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Published: January 16th 2006
Tirusulam local train station
This is the local train station that you get as soon as you cross the road in front of the Chennai airport !!!Colombo - Chennai by Air
Date: 10th January 2006
Time: 0800
Airline: Srilankan Airlines
Distance: 386 nautical miles
Time: 1 hour
Cost: LKR20,200
Meal: Scramble eggs with masala potato (Breakfast)
The trip to the airport was uneventful apart from random people trying to cross the road and oncoming traffic with headlights completely blinding you which is always the case.
I am still amazed at the transformation that had taken place at the Colombo airport with aerobridges. My sister’s friend Ruvina at SriLankan ground handling checked me in. The flight to MAA left at 8:15am as usual a slight delay the aircraft A330 was completely packed. I couldn’t get a window or aisle seat. Only for an hour, I didn’t care.
When the aircraft landed in MAA and came to a halt, I suddenly wondered if the pilot had made an announcement (which I didn’t hear him saying) that there was a bomb in the aircraft because the speed at which people in the aircraft got up and tried to get their luggage and go in-spite of the doors being shut…I am still amazed at how eager people are to get on / off an aircraft and love
to queue even before the doors are open. I peacefully waited for 10 minutes seated while the rest of my neighbours were standing but not moving. I eventually got up when the queue started to move.
At the MAA airport I was wondering how much better the Colombo airport was in comparison. There were long queues at the immigration, had to be in line for a good 15-20 minutes. I was chatting with an Italian family who was going to spend 3 months in Pondicherry, India. The father / husband, was telling me that he was a "futures" trader and that the Indian market afforded much profit. He trades following mathematical models made by him. Said the Indian stock market had a good correlation with the models while the NYSE just didn’t.
I was waiting for a good 20 minutes for my baggage to arrive but it didn’t. Decided to talk take a walk round the baggage belt and here it is lying on the ground. Someone had decided to keep my baggage on the floor completely intact though.
I had to change some money so went to the Thomas Cook money exchange (near the customs area
Inside local train from Tirusulam to Park
Is this train crowded or what ?? I had the priviledge of inconveniencing everyone with my big backpack......hahahahah......9 bucks near the exit) and they offered INR41.50 for 1 USD. Dialog GSM informed me earlier as I entered India that it was INR44 per USD. I asked the guy at the counter and he said this is their rate so I decided to check the “State Bank of India” money exchange (nearer to the baggage belt area). They offered INR43.50 per USD. Well an INR2/= spread between the two….yes it is big deal because I would change USD30/= and get an extra INR60/= which means 6 bottles of water or 3 meals.
Getting out of the airport, I felt good to be back after awhile. More people speak English. People are helpful; taxi drivers don’t bother you unlike in SEA (South East Asia). They ask if you need a taxi, when you say “no” and say you are heading to the local train station they point you in the right direction as well.
To get to the local train station “Tirusulam” you got to walk out of the airport and cross the road. It is right opposite the airport and a 5 minute walk.
The local train station Tirusulam looked clean and nice however in the subway
Park railway station Chennai
This is the busier Park local train station that one must take to go to Chennai Central..... to cross platforms there was a man sleeping on the floor with his head covered. He looked dead to me as he was wrapped like a mummy. I am attaching a photo with this to get an idea what it looked like. The locals told me that he was drunk and was sleeping but I am still not sure.
I had to take the next available train to Delhi. From Tirusulam I had to take a local train to another local station called “Park” because the “Chennai Central” (CC) train station where trains to Delhi originate was opposite the Park local railway station.
The local train from Tirusulam to Park was a frequent one and the 2nd class (lowest class) fare was INR9/=. The train was completely packed and me with my big backpack on my back completely inconvenienced everyone.
The journey from Tirusulam to Park was about 35 minutes. I got out of the Park railway station and the road out of it looked like a beehive with so many people.
I got out and walked to the left in the direction of the Chennai Central (CC) train station, it looked like a very old
People out of Park
The amount of people getting out of the station is amazing...but hey this is India !!!! Colonial Building.
The man at the enquiry counter was helpful and spoke good Englsih, he gave me the price for a 2nd Class Sleeper non-ac (INR537/=) and 1st Class Sleeper (INR1,455/=). I wanted to take the 3rd class which is the lowest of the lowest where you just buy the ticket at a any ticket counter as opposed to buy 2nd Class after making a reservation. The 3rd Class would have cost me around INR350/= however considering the weather condition in Delhi I thought it might be better to go in a more decent accommodation as the weather changes gradually and I can prepare myself better in 2nd Class than a packed 3rd Class.
Train details were as follows:
Train name: GT (Grand Trunk) Express
Train No: 2615 Coach: S5 Seat: 2 (UB)
Date: 10th January 2006
Time: 1900 (Usually 1630 delayed due to en-route weather)
Operator: Indian Railways
Distance: 2184 km
Time: Sched 36 hours (Actually took 39 hours)
Cost: INR537/=
Meal: No meals buy your own
After buying the ticket to Delhi, I walk across the road and had lunch at Shanti Bhavan it was good to have a proper “Massala Dosai” after a
Local bus in Chennai
This is a local bus in Chennai....the traffics not as bad as Delhi....and the buses are also in a better condition... long while. That cost INR 18/=. I was at the restaurant writing my log when the manager / cashier came and was chatting. He was quite fascinated with my sisters Nokia 3230 and wanted me take his picture.
On my way to the restaurant I was stopped by a book seller and I bought Dan Brown’s “Digital Fortress” and Sigmund Freud’s “The Interpretations of Dreams” both for INR150/=
Afterwards I went back to the railways station waiting area and read more of Angels & Demons. I slept a little keeping one foot entangled with the backpack and hugging the smaller daypack which contained my camera, money and laptop.
Around 4pm I decided to go and check email found this small shop with 2 computers opposite the railway station. It cost me INR20/= per hour the connection was decent.
I bought a chain and padlock as well for the backpack for INR100/=. Checked email and got pack to the station at 6pm. Had a vegetable pizza square for INR25/=, 4 pieces of Muscat for the journey for INR45/= and a bottle of water for INR10/=.
I shared the 8 berth section of the train with 2
Chennai Central Railway station
This is the old colonial style railway station....looks gorgeous !!! Nepali’s and 2 Indians. I was fast asleep at around 8:45pm as I was too tired.
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Muneer
non-member comment
clean
I feel very bad to say that I 've very bad impression out of the central railway station its very bad smelly