India & trains: Is the journey still the destination?

Once upon a time, the railways were desperate for your custom.

They needed one to travel by train in India.

Really?

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You needed something to read during the journey.

No iPhone. No laptop.

But, Archie comics!

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Our luggage were stools.

Useful when the train was late.

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Everyone had to know their weight before they started on their journey.

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The adventure begins.

Enter a world of wonder.

Let the adventure begin!

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To stop train.

Pull chain.

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We loved opening those windows.

Non-A/C breeze was always better.

And closing the windows.

And opening them again.

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Happiness was winning the best window seat.

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Those folding dining? writing? foot resting? tables?

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Upper berth.

Lower berth.

And the hidden middle berth.

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It was fun making things get lost.

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Early morning.

Early chai.

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We learned the art & science of brushing our teeth on a moving train.

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They had coolies then.

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Bollywood loved trains

Today, airlines ban politicians from their planes.

Wonder if anyone of those has been banned from a train?

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The journey was the destination.

Trains are restaurants.

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For fine dining.

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Reminiscent of the Raj.

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Would it have really been fun to travel like this?


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