My memorable train journeys.

This happened when we returned a nice lovely trip to coimbatore and Ooty.We boarded the train at Cbe junction and were on our way to Bangalore.The train left the station as scheduled.We were franctically checking for our seats.The ticket collector came and checked our tickets.The ticket had numbers F25,F26,andF27.The ticket collector said there were no such numbers as the nos ended upto 22.We did not know what to do.We thought of getting down in the next station but decided otherwise as our son was just 1 1/2 years old.The ticket collector was kind enough.He allowed me to sit in his chair.My husband was sitting on top of our suitcases near door!!!!!!!!!!Oops what a journey it was.We were throughly cheated.
The second occasion was after a trip to Cochin.My husband,myself ,our son and our daughter along with my sister and her family boarded the bus to catch Coimbatore to catch Cheran express to Chennai.We reached the station on time and got in.To our dismay,we found that only sitting cars were available and all the sleeping coaches had been cancelled.As the children were all small we thought,of getting staying back in Coimbatore and leave the next day.We franctically searched for a place upto 11.30 pm .None of hotels could accomodate as there was doctors conference the next day and hotels were booked.Finally around 11.45 pm ,we found a hotel which could accomodate all the 8 of us in a small room ,on one condition that we should vacate the room by 5 a.m!!!!!!!!.What to do .We all stayed in that room and left by 5 a.m.Even for thenext couple of days all the trains were going full,even buses.Finally we arranged a tempo traveller and left Coimbatore at 10 am.We reached Chennai at 11.30 the same night with couple of stops in between.My we were all really worn out...............

Dear Kanakaraghavan,

I could imagine the ordeal you must have gone through. Indian railways especially in the north are notorious. I had two forgettable journeys. Once, I went to attend a conference to Gwalior with my family when my kids were young. For return journey, I had sent the telegram from Mumbai and had the confirmation too. But, there was no berth numbers and in Gwalior station they told that the numbers will be in charts with the TTs coming by Punjab Mail in which I had reservation. Punjab Mail came and stopped for 10 minutes and I ran from one TT to another and they pretended to check and told me no reservation. As one of my frined was already travelling in the train I left my family along with him and was running around. Meanwhile, the train started running. I was pestering a TT to give me atleast one berth so that we all can sit and go. He was not responsing and there were lot of passengers around me standing. One of them told me ' you want a berth, then you have to do seva to TT'. Seva is the code language for bribe. So, I gave Rs. 50 to TT. He refused and I gave Rs.100. then he allotted me not one but two berths. Since it had become mid-night and we were allotted upper berths myself and one kid in one berth, my wife and another kid in another berth went to sleep. Around 3.00 A.M I was shaken from sleep by another TT (the one who gave me the berths had got off and this one had come) asking me for my tickets. When I produced them he told me to my shock our names are not in the chart. I really got furious and told him that I have already paid enough and I am not going to pay anything and asked him to go to hell. I also challenged him to get me down. he was showering abuses on me, but did not dare to get me down. In the morning we reached Mumbai and I lodged a complaint with the Bombay Central station master. Till today I have not received any response from him. Mera bharath mahan!.

Regards,

TDU