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| ALL STEAMED UP AT GHUM RAILWAY STATION.. |
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| READY TO GO SOON...!!! |
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| BREAK UP THAT COAL INTO SMALLER PIECES.. |
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| STOKE UP THE BOILER. |
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| THE "TOY BLUE TRAIN " OF THE DARJEELING HIMALAYAN RAILWAY |
Today i have my train booked for Varanassi from Jaipalguri..but first I must get a share taxi down the mountain to the Railway Station @ Jaipalguri NGP 125 kilometers away..I have decided to leave an hour earlier than needed in case of problems.(This proves to be a good decision.).The morning is a blanket of heavy fog and expect this to make the trip down the mountain even more slower..it is 7.30 AM and my train departs Jaipalguri at 12.05 PM.
As expected the many share jeeps travelling down the mountain and roads are clogged also with bad visibility.. I reach the Station at Jaipalguri not too soon as I find my platform #19 and the 12.05 Rajasthan express pulls in..I really don't have a lot of time as the train just stops here for ten minutes..I am hurrying now as I am traveling class A2 AC. and my.coach is about three quarters of a kilometer up the platform..as I am hurrying the handle breaks on my bag that I am pulling..OH NO..!!! what next..I'm out of puff and I don't feel as fit as I thought that I was. A kind man sees my predicament and helps me..So good ..as I feel I would not have made it to the end of the platform in time... I find my coach # , my seat #, and am so pleased to be in out of the extreme heat..so hard after the coolness of the mountains. Here in my berth I find also four Ghurka soldiers of the Indian Defence Force..They are extremely kind and help me when the train arrives early in Varanassi.They wake me as i am sleeping and really don't know where i would have finished up.!!! The train reaches Varanassi on time at 2 AM..not a good time to arrive and look down the long empty platform and am glad that I have organised a pickup from the Hostel where I am to stay.The pickup arrives at the Railway Station to my releif and in no time am at the hostel "Stops Hostel". This I find is a good place to stay, and as I arrive at 2 AM they let me sleep in the Common Room with air con free...Varanassi is a really very interesting destination also very hot....
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