Thx frnd, had it not been u, I had almost forgotten that I have a blog to maintain. Other day in a travelers blog, I was reading world’s highest railway has been started between Beijing and Lasha. Reading it, I could also feel the charm and the joy attached with that trip. Because for me, I have always enjoyed a train ride basking on the couch of the IInd A/C with lots of book and music for your ears and nobody to disturb. Being from India’s extreme corner, Shillong, I used to enjoy 50-60 hours train rides from other extreme corners of the country to the surprise of my fellow friends. But not that it has always been so black and white. Many comedy of errors also happened. Once it happened that instead of boarding Guwahati Rajdhani I boarded Mumbai Rajdhani. On entering the train I found someone else was occupying my sit. On confirming, to my horror, I realized that I am in Mumbai Rajdhani and by that time the train also started picking up pace. I realized that I had made the biggest error of my life as the next halt for the train was Jhansi(after 6 hours).As god had always been kind to me and due to some signal problems the train halted and I could get down. Another comedy of error happened when I boarded a train from Gwalior for Trivandrum at 12AM. This time after boarding the train I realized that my ticket was dated with yesterday’s date as after 12AM it is a new date. Whole journey I had to go sitting in front of wash basin and more to that I had to pay the fine also. Some of my favorite stretches of train journey are 1.crossing sea by Rameshwaram bridge 2. Konkan railway trip 3. Traveling by the side of Chilka in Orissa 4. Kalka Shimla Railway for its steepest climb and tunnels 5. Toy train from Shilliguri to Darjeeling where the train goes meandering between Tea Gardens. If one has to enjoy the integrity of India one should enjoy a ride by Indian Railways. So much cultural diversity is visible that observing it itself is very interesting. Though now with low coast airlines and constraints of job, I am unable to enjoy the laidback train journey. But given a chance that is what I would love to do.
posted by Pushan Sikdar at 1:44 AM
8 Comments:
Hmmm dude in thse long hours of rides dint u come accross anyone special till now ??? im sure u must have come accross many
:) I love train journeys too!
Yeah, train journeys in India are always captivating. And the best thing about Indian Railways is that its inexpensive too. There is one more reason, while travelling, not only would you come across a wide variety of landscape, but also that you would come in contact with people from multifaceted domains!
The scene is the opposite here in US. Trains are either the local regular ones you take to your work everday. Or they are those luxury coaches which only the 'rich' Americans would afford.
So what do you think how would one enjoy the beauty of the US landscape here? Is the US transport structure not meant for instigating that sense of integrity as in India? Or does that sense of integrity help us, the Indians, in any way?
yes yes we know u r in goa and all ( dog!) but this is to tell u that u have been tagged!!
visit our blog and do the tag as soon as u can!
:-))
I have done the same and am to see someone else with the same wits :-)
Messed up with dates and train timings. I have never boarded the wrong train though.....:-)
mandeep
HI
I was in Shillong for 4 years and your post brought back memories of long gone days. Thanks very much for sharing them with us.
Good Luck
Sharad
Hey...
I've done that wrong date stint too...and I've done another thing you haven't...I've boarded a train aka kajol in DDLJ...running...with one arm out-stretched...bt no shahrukh on the other side...only an uncleji. But bless him, I was at least able to board the train thnx to him.
Hey another thing...
I like train journeys, but sans 2 things..
One: small children who tend to cry too much
Two: People who are too keen to make frens (handsome lieutenants are an exception).
Post a Comment
<< Home