In the capital city

We Hand baggage helped to come out of the airport fast. It was raining in the northern part of India for last few days. Though it was mid-March there was cold weather outside. We had a cup of refreshing tea on the food stall outside. As it was past 1.30 pm we decided to head for lunch straight and do away with our plan to visit Rajghat and India Gate. We booked a prepaid cab for Connaught Place. Delhi airport is quite far from city. It is about an hour's drive. Delhi has lot of traffic too. We directly reached Kake da Hotel. It was full on this Sunday afternoon.  We waited for 20 minutes outside hotel for getting table. Though the food was tasty, there is no attention to cleanliness.

After sumptuous lunch we came out. It was 4 pm now. Though New Delhi railway station is close by one may get stuck in traffic in this area, especially due to VIP movement. We have already cancelled the plan of sightseeing. So we took a Three Wheeler commonly known as Auto or Rickshaw. These was to avoid the eager moments while catching train in case of delay. This rickshaw drivers are clever to charge more to tourist.  He charged us Rs. 100 for a small distance.

We reached station; it was little over an hour for the departure of our train. We went to waiting room on the platform no one. There is only one general waiting room this platform. It was crowded. Somehow we managed to get a seat. One problem faced is cleanliness in public utility services. This place too wasn't very clean but had no alternative.  I find it difficult to sit at one place. I went out, roamed on the platform and had tea. There I understood, IRCTC, an initiative by Indian Railway has very well developed waiting rooms on the other side of the station on platform number eleven. Very elaborate catering arrangements are also there. But we were not very keen to explore this facility. To pass time we were glued to our mobile.

Around five o' clock there as an announcement of our train "MA Shakti Express". It was to depart from platform number five. This train was recently started and travels through a very beautiful terrain of Jammu, Udhampur and Katra. We had no chance of enjoying this natural beauty as our journey was in the night. We reached platform number five to board the train.  Our compartment was very nice, clean and cozy. This train was not having a pantry car. I bought some Pulaw (Rice cooked with spices and vegetables)  for dinner. We arranged our baggage and relaxed on our berths. With a light jerk train left Delhi right in time at 5.30 pm.

This train is a superfast train. It travels 200 kms in three hours for first halt at Ambala. It covers a total distance of about 650 kms in 11 hours and 30 minutes. We once again reviewed our plan, the called up Ishan for the first time in a whole day. We briefed him about the day's experience. Both of us opened our books, all three of us  love reading, hence boredom is a rarity in travelling. It was around 8 pm, we had dinner. Train was reaching near Ambala and sleep catching us now. We never came to know when train reached Ambala.

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