Southern India - 14 February 2012 (2)

Train trip to Ooty (1)

Nilgiri Mountains from Train

Nilgiri Mountains from Train

Finally, the train was ready to depart and we set off.  Jen and Steve had the window seats, so I felt rather frustrated because I couldn’t take photos.  It got even more frustrating when Jen’s battery gave out, so she couldn’t take photos either.  Steve, one of the keen photographers in the group, was happy as anything, leaning out of the window and snapping away.

Friendly Couple in Mike's Compartment

Waiting for Breakfast

It was less than 30 minutes before we reached our first stop, Kallar.  I chatted to Mike beside his compartment.  He and Andrew had already made friends with some of their fellow travellers.  These included an elderly couple.  The lady admired my bangles from Madurai, so I admired hers, which were much better quality and much less fragile.  I spotted a dog, looking intently at the train as if he wished to get on himself.  Later, someone told me that he was on the scrounge for some food and had got lucky when he was given part of a packed breakfast.

Waterfall from Train

Nilgiri Mountains from Train

Bridge on Track to Ooty

Bridge on Track from Mettupallam

Back on the train, Nazareth and Tirupathi kindly let me sit next to the far window to be able to take photos as they said we were approaching a waterfall.  I took advantage of their offer and was soon snapping happily.  Prasad and Rama opposite were also suffering from a flat camera battery, so I offered to take photos of them.  They gave me their email address so I could send them.  I do hope they received them.

Steam Engine Taking on Water

Rack and Pinion Railway

The train stopped just before a bridge and a tunnel to fill up with water.  We all got out and took photos of the train and the view.  I walked as far as the bridge and saw that it crossed a river, flowing over some steep rapids.  I could see the rack and pinion ratcheting in the centre of the track, designed to stop the train falling back downhill on the steeper sections.  Then the whistle blew and we all dashed to climb aboard.

Tunnel En Route to Ooty