FEB 17, 13 .. LATE TRAIN OUT OF AGRA CANTT
All of you who know me on a personal basis .. and those of you who have been following along here with me .. KNOW that I get ‘ pretty stressed ‘ on the day(s) that I actually travel .. the pressure of TIME is critical and the pressure of TIME is never ending .. YOU MUST be on time to catch the train .. the plane .. the bus .. and so to COUNTERACT this stress .. I work to be RADICALLY EARLY .. this greatly assists me to ‘ stay calm sort of ‘ .. and I do a pretty good job of it all things considered ..
Let’s take yesterday as a for instance .. I was in good enough position to catch my 8:35PM train last night that I had time and I took time to post several writings on each of my two web sites .. had I been in a ‘ crisis ‘ I would never have been able to do either ..
Yesterday I was so ‘ prepared ‘ THAT at 4PM .. I was packed and ready to leave my hotel for the 8:35PM train .. at 4PM mind you .. I was Ready To Go ..
So I lay down and napped and rested from 4PM until 6:30PM .. I did not sleep per se .. but rested and centered and focused on the task at hand .. getting my 8:35PM train from Agra Cantt North to New Delhi ..
I left my hotel and was AT the Agra Cantt Railway Station at 7:45PM .. a good solid fifty minutes early .. keep in mind I KNOW the situation in Agra Cantt having visited in and out for over twenty two ( 22 ) years ..
I entered the station and as I looked up I noted on the giant schedule board above the lobby .. SHATABDI EXPRESS TRAIN 12001 DELAYED .. ESTIMATED DEPARTURE TIME IS NOW 9:15P .. well I ‘ mused ‘ to myself .. ” I CAN DO a forty minute wait ! ” ..
So I ‘ settled ‘ in to wait .. and wait .. and wait some more !
THEN ESTIMATED DEPARTURE TIME(S) PROGRESSED TO .. 9:30PM .. 9:45PM .. 10:15PM .. 10:30PM .. 10:45PM ..
The SHATABDI EXPRESS slowly pulled into Agra Cantt Railway Station at 10:55PM two hours twenty minutes late ..
You have to know .. it is stressful this waiting BECAUSE you never know for sure THAT the train may quietly roll into the station EARLIER than the ‘ late arrival times posted ‘ .. and leave without you !
Not the case last night .. the SHATABDI EXPRESS was as late as posted .. and it helped me that Jeevan Lal waited with me at the station from 10PM until actual departure .. those final 15 minutes are killers .. you keep compulsively ‘ looking down the railway tracks ‘ for the headlight of your train to appear .. back and forth you walk from the waiting area to the tracks and back to waiting .. looking and looking .. thinking .. ” It will be here soon ! ” .. then another 15 minute delay is ‘ tacked onto ‘ the estimated arrival time ..
I got into my hotel room here in New Delhi and got settled down after 2AM this early Sunday Morning ..
Back .. way back .. in early 1991 .. here in India .. I met an Australian Terry and his wife .. we were on a two week tour of Western India together .. Terry was constantly telling me .. ” Cap .. You KNEW what you were getting into when you signed up for India ! ” ..
Were I able to be in touch with Terry .. I would say to him .. ” Terry .. you sure had it correct ! ” ..
” And the point Captain ? ”
It helps me to ‘ air this all out ‘ here with you all and to FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS OK .. IT IS NOT A MORAL ISSUE … THAT I AM NOT A BAD HUMAN BEING BECAUSE I AM ABSOLUTELY TOTALLY WIPED OUT AND COMPLETELY BUSHED TODAY .. and that I am sure happy that I was as rested as I was last night for the eventual ordeal .. I did all I could do to prepare myself for the sojourn !
NOW AREN’T SOME OF US .. STARTING WITH ME ! .. HARD ON OURSELVES ? JUST TO WRITE THIS POST TAKES TIME AND A GREAT AMOUNT OF STAMINA AND CONCENTRATION ! YOU HAVE NO IDEA OF HOW MUCH REVIEWING AND RE-REVIEWING I DO OF EACH POST !
Tonight I will go the the New Delhi Railway Station at 9:30PM to fully explore my train that leaves ( that is scheduled to leave ) for Chennai at 10:30PM tomorrow .. Monday the 18th .. it is the same train daily .. same train number and track etc .. it helps me to fully visualize it a day in advance ..
THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND FOR YOUR INTEREST ..
MUCH JOY .. CAP ..
” What is it that I am hearing from my ‘ Peanut Gallery ‘ ? ” .. ” Cap oh Cap ! .. Please tell us Cap exactly what it is you LOVE SO MUCH ABOUT INDIA Cap ! ? “
Now .. Yours Truly is going to go and lie down and just maybe .. take a nap !