The Sojourn - Part III

Compile Time 2
8.30 AM (Sunday)

I am alive. Yes, I endured the coldest night I have had in last year and it was not easy and it is still not easy. I am barely able to pen these words,
After wrapping up myself and hitting the bed at 10.00, I had a very deep sleep where I was even oblivious to the chattering group and clattering of the train. I woke up at 2.30 AM when Bhopal came. There was some activity within the compartment as many people got down. It was then I realized that it had gotten very cold. The emergency sweat shirt was used, Socks came on and I seriously contemplated going for the 5th layer of jacket. But it was not possible to take out the bag, open it, Take out the jacket and again close the bag and place the bag. Too cold too do all this. Slept again after answering to nature's call – second deep sleep. Finally got up at 7.30. 1 scene I took while I went to take a leak at around 3.00 Am. – 1 person lying near the door with only a piece of cloth covering him.


Runtime 4
9.30 AM (Sunday)
Familiar Sights – Lush yellow and green fields, clear blue sky with a tinge of whiteness lend by the clouds.
It is not possible to see such sights from the heights of an aero plane and its always refreshing to see it.
The train runs through the final stretches of its journey. Briefly I go to the door, hold the bars and thrust my body outside the boundaries of the train.
A chillingly cold rush of air hits me like a thousand needles thrown at me. But I keep standing like that against the cold, knowing well that the body won’t last long. It doesn’t and I come back and sit on the east side where the sun is trying to warm up to the scene.
I glance inside the train, clean shaven faces have given way to beardy faces, hands are folded across chests with blankets still on an the sale of tea and coffee is on a continuous rise. A poor kid comes his way cleaning away the corridor of the bogey. I give him 5 Rs. At least he is doing something to earn it and not begging away. A passing station tells me we are still in Madhya Pradesh. We wont be after 3 – 3.5 hrs. Then it will be time for some more action again as I’ll start a new struggle to get to Chandigarh.