We boarded the train April 1, 2008. It was clear from the start that this was not a luxury train, or anything close, by western standards. Everything was very shabby, from the cabin to the rest of the train. The photos in their ads make it look great--it isn’t.
I could have stood that. I’m not someone who demands luxury, if everything else is OK. But, it was a case of false advertising. They advertised and charged for a luxurious experience.
But, a few days after the trip began, people started to get sick. My travelling companion and I were among them. And we knew beyond a doubt that the food on the train was the culprit---we had just been traveling for three weeks in southern India, eating at all kinds of places, and never got sick.
I would not recommend the Pow to anyone, unless you enjoy being sick. It was a horrible experience, in all ways except for the sights that we saw.