Finally - A Spontaneous Decision & With Some Real Luck & Persistence, This Dream Journey Which Could Not be Realised So Many Times Earlier - Year on Year Basis Owing to Feasibility, Busy Schedules - Favorite Time Slot's & Train's Availability - Family Members Availability etc. etc. - We Got a Chance to Fulfill Our Long Standing Dream in July 2019. Lady Luck Was on Our Side & With God's Hand Showering Blessings Upon My Family . We Started on Early Morning From Kalka Ji Railway Station at 5:05 AM on 4/07/2019. I Would Love to Recall the Experience as one of The Sweetest Memories of My Life & of Family Times Together. HEre is The Chain of Events :
on 3rd of July I spotted a few Vacant FC Seats in Kalka Shimla Special Train No. 52459 . Instantly Made The TATKAL Booking For Window Seats Could Find Three Window Seats Luckily with One No Choice (Got Seat Nos. 4(W), 5 1(W),6(W) in Coach F5
Started From Chandigarh Early at 4:00 AM (Hired a CAB For The Purpose - INR 1400 Approx - Drop Only). Arrived at Kalka Station in Just 25 Minutes.
While Family Waited For Some Time in AC Waiting Room - I Confirmed The Platform From Which My Train Will be Departing.
Tip : DO REMEMBER YOUR TRAIN No. & NAME.
Was Surprised To See So Many Trains In Queue For Departure on Different Lines in Parallel Platforms - Its Very EAsy To Get Confused Unless You DO NOT REMEMBER Your Train's Exact Number & VERIFY it on a Train COACH.
It Started Raining Heavily As Soon As We Were to Board The Train But We Settled Quickly After Contacting TTE / GUARD Who Saw ERS on My Mobile.
Now The Enjoyment Started Pretty Soon as We Left Kalka & Industrial Town of Parwanoo (Whew) Behind . After 15 Minutes or so and Sky Was Illuminated Just Before Sunrise And We were Having Breathtaking & Majestic Views of Kasauli Hills & Sanwara .
Stopped at Barog ( A World Heritage ) & Perhaps One of The Most Beautiful Hillside Railway Stations in India - Clicked Some Pics. Had Some Local Pakoras / Tea & Some Other Snacks For My Wife > Hem , Daughter > Gunnu & Son > Punnu.
Clicked So Many Snaps & Videos & Kids Even Spotted a Grey Black Wild Cat / Little Panther or Vyaghra ( as hill people call it ) in a bush which eloped quicky even before a click - but we all saw a glimpse of it.
Immensely Enjoyed The Mist & Fog , Clouds Floating Above Us !
The Views Gradually Unfolded The Beauty & Grandeur of Himachal Valleys & Mountains Starting Solan. Especially Liked The Views Near Taradevi & SummerHill.
Arrived at Approx 9:55 at Shimla Railway - Which Again is a Very Good One & Well Maintained With Facilities. Proceeded with our Already Booked Guided Tour in a Group After a While at Approx 11:00 AM.
If You Wish To Experience a Piece of Heaven - Go For It - Esp In Rains or Snow.
