Memories Of A Lost World
The Royal Orient Express is a luxury train from Delhi to Rajasthan
and Gujarat. It is run by the Tourism Corporation of Gujarat and
the Indian Railways. The train leaves Delhi cantt station every
Wednesday at 1500 hours. It has thirteen coaches and saloons named
after different kingdoms of Gujarat. Saputara. Narayan Sarovar.
Sasangir...
Every coach is air conditioned, has four rooms and two bathrooms.
The rooms are tastefully done and are provided with a small cupboard,
a dressing table and enough storage space. Two attendants per
coach provide ready service. They change your bed sheets every day,
keep the saloon spanking clean and are always ready to pamper
you with hot Taj Mahal tea.
The train scores highly for the on board service. Food is cooked
on board. Every meal has quite an impressive spread. Cream of
pea soup, lentil cutlets with boiled vegetables, butter chicken
masala, malai kofta, jeera rice, papad, baigan bharta, custard,
tea or coffee, that's one example of a typical meal.
There is a bar and a library. Liquor has to be paid for -- it is not
frightfully expensive. The train also provides laundry
facilities.
Single occupancy for a two berth cabin between October
to March is US $ 350 per day. Between April and September it is
US $ 263 per day. Sharing the cabin costs US $ 200 per person per day between
October to March. During April and September it is US $ 150 per
person per day.
Bookings for the train can be done at:
The Royal Orient, central reservation office, 12/4, First floor, East Patel nagar, New Delhi-110008. Telefax: 578 3960.
H K House, Ashram road, Ahmedabad-380009. Telephone: 079-449172, 447217. Fax: 656 8183.
Dhanraj Mahal, Apollo Bunder, Bombay-400039. Telephone: 022-2024925. Fax: 2883541.
Sharing a three berth cabin between October to March costs US
$ 175 per person per day. During April and September it is US $ 132 per person per day.
Children below five years are permitted free. Kids between 5 and
12 travel at 50 per cent of the fare.
The hectic itinerary, covers many areas and towns that
would not usually featured on a traveller's compass. But the trip
is so tiring that many felt they would need a holiday to recover
from this holiday. All in all, the seven day trip is worth the
experience. Try it.
THE ROYAL ORIENT
Itinerary
DAY-1
Departure from Delhi Cantonment railway station. 1500 hours,
Wednesday. Evening tea, dinner on board.
DAY-2
Thursday. Arrival at Chittorgarh railway station, 0630 hours. Visit Chittorgarh fort.
Departure for Udaipur. Breakfast on board, 0915 hours.
Arrival at Udaipur, 1215 hours. On arrival, transfer to hotel for lunch. Post-
lunch, visit the City Palace, boating at lake Pichhola, Sahelion-ki-Bari (Royal Gardens),
Shilpgram (Craft Village).
Departure for Junagadh. Dinner on board, 1830 hours.
DAY-3
Friday. Arrival at Ahmedabad via Himmatnagar, 0400 hours.
Operational halt for one hour
Departure for Junagadh, 0450 hours. Breakfast and lunch on board.
Arrival at Junagadh, 1400 hours. Visit Ashokan Rock Edict, Darbar Hall
Museum, Mausoleum of Nawab Mahabat Khanji.
Departure for Veraval, 1600 hours. Arrival at Veraval, 1800 hours. Visit Somnath (the
famous Shiva temple on the shore of the Arabian Sea). Dinner on board
DAY-4
Saturday. Departure for Sasan Gir, 0500 hours. Arrival at Sasan Gir, 0630 hours
Visit lion sanctuary after early breakfast on board.
Departure for Delwada, 1130 hours. Lunch on board.
Arrival at Delwada, 1430 hours. Visit Ahmedpur Mandvi beach,
the fort and St Paul's church at Diu
Departure for Palitana. Dinner on board, 2005 hours
DAY-5
Sunday. Breakfast on board. Arrival at Palitana, 0740 hours.
Visit 863 Jain temples atop Shatrunjaya hills
(3,572 steps can be climbed or please use the
chairslings arranged for you if you so
desire).
Departure for Sarkhej. Lunch on board, 1230 hours
Arrival at Sarkhej, 1905 hours
Visit Vishalla village. Dinner at hotel (From Sarkhej to Ahmedabad by
bus.)
DAY-6
Monday. Breakfast on board, Ahmedabad..
Visit Adalaj stepwell,
Sabarmati Ashram, Calico Museum of Textiles,
Sidhi Sayyad's mosque, shopping etc. Lunch
at hotel
Departure for Jaipur. Evening tea and dinner on board.
DAY-7
Tuesday. Breakfast on board. Arrival at Jaipur, 1115 hours.
Visit Amber fort, an elephant ride via Hawa
Mahal. Lunch at hotel. Visit City palace and
Jantar Mantar (the observatory)
Departure for Delhi. Dinner on board, 2130 hours
DAY-8
Wednesday. Arrival at Delhi cantonment station, 0740 hours
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