Magic Mukul

I want to go to Simla. I have the trip completely planned out. The objective of this post is to find people who would love to go along on the trip. The plan can be summed up in a single line “Let’s walk to Simla”

You just have to reach Kalka Railway station one fine day and start following the Railway track to Simla, just 90 kms away. If we get tired we`ll rest for about 15-20 minutes in Barog.( Barog lies between Simla & Kalka). Just remember to get some water and food for the journey in a backpack. I know you all are interested in making the trip so i think i should alert you to some dangers that may deter us.

Walking on the track is not a very common sight. And everything that is uncommon brings attention. Our walkathon may be interrupted by powers-that-be and explaining to them what we were doing may be a tad difficult. We may end up under detention or even in jail for a day or two. But that shouldn`t deter you at all, every man has to have a jail stint to prove himself. (remember jaane tu ?) And I really don’t think they are going to shoot us at first-sight mistaking us for terrorists planning to blow the track up.

Another problem we may face is that some animals may like to interact more closely with us. No, there are no lions but Monkeys are no less. They have teeth too. Aur apni gali mein to bandar bhi sher hota hai. But i have heard that a mosquito repellent cream is effective on monkeys too. I think we can take a chance and go for it. If nothing else, atleast we’ll find out whether creams work on monkeys or not.

Sorry I didnt mention this earlier, but those planning to come along need to be decent runners. I will tell you why. An average runner runs at about 15 kmph and the toy train chugs along at 20kmph in tunnels. So if you are walking through a narrow tunnel and a train enters it too you will have only one option-to run and obviously you will have to run fast to avoid the eventuality of a train overtaking you. But you don’t need to worry because most of the tunnels are only 200-300 m long and you would be easliy able to sprint across.

Out of 101 tunnels, there is only one tunnel that unfortunately happens to be a km long. The probabilty of getting stuck in that tunnel and a train coming from either side is only about 1/101. That is just about the same probabilty of you dying when jay-walking, and that can happen anytime. Surely you will not be detered by such miniscule odds. And even if you do not make it back home you will have made a journey of a lifetime.

Are you game?

P.S. For details contact me at magicmukul@gmail.com