Mount Abu to Nainital

A Trip to Nainital: Running the Gauntlet

 When my daughter Jennifer asked me to join her on a trip to Nainital for Junior’s Diwali break, I pondered. He had six days off from school, and bringing him home was out of the question—the journey was too long and exhausting. Though I knew I’d be pushing my limits after the accident, I agreed. I needed this break if only to test my resilience and see if I could weather the challenges that lay ahead.

Booking our tickets was the first hurdle we had to overcome. We confirmed our outbound journey from Marwar to Kathgodam, but we were wait-listed (8th and 9th) in Second AC for the connecting train from Abu Road to Marwar. I booked them on October 13th, hoping they’d be confirmed by the 30th. As luck would have it, by October 29th, the tickets were still unconfirmed, and my attempt to secure Tadkal tickets failed as the class was fully booked. Just in the nick of time, I snagged three available berths. It was a close call.

We left Abu at 3 a.m. on October 30th to catch the 4:25 a.m. train. As we reached the station, I asked the taxi driver to stop at the far end so I wouldn’t have to climb the overhead bridge to reach platform No. 2. Hobbling my way along, I made it with the help of Jen and the driver. Their support meant the world to me.

Once inside the train compartment, I was stunned. It felt like we had walked into a general coach, not a reserved one. People were sprawled across the floor, some sleeping in makeshift positions, while others slouched in cramped spaces, fast asleep. To my dismay, two young men had taken over our berths. When we woke them, they tiptoed to the end of the already crowded compartment.

Here was the first challenge of the trip: we were allotted a middle and upper berth, and there was no way I could haul myself up. Resigning myself to sit at the edge of an occupied lower berth, I watched as Jen, with remarkable ease, climbed up to the top berth with all our bags. The young men, now displaced, returned, probably looking for a spot to sit. I jokingly told them, “Why don’t you just jump into my grave and make yourselves comfortable?” I could only imagine what they thought of this eccentric old man.

Fortunately, an hour into the journey, some passengers disembarked at a remote station, and I could stretch out on a lower berth. The relief was palpable, and I dozed off until we reached Marwar Junction.

From Marwar to Kathgodam, our journey took a turn for the better. We were booked in First AC, and the comfort made all the difference. At Ajmer Station, my brother Aubrey and his son Brian came to meet us. They didn’t come empty-handed—they brought a lunch packed by Dollar, Aubrey’s wife. The food was, without exaggeration, out of this world. I still marvel at how she puts together such a feast every time!

But enough of my ranting. Now, it’s time to share a glimpse of Nainital through my lens. Despite my unsteady legs, I captured a few of the region’s feathered wonders. Take a moment to appreciate my handiwork—each photo is a testament to the beauty of nature and, perhaps, to my stubborn determination to keep going.

Each sighting felt like a reward—not just for enduring the long journey, but for refusing to let circumstance pin me down.

Bank Myna Acridotheres ginginianus (Marwar Jn Station)

Eurasian Collared Dove (Taken at Marwar Jn station)

Maroon Oriole Oriolus traillii (Nainital)

Black-crested tit (Periparus ater melanolophus), also known as the spot-winged tit

Green-backed Tit Parus monticolus – bright lemon-yellow chest and mossy-green back, a burst of colour in the pines.

Himalayan Woodpecker - hammering rhythmically, its scarlet crown glowing in dappled light

  

Himalayan Woodpecker Dendrocopos himalayensis

Large-billed Crow - Corvus macrorhynchos

Himalayan Bulbul, with its spiky crest and musical call, fills the valleys

Brown-fronted Woodpecker Dendrocoptes auriceps

Grey-hooded Warbler – a restless ball of energy, darting among branches with its soft, fluting song.

Great Barbet – magnificent and unmistakable, booming calls echoing through the hills, its plumage a rainbow of greens, blues, and chestnut.

Great Barbet Psilopogon virens

Great Barbet Psilopogon virens

  

 Brown-fronted Woodpecker

Rufous Sibia – rusty-orange and slate-grey, chattering socially in the treetops.

White-tailed Nuthatch – creeping downwards along bark, defying gravity with ease.

  

Bar-tailed Treecreeper – tiny, camouflaged, spiralling up trunks like a living piece of bark.

  

Bar-tailed Treecreeper Certhia himalayana

Black-throated Tit – a minute bird with a mischievous mask, flitting in noisy little parties

Black-throated Tit Aegithalos concinnus

  

Black-throated Tit Aegithalos concinnus

Black-throated Tit Aegithalos concinnus

 

Black-throated Tit Aegithalos concinnus

Blue Whistling-Thrush – shimmering indigo, its fluty whistles echoing at dawn near streams.

Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis

  

Large-billed Crow

Blue Whistling-Thrush Myophonus caeruleus

ID Please

Black-throated Tit

Oriental White-eye

Great Barbet

Looking Back

 From the chaos of Abu Road station to the serenity of Nainital’s lakefront, the trip was both a trial and a triumph. It wasn’t simply about reaching a hill town; it was about proving to myself that journeys are still worth taking, no matter how steep the climb.

Nainital gave me back more than photographs and memories—it gave me renewed faith. 

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