To Delhi and back Part I

Last weekend i had travelled to Delhi to visit one of my good friends. I had never seen Delhi before and I always wanted to see it. Even then i had not made any plans to visit Delhi. But my friend forced to make my trip and off i went to the national capital.

Way to the Railway Station...

All my friends know how punctual i am. When it comes to boarding the train too i was late not that i was doing timepass, i had couple of meetings just before i left. I was delayed considerably and i was all ready to go by 5:30 pm for the 5:45 pm train. Alas it is half an hour from the campus to the railway station. I didn't have any other go, got on the auto and told him to go to Sabarmati station which is half an hour from the campus and from the main railway station, thought with some luck i will be able to catch the train. The autowalla rode as if he had all the time in the world, with a little bit of pesterin and pushing, i managed to get to the station by 6 pm and was wondering what will i do for the next 15 mins since i am early. Went to the railway station and saw the tracks were narrow gauge, i was taken aback. when i cross checked with the station staff, there were considerate enough to tell me that the train comes on the main line which is half a km from the station on the other side.. i culdn't see the main line because my view was blocked by 4 goods trains. Cursing myself, i ran with my bag to reach the main line, crossed 2 goods train since they were smaller, the third one was a long one and i was right in the middle of it. Then the real adventure began, i started to climb between the bogies but the train started to move all of a sudden. i got down and waited till the train passed. Now the last one, no luck either, i was again in the middle of it. Thought of crawling below the link, it was low enough to not let me thru easily and the grease would have spoilt the white shirt i was wearing. The link was high enough so that i culdn't jump over it easily. After examining the gap between the bogies, checking the strength of each of the metal pieces that were placed inbetween i climbed on the link. During the climb, some part of time i was freely suspended in mid air. With all sorts of acrobatics i culd manage to get on the other side of the train. Never knew crossing a train was that difficult, but it was an interesting experience nonetheless. Once i crossed, ppl who were waiting for the same train started giving me dirty looks because it is not common for passengers to take that route to reach the railway station :) .

The train arrived and i was very happy to board it. If not for the adventure it wouldn't have been so satisfying to board the train !!!

The Journey

I went to check my seat and behold i see a young pretty girl sittin in the seat next to me. Well not everytime u see pretty girls travelling with you in the same compartment as yours :). The "shy" guy i am i did not strike a conversation or exchange pleasantries. I just went and sat there, when the train started to move i started readin "Elephant Song" the book i carried to read through my journey.

After readin abt 10 pages i see the seat next to the window empty and i parked myself on it. I started speakin to the guy in front of me. he was a businessman from UP and was travellin whole of India on some business. He started narrating his life to me. His education, marriage, his passion, business and football. We discussed football to a great extent since that was the only common thread we had. He had played for few clubs in the past and was into coachin now, and i play football. Its always interestin to discuss a sport with someone who is knowledgeable about the same. We discussed the technicalities, strategies, curving kicks, flank defense, front attack and what not. After that i received a call and was on phone till i got out of Gujarat. since roaming was not enabled on my cell, thanks to the telephone dept, i culdn't take refugee in my cell after i crossed gujarat.

This was just the beginnin. There is more to come !! will pen it down probably tonite.....
if i dont go to Rajasthan.