When the love for travel was born on a very special train

Hey there,

I have no idea why, but I always felt that toy trains would literally be what their name suggests they are. Trains to play with; trains that you can drive... Don't get me wrong, it wasn't as if I hadn't seen them in pictures or travel magazines before. Yet somehow, I still fascinated, that it would be some sort of a joyride; where parents let their children drive the train and play with the different kid-sized real-life objects. A playhouse on wheels if you may.

                                                      

So turns out you are not a toy after all...

So imagine the surprised-shock on my face when I actually came face-to-face with the joyride of my dreams. A gleaming red beast; polished and shiny...almost regal to my inexperienced eyes. Despite my sadness on realising that I won't actually drive it; it was a joyride through and through! Filled with drama...

Upon entering the berth; me and my two travel companions seated ourselves quite comfortably on the soft, luxurious (a word that I had recently learned) seats. We were offered tea and biscuits shortly as well. Now, this we devoured with majestic grace; as we were already pretending to be royals...ferried to Shimla in their private train.

As the train rolled by, we waved to other toy train commuters; going in the other direction...who seemed to be impressed at our "private commute". We might've also, been scowled at by school-kids returning home after a tiring day, but that we ignored! 😅 Hands-on cheeks I gasped at the beautiful scenery slowly unfurling before my eyes. Rolling snow-capped mountains in the distance, and a beautiful canopy of trees just beneath me playing peek-a-boo with the villages that came and went.

Soon enough we rolled into a station and the train came to a halt. As I hopped onto the tracks (don't worry, that's normal)...I noticed how extremely narrow they were. It felt like I was standing on the tracks of a train at an amusement park!! Hopping towards the platform, we grabbed some popsicles. It was unbelievably hot on a hill station. It was then that we spotted a swing. The next moment we were on it trying really hard to play on it...the damn thing was too low. We gave up and walked back to the train. Scenes from "The Polar Express" flashed before my eyes...we were ready for the next leg of our journey. Hop on!!!!

Suddenly I was jerked off of my reverie. I had been dozing off. "What's the matter?" "Seems like there has been some glitch in the engine; we will be stranded here for quite some time." Excellent. I jumped off the train and started exploring the tracks again. This time we were stuck right in the middle of nowhere. No platform. No swing. No popsicle. As the heat powered up; I got more and more annoyed. My mother decided that the heat was getting to my head, and made me wash my hair!!! Smack dab in the middle of the tracks, too! Later, a bit more privately, she made me change into more comfortable clothes. How embarrassing!!! I was very angry with her. Fuming; I left my seat and found a rather secluded spot to sit and sulk in. But I couldn't...Right before my eyes, the sun rays were reflecting and refracting off the distant peaks in majestic displays of sheer beauty. Rainbows and shards of crystals in the sky...!!! Looking back; I guess my love story with mountains, had begun right there...

                                             

At Chitkul, which we visited a few days into this very remarkable trip.

I hadn't realised when the train had started moving again. Only when it gathered speed; was I conscious of my surroundings. I'd been too engrossed watching the sunlight play with snow. I wanted to join them in their game, too. And as we slowly approached our final stop; I realised how naive I had been, to think that toy trains were things to play with...but how right I was to know, that this would be the beginning of a lifelong adventure...of travel and stories.