Date 2/4/19
NZM-AGC-NZM
I am at my relative's house in Tihar campus and today morning I had to catch 12050 Gatiman exp for Agra. Nearest metro is Tilak nagar and DMRC site showed it will take around 50 mins to reach NZM from Tilak nagar. And from Tihar to Tilak nagar, it takes around 10 - 15mins. So I decided to leave at 6 am keeping 1 and half hour for travelling to NZM which included a changeover at Rajaouri garden metro station. Though I had put on an alarm of...
more... 0430 AM but I woke up at around 0330 AM. 160 KMPH dreams did not let me sleep long enough. Anyway at sharp 6 AM, I left. And in next 1hr 15 mins I was at PF 4 of NZM. Taj express was ready for departure with its ultra dirty rake and overcrowded. Some were left behind during departure. People were running to board somehow the already crowded train and foreigners got some capture moments for their camera. Suddenly it stopped. Now in that next 1 min all of the stranded ones boarded the coaches. And finally it departed. I could see a WAP 5 at some distance back, which meant our train is being shunted. In 5 mins Gatiman was shunted to PF 4 with GZB/P5/30020 hauling it. I was the first one to board my coach as I always like to do that so that I get atleast one clear pic of the interiors and I got that. I comfortably placed my hips on the seat allotted to me with a prayer that no one asks for an exchange. I had seen in online chart that my next copassenger was also bound to agra and so were the majority of passengrs. After some minutes, people started coming. First a foreigner couple came with their guide who explained them the train schedule and also told them that a person will receive them at Agra. A hamper from Hotal Taj was provided to them. Then next set of foreigners came, after that again same. At once I thought will I be the only Indian there. But then only the baarat entered. Yes, the indians. A family of 5 entered the coach and murdered the silent atmosphere of the coach. Yes, we indians celebrate everything. Even a trip in Gatimaan is a celebration for us. That is how we are. Anyways after that some more foreigners and indians came. By the time of departure, 71 seats were filled and PAS System came into action. Welcoming us and suggested that no WL ticket holder should board the coach. It also asked passengers to refrain from giving tips to staff. At sharp 0810 AM we departed, jerkless. At 0824 hrs we hit 160 kmph. Dream to travel at highest MPS fulfilled. Soon the services started. A newspaper (hindi/english) was provided and then a half litre bottle of rail neer was given. Breakfast service started too. First the non vegetarians were served, then came ours', the vegetarian ones. It consisted of a sanitizer, a pouch of jam & sauce, a butter chiplet, two slices of bread, paneer cutlet with so called french fries and boiled matar with jeera tadka, a chocolate cup cake and a tetrapack of mango juice. Waah! What a breakfast..! The paneer cutlets were super good and i did see paneer inside it. Overall great sumptuous breakfast. By the time we had breakfast, our tickets were checked. No reservation charts, all online. Soon the staff came with hot water for tea. Didn't want to have tea so I skipped it. Everything done, plates were removed. I thought OBHS will clean the coach, but nothing as such was done. After few mins, train hostess came with a tray full of bananas, few pax took it. The foreigners were praising the breakfast, cleanliness of train, staff behaviour, everything. They were happy with the service. Whereas I was happy because I got my 160kmph screenshot. And having breakfast at that speed was awesome. Now I can boast to my friends that, see I have travelled at 160 kmph in IR, have you? Though I know the counter question - I ride bike at 3 digit speeds, have you? Time was also flying along with the train. In the meantime we crossed a plethora of LHB trains in which I identified only 2, the mumbai rajdhanis. Two ICF trains also crossed. Time was now 0945 and speeds reduced. We were approaching Agra cantt. At 0950 we were dead stop at AGC PF 1. Bang on time arrival. The journey has ended and pax deboarded. Only 6-7 pax were left for onward journey and around a dozen boarded. The happy faces of deboarding passengers said all without any words. The TTE was at the gate, and I asked him, I have a CC return ticket, is it possible to manually upgrade it to EC. He said, it can't be done. Anyways the fantastic journey of 100 mins ended and I made my way out of Platform for Taj mahal.
In return journey, I saw same faces who were my copassengers in morning. Around 25 people who travelled in C2 coach in morning were sharing same coach i.e. C5 in return too. I skipped the meal though I had paid for it as I had some fabulous lunch in Sadar bazar. I took only coffee. When the staff was taking away the used plates, a lady tried to give tips, the staff politely denied. But she insisted. Then staff said, "jo aapki khushi ho de dijiye" (give in whatever you are happy). Her hand slipped into her purse and came out a new chocolaty 10 rupee note. I wanted to laugh out loudly there but controlled. The staff took that with a smile and went away. I was like what was this? The way the lady insisted, I thought atleast a 50rs note will come out from the purse but. Anyways in rerurn we completed the journey in just 98 mins. At 0728 we were at NZM PF 7. Fantastic journey overall.
