The start of my break and Rs. 1,200/- for a water bottle!

You know those days when you hear about instances when family or friends get divided while traveling and you say to yourself - Thank God that hasn’t happened to me!! ??

Well, Saturday wasn’t one of those days! :-) We reached Dadar station with 2 minutes and 30 seconds to spare as we leaped onto the train to Nasik with sweat beads threatening to trickle down our bodies. We made our way to our seats making a strange sight of 6 girls being accompanied by 1 boy!! The other 3 of our group were in a different compartment. A quick call confirmed that they were comfortably seated.

Quick introductions were made, smiles and hellos exchanged, and we went about settling ourselves for the three and a half hour journey to the land of the grapes - Nasik and our much awaited break! As the train pulled out of the station, a quick glance around showed me a elderly gentleman looking wistfully out of the window, a young lady helping a slightly disabled child towards an empty seat, a gentleman fast asleep with a folded paper on his face (how do people manage to sleep like that?), when suddenly a whiff of “bhindi sabzi” entered my nose and I looked up towards the source to one of the top berths where a Maharashtrian couple were partaking in their lunch.

As the train picked up speed we started to relax, thanking our good fortune on catching the train in time and getting fluids back into our dehydrated bodies, when suddenly it dawned upon us that the 7 of us had just finished the only one bottle of water we had!!

As we were figuring out how to go through the rest of the journey without water, the train started slowing down as it approached Thane station and the same thought relayed through all of our minds – we could buy more water here!! The guy in our group graciously volunteered (after much teasing from us about being chivalrous about it!) to get down and buy a couple of bottles of water for us, when one of the girls also volunteered to get off the train and accompany him; stating that he better hurry with buying the bottles as she would not board a moving train!

As the rest of us awaited their return with the nectar for our parched throats we started talking about the fun evening awaiting us in Nasik. The train suddenly heaved and started to leave the station when we realized the two water bearers had not yet come back. A friend of mine craned her neck at the window to look for them, when suddenly we noticed them on the departing platform looking bewildered as the train passed away in front of their eyes!! We suddenly came out of our calm reviere and started reacting to the fact that two members of our group were left on the station behind us without their bags and that we were suddenly two members short!! Frantic calls were made through our mobile networks and after assuring ourselves that they were safe we suddenly started seeing the funny side of the event and started chuckling!!

The last call from them within 20 minutes of our train leaving the station and them behind confirmed that they were going to make the journey by road and meet us at Nasik… and the cab journey would cost them Rs. 1,200/- !! And all this for a bottle of water!! :-)