Traveller’s Guide To Indian Railways!
Posted on: February 7, 2013
So, this new year as the clock struck 12 I found myself aboard a train. A 22 hour journey back home, to be precise. As they say you are likely to do the things you did on Jan 1 throughout the year. So I guess I will be taking a lot of trains this year. That brings me to my point of discussion today, 5 things notable while on a train.
#5:You should probably get used to grimy unkempt loo: This is pretty much the basic stuff. If you have been there, you have faced it. Period. For me that’s pretty much the only part that is rough. Once you get your way around this, the rest is cakewalk.
#4: You cannot sleep(or wake up) according to your will: So the thing with travelling with company is, that you ought to cooperate. That’s the first and the ONLY silent rule of sharing a ride. You might have to give up your lower birth or your lucky seat to a fellow passenger. But don’t sulk over it, you might just get lucky at the new seat. Hey! that is the way people meet new people.
#3:You can probably forget about eating normal stuff: With the universe around you rocking as a cradle it’s probably for the best that you stick to dry diet. Personally for me, a bag of Lay’s and a bottle of coke does pretty well. I can go on living on it forever. Take your pick, there’s plenty food.
#2:You can officially bid goodbye to your privacy: Don’t be amazed if the lady sitting next to you starts giving you relationship advice after you get off the phone with your friend. No matter how strange it may seem to you she will think not twice before jumping on the advice wagon. So, beware before you blurt out a secret to your friend on phone only to be at the receiving end of all the judging and advising.
Image Courtesy: Google
#1:You are bound to travel with kids with annoying habits: That’s the classic one! If you happen to travel with me, you are jinxed to have strange bothersome kids travelling alongside. It is just the way it is, you cannot help excusing yourself to a quite seat where no one would randomly come and start tugging your hair for no reason or would bawl their lungs out until you tell them a story. Best of luck trying to get them off your back.
So next time you make way to a train keep your “Ultimate Travel Survival Kit” with you. For those interested it contains:
- A phone/iPod with compatible earphones
- A comic/magazine/book
- Truck loads of packed food stuff + water
- Hand sanitizer, wet wipes and soap
- A backpack to hold all this stuff so that you don’t have to open up your luggage for important stuff. Also it comes in pretty handy for a pillow!
And you are all set to go. Here’s to all the travelling that’s coming our way.
See you soon touring India, the rail-way!
P.S. The writer of this post in no way loathes the Indian Railways. As a matter of fact she rather appreciates the effort that the railways has put in order to connect us all, even in the remotest corner. A bunch for overseas co-passengers who found the journey demanding inspired me to reach out to species of mankind unknown to the intricacies of travelling by Rail.
P.P.S. : No matter what, I still love train journeys.
Shadow Of Winds 
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