Travels

So we got chatting in the car , hubby and self and we were discussing how train travel during childhood was such a magical journey . 

For the longest time I can remember we travelled every summer to my grandparents abode in Rajasthan (from Mumbai !! ) and the only mode of transport was the Indian railways . My father used to fill out the pink or yellow coloured railway forms well in advance always pondering through the thick railway timetable before fixing the dates of travel.

The day of arrival was preceded by my mother making besan ladoos , dry chiwda , chakli etc ( all for the impending travel ) as well as hot food to carry for the 24 hour journey which was usually Aloo- Puri and bharwan karela for grown ups ( does anyone remember opening the threads of bharwan Karela ?? )😊

There was bedding that was tied in a bed- roll which included soft pillows , bedsheets and duvets for all of us . My father used to religiously set the bedroll on the topmost berth and at night set up each berth with all the required items . We literally slept the bestest on those train journeys ... Morning would bring in " chai.. Garam chai !! " as well as some really creative chai wallah calling out " Kharab chai ... Kharab chai " 😳😳 to catch everyone's attention . 

Does anyone remember those tomato- cucumber chatwallahs ? Or the peanut sellers ? Or the little children who clinked stones which singing Hindi film songs ...  Running down to nondescript stations to fill drinking water ( no one drank Bisleri water back then and we were all fine with it 😊) and fearing that my father was left behind at stations when he went to fetch hot samosa or Kachoris for all of us ... 

Befriending stranger families who played cards with us and by the end of the journey we were one big unit with everyone sharing food and cold drinks .

Sticking faces on the window pane grills  to catch the turning train on those bends while the engine hooted away ..  Watching the landscape passing by .. Waving at little village children .. Ah .. The train travels ..

Come back to Circa 2016 - 

Our children are pros at air travels .. They click their seat belts before the announcement for the same . They remember the menu for different air lines and have their own preferences ... It's high time to introduce them to the joys of train travels ... As I announce this to my children that the next vacation will be by train .. My older one is very happy at the proposal while the younger one quips " please remember to take a big bottle of hand sanitiser in the train !!! " 😉