The view from my "office"

Yesterday’s first office was the New Delhi to Chandigarh “luxury" Shatabdi Express. This type of fast train is the pride of the Indian Railways. We imagined it to be like the Chinese high speed trains. How wrong we were!
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My GPS speedometer phone app clocked the top speed as 130 km/h.

The seats, in a 3+2 arrangement, were sort of comfortable with ample leg room, but the tray tables were a great example of utilitarian engineering.
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The second office was supposed to be the Toy Train to Shimla in the foothills of the Himalaya, the summer seat of the former British government. Unfortunately the line was closed as a result of multiple landslides and we had to travel by car. Today we were able to take the train for 7 km, just to get an impression.
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Passing a bridge under repair held up by temporary supports.
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Right in the centre of the photo is the runway of Shimla airport, SLV
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A view along the way.
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Was supposed to be on the 1535 out of LST, but arrived at 0900 at the airport and requested if I can be put on an earlier service. Checkin staff at LST was lovely and put me on the 1035 out. Got the bulkhead allocated. Happy days.

I specifically asked for the rear facing bulkhead seats and was given 1E. But after boarding, I was going to plonk myself on my allocates seat, but the FA said, it’s better if I sit on 1D. Not sure why, but I just did what he asked me to.

Was really looking forward to the rear facing seat (after all this rear facing seat is the poor man’s domestic version of rear facing Q Suites 😂)

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Fancy running into a couple of AFF’ers as I exited the lounge at LST @Bindibuys
 
There is a lounge at LST ?
Yes, it is called the Regional Lounge. It's basically a large room with chairs and light (very light) refreshments. It was empty and I was the only person in it for quite some time. I was later joined by 2 other gentlemen who were on the same flight as I.

At some point a QF staffer came in to check if there was anyone in the lounge ... I think they are used to having empty lounges.

Oh, and there is a passcode the one has to key in on the keypad on the lounge door to enter ...

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Yes, it is called the Regional Lounge. It's basically a large room with chairs and light (very light) refreshments. It was empty and I was the only person in it for quite some time. I was later joined by 2 other gentlemen who were on the same flight as I.

At some point a QF staffer came in to check if there was anyone in the lounge ... I think they are used to having empty lounges.

Oh, and there is a passcode the one has to key in on the keypad on the lounge door to enter ...

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It can be packed so full its standing room only
 
The weather in the mountains can change rapidly.

The view from our Oberoi Cecil Hotel in Shimla just before breakfast.
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And after breakfast. Mist and pouring rain.
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This afternoon the weather had cleared.
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Our excursion today was to a higher lookout from where we would be able to see the snowcapped Himalayas. It was not to be.
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At least the weather did not spoil lunch at Oberoi Wildflower Hall. It stands where Lord Kitchener’s summer house of the same name once stood, but that burned down.
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