[Some of the photos posted below are from Day 3]
My last trip to Kanyakumari, Rameshworam, Goa journey. And the first Indian Rail and beach visit. I’ll put the rest of the photos of that trip-October 2008- soon and some of the snaps are strikingly similar.
It’s a new day.
The wind that blows in to the train compartment from the door is pretty strong when the train is moving fast
The following are my Tweets that pretty much sum up the day:
1. Now charging the iPhone in a ‘Static Inverter For Mobile/Laptop Charging Point’ near the Latrine in the compartment. Good view frm da doors!
NOTE: That was early in the morning and there was a queue of three folks who wanted to charge their cell phones. I had to wait for about 1 hour to get my turn. Somehow the iPhone started showing the fully charged signal within 10 mins and when it was plugged out, would show the real power (which was understandably not fully charged). After a few minutes of playing with the cables, it worked. Soon, the there came other ppl and one wanted to charge for ‘only 10 minutes, i have a business call.’ After resisting for abt 10 mins, i gave up.
2. Merry Keralites, high in whisky, singing n dancing in our cabin in the tunes of Malyalam music that they sang and (we) clapped. It’s fun.
NOTE: This guy apparently had carried three bottles of whiskey. He had finished one yesterday which he shared with the Nigerian. The Nigerian was drunk beyond his assumption and remained to himself, mostly sleeping, most of the day. Hangover, we guessed.
The very pleasant and friendly Keralite (the whiskey-wallah) brought some of his friends to our box and started drinking. They gave a few pegs to the railway kitchen boys and got snacks for free in return. Upon my request, they started singing Malyalam songs (‘No Hindi please,’ I had told). One of the guys turned out to be a real good singer with vast knowledge of lyrics. He even had a diary with many songs. They all started singing and quickly dancing while we clapped. Gokul joined in the whiskey spree and soon there came a Nepali song too:
Jomsamai bazaar ma,
barha baje hawa sarara
Ehe hajuuur, ghara Hamro Pokhara,
aile samma va chaina ghar-bara!
The friendly-polite-funny Keralite, meanwhile, continued with two Gappey- drinking a glass full of whiskey at one go!
Later in the afternoon, we noticed he was clearly feeling unwell. He puked right on the seat, ploughed his head in that dirt and, after his friends came to help him, took off his shirt, wiped out the thing and threw the shirt outside from the speeding train. But he was sane enough to take out the tickets from the shirt pocket before throwing it away.
Later in another man, a soldier on leave, cursed the group saying they should have drunk wildly. ‘This is against military rule,’ he said. ‘It gives us bad name in public.’
There were at least 10 soldiers on leave or going to their barracks (two of the latter were Nepali who were quiet and behaved well.) The drunk man was later on, in the evening, woken up by his pals.
Here is the Video of the singing ceremony!
3. Hahaha. Journo n his long-haired travelmate r limited 2 7up n garma garam chai so far while 3rd memebr did take part in whisky spree briefly.
NOTE: It was, in fact, a reply Tweet to a friend. It was a long day, didn’t rain and was hot at noon. Because of that and no shower, I am feeling little bit stinky. Others are telling me the same. Tomorrow we will get off at Kottyam, not in Trivendram where we will go next day. Plans keep changing.
A box that apparently belonged a soldier in an adjoining compartment.
The bed: middle berth
That was little bit of me stretching in a platform.
Ishwari took this picture of, he thought, two Nepali guys apparently working for the Indian army and heading to their barracks in Kerala.
No, they weren’t trying to kill me but they were just too happy!
At the end of the journey, these Railway attendants got some time to rest and strike conversation with us.
@ Trivendrum Central, Kerala, after getting off the train and before getting in to another to Kanyakumari
Gokul fills up the bottle
Is that the train to Kanyakumari?
On the upper berth in a general compartment of the train to Kanyakumari from Trivendrum
Gokul on the other side
Ishwari jumps up
We got proper seat after some people got off
School kids
Gokul and Ishwari do some stunts from the compartment door as I capture the moment from a window. Yes, it was risky for them.
Near Kanyakumari. Ever since I saw these little hills I have been thinking that Sugreeb, of Ramayan Era, must have plucked out one of these for Sanjivini buti.
Dinesh Wagle on Nepali Society 