The First Day — 5th April, 2010
Departure from Nepal
Prepared for the leave to Bangalore for my CCVP/CCIE Voice training and certification for about a week, still we have no Indian Currency with us. Ah, tried to get some from some of the banks was unsuccessful, just waste of time of Raj.
The schedule of Jet was also delayed by 1 hour, but exactly it took off at 11:30, after 2 hours of the regular schedule.
At 8 we left for Airport, and Sadhana tried to get some IC from some of the money changers around Airport. Thanks to Bhole Baba Travels, where we used to recieve money through Himal Remit and so regularly. The person at Bhole Baba finally managed IC 4000.00 (1000.00 x4) for us, which would have been enough for us to reach Bangalore.
The Jet Experience:
After waiting for some more time, Jet left Nepal at 11:30. Finally, Me and Anu departed for Delhi. However this was my second trip of Jet Airways, it was Anu’s first experience of an International flight. It was a horryfying and exciting experience for both of us, but well controlled by the songs and movies choice of Jet Airways.
Delhi Airport, and the Behavior:
Jet landed at around 1:30 Nepali time. We were happy to see a separate line for the nationals of SAARC countries for customs. I think we were happily invited there, but here the TT arrived to check the tickets, as we are in the Rajdhani Express from H Nijamuddin to CN Bangalore.
Okay, at the airport, I found that the wheels of one of my baggage is cracked and hence was unable to drive it through. After managing the trolley, I went to the SBI bank in the Airport to change the 1000.00 Rs. to lower denominations, as I experienced that no taxi/cab will change it for small amounts. I plead the cashier there to change my higher denominations to lower one, and one of them told “Nepali aur Pakistani bolne se hi face laal ho jaati hai” aka “our face turn red when we see Nepalese and Pakistanis”. It hurts me. I am not a terrorist, neither every pakistani, I think. Extremists are found everywhere, even in India, so they were supposed not to behave/talk like that.
Dinner arrives, it’s time to dinner.
I think, at neutral places, such comments should not be produced.
Airport to Train Station:
I hired a cab, and the driver was talkative. I asked him about the constructions happening around the Airport. He replied me that it was the Metro extension which will probably start from July, just 3 months of now. I asked him if it is not a threat to the cab driver. And he replied me as if it is yet another opportunity to him. He told me that “we believe in competition”, what a confedence. He added that when the metro arrives the people who have thier home just around the station surely choose metro as their first vehicle, but what if he has to travel 2 or 3 kms after metro, he rather choose us. I salute the spirit.
6 hours at H. Nijamuddin:
H. Nijamuddin, I remembered one thing here. A girl at the cab hire counter asked me the destination, and I answered H. Nijamuddin. She was astonished, and refered her collegue to deal with me. The new girl again asked me where my destination is, and I replied the same, again. She didn’t get what I said, and asked again. This time she got it, and prepared the tickets to H. Nijamuddin.
It was 15:00. So, We reached H Nijamuddin where we synchronized our watch to local time. And this was the longest waiting. Both of us were so tired that we were not supposed to wander around Delhi, however the cab driver inspired us to have it. We wanted to get rest asap, but the train time was 20:50, a long time to go. I called Ramesh back Nepal and told him our position. Because we haven’t had breakfast, and the Jet experience was good, but not enough, we have to have some snacks, we have something that we could use for the time-pass. Now we have the load of two baggages, which we cloaked (locker was not there, they used to cloak the baggages), and went to the nearby restaurant.
We left Comexxx, sorry, I forgot the name of the Restaurant, at around 18:45, and pass the rest of times by seeing trains coming and going and hearing the announces. After confirming the platform no 4 as the Rajdhani platform, we get the baggages with us to the same place.
And the thief:
Just before the arrival of Rajdhani at the platform, a security person caught a thief, of age not more than 12 years. He, alongwith another assistant, were brutal to him, as they were getting strong physical resistance from that “boy”.
Rajdhani Came at 20:30
We were still hearing the announcements. One of the trains from H. Nijamuddin to the same destination was cancelled, and one train from Hawra was late for 4 hour 30 minutes. I asked Anu what will se do if the train is announced cancelled, with just a word of sorry. On this, she said, I will sleep here, as we both are feeling very sleepy, I just nodded her.
Finally, Rajdhani came, without any delay. And now, I am at my seat, and Anu sleeping in hers just above mine.
I am also sleeping now, closing this laptop and giving it to her, in the upper birth.
Gud Nite!
Second Day: The HangOver Day — 6th April
Good Morning! Anu is pleasently sleeping. It was not a good night for me, though. I was like “Karvate Badalte Rahe”, the lower birth experience is not good. I need very quiet environment to sleep, and this was not possible. It was morning time, when I had some sleep. Further, I am feeling some pain in my stomach.
The attendent disturbed me with bed tea. Anu is still sleeping, her face was so innocent. I wake her up for the tea. There is nothing new today, only sitting on the seat and watch the crop fields extending upto where eye-sight reach. Some 4-5 tunnels, and similar number of stoney hills, etc.
The attendants are arriving time to time with tea, breakfast, lunch etc. Today’s lunch was okay, so we have it as if we were hunger from years. Poor us. Two small children (Munmun and Gungun, Gungun being older) in another seats are making noises, and thier mother is trying to shut them up. This was continued the whole day, still now at 19:00.
Me and Anu felt asleep at 2:30 around, and again attendant was there with some food, disturbing us. I came to know from one of he attendants that the train will reach Bangalore tomorrow morning at 6:30. I just been to toilet, I think I was caught by cold. Well, that’s it upto 19:30, and I think there is nothing new gonna happen.
Now I am thinking of tomorrow morning, as I have to search for a nearby hotel at Majestic and have to refresh ourselves, before going out to Internetworkz first. I have to arrange the SIMs, call back home and take some money from ATM.
Plan to visit Networkers Home will then be decided.
Munmun is now sleeping in his mother’s lap, and Gungun is on the upper birth trying to convince his mom about him. He also wanted to sleep in his mother’s lap, and probably as always the mother told him Munmun is younger. On this the older said “Jab bhi main bolta hoon, tum yehi sawal kar deti ho, Munmun chhota hai …”
Still complaints of stomach is there.
Third Day: Good Morning Bangalore
Rajdhani Express was late. We are said that it will reach Bangalore at 6:30, but it reached at 8:30 morning. Bihan bihanai euta kai le thagyo, 150.00 for the luggage, and can you believe this, 850 per day, non A/C.