Dare to Dream
Trip Start
Unknown
1
8
9
Trip End
Ongoing
Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India
Sunday, March 6, 2011
My boss and my work
environment are worst! A pretty common statement echoes everywhere, but
no truth lies in this, because whosoever says so, has never seen
others. But I found a comfortable measurement system to this, which
states that if, a nightmare consist of an horrified image trying to ask
you most inconceivable thing and you are sweating to make him understand
politely, that you’ll try your best, thinking same time, that it is out
of question, then you deserve a more than needed break.
Although I encountered my version of nightmare, while boarding on train
for my smallest possible vacation, and in morning I realized by
remembering that how desperately I needed this. So, here starts my
journey, which may sound crazy, but helped me to rejuvenate myself.
Delhi to Kalka 270 km overnight by train then Kalka to Shimla 96 km in 5
hour by Rail Motor, back to Kalka 80 km in 3 and a half hour by bus and
again those last 270 km backward train journey to Delhi, all this
covered in just 32 hours starting from mid-night of 5th March 2011 till
early morning of 7th March 2011.
Kalka Delhi Mail got late by 4 hour that day and I had further
reservation in “Rail Motor”, a narrow gauge train, but pleasantly
surprising Rail Motor waits for its big daddy. So a journey which was
expected to start at 5:10 in the morning kicks off at 8:15.
Rail MotorFor those who have yet to attain this unforgettable pleasant experience
have my words, this one boggy, 17 seats chair car, powered by a truck
engine and transparent roof is a place where you need to be, in your
first possible opportunity.
Rail Motor's Driver Chair
Just 15 seats are available to this enormous journey
Transparent roof adds more charm to this journey The reservation can be done on www.irctc.co.in and a ticket costs you
INR 247. Once you in there you’ll feel like a king with a little kingdom
to possess. I rested my back on comfy chairs and played Kishore Kumar’s
song “Aisa kabhi hua nahi…” to perfectly accompany my mood. In a few
minutes train starts moving through beautiful valleys and gigantic
hills.
Badog Railway StationEn route it has only stoppage at Barog where you can
have refreshment, but protect yourself by not de-boarding here, because
it seems so ideal to ones dream destination, no one on site and a ton of
unexplored natural beauty. You can have egg, toast and their self
claimed famous (?) cutlets with a cup of tea thinking and thinking that
why this bloody cutlet is so famous?
Shoghi Railway StationAnyways as the journey proceeds further another scenic beauty “Shoghi”
will reveal itself. And again you have to control yourself.
By the time we reach close to Shimla beautification of nature gets intensified. And finally here is Shimla.
In spite of all chaos of a big hill station, everything seems to be just
in place. Plastic bags are big no-no, people avoid to smoke in public
places, littering is rare, and probably the world’s largest no motor
tourist spot, which consists around 6 km of mall road that includes one
or two km of main ridge area, the centre of all attraction.
Famous Ridge Area
Tourists enjoys the cool weather, the warm hospitality, the fresh
breeze, sun kissed hills, pine, oak and deodar trees and probably feel
envy of the locals.
Gaity Theater
For authentic Himachali non-vegetarian cuisine (although vegetarian
foods are also there but I personally never find any logic in eating
vegetarian if you can have the mouth watering non-vegetarian delicacies)
just walk to Himachal tourism restaurant cum bar “Ashiana and Goofa”
and try “Chicken Anardana” and “Mutton Cha” among others.
Now as the Kalka mail leaves at 23:55 from Kalka so, I took a bus (normal fair 102 INR) from ISBT Shimla.
Wow! What a day, quite hectic but rewarding. I was now ready to face
those ugly faces back there, and feeling like the guy in that famous
advertisement of a bike…..I’ll forget everyone……because I am feeling
like king.
