Read an interesting post today titled: A Fan of Indian Railways by GWBE. Had to comment on it and my thought process refused to call it quits even after I hit publish-your-comment, thereby pursuing some more details about it on my own blog.
I never was a very big fan of Mr Laloo Prasad Yadav but he seems to be highly motivated into bringing some radical changes in our railway system. With his new railway budget declaration, he has sought to address a lot of concerns which frankly, I will be surprised to actually see it happen.
Given the choice between air or train travel, which one would I choose? Air travel - mainly because of the commute time. Although cost is a very big factor. To rephrase it, I would travel by air if its necessary and also if I have enough cash to fork out the ticket.
On a three day train journey, I have encountered:
- Ace snorers. Cross bred between an autorickshaw engine and a fully automatic machine gun. Guaranteed to make you lose sleep. Especially if they’ve got the berth above yours.
- Mobile phone battery drainage. That is if you were foolish enough not to charge it fully when you board the train just like me. And no, my train didnt have a phone charging point in it.
- The train toilets. Need I say more?
- Idiotic bickering with fellow passengers about luggage space. Some people look like they’re moving house when they travel.
- Chappal-thieves. Once a beggar-thief nearly walked off with my slippers.
The bottomline is - if trains are indeed going to be safer, cleaner, cheaper, on time, entertaining (tv & internet on board) and have easily available tickets, then I am highly persuaded to switch over to their side.
-I never had a problem with snorers. I could sleep with a lot of ambient light and noise.
-Phone battery is something which always makes me swear. Call it Murphy’s law or not, I always manage to board the train with just one block of charge showing in my cellphone.
-One other problem I have seen is that AC coaches are full of grandpas/grandmas/ladies-with-kids who will force you to take the upper berth.
- Hey, isnt that what most snorers say?
-
That one should be included in Murphy’s laws definitely
- Yeah, I am one of them
Its been a while since I traveled in a train. Last time I did, a certain someone made me carry a LOT of luggage for her from one part of the train to another. Also from one platform to another. And ever since then, I have stopped traveling in trains.
Lucky girl
You know, you have to give credit to the ladies for making CERTAIN people carry their luggage. One of the few perks of our gender.