The Journey Begins: Train of Thoughts
Date: 15 April 2023 · Time: 11:10 PM
A one-day escape to Hyderabad
We left Vijayawada early, boarding the Machilipatnam–Bidar Superfast Express from Platform 4 of Vijayawada Railway Station. The coach was full: people of all ages, all moods — curious children, tired commuters, hopeful job-seekers — and in that shared journey, I suddenly felt I could see all of society through one train window.
My friend and I had always dreamt of spending a day in Hyderabad during Ramadan, wandering its streets and discovering its food. That dream was finally becoming real — though until that moment we hadn’t planned where to go or what to eat.
My berth was S7, seat 29 (middle). Opposite me sat a girl — beautiful, though at the time I didn’t know whether that was good luck or bad. A man asked to swap seats, and being the friendly type I agreed. Now I was in seat 53. Around me, other girls kept to themselves; but one young woman travelling with her family caught my eye. She seemed to be heading to Hyderabad for a job and was striking in her calm confidence. Our eyes met several times, though I was too shy to speak. She used my middle berth to climb down from the upper berth — each time I noticed the glance, I wondered if it was intention or coincidence.
Eventually she climbed into her berth and fell asleep. I drifted off too, but woke with a feeling of something unfinished, of a story yet to continue.
Stay tuned — Day 2 is coming…
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