Just 10 am… The same bunch of noisy guys start playing cards,they have occupied most of  my lower  berth, it looks like they have given me the space out of courtesy while it is actually my seat!! Now you know why I dislike them???
I take my bag and move to an unoccupied upper birth to drown in the world of music and to pen down my chronicles of train-nia.

Its again time to eat something.There is never shortage of food as its served 4 times a day, more then I eat at my home.The place has become a mini theater as the boys have played R- Rajkumar and put up speakers. Around 15  people are  watching the movie including me!!
Finally the train stops at Bhopal which reminds of the time I am left with , just 12 hours and I will be In my darling city( Delhi).

I join the noisy bunch of guys for UNO to utilize some time and by the time we get tired its meal time yet again, My nose has got used to the same smell and taste already! Dinner is over, we are exhausted playing UNO and its time to hit the bed/birth the last time for this journey.
As I have spent my afternoon sleeping it’s a big struggle to get some now , the Mini walkie talkie has gone , I actually talked to him and became friends , he kissed me goodbye.. I am not that bad either!!

Lights have been switched off , sheets spread once again  , Snores remain the same.

Morning 3:
Reached my beloved City and very much on time!!

Well the journey wasn't that bad , just got a good stomachache , got bored like crazy, befriended a Mini Human and watched R Rajkumar ( YES I did).

So u see, they aren't that bad…but I  hope its my last long train journey… ALONE

Hows your experience been???

2 comments:

  1. I have never been on a train longer than say 14 hours (Bangalore to Cochin, Bangalore to Kodaikanal). I have seen all kinds of co-passengers (good, bad & the ugly) including traveling by "unreserved" several times where you have 200+ people packed in a compartment meant for 100! Oh well, it has been great experience one way or the other! Teaches one patience!

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  2. Not the longest but the most extended one is still clear in my mind like yesterday, me and my pal at Bangalore railway station on the way to Chennai cursing the railway birth allocation "software" which never allows a good looking girl around eligible bachelors like us. And here's what we got when we were on board: a boggie full of College girls going on some study trip with only two of us coming from opposite gender. The journey wasn't even 6-7 hours long but at the end I knew one thing for sure: God has it's own software for allocation ;)

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