The view from my "office"

[JohnM]

My office for the next 3 hours. Chandigarh to Lucknow train, but I’m only going CDG to Roorkee, the station nearest Haridwar, my destination for tonight, so I won’t be using the sleeper.

Full journey is about 650km, leaving CDG 1715h and arriving in Lucknow around 0730h tomorrow. I’m only going 184km.

 

[kpc]

Vilnius

 

[RooFlyer]

My office for the next 3 hours.

Jeez, 1A seems to have come off a bit ...

 

[JohnM]

Jeez, 1A seems to have come off a bit ...

You haven’t lived if you’ve never travelled on some Indian trains...

 

[OATEK]

My office for the next 3 hours. Chandigarh to Lucknow train, but I’m only going CDG to Roorkee, the station nearest Haridwar, my destination for tonight, so I won’t be using the sleeper.

Full journey is about 650km, leaving CDG 1715h and arriving in Lucknow around 0730h tomorrow. I’m only going 184km.

View attachment 189409

While I was in the UK in August, I took the grandaughter for a ride in a 1950s train with the compartments and side corridor. She loved it, although primarily for the connection to the Hogwarts express (as she repeatedly re-enacted the fist trip where the chocolate frog escapes out the window). The connection with your experience though is that the train we went on looks much newer!

 

[JohnM]

BTW, my train was spot on time .

 

[drron]

And the train comes with free coliforms in their sandwiches I would assume.I guess I am never going to live.

 

[JohnM]

Contrary to the stereotypes, train travel in India is quite OK and a fast and effective method to cover medium distances. Car travel is very slow.

I didn’t have to fight for a space to avoid being on the roof (nobody was on the roof...), I had an assigned seat/berth, that car was airconditioned, there are licensed porters (uniformed and numbered) at stations to carry your luggage for a small cost that is clearly listed on a large sign-board, the electronic signs on the platforms are large and clear and alternately in Hindi and English and the automated announcements are regular and clear, also alternating Hindi and English. The stations IME are a piece of cake to navigate.

Certainly the trains are spartan, although that one was probably a bit older and a little more run down than I’ve previously experienced. It really is not a bad experience.

A porter came around spruiking dinner. I didn’t bother, but I didn’t see anyone else partake so I can’t comment on what it was. Almost certainly it would have been something cooked, as that is the Indian way.

To travel that route by car would probably have taken three times as long.

 

[Flashback]

Have done quite a bit of train travel around India and agree with all of that. On the Shatabdi Express down to Agra you even get a small meal included, it was quite tasty and no I didn't get sick.

Quick and comfortable way to travel and very, very cheap. Buying tickets online can be quite an experience though......

 

[JohnM]

Daily evening prayer ceremony at Triveni Ghat, Rishikesh, India just now. Rishikesh is known as ‘the yoga capital of the world’.

Very small and restrained compared with the utterly mind-blowing ceremonies at Varanasi, yet significant because of where Rishikesh is situated at the base of the Himalayas (‘Father’) and where the Ganges (‘Mother’) spills onto the plains.

 

[kpc]

Riga on a overcast, wet day.

 

[ellen10]

Some more of the Dolomite views 55k bike ride today into Austria

 

[EestiTiger]

Did a quick trip from Archerfield up to Fraser Island (Orchid Beach) for a swim on the weekend with a pilot friend. That's how you beat the traffic on the highway

 

[JohnM]

Self-explanatory...

 

[esseeeayeenn]

Took my laptop with me to Lifou (Loyalty islands, New Caledonia).
As you can imagine I did a ton of work there.

 

[dxwell]

Gee, I am loving this thread. Thanks everyone for posting.

 

[JohnM]

For you ‘60s kids who can’t remember being there :



And another evening of singing and prayers on the ghats of Mother Ganga.

 

[TonyHancock]

It is back to the HI at CVG for me and another stunning view from my office for the next four days.

 

[RB]

Walked in a different section of PQQ this morning. Port Macquarie is Australia's 3rd oldest settlement & was founded as a penal settlement in 1821. Many people lament that there are very few buildings still standing from the convict era.

Looking toward the river mouth & breakwall


Allman Hill Cemetery



An explanation board

 

[sudoer]

Plus I got to meet @sbor90 and have a beer and a chat

Was great to meet you! Thanks for the company