Valley Chai

here’s some tweets during my recent train ride from bangalore (the undisputed center of gravity of india’s software services, a la silicon valley) to hyderabad (a very viable alternative, a la silicon alley).

Train just left bangalore junction. Nice fruity fragrance and clean bathroom with well stocked paper towels. Damn this ain’t yo papa’s train. 07:58 AM May 08, 2008 from web

With two other people in our cabin/coupe. Mom and a (quiet) 6-yr old. 08:11 AM May 08, 2008 from web

Power outlet, and boys watching ‘max and ruby’ on my laptop. 08:12 AM May 08, 2008 from web

Rs.2,350 ticket price for First Class AC from Bangalore to Hyderabad. Think of it as our own Nerd Bird. Or Techie Train. 08:25 AM May 08, 2008 from web

Probably at 40 km/hr till it gets out of the metro area. 08:41 AM May 08, 2008 from web

3 course dinner served by on-train attendant. Soup done. 08:42 AM May 08, 2008 from web

The boy in my coupe/cabin has ‘baseball playoffs 2005′ on his t-shirt. He doesn’t know what baseball is. 09:36 AM May 08, 2008 from web

Lights out. Me and a boy on one berth, missus and a boy on the other. 09:54 AM May 08, 2008 from web

Railways considers 5 and lower as infants - they ride free, and doesn’t allow you to buy them their own berths - even if you wanna. Idiots. 09:55 AM May 08, 2008 from web

In the train station, going to hyderabad with kids. Rajadhani express plastered with airtel advertising. Pics later. 07:29 AM May 08, 2008 from web

Train is haulin’ ass now. 09:57 AM May 08, 2008 from web

Btw the dinner is included in the train fare. Rice, chapati, aloo gobi sabzi, paneer masala, dal, salad, yogurt. Vanilla ice cream dessert. 10:00 AM May 08, 2008 from web

Ice cream was half melted. And I hit a couple of tiny stones in the dal - crushed the little buggers and polished off the meal. 10:14 AM May 08, 2008 from web

My twitterberry is at the mercy of my vodafone gprs. Going into quiet zone while the train passes through the-middle-of-nowhere next few hrs 10:44 AM May 08, 2008 from web

At a town called “Sri Satya Sai Prashanti Nilayam” - a town built around the ashram of a very powerful god-man. 10:56 AM May 08, 2008 from web

Dark territory from here on. Going to bed. 10:57 AM May 08, 2008 from web

Tea and coffee served. Beautiful country morning outside. Train is 45 min late into secunderabad. 06:24 PM May 08, 2008 from web

Passing through the town I was born at. Cooool! 07:27 PM May 08, 2008 from web

Rolling into secunderabad - the engine is honking continuously to avoid inadvertent bystanders. 07:53 PM May 08, 2008 from web

Painfully slow into the last few miles. 07:53 PM May 08, 2008 from web

Arrived. Its hot! 08:02 PM May 08, 2008 from web

Catching up on lost sleep. At home with parents. 10:06 PM May 08, 2008 from web