Most of you reading this know that i traveled last weekend from Chennai to Delhi in a train. I had taken a ten day break from my routine and just freaked out. But then, all good things come to an end and so did my break. I had booked the train tickets 3 months before. For those of you who are not familiar with such advanced planning, try travelling in an unreserved compartment once in India and you will always book tickets early, even one year in advance!
Five other friends also traveled with me; They are all joining a new job in Delhi! So is the custom, every traveler had somebody dropping them off at the station. So, there were around hundred people to drop the six of us. There were tears, smiles, gifts all over! The railway station was a mess, and we added on to it.
The train started slowly and we settled down. The girls in their right fashion got the best seats and asked us(two boys) to arrange the baggages! I really wonder what was there inside such huge suitcases, they carried. I, as usual carried two jeans and some T-shirts! Then, you are not supposed to ask such questions. If they say, push this suitcase inside, so be it; You better do it!
The journey was the typical Indian stuff! None of us cared one bit for the others living around. We laughed, we played, some even fought! Ha, college days! After a 28 hour long journey with small stops in between, where you are supposed to get down and buy whatever is available and whatever is edible and more importantly whatever was asked, we reached Delhi.
The real fun starts here! Except one girl none of us knew proper hindi. I knew some basic stuff to manage. We hired a porter, and three of them came. They discussed the rates and finalised on bara soa (1200!) rupees. My basic hindi brain said, bara sao is 120 and so i agreed on the rates. The three porters carried two huge suitcase each, while the rest of us carried one backpack. Half way through i realized my folly and started fighting. Of course, they would n't have understood half of my Hindi. Who cares! After ten minutes of fighting with them they came down to Rs 600/- I still shudder at the thought, that they took 600/- just to bring the suitcase outside. But, society has always been so cruel to them; and they cheat in return.
Start your fight again, my mind said! This time with the taxi wallas! After some decent negotiations, which of course they refused, we took our last part of the journey in a car that only had four wheels and a chase! I even thought this vehicle could collapse any time. Thankfully, we reached our place with out any such problem.
The great Indian train journey! What fun! What an experience!
Five other friends also traveled with me; They are all joining a new job in Delhi! So is the custom, every traveler had somebody dropping them off at the station. So, there were around hundred people to drop the six of us. There were tears, smiles, gifts all over! The railway station was a mess, and we added on to it.
The train started slowly and we settled down. The girls in their right fashion got the best seats and asked us(two boys) to arrange the baggages! I really wonder what was there inside such huge suitcases, they carried. I, as usual carried two jeans and some T-shirts! Then, you are not supposed to ask such questions. If they say, push this suitcase inside, so be it; You better do it!
The journey was the typical Indian stuff! None of us cared one bit for the others living around. We laughed, we played, some even fought! Ha, college days! After a 28 hour long journey with small stops in between, where you are supposed to get down and buy whatever is available and whatever is edible and more importantly whatever was asked, we reached Delhi.
The real fun starts here! Except one girl none of us knew proper hindi. I knew some basic stuff to manage. We hired a porter, and three of them came. They discussed the rates and finalised on bara soa (1200!) rupees. My basic hindi brain said, bara sao is 120 and so i agreed on the rates. The three porters carried two huge suitcase each, while the rest of us carried one backpack. Half way through i realized my folly and started fighting. Of course, they would n't have understood half of my Hindi. Who cares! After ten minutes of fighting with them they came down to Rs 600/- I still shudder at the thought, that they took 600/- just to bring the suitcase outside. But, society has always been so cruel to them; and they cheat in return.
Start your fight again, my mind said! This time with the taxi wallas! After some decent negotiations, which of course they refused, we took our last part of the journey in a car that only had four wheels and a chase! I even thought this vehicle could collapse any time. Thankfully, we reached our place with out any such problem.
The great Indian train journey! What fun! What an experience!
1 comment:
Delhi is one of the worst places to be in if you don't know Hindi. I should know for I lived there for four years & used to commute to Chennai & back every alternate month. So the train ride and the experience was something I could empathise with.
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