The wind that blows,

Touches my face,

I think of you and your embrace.

Deep in my heart,

Emotions stir up,

Memories of you, it has enveloped.

Why is the weather so harsh on me,

When all my heart wants,

Is your company.

I wish I could,

Have frozen the time,

When we were together, simply forever..

Morning glory

Rising up early on a chilly winter morning is an uphill task. Lazying inside the cosied up quilt comes so naturally. Snoozing up the alarm every five minutes is unknown to no one. But when you have to catch a train in the morning, you got to keep aside your sublime pleasure of being wrapped up in the wee hours of morning. Today was such a day for me. I had to put myself through the process of getting up early.

However, making up one's mind is the only and the most difficult part. But the moment you get up and step out of your bed and walk out of the house, the first chilly breeze that brushes past your face, refreshes you at once, gets deep inside you and makes it all worth the effort.

On my way to the train station, I see a few cars moving on the roads. We cruise on. It is still dark. The buildings are lit up. I take time to have a keen look at them. Gradually, we approach Connaught Place. We come face to face with the mighty Gyarah Murti led by Gandhiji. 

We then pass by the Bangla Sahib, standing gloriously on my right, beautifully lit up with the backdrop of the dark morning sky. People have started thronging the Gurudwara as today is Guru Purnima. Everytime I see it in the morning, so charming, my heart wishes to stop by and relish the beauty of the moment. We are now in CP. The lighted white columns teeming with people during the daytime is empty. Though it does not appear  abandoned at all. In fact, the emptiness is so fascinating and inviting, I wish I could get out of the car and stroll along. But my destination is calling. So I leave aside my urge and move on. However, I have resolved. I am going to experience Delhi, its enchanting beauty in the morning. The whole idea is tempting. So here I go to discover a city I have known only during the day. 

pleasant memories of Europe

While waiting in the parlour, I had carried a few magazines to pass my time. I happened to stumble on an article that featured Yasmeen Premji, wife of Azim Premji, who according to the article is reticent and keeps away from the media. It's so rare to find these days, someone who still believes in " my work speaks for me". In and around, I see people boasting of themselves even if have no talent.She has many philanthropic ventures to her name. While I am now digressing from what caught up my eye in that article was the fact that when she was in her early 20s, she had gone backpacking to Europe. Could have people imagined at that time a similar thing?  She has come to the fore of media attention because of her debut novel Days of Gold and Sepia.

Backpacking to Europe, brings back pleasant memories of my travelling experience in Europe, specifically France, Italy and Spain. It was not a backpacking trip though. I had never ventured out in India alone. My family had always been there to accompany me or should I say, protect me. But going to foreign shores and that too by myself, was an exciting, liberating and enriching experience, all at the same time. I too had been in my early 20s as Yasmeen and I guess that was the right age to have stepped out on my own.

While I sat on the international flight for the first time, I had no nervousness, neither the pain to leave my family and friends back for a period of 7 months. However, the moment I touched the French soil , I suddenly felt a pang in my heart and as my fingers dialled my sister's number, to whom I am the closest, tears started flooding my eyes and dropping onto my cheeks. The feeling was unimaginable. I did not understand why had I been travelling without anyone I knew. However, this was the initial stage of uncertainty. This faded away after a few days. I started enjoying and relishing the moments I had been witnessing.

I came across a section of people who had been so generous and kind that I had never ever seen before. In the first month as I was searching for an accommodation, the family with whom I was staying was no less than my own family. They assisted me selflessly in everything as one's family would do. They took me everywhere they went, for dinners, art exhibitions, meeting relatives. With such open arms, they had embraced me, it is indescribable in words. Another instance is more than surprising. While travelling across France, I couchsurfed with my friend. We were new to the concept of couchsurfing. We did not know what to expect out of it. Fortunately, it turned out to be such a gratifying experience. It was unfathomable to see people leaving their houses on complete stranger's responsibility to make us feel comfortable. Undeniably, we couldn't imagine ourselves doing it back in India. 

In addition to the people, I discovered the novel landscapes, very distinctive of what India has. I had got an opportunity to view the world through my own eyes. I saw the Alps, the Mediterranean Sea, the Atlantic, the rivers, the cities like Paris, Cannes, Rome, Milan, Venice, Barcelona, to name a few. I had only known about them through school books, newspapers, on websites. To be there was like a dream and I was living my dream. I experienced the Mistral, a wind that blows in the city of Toulon where I used to stay. It was the strongest wind I have ever known of. It actually made me realize how powerful nature is. It is so strong that you feel blown away. I discovered other things such as food, drinks, ways of living of the Other. Most importantly, I came to discover myself, my capabilities, a new vision towards life, a new perspective to see things.

This is the time when I had also been bitten by the travel bug. It has impacted me so deeply. After having seen the  other side of the world, a wish surfaced so profoundly to explore the richness of my own country. India has so much to offer to everyone. I have since then been taking up travelling quite seriously. It is a medium to enrich oneself with first hand experience.  

I have taken this train once before. I didn't have a pleasant experience back then either. This second time, I am planning to write off this train from my list. I am talking of the very Gomti Express. The name is quite duplicitous. Far from being an Express train, it appears to be a passenger train between Lucknow and Delhi. Iopted for it a second time since I had no other choice at my disposition. We appear to be stultified by following the rules and getting our seats reserved. We have confirmed tickets so that our journey is comfortable and  hassle free.

However, the truth unveils itself while we get on board. The seats are all occupied by those who have booked their tickets like us. But, a few others have a general class ticket and still they happen to be in the AC compartment. They, it seems, are the regular travellers with the train. Or to put it in other words, they are the daily, routine passengers. 

It is surprising to see that in our AC compartment, people are standing as if travelling in a local bus for short distances. The entrance is jampacked. There is no space to set a toe. As the train approaches a station, we see an equally crowded platform and people ready to swarm in. There is a sudden transformation of our AC compartment into a general one. One cannot even dare to pass through the sea of people to use the toilets, at least I cannot. 

I am wondering if this a special day where people have thronged this train or does it happen daily? Whatever the case be, I propose that IRCTC should have a link for passengers' reviews, so that one can rate and bring out the experience which might prove to be beneficial for those who might plan reserve trains. I know it seems a bit unreasonable given the condition of trains and the population. In any case, I am certainly not going to take this train anymore.