Joyful ride

I took the Metro to work this week -- my first time. It's not my first time on the Metro though; I have used it to go to a popular shopping area but not to get to office. The stories of delays and the overcrowding had not been encouraging and I had been lazy as well, having got used to getting the cab at my doorstep. Monday's ride was, however, triggered by a particularly bad experience with my regular taxi driver. Fed up of the phone calls I would invariably need to make since he would never be on time, I resolved to stop being lazy and prepared myself to use the latest symbol of Delhi's pride.

I was using public transport after more than a year and the first thing which stood out was
sharing space with strangers. Luckily, I managed to get a seat. The trains are air-conditioned
which is a relief, given Delhi's sweltering heat. As the ride began, I was a wee bit apprehensive, whether I (rather the train) was going in the right direction! I didn't want to land up in a god-forsaken station! (Ok now, that one was a bit made up since I had seen the chart and was reasonably, if not entirely, sure of the route. Just got a bit inspired by Jab We Met to use the word god-forsaken!!)

The train stops almost every two minutes and there are constant announcements. Since it was my first real Metro journey, I paid attention to all of them. A few interesting ones stood out.
Besides the usual 'mind the gap' and 'stay away from the doors', there was also - 'don't sit on
the floor' and 'don't play music in the metro', which was funny! Some people might find this one strange - men being advised not to sit on seats reserved for women. But only Indian women can appreciate this.

As I enjoyed the ride, I also observed those around me, with nothing better to do really. I was
afraid of listening to my music player, lest I miss my station, since I was depending on the announcements. The train was not very crowded, thankfully and I could observe fellow passengers. A girl sitting next to me, cramming for her exams, reading about some scientific
formulae, which I'm so glad I don't have to deal with anymore! The guy to my right was reading a Hindi newspaper wearing sunglasses. I wonder if it was that hot in the Metro! Some married and unmarried couples had placed themselves near the doors. Well, married ones I could make out because the woman was wearing the familiar red and white bangles. Unmarried...well, the smiles, the proximity and the whispering into each others' ears said it all.

One of the announcements on the Metro urges passengers to offer seats to women, the elderly,
children and the handicapped. Those living in India know how little of this actually takes
place. But I was pleasantly surprised to see a young man give up his seat for a woman, without
being asked to, and without the usual stupid comments which follow on being asked to get up from a seat reserved for women.

During the journey, I couldn't help thinking about this marvel that is now a part of our city's
landscape. It offers a great view as well since this is the overground Metro. All the inconveniences faced for months during the construction period are forgotten when you actually take a ride. But a lot also depends on us to make the journey pleasant. Sure, nothing is perfect; we will have to deal with overcrowding and shortage of trains, but a lot of times, it's the people who can make a situation good or bad by simply following rules and displaying good manners.

My first Metro ride to work as perfect and as I walked from the station to my office building,
thoughts of of a blog post had already taken shape in my head. I felt a child-like happiness and
eagerness to share my experience with my colleagues, some of whom use the Metro daily and would probably smile at my excitement. I have my fingers crossed for the next time and I sincerely hope I won't be disappointed. For now - I simply loved it!