Chandigarh Diary - V

12th February, 2008
Chandigarh – Delhi Janshataabdi:

The time to get back. Time really flies by when you want it to go as slow as Dravid’s batting in the Tests against the Australians. Or as slow as this train I am in. It is supposed to much quicker this train to Delhi, but it somehow seems to be in no mood to oblige. That’s not a huge problem by itself, it is a very comfortable journey per se. the only smallish issue is that I have a connecting train to Mumbai at a later time, about 2 hours from the time this one’s supposed to reach Delhi.

So, kind of hoping that this one does not doze off. Which it is currently.

The only other thing worth mentioning is that the plug point in here finally works. It was not, some time back, and as Murphy had once predicted, charge on both, my mobile phone and laptop was as low as some of the doors at the Rock Garden. Now, it is much better.

Huge pause before I continue with writing this, because the train’s finally resumed its sojourn. Yawn.

The man in front seems to have added exactly one expletive word to his vocabulary; keeps using it with every sentence. So, whether it is his boss or his subordinates, the Indian cricket team, or the Indian markets; all seem to be adorned by that one single word.

In the meantime, talking of Indian cricket, I am missing the India-Lanka match currently being played out in Australia. Smsing the rightful numbers tell me that Jayasuriya and the other guy have gone hammer and tongs in pursuit of the total required. I am missing it all. Happens. No problems. I am taking it well.

F********. Why…

12th February, 2008
Delhi – Mumbai Rajdhani:

Add another point to the aforesaid list of lessons learnt on Garib Rath. NEVER travel in GR, especially when you got the money to afford a Rajdhani. Needless to say, I learnt this the hard way, i.e. by using both the trains. And rajdhni simply rocks, especially when you place it next to GR. Period.

The journey so far has been good, a sandwich, samosa, some sweets and tea and soup later, I am sharpening my knives for the dinner they soon going to serve. Yummmm! They say they would not be serving non-vegetarian food, bird flu issues et all. So, hopefully the food may be a little better if anything, than normal.

The soup, by the way, was not upto the scratch, but that’s ok. It was not supposed to be the crème la chicken/tomato anyways.

Which brings me to people around me. Now this is something that’s surprising me, the seats are meant to place 8 of us, we are nine, the ninth being a part of a family who’s actual seat is somewhere else in this world. Probably on the train itself, but certainly not here. He’s still here. And no-one’s said a word to him. We are two of us – out of the eight – on the side seat, and so he does not affect us, but there is a seat for 3, and there were 4 of ‘em on it. The good part was, a female decide to catch up on her sleep and dozed off on the top most tier, making it easier for the others. I wonder though, whether she would be up for her dinner. She’s already missed her soup.

Then, a couple of seats behind there are two ladies, young, and expressive eyes. I call ‘em berry eyes. They look like they are twins. The resemblance is stark. Hvent seen them together yet though, just been distinguishing them by their clothes. Probably they are one and the same. Probably my eyes are playing tricks on me. Who knows.

Who cares.

the man sitting opposite me – the other one of us sharing the side seats – seems to be a little too vain. Has visited the place next to the washroom – where the mirror is – to check himself out 6 times in a span of 3 hours. Ok, probably I am exaggerating a little here, but he definitely seems to be one of those having a huge fascination for himself. Which is good for me, I can stretch my legs ever so often. Thanks mate.

The laptop should soon conk off, will switch it off anyways. In about 12 hours from now, I should be home. Or atleast hometown. Lesse. Ciao.