The “New Normal” Travel shenanigans & destinations post Covid-19
This is my first experience of writing anything like blog etc. till now written in exams and office files only. One Exam which changed my life was Entrance exam of VCRC conducted by RRB Bhopal. Life changing event, till then had no exposure to any competitive exam, never thought any of job till then.
That exam brought many new surprises in life, lots of friend, experience and a big close fraternity of brothers (All भाईलोग, even girls of that course were not less than any bhai). This fraternity of VCRCian is the biggest gift of my life by Railway. That’s become our blood now, we may or may not be working with Railways anymore but still that will always run in our blood forever. Thanks to all those VCRCian brothers who kept all of us together, really appreciate their ever going efforts to keep us close to each other; organizing so many events year to year basis, some at national level, some at local; keeping our spirit alive. Most valuable is time being spent by them in their busy life; in which I could not contribute much till now. This is my first efforts to communicate with all VCRCian through this blog on a wonderful website made by us for us.
My little introduction, Myself Mandeep Sahni belongs of 2nd batch of Central Railway VCRCian of the year 1993-95, now counted in Great grand fathers’ generation in VCRCian. From Commercial via Law landed up now in Personnel department and presently in General Administration as Sr. Scale officer with blessings and inspiration of many of our VCRCian, thanks to all of them for guidance in life. Just trying to write a small blog on places I want to travel by our own Railways post COVID-19 era.
The “New Normal” Travel shenanigans & destinations post Covid-19
Train travel is set to undergo massive changes shortly. From thermal scans and sealed meals to immunity certificates! The new age of sanitized travel will be unlike anything we have seen before. However, this should not dampen the traveling spirit in us, right?
Chalking out a vacation in India encompasses a train expedition. It certainly takes us back to the childhood days when holidaying meant embarking on beautiful long-distance train journeys. Here are the five most beautiful train journeys in India which you can visit post-COVID-19 surge. Let’s welcome the “new normal” in our lives.
Kalka – Shimla:
If you want to relish scenic valleys, steep trails, and foggy fields, travel to Shimla in the narrow gauge train. This little toy train, now well-thought-out as World Heritage Site by UNESCO, starts from Kalka and travels 96 km upslope through 102 tunnels: (the longest tunnel located at Barog), 82 bridges, deep gorges, steep bends, rolling turns, forests of deodar, pine, and oak. It is one of the finest North Indian and most striking train journeys in India.
Mumbai – Goa:
The trip from Mumbai to Goa through the valleys of Sahyadri and the environs of the Arabian Sea is perhaps the utmost scenic train ride in India. The famous Mandovi Express and Tejas Express of the Konkan Railway network are few of the trains that run between Mumbai and Goa.
The path is full of scenic lands, prolonging tunnels, conduit bridges, and coastal fringes, steps of the Western Ghats, numerous small rivers, seasonal streams, and lush green paddocks. Do not forget to take out your DSLR and capture the highpoints of one of the stunning train journeys of India.
Mandapam – Rameshwaram:
In addition to thrill and adventure, the train travel from Mandapam in Tamil Nadu to Rameshwaram on Pamban Island radiates calm and serenity. It is undoubtedly one of the top ten best Indian train journeys. Being one of the most gorgeous train routes in India, it passes over the second longest bridge of India, the Palk Strait, which is the only route that unites mainland India to Pamban Island.
Jaisalmer – Jodhpur:
The Rajasthan expedition which is otherwise full of colors can have an extra upbeat shade if you travel to Jaisalmer from Jodhpur in Delhi Jaisalmer Express. The travel time on the train called the ‘Desert Queen’ takes close to six hours to reach this magnificent destination. The trip is not at all wearisome. You will witness varied topography like typical desert landscapes with xeric vegetation, yellow soil, dunes, foraging camels, and strewn settlements of the desert populaces. The travelers will surely get a feel of the desert safari before reaching the land of the Golden Fort.
New Jalpaiguri – Darjeeling:
Have you ever experienced a train ride between the gorges of lush green mountains? A pleasant upslope expedition from the foothill region through loops, turns, and bends can be experienced from New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling. It is a 78 km long picturesque journey that takes almost 8 hours and passes through Siliguri Town to Batasia Loop. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Nevertheless, the journey is slow-moving, however, undoubtedly leisurely. The adjoining hill-valley topography, mainly from Ghum to Batasia Loop, adds extra delight to your trip for sure.
Keep safety in your hands: Constant hand washing hygiene can be difficult to maintain during train travel and shared facilities. The best option would be to carry personal sanitizer at all times. To prevent the spread at any cost and to ensure safety, Indian Railways will only allow asymptomatic people to travel, with masks and prior social distancing norms; passengers will also be screened before travelling. Plus, all the railway coaches are sanitized and disinfected by the railway workers.
When things do start to return to “normal”, travel will look very different. We all will travel after COVID-19, however, it won’t be the same. Precaution is a must! It is our duty to keep our loved ones safe along with our co-passengers.
Mandeep Sahni
VCRC CR 93-95
