John McCarthy takes to the Indian Railways with Cox & Kings
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I recently had the privilege of interviewing the
journalist, author and broadcaster, John McCarthy. A man of warmth, generosity of spirit and
understanding I felt, comfortable in his own skin and with no discernible trace
of having been a hostage in Lebanon for almost 2000 days. Remarkable in every way.
He’d recently returned from a trip on the luxurious
train, the Deccan Odyssey through Rajasthan, with his wife and young
daughter. Was my romantic view of the
railways in India foolish I asked and he certainly felt not, commenting on the
clockwork precision of trains moving many thousands of commuters around, some
hanging off the carriages and the endless, hugely long freight trains doing the
same for cargo. We agreed that this
legacy of the Raj undoubtedly changed the face of India and indeed, much is
being done to improve the railways today.
The Deccan Odyssey was, John said, a truly wonderful
experience, rather like being on an exclusive, overland cruise, where
traditional bands greeted the train at every station they stopped at. The food on board was fabulous, a choice of
both Indian and international fare being offered. The McCarthy’s steward and indeed, all the
staff looked after everyone superbly with a friendly, rather than obsequious
manner.
Leaving Delhi, travelling through the night on this
magical train, John’s first stop was Ranthambore National Park, where sadly,
tigers were not seen although crocodiles, snakes, many birds and deer
were. He described the roads and
vehicles as rackety, with unbelievable potholes. Leaving the exclusive train at 6am for the
safari, the air still cold, all wrapped in blankets in an open top lorry
sounded near mystical.
A visit to Jodhpur gave John’s young daughter her first
experience of an auto rickshaw, where squeezed thigh to thigh with someone in
another vehicle, she could not believe the traffic, the cows and the numbers of
people. At sunset, the family ate on the
terrace of the Mehrangarh Fort, overlooking the Blue City, with braziers burning, the sun setting which
is, surely, as good as life gets! That
and stroking a cobra, enticed to dance by snake charmers, which had been done
earlier in the day. One of the other
great successes, scientific in nature, was the huge, 17th century working
sundial, over 60 feet tall at the ancient observatory in the Amber Fort.
The many palaces in Rajasthan are being put to good use, John
told me, they are magnificent buildings being hired for ‘top end’ weddings and
quite literally dressed as film sets to accommodate the happy couple’s
expensive whims. The maharajas’ business
sense has never been disputed! By
contrast, there is grinding, disturbing poverty which John and his family could
not ignore or make sense of. More
positively, he remarked on the increase in Indian tourists exploring their own
country and greater accessibility for the disabled since his last visit 15
years earlier.
However, the wonders of India, the Taj Mahal, have not
diminished and the landscapes are vibrant, stunning and endless. Needless to say, it’s a country where there
is always more to explore and John is keen to return.
Silver Travel Advisor recommends Cox & Kings for
journeys to India.
John McCarthy talked to the Silver Travel Show about his journey on the Deccan Odyssey around Rajasthan. If the soundplayer does not display properly, please click here |
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