04 March 1951
and
09 March 1951
Travel in India Briefings
Following Thursday morning's Travel Forum on Singapore, there will be a brief general discussion
of travel conditions in India. A series of Travel Forums, dealing specifically with the details
of the respective tours will be held in the Theatre as follows:
Times of India Travel Briefings
| Tour |
Time |
Date |
| O-46 |
3.30pm |
Sunday, 04 March |
| S-25 |
3.00pm |
Friday, 09 March |
| O-47 |
4.00pm |
Friday, 09 March |
At these times, the Cruise Staff escorts of each group will acquaint the members with all matters
pertaining to their itinerary, distribute the baggage tags, answer questions about types of clothing
to be taken, and, in general, “brief”, them on all points pertaining to their tour.
Meanwhile, it is hoped that the following statements will clarify several broad points which
may not have been fully understood prior to this time, and are offered as helpful hints to
CARONIA passengers who are making their first visit to India.
Indian Servants
Indian servants, known as “bearers”, are on duty in the sleeping coaches throughout each of the
train trips.
(About one to each 10 passengers in Tour S-25
and one in each coach of Tour O-47)
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They are engaged for the purpose of making-up berths, keeping compartments and corridors
clean and orderly, cleaning shoes, and performing similar services for the passengers.
They speak English well enough to execute, simple orders. When speaking to these bearers,
address them as “Boy” or “Bearer”.
Experienced travellers in India are quite generally of the opinion that the best service is
obtained from Indian servants (in hotels as well as on trains) by passengers maintaining,
without severity, the attitude of master to servant.
The prevailing caste system, particularly among Hindus, suggests an attitude on the part of the visitor of not being
too familiar with Indian servants. The bearers remain in the trains at all times, and will have no occasion to leave
them except when a passenger whom they are serving requires them to do so for a specific purpose.
Indian Train Travel
Train travel in India is quite different from that in any other country in the World. It can
easily be the most comfortable, but as is the case in other places, by inattention to details
and lack of preparation, it could be otherwise. Indian train travel, therefore, cannot be judged
or compared with the usual standard of train travel in other countries.
In view of this, India is the place where in most cases we recommend to persons travelling singly
that they share compartments with another friend or acquaintance or group of friends or acquaintances.
Sometimes a train runs for an hour or more without a halt, and when one is riding in a self-contained
coach that does not permit access to other coaches in the train, one cannot communicate with other
passengers in the latter until the train stops long enough at a station.
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Special Trains
The railways’ rolling stock to be used by Tours S-25 and O-47 has been recently
refurbished for the particular benefit and use of CARONIA passengers. These special trains will
be occupied exclusively by members of these tours who are passengers on the CARONIA.
Railway Gauges
The broad gauge of the Indian railways to be travelled over by Tour S-25throughout, and
by Tour O-47 (with the exception of the Delhi - Jaipur - Agra section of the latter tour),
is wider than those in Europe or America, making the compartments unusually roomy.
The “metre” gauge of the Delhi - Jaipur - Agra section of Tour O-47 is comparable to the
standard gauge most of us are acquainted with at home.
Special Planes
The two aircraft of Tour O-46 are DC-3's (“Dakotas”) chartered from Air India Company.
Each plane will accommodate 20 passengers plus one escort from the Cruise Staff.
Equipment
All mattresses, drinking glasses, bottle openers, blankets, pillow cases, bed linen towels, soap,
toilet paper, bottled drinking water, etc., used on the special trains are supplied from the
CARONIA or by Brendon & Co., the firm of caterers engaged by Thos. Cook & Son, Bombay
Two bottles of spring water (Poland or Evian) will be provided to each passenger daily in the
train compartments. The bed linen of both S-25 and O-47 will be changed on alternate days.
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Whenever available, newspapers will be supplied daily to each train passenger. Cigars, cigarettes,
and playing cards will be available for sale on the special trains. Passengers desiring the same
should take gum, candy, books, Kleenex, and all hygienic preparations with them from the ship.
Tour S-25 Train
The train of Tour S-25 will comprise a maximum of 10 sleeping coaches, 2 restaurant cars, and 1 baggage car.
The sleeping coaches reserved for S-25 are of the corridor type similar to European sleeping cars.
The aisle is at one side of the coach. Some of these coaches have 7 two-berth (both lower) compartments, while others
have 6 two-berth (both lower) compartments. Each coach has a bathroom and two lavatories. This train travels over broad
gauge tracks throughout.
Tour O-47 Train
For the first 2 nights and last 3 nights of the travel of Tour O-47, the coaches reserved
are of the “non-corridor” type usually used by high caste and wealthy travellers in India. These
coaches have 4 two-berth (one upper and one lower) compartments, one bathroom, and two lavatories.
Coaches of this type are self-contained, having their own Saloon or sitting room, thus making it
necessary to use the upper berths only during sleeping hours.
This train travels over “broad” gauge tracks during all of the trip except for the 2 nights of
the Delhi - Jaipur - Agra section where the tracks are of the metre gauge type. The sleeping coaches to be used for the
2 nights of March 13 and 14 only are of the “non-Corridor” type.
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During the latter section, the passengers will be accommodated in four-berth (two upper and two lower) compartments,
which are quite suitable for family parties of 3 or 4, or for groups of friends numbering 3 or 4.
However, for Tour O-47, three passengers only are assigned to each four-berth compartment,
thus leaving one upper berth free and clear.
The Cruise Office have diagrams showing which passengers may be accommodated in the compartments
and coaches of each of the two types of trains to be used by Tour O-47. Members are invited
to inspect these diagrams at their convenience, if they wish to do so.
Meals
The meals of Tour O-47 will be served in the Saloon of each coach en route between cities,
but when spending the day at Delhi, Jaipur, Agra, and Banaras, meals will be taken at local hotels,
as indicated in the attached outline-itinerary.
When travelling up-country on Tour S-25 from Bombay to Banaras and returning from Fatehpur
Sikri to Bombay, all meals will be served in the restaurant cars. As indicated in the attached
outline-itinerary. When spending the day at Banaras, Agra, end Delhi, meals will be taken at
local hotels.
The members of Air Tour O-46will take their meals at hotels end other places of accommodation
as indicated in the attached outline-itinerary. European cooking will prevail, although one native
meat or fish dish will usually be available at most luncheons or dinners.
Baggage
Members of Tours S-25 and O-47 are entitled to take with them two pieces of
hand-baggage which will be transferred without charge. Tips to porters are included in the Fares.
The regulations of the airline company from which the planes of Tour O-46 have been
chartered will not permit any passenger to exceed their 66-pound weight entitlement, even if he
(or she) wishes to pay excess charges. It is suggested that members of O-46 travel light
as they will want to bring back to Bombay with them the items purchased in the shops along the
way.
Cars for Sightseeing
Most will accommodate 3 persons, besides the drivers, although some may seat 4 persons. The
distances are comparatively short between most points of interest to be visited in each city.
No car assignments will be made; the cars will be employed simply as “transfer” vehicles.
