Tuesday 22 March 2022

The train journey

 There he was to go to Chennai. The usual journey between Chennai and Thrissur. Car pulled up at the old entrance, that is. Due to various accidents, the entry has been shut fast with wire mesh. We travelled back again to an open staircase to the station for entry.

Here, four sets of steps staired at us. A climb with two suit cases and two bags is a thorough TMT test. I drank water at the top of the stairs and waited for the breath to be normal.

A walk on the overhead bridge was pleasant but there comes another four steps. Overcame that too. I had done twenty steps a little before, four steps are child play. But with two suit cases and one bag it is not that pleasant.

Before the thought of my age I glance upon an escalator. My heart jumped. I pulled my cases straight to it to be greeted with the huge sign board saying the escalator is not allowed for down journeys. My heart sank. I took the deep breath exercise again. 

Now the down journey to the platform.  Twenty steps down. Bags and suit cases down one by one. Then pull them on the platform, thanks to the suit wheels. On a bench, the mosquitoes of Thrissur sign us off.

The Alleppey Chennai Express is a majestic one. Slight late coming always agreed with us.

The pilot stopped the train. Our coach number 8 was on the dotted position of number 18. On the waiting bench we got a great companion, a professor of IT. We spent 25 minutes in great friendly talk and entrained. The professor was a great help to get in. 

Once in Alleppey Chennai Express one can relax. The coaches are old, but have an elegance of their own! I would sleep through the night, but for my prostrate making get up for urinal visits at nights. But I am used to it now. With time, anybody get used to any thing. 

It is getting late friends. All my co travellers have gone to bed and put off the lights. Time to retire now. Good Night until we see in Chennai tomorrow. Hope for a cloudy sky. May God Bless!

2 comments:

  1. An overnight journey from Thrissur to Chennai!

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  2. In six visits to the urinal and 7 bits of sleep, it was Chennai Central. The beautiful and vibrating Chennai Central. The history sleeping Chennai Central welcomes one and all. The beauty is there are now steps to climb all through. Just to walk half a kilometre to the station front where buses and cars pick up the incoming train travellers. The old design Chennai Central Station in red was called 'Madras Central' in yester-years..!

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