Your victoria train station Information
For my first trip to Shimla, I took Kalka Mail from Delhi to Kalka. After an overnight journey, I reached the sleepy little station of Kalka around 5.30 in the morning. From Kalka I had one of the most beautiful train journeys one can have. The journey, some 90-KM long, was done in a toy train. It was November 8, 2003, just a day before that railway line was about to complete its 100 years. I was travelling in the same train, which was supposed to make the historic journey next day, marking the hundred years of this wonderful gift of British India. You can blame them for a lot of bad things they did to India during their rule here but you have to give it the firangs (As British rulers were called then), they took the trains to the kind of places where Indians have not been able to even 60 years after getting independence. The toy train passes through some 103 tunnels, one of them, at Barog, is more than a kilometer long. That’s not all. It uses more than 800 bridges to reach Shimla!
My train, Shivalik Deluxe Express, stopped at Barog - a beautiful little station. The stop was for 10 minute where most of the passengers got down while catering staff collected breakfast to be served on the train. It was a lovely experience; early morning sunshine made me feel in a different world.The train was full of honeymooners, as it was marriage season in India. Some of the couples seemed in a hurry to get lost in each other’s arms. Since it was a toy train that has small coaches, people were seated pretty close to each other.
I arrived at the Shimla station around 10.30 am. Starting from 660 mts at Kalka, I was now about 2000 mts above sea level. Immediately I was surrounded by Kashmiri potters. I negotiated with one of them and he helped me climb out of the station where I was met by the cab drivers. After bargaining, one of them drove me to my hotel. After checking into the hotel, a Raj-era building, I took shower and had brunch. I checked with the hotel manager about the places I could see in the remaining day. He suggested I walk up to the Mall Road, that quintessential Raj left-over. Acting on his advice I decided to walk to the Mall. I was surprised to see so many tall deodar trees on both sides of the road before I reached the actual hustle and bustle of the Mall. It was same as the other Mall Roads. All kind of eateries asking you to ‘come and try’ the delicious fare. I went inside a restaurant, which served north Indian, south Indian, Chinese food and whatever you can think of. To be frank, it was awful. I ordered a pizza and that did not look like the pizzas one had seen or eaten before! After that misadventure with food I walked up to the Ridge. It has, for years, been used for all kinds of functions. During British rule, it was used to hold military parades. Sahebs and memsahebs used to enjoy the romantic evenings. There, you even have a place called Scandal Point, thus named because it is said that some officer’s wife had run away with an Indian prince from that very point!
I walked back to my hotel as it became dark and cold. The mountain air was having its effect. Next day I visited Kufri, came back to The Mall Road, and did some roaming around.
On my last day in Shimla I went to see Viceregal Lodge from where British Viceroy ruled all over India for six months during summer. The Lodge now houses IIAS (Indian Institute of Advanced Studies). It was a magnificent building with a well-maintained and beautiful lawn in front of it. It was in this building that India’s destiny was decided by the Britishers. The tables and chairs have been kept as it is and every half an hour a tour is conducted with a guide to give you a glimpse of the history.
The visit to Viceregal Lodge was worth it. I am now better informed about the goings on in the final hours before India got its independence.
Archna Gupta is a veteran in the marketing of Internet and writing of the articles on the range of subjects. For any information on currently working on
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In the last episode of One Tree Hill, fans and viewers were shown a number of flashbacks, which revealed that Lucas still has feelings for Peyton. Nathan and Haley hired a sexy, young chick as their son, Jamie's nanny, and lately she's becoming obnoxiously motherly to Jamie. Mouth (Lee Norris) was still having an affair with his boss, who is another obnoxious woman, but it seems that for Mouth, she is totally hot. Haley was still pursuing her efforts to help out a young, cocky student named Quentin, and Brooke's mother, Victoria stepped her Prada shoes all over Brooke's pride.
Tonight's episode features little Jamie having nightmares about having grand daddy Dan, who is locked up in prison. Peyton, on the other hand, heads to her old house and find a new occupant named Molly, who's totally nosy and knows that Peyton and Lucas used to be together.
Meanwhile, Mia attempts to impress Victoria and Haley at the music studio, but Victoria tells her that she totally sucks and that the whole enterprise is a huge waste of money. Later, Peyton arrives to find Haley and Lindsey hanging out, thus putting an awkward strain on her. Lindsey then hears Peyton talking behind her back because a switch was accidentally flipped in the control booth.
Mouth's co-workers ask for his help to talk to the big boss. He then heads to Clothes Over Bro's to buy her a gift, but does not like the idea of being considerate to her employees.
And the spoiler clip comes in with Nathan in the pool and Jamie jumping in. Then Carrie reveals her skimpy bikini while Haley watches them, obviously angry. The next day, Haley tells Carrie not to wear such things as Jamie is too young to comprehend breasts.
While Brooke and Victoria are having mother and daughter conversations, Lucas confronts Peyton about why she talked behind Lindsey's back. Peyton replies that she's just stressed about a lot of things.
Meanwhile, Victoria and Brooke get into a conflict and Peyton tries to stand up for Brooke. Victoria just shuts Peyton up by saying "You look like you never had a mother."
More exciting scenes up in the coming episode, so don't forget to catch One Tree Hill next week only on the CW.
For more resources about
One Tree Hill or for the full story of
One Tree Hill: Episode 5.6 "Don't Dream It's Over" Recap please review
http://www.buddytv.comArticle author: Fabiola Groshan
Make traveling special and unique, away from the clichéd railway travel of everyday life. Shake hands with luxury herself as you present yourself an experience of a lifetime – travel on one of the luxury trains in India. Quintessence of opulence and style, the luxury trains in India are delights to be in, honestly.
Train travel in India has progressed through the years in many ways. Earlier on, there were a select few trains that took you across the countryside with one or two bogey types i.e. chair car or sleeper. You had little option since train travel in India was very basic once upon a time.
However, today train travel has in some cases gone beyond the approval of air travel. The cause of this was luxury trains in India that changed the entire scenario of how public viewed train travel in India. Train travel was once considered the mode of transport for the common man. Today, the rich are signing up to travel in luxury trains like Palace on Wheels that give you a wholesome train experience amidst the luxurious interiors of customized and hand crafted bogeys that include lavish and ornate upholstery and accessories. Add to this, services of a adapted butler, a dining car, bar, salon and other extras. It’s no wonder that luxury trains have gained so much location in the world of train travel not only with Indians but also foreigners who come from across the world to experience a ride in one of the luxury trains. In fact, the
Palace on Wheels India is usually fully booked at least two seasons in advance and it is pretty difficult to get a booking.
Article author: Ghanshyam Kushwaha
