The Window Seat !!!

I have always lovvvvvvved travelling.During my 21 revolutions around the sun,I have been to a lot of places in India...either by car or mostly by train.The journey is more important than the destination they say.As a kid,I was always fascinated by trains.Standing on the platform...looking at the train approaching us...always excited me.As it came to a screeeeeeeching halt...I always wanted to be the first one boarding it :D.There was always a fight as to who will get to sit at the window seat??!!??Infact,even when we dint have both the lower berths,I don't remember a time we allowed any fellow passengers to claim either of the two windows.We always ruled over the compartment,infact when the passenger on the side lower berth got up for....ummm...any "necessary" activities...we grabbed the 'opportunity' with both the hands and took the pleasure of enjoying the view from the side-window as well ;).Ahh ! The window seat---the ultimate place to be !


Now that I'm grown up...finallly[I've been claiming this for the past 6-7 yrs now :X],it actually makes me feel how stupid I was.A few months back while goin to Mumbai along with my father[Only me and dad....so no question of competition......yesssssss!!!].I was at the window for almost 16 hrs and then it struck me.....what a difficult & irritating thing it can be to sit there !If you've travelled by 'sleeper' class,you'd know what I mean.





Let me tell you some of the de-merits of sitting at the window seat in a train :-


1 . To begin with,however hard you may try,if you sit at the window,your hair are gonna be a real mess.You wont be able to move the comb in your hair from the roots to the tip without encountering a single knot.You'll have to use atleast 1 kg of oil in your hair to get them back to normal.


2 . Within one hour,you'd have developed atleast 1 cm thick layer of dust on your face which will do "wonders" for your skin.


3 . If it is the winter season...the cold breeze will freeze you...if it is summer...you'll be burnt by the harsh sunlight...if it is the rainy season....I dont know about you..but I personally hate those tiny droplets that surprise you from every un-expected direction.


4 . Around the station area(specially in the mornings),you'll see such horrifyingly surprising and unpleasurable scenes....urrrrgh.....I should leave this here....[the board would have censored it anyway ;).]


5 . Sometimes,it so happens that the train passes through a narrow space with trees and wild bushes on both the sides....Trust me it happened with me once...I was at the window ...unaware...happily talking to my mother...when suddenly a bush rubbed through my hand......:O......It scared the hell outtta me !!!


6 . You're sitting at the window comfortably,enjoying the view outside...the silent tall trees standing in a row....the white cotton-like clouds floating above...the road running parallel to the railway track...the grapevines...the sugarcane fields...the quiet desert....the massive river under the bridge....and suddenly................a person sitting in front throws away a banana peel or a wrapper or worse...some water outta the window.....and it goes flying by....5 cms away from your nose......Yuck!Doesnt it spoil ur mood then???



7 . You just cant afford to eat anything sitting at the window when the train is on a platform.The food vendors and specially the beggars of all kinds,shapes and sizes wont let you do that.


8 . While travelling I'm always given a list of instructions by mom...moreso when I'm sitting at the window.Take care of your handbag,earrings,chain,mobile,watch.......and yourself !It's easy to snatch things and run away from a person sitting at the window.



Even after all these.......I still havent given up my excitement for the window-seat. Some things are worth the pain ! Isn't it?