The Kanatal Trip – the Journey and how it almost was missed

So I pick up from where I left in my last blog: The plan is to take a train to Haridwar and a cab from there to the Kanatal.

With tickets to Haridwar booked and confirmed, dinner done with amazing aalo parathas made by mum, I try to get some sleep coz the train’s departure is scheduled at 2355 hrs. Finally the restless me puts the luggage in the car, hugs mum and off to Nizamuddin Railway Station it is… with dad dropping me J

The drive to the station/ airport on your way to a vacation is always a thrilling experience, and the fact that we were driving relatively late at night on a Sunday with no traffic what so ever made it better. Who would want to get stuck in a jam at such a moment?

The last time I boarded a sleeper train was 12 years back, so I was a bit wary about my luggage being stolen. Result: I am contemplating on my way to the station and discussing with dad whether I should buy one of those chains they sell. The ironic thing was that my friend had not even locked the luggage, leave aside buying a chain to tie the equipment that would turn out to be a real life saver the next day.

As we reach the Sarai Kale Khan Bus terminal and try to locate a parking, I’m thinking why stations are always so crowded and chaotic even at the oddest of hours.

In my miniscule acquaintance with trains and railway stations, there wasn’t much alteration to the picture painted in my mind since the first time I boarded a train with this time’s visit: coolies asking to carry the luggage, the hurry in one's step when climbing the platform bridge and searching for the platform number…

Anyway, Dodging all the madness and deciding to meet up at the designated platform, I descend into the twilight zone between reality and heaven we’re about to be part of.. A thought just crosses my mind: This reality that we so speak of: Is it for real or just a screen saver? Call it perspective thinking but the place we call heaven is the tangible reality. Why else would we run off to our relative heaven and feel more at peace, one with ourselves?

My deep thought/ concentration gets broken with dad confirming the compartment number. A minute later, my friend arrives and we board the train, place the luggage (without the security chains J), say good bye to dad, settle in and start chit chatting and asking about how the other has been, how we are looking forward to the trip.

The train starts to move and Excitement_level = Excitement_level+1

Yes, its past half past 0000 hrs, Monday morning and the notes of us talking are signs that we are not tired yet. "What time should we set our alarms to.. 0400?", my friend says. Cautious me says lets plan it for 0330 as we’re not sure what time the train will reach Haridwar. The alarm is set and we retire to our bunks deciding to confirm the time with the ticket checker.

With a big nap sack hanging on my head that's taking precious space, I shift 'n toss 'n turn to find my comfort zone. It takes time but I am able to finally doze off just to be woken up by a mundane and detached voice asking for tickets. We show the tickets and doze off again:

Q: Who at this moment remembers asking the time the train reaches Haridwar?

A: er... Noone!

The alarm buzzing at 0330 hrs and I wake up Sanghi asking what to do now. With her being tired from another painstakingly delayed journey from Allahabad to Delhi, I get up and look around for a soul who is not sleeping. Bingo, I find my knight and he says it should reach around 5. Gladly I return back and give the update, change my alarm time to 0430 hours to keep 30 mins as buffer. 1 sheep over the fence, 2 sheep over the fence, 3 sheep over the fence, 4…..Zzzzz

0430 buzzing on my phone: signalling me to wake up! In a sleep deprived state, I wake my friend and also try to wake myself up…. The train halts and I decide to check what station it is and maybe also get details of how far our destination is.

It’s a tough task to wear shoes when you are sleepy… Walking till the gate, I look around for a signage of some sort to tell me the station’s name. I see no boards but I do see a bunch of familiar faces who boarded the train from Delhi. I look around some more before finally asking:

Me: Which station is this?

Them: Haridwar

Me: HARIDWAR???????

Them: Yes

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Did I say I was sleepy/ sleep deprived?… No way. I cannot afford this luxury I think!

The stoppage of this train at Haridwar is 5 mins… one min gone in wearing my shoes, one min in looking for a signage and finally asking people and half a min in realizing we are in deep shit!

I run back and with a worried tone tell my friend whose resting that we’ve reached Haridwar and got only a few minutes to get off! Not getting off now is not an option that has or will cross my mind and while my friend is getting up and wearing shoes, I am desperately pulling the luggage out. Not chaining the luggage suddenly seems like the best decision after all doesn't it?

Every second is precious and the irony is that we don’t know how much time we got. Both of us pull out the luggage and I still got to check my nap sack, wear my comfy jacket and cap that’s merrily lying on the bunk. In the mean Sanghi had stepped out one piece of luggage to the platform. I check, double check and triple check in a hurried state to ensure nothing is left behind, and rush with my bag and heavy luggage to the platform.

Yes, we are out of the train in the nick of time because a few seconds later the train starts to move!!!

Did we really pull this off??!! We laugh at ourselves and the crazy moment that passed us by, unable to believe that one can do so much in so less time given our semi-drowsy state!

This marks the true beggining of our journey and unpreditable situations we're about to face.

YES, The adventure has finally begun…………….