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Friday, September 27, 2013

5..4..3..2..1 First train journey begins!!

5..4..3..2..1
We left at 7.40 pm from Bangalore. Hubby came to make sure we are comfortable in our 1AC cabin. As soon as the train started, we opened the food box and had our dinner. There is a different charm of having Parotha, aloo ki sabji and achar in the train. You end up eating twice your usual appetite and that too without any guilt.
Travelling in train after almost 6 years. Wanted kids to experience the wonderful journey in train. Our kids today are almost aloof of the joys of traveling. Our busy lives are affecting our simple joys of life...the fast pace of life these days doesnt have time for those 10-15 hrs of train journey. We are more interested in destination...we forget that the journey is as exciting as the destination.
This time I made sure I take time out for this beautiful laid back time for myself and kids. Everythings is the same and this known itenary is still as interesting as 6 yrs back.After a few pleasantries with the co-passenger I went back to playing with the kids.
For Khushi n Avani it was an out of the world experience. Firstly, the concept of sleeping on the upper b erth excited her so much that she refused to come back even for food. She had decided her territory and also spread her kingdom (her color pencils, books, junk food packets which her Dad bought her with great affection...or probably concern whether the strict Mom would let kids eat junk food for next 7 days :p)
Looking at Khushi, little Avani also grabbed the other upper berth and hung her legs between the stands. It was a new world.for them. Every small vendor from water, cold drinks, tea, coffee, dharwad vada, breakfast, soup, dinner, lunch needs to be registered. I wonder what it would have been if we travelled by 3 AC or sleeper class where every minute some or the other vendor arrives?
It took a little more time for me to put the kids to sleep as they were in no mood to go to the other dreamland from this wonderland. Especially the more notty little one wanted to explore the reading lights, the stairs to take u to upper berth, the curtains, the switches for light fan n bell. Ohh.. and the most dangerous of all the Emergency Chain for stopping the train. I purposely did not educate khushi about the Emergency bell..yes u guessed it right...they cannot resist demos of new/dangerous things which you introduce to your kids.
The night was not that bad, apart from the ritualistic 2-3 hickups in the night everything else went of well.I was woken up by a excited voice "Mummy...just look outside the window...its so beautiful!!". And yes indeed...it was beautiful!! Bright sun shining at 6.40 am on the unending green fields. The training gushing amidst paddy fields, sugarcane fields, lakes, rivers, dams and pristine small villages where the day has just started. The sun was.the same, the earth was the same but the morning was different. I had no hurry of getting out of my cozy bed, I need not get ready for the rat race. I could do without a todo list today..afterall I was on vaccation. Kids were also on vaccation...they made sure I know that early in the morning by opening a packet of little.hearts and devouring it without even asking me for permission. Unlike me, today I ignored!!
Nothing could have been a spoiler if Indian railways make our restrooms more asthetic. Though they were clean, their asthetics were just not appealing for the kids.
I am missing the unending chats I used to have with unknown people in trains regarding everything under the sun. The 1 AC has qualified for the train journey I wanted my.kids to experience but the chatter box in me is still craving for that harmless/learning experiemce of.meeting new people. Talking to them about their lives, connecting to them without judging them. Infact, I am not sure if I am still the same old Dipti who can connect with anybody on earth and talk to anybody from 1 month to 100 yrs.
Its gonna rain outside, kids are sleeping extra long with the swing effect in train n I m introspecting. I have gone a long way in life and have a longer journey to travel.. my life journey is also similar to this train journey in some respects. Only I wish I knew the iternary in advance :)

8 comments:

  1. Agree that one eats more on the journey and the food tastes better in trains.

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  2. Lovely description of your trip...I just took my little one on her first train trip last week :) she is too small to appreciate or enjoy it though. She was thrilled that the entire clan was there on the train though :)

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  3. a nice description of your journey :)

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  4. Sweet little narrative.
    "Nothing could have been a spoiler if Indian railways make our restrooms more asthetic. Though they were clean, their asthetics were just not appealing for the kids." - I never thought of that. Interesting observation! :)

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  5. Interesting post. For our little Jia, train experience is still pending. Would have to plan something soon :)

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  6. incredibly sweet memories of train journeys...thankyou for reminding :)

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  7. Awww...you took me back to the annual train journey during summer vacations in sleeper class from Delhi to Palghat. How I miss those wonderful journeys.

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