The Great Indian chuk-chuk-chuk

So how many of u make those unplanned journeys.... the one which involves no reserved flight/train/bus arrangements, no proper food alternatives and no proper accomodation at the destination???? well once in a while everyone would have been-there-done-that... but let me introduce you to the specimen who makes unplanned journey everytime... yes i mean everytime... well as you may have well guessed by now thats none other than yours truly....

its just that, it happens so.. i remember one journey i planned elaborately in 2007.. i got all the tickets, accomodation and everything down to T, only to cancel it the day before the journey... Poof... the other time i had a proper arrangement for a two day journey, only to miss the train by 5 mins and take the next train- unreserved general compartment... :-(

not that i regret my trips... Travelling in general compartments can be an experiance on its own... once during a leg of journey between Kolkatta and Guwahati, i learnt the following things.

• yup, Love can bud during these overnight journeys, esp between a guy aged 60 and a female aged 50... and the female in question 'll always save the seat if the guy needs to stretch and the best portion of aloo-poori.. poor me, not even a flying mosquito looked in my direction
• Peanuts are also called as Badam...
• The electronic items sold in such trains are longer to last than the branded ones you buy at authentic e-malls with guarantee period
• However you try to sleep, you ll be awakened by the person next to you to announce the up-coming station
• the Surprise Birthday Cake you receive in such crowded compartments is the sweetest.. :-D
• Everyone smokes irrespective of the "No Smoking" sign and closed windows, hence no air circulation.. believe me , i thought i ll die with lung cancer the next morning..
• and Finally if you sit at a single place just because you dont want to give up the corner seat, your legs are bound to resemble an Elephant's leg by morning..

During college, i tried to travel from college to home atleast twice a year... tried is the best word... i made only 6 trips during my whole of 4 years of engineering... it so happened, i had to make succesive trips with in 2 months... holy moly, a lady who recognized me from the first trip saved a nice seat for me during the next trip... love that lady... :-D she even defended me when some random crack nut claimed that i was sitting in her seat... :P

the recent trips have all been unplanned except for the Indore - Chennai trip... i was used to general compartment and its eccentric crowd largely... so you just have to imagine my agony when i asked to board a luggage van by the TTR... Like hell... even then all was well until a gang of Gypsies entered thae same.... ever heard of the term Non-Stop nonsense.. they just gave it a new meaning.. and all the chatter-patter by my lil sista seemed so quite to me... sheesh...

i remember the first trip home from Indore.. i planned to surprise my mom for Diwali... only thing was i got surprised since all vehicles aka bus/taxi/auto/tempo had stopped runnin on the same day... Poor me atlast i reached the place, Udumalpet i think, only to realise i have never been to this town... my folks had transferred while i was lounging in Indore... i just roamed around the town in a friendly auto, which i hired after a looooong story... Was saved by the blanket mom had left outside to dry... Phew.....

So ... i Love the great Indian railways... wat are your experiances...

P.S # All is well.. i am at the end of my inner journey
P.P.S # The Yercaud trip got postponed.. thanks to a nosey sister... :(
P.P.P.S # i am reading all your blogs though i commented in none.. i ll make it upto you dearies... :-)

'Ta