When we do something for the first time, we're a little scared of how it would go. I was scared too when I decided to travel by train! (Duh! not because I'd never been in a train before, but because I had never taken a long distance train journey alone!)

I DID NOT cry when the train left and I saw my dad's image shrinking as the train left Jamnagar station, perhaps I was trying to be strong, like I'd need to be from now on. I had berth no. 13. It was a middle berth. Apart from me, there were only 3 other men in my coupe'. One was sleeping and I had no clue of how he'd look.Then there was a fat man with a belly so big that it could act as a stand for a coffee mug/chai mug! haha. He looked sortof scary cause he his face had tiny dots all over, just like Pankaj Kapoor has(Shahid Kapoor's dad).

The third one was thin and hilarious. He had two mobiles. One had the Tere bina song from the movie Guru as his ringtone. The other mobile has some jarring ringtone in Gujarati! And every few minutes either of the phones would sing(not ring, cause the tones were songs..i know its a bad joke...but ur still laughing?!)He'd pick up the phone after ages an say, 'hey-loo' as if addressing a washroom! The phone calls would go on for eternity and from his tone I could make out that the caller was either his boss, or his love for his voice changed from formal to roamtic-hushed. (I pity his GF or wife...but that's none of my business, right?).

Between all that i observed, I read Jaws and looked out of the window hoping to trick time and turn the afternoon into night, for I was thoroughly bored! To spare me from boredom, the train arrived at Rajkot bang on time! I rejoiced, got off the train and strolled on the platform. The heat hit me, but after being numbed by the ac, i felt like I was being thawed. I ate medu vada and alu bondo, and chatted up with a lady who was also travelling alone and coincidentally also had wierd people in her coupe'.We both ate ice cream and then resigned to our respective coupe's. The train left Rajkot, yet my coupe' wasn't filled. I was hoping someone good would come by and spare me from these three wierd men!!(Not that they harassed me or anything, infact they were being polite, i guess despite it i felt uncomfortable)

At a little station, 20 minutes from rajkot, a family entered our bogie. They looked as if they were back from some shaadi, atleast the mom and the daughter did thanks to their jhatak-matak salwar suits! Once the family arrived, i felt less awkward, and less bored cause I got new samples to observe *wink*

I thought I'd strike a conversation with the girl(daughter), but she looked unfriendly and too busy playing games on her brother's cell. I kept mum and got back to reading my book. Just then the girl took out a pack of cards. She and her dad began playing rummy. My eyes lit up for cards are my favourite. Dad even calls me, mom and Pranay as juvaris(gamblers) cause we can play cards for hours, especially in trains(though without betting money). I helped the girl to win the game and she asked me if I wanted to join them. The offer was too good to resist.That's how the ice got broken.

I got to know that this family lived in Sion, owned a dog, are stinking rich and they go abroad on every vaccation. Time passed by soon, and i realised travelling alone can be fun too! The aunty(from the family) was too concerned about me, almost like a second mother! She offered me bhel and whatever other food they had brought with them. I told aunty that I'd take a walk on Ahemedabad station and she flipped, and said, 'You're only 20. It'll 10:30 and you want to go alone? It's not safe...blah blah...' But i convinced her that I'd be fine and asked her to come along too. She didn't, but her husband, son and daughter and me all strolled had coffee and stuff and proved to her that it wasn't unsafe cause the station was crowded!(Yeh India hai!)

We were all sleepy but then the 3 guys again came into the scene. They started talking to the family in gujarati! (that was the last thing I wanted when i was sleepy!)They talked about business only. I wonder if Gujarati's have any other passion in life apart from business talk(discounting food and garba)Except the Gujju guy who was sleeping, evryone had their own business.I forgot to mention that everyone in my coupe' assumed that I was Gujarati and my dad also had a business. When they asked me about what my dad's business is, I told them he's into shipping business. They loked impressed, until i told them that he's in the Navy after which they got extra impressed!

I forgot to mention another chap who was sitting in our coupe'(he was fat too but was dressed impeccably) through out. After the family, he looked second most decent guy around.And guess what? - he also was a businessman. I was shocked to see business deals being signed right in the train. The guy who didn't have a business tied up with the fat guy to obtain supplies for the Dharamshala his company was building. So I've learnt one think, if you want to make contacts or expand your business, travel in this jamnagar-mumbai train, and you business will certainly grow, but the rate of growth would depend upon how well you can talk in gujarati and how politely you talk to people(don't forget to address then with bhen or bhai!). Also, praise the other party, it always works. Oh, and always keep your business carrd handy, and....oh! sorriy, this isn't a how to grow your business by travelling through gujarat! I'll stick to the point now...*hits her head lightly*

One good think I got to know is gujaratis are a united bunch, I suppose That's why they're famous in most fields. Apart from the family and the guy dressed impeccably, the other three guys weren't well off, yet they all chatted like they were from equal status in the society.

Amidst the business talks and business deals, I and the daughter talked about orkut and exchanged numbers. She even traslated gujarati into hindi so I'd know what everyone was talking about. Then thankfully everyone felt sleepy(I was sleepy since so loooonnnnngggggg) and we pulled down the bunks and tried to sleep. Someone began snoring and the daughter complained that she was getting disturbed. But then within minutes, even she started snoring. Apart from me, rest all were snoring so loudly that I barely slept!(another reason could be being paranoid about my luggage despite it being chained and waking up at 6 am to get off at Borivali.)

Morning came soon and I bid the train adieu. The train journey certainly was a memorable one. It wasn't as scary as I had imagined. I think it's all about finding good company. And you know what my greatest achievement was in this journey? - Nah, not travelling alone, something even bigger...guess????........it was not sleeping before bed-time! Cause when i travel in trains all i do is eat and sleep. I did the former, but sleep eluded me, even at night, as i tossed and turned in the cold and hoped borivali would arrive soon so that I wouldn't have to get down from my bunk especially to go to the washroom......haha...bloody a/c that they put on full blast!!

I think I'm more than fit to travel alone now. Am I invited to your house? I'd love to meet you, and I can come alone....alone in the train!!