For anyone not used to train travel across India, the one question that has never been answered thoroughly by any historian or travel show - what should one pack? Well, here goes.
Water, enough to satisfy a marathon team in a desert, carried in a portable water tank, but which still has to be refilled in the "water filling station" by completing a mad rush across the platform in search of the cold water,
three meals a day, starting with the most perishable item being the first, proceeding to less exciting but nevertheless equally elaborate, pickles, juices, fruits, jam, bread, butter, maggi sauce, salt, pepper, snacks of various kinds - namkeen, chips, nuts, haldirams, Lays (magic masala only), coins to be distributed to the less well endowed folk & at times the over-endowed male dressed in a saree,
utensils - plates, disposable & steel (for the man of the house), spoons, knives, plastic jars of various sizes, glasses, baby bottles, jars, clothes - change of clothes, sweaters, blankets, caps, bandanas, bathroom slippers, slippers, shoes, bath towels, fresh clothes to wear before getting off, lungis, paper fans,
2 packs of cards, suitcase to deal the cards on, board games, books, magazines,kids toys, dolls, guns, irritating sound makers for the kids to amuse themselves, soap, shampoo, mug, toothpaste, toothbrush, combs, brushes, the complete shaving kit because you may flout all conventional norms of personal hygiene, but you wont be caught dead with a 5 O clock shadow in a train,
baby diapers, baby toilet seat, baby books & the baby, all packed into the 15 items of luggage that has to be distributed across the compartment.
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