Day 10 Delhi train to Shimla

The early start - up at 515am!

The Delhi station is very busy even at this hour! It’s multi coloured sign is surrounded by a sea of Tuktuks . Our guide negotiated the porters- cum boy band who had an animated response to both negotiation and who was carrying what case !
We awaited the arrival of our train ...the Delhi -Kalka express . Seats this times for our 270km first leg ! It’s a good journey with breakfast . Chandigarh and the final stop is Kalka .

At Kalka we catch the Himalayan Queen , our Narrow gauge diesel ( as steam has gone sadly ) railway at 20 miles an hour ...96km and five hours !
It winds it way up the hill to the third and summer capital and gradually the trees diminish, plenty of odd ‘eatables’ and drinkables stops ! It’s quaint being built in 1903 and we pass through hundreds of tunnels and over almost a thousand arches/ curves as we climb up to Shimla at 2000m and probably snow ! It’s odd to think my father up here on national service during partition - he hated even the smell of curry after service here!
Great views and five hours later .....we arrive! It’s cold but not snowing ....yet !!!Read more