If the title doesn't pique your curiosity, the well designed cover will. I came across the book while browsing through Amazon.in for books to buy. A fan of travelogs, I picked this book which is inspired in a way by Jules Verne's epic novel, Around the world in 80 days.
Monisha steps into the shoes of Phileas Fogg as she and her friend, conveniently referred to as Passportout, traverse India on board 80 trains.
An idea which takes root in her head on a cold winter day, takes Monisha from her home in London and puts her smack in the middle of the chaos that one might associate with train travel in India.
A journey that takes her from Kanyakumari, the southern most tip of India to Udhampur in the north and Ledo in the east to Mumbai in the west; a journey that has her spend a few nights in luxury on board the Indian Maharaja - Deccan Odyssey to Passepartout sleeping in the linen closet since they didn't have confirmed seats on the Pune Nizamuddin Duronto Express, with a trip on the famous Darjeeling toy train thrown in for good measure.
All through the journey, Monisha discovers India and Indians at the grass root levels, their idiosyncrasies, their way of life, their thoughts and their aspirations while also discovering a bit of herself.
Fleeting mentions of Indian cuisine partaken (chicken lollipop, aloo parathas, murukkus) sights visited & experiences undertaken (rat temple (karni mata temple at Deshnok, Rajasthan), wagah border, Vipassana) its an easy and fun read that let's you explore India in a different way.
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