When you go on a long journey by train, you think of food to be carried with you, because the Pantry Car food is not at all delicious, and often the Pantry Car buys food from the platform and packs it in individual foil packages to be served to passengers. Therefore, carrying food with you assumes urgency. If the train journey takes more than 24 hours to reach your destination, then it is better to plan before you board the train.
Size of the Group
How many are there in your Group ? Are there any children, specially infants ? How many are non-vegetarians ? How many are vegetarians, but take eggs ?
Quantity of food to be carried
How much food to be carried ? If you are travelling in Second Class Sleeper, rice, dal and vegetables will get stale after six hours or so. It is better to take Chapatti and vegetables, boiled eggs and some pickles. And of course, salt and pepper. The Gujaratis prepare a type of chapatti called Bhakri, which does not go stale easily. Even Paratta is better than just plain Roti. Plain Roti with Ghee is also good. Roasted Chicken, with plenty of spices, stays longer than most food, and its mere sight goes to increase your appetite. At least my appetite goes up. We should carry water in a medium size Jar having a tap. So also drinks, because the cold drinks sold in the coaches are expensive and are fake ones. Mineral water is available at Rs.10/- a bottle.
Containers in which food to be carried
A stainless steel Tiffin Carrier is the best choice, or better to have two small ones, one of which should be earmarked for non-vegetarian food. Each container of the Tiffin Carrier should have labels indicating the food it has. Fine marking pens come in handy for this. In one put some lemons and green chilli. Always carry a knife with you.
Containers for carrying Tea/Coffee
It is better to carry Tea Bags and Coffee Sachets. And some sugar cubes, plastic spoons and plastic cups too. You can always get hot water from the Pantry Car.
That’s about all.
On 30 May, my daughter and my granddaughter are returning to Tamil Nadu. They live in Gandhigram. They will catch the Howrah-Trichy Express from Bhubaneswar. So, based on my proactive approach in planning the food to be properly packed and carried with them, my wife has done the needful in the matter. Like me, she is a world traveller. She is going to give them plain roti with ghee, vegetables, pickles, lemons, sweets from Orissa and home baked cakes. The last two items are specially meant for my son-in-law. Each item has been individually packed in plastic bags, with rubber bands on. My daughter says it should be enough as the journey takes about 36 hours. We will miss them, and wait till May 2004, when they will come again.