Great Indian Railway Journeys with Michael Portillo

[Wred]

I've been on the train that took him to Shimla.

 

[peachy]

We went 3rd class from Kandy to Ella through the tea plantation hillsides last year. It was ace.

I was bricking it when they said they only had 3rd class, imagining being crammed to the hilt, with a chicken up my nose but it was reserved seating, a half empty carriage and really friendly. You'll love it.

we did that on a motorbike many moons ago. Motorbike broke down, the locals fixed it and all they wanted was a few photographs. Beautiful country.

 

[Hoon]

It’s one thing making chapatis with some old woman in the floor and talking to nice middle class Indians on a nice clean train, Michael.

I’d prefer to watch Portillo's train journeys into a Mumbai Slum, personally.

Too cleansed.

Agreed but that’s TV, for me if it encourages more folk to travel, particularly to culture shocks like India it can’t be a bad thing.

Portillo comes across as very likeable in these series mind.

Superb sense of pastel colours.

 

[noodles]

Can’t stand the pompous prick, least of all in those poncy red breeks.

Aye. He owns some rank strides like !

 

[HellsBells]

I said the same thing a few months ago to some one who had recently met him at a charity event . They laughed and told me that he came across as a real arrogant self-obsessed shit.

(Did you see the look on his face when he lost Enfield in 1997? I still laugh).

It’s my current constituency and although I wasn’t here at the time, it’s folklore here.

Aye. He owns some rank strides like !

Mr B and I always play guess the colour of Mike’s trousers when we turn it on.

 

[Paddy O'Dors]

Last one on in a minute. Enjoyed this series more than the US/UK ones tbh.

 

[Fletch]

same dress sense as @mini-x2 , loafers, brick red chinos, electric blue shirt and canary yellow blazer

 

[Arkle]

Last one on in a minute. Enjoyed this series more than the US/UK ones tbh.

His European journeys are good as well....

 

[Wise Man Says]

I sat next to Portillo on a train up from London once. He got off at Darlington, I think he was going to Harrogate to speak at a conference.

Nice guy. Someone came up to him and said (we were in standard class) “I thought you’d be in first class, Michael.” He said “no, standard is fine.”

 

[riffraff]

Anar, feel bad for laughing my back off when he lost his seat now.

I don’t.

 

[The Raven]

One of my fondest memories is the first time I got the train from Calcutta to Madhupur.

people on the roof, cha wallas at each station, opening the door of a moving train to have a tab and watching the countryside roll by, the toilet was just a hole in the floor.

a bit different from rail journeys here.

 

[Paddy O'Dors]

His European journeys are good as well....

The Alps ones looked canny. Baltic states looked a bit dull.

 

[Arkle]

The Alps ones looked canny. Baltic states looked a bit dull.

Some of the eastern European ones are interesting in part because they're set in areas of the world I know almost nothing about.

 

[El Oso]

Just starting on BBC2 now.

Could be worth a watch for those who like the ex Tory tosspot choo choo lad.

The commuter trains around Colombo looked like another story mind. Classic folks hanging out the doors type stuff

Galle is good, climb up the fort walls and you're looking right out across the cricket pitch. I loved Kandy. We saw whatever they call the parade with the elephants going along the road by the side of the lake. i wasn't sure whether I'd like it out there, but I'd go back at the drop of a hat. Only place I didn't really like was Negombo, syringes and all kinds of shit on the beach and plagued by hawkers trying to flog you stuff. A bit too touristy for my tastes.

Aye Negombo is awful.

The trip from Kandy to Ella takes some beating.

Brilliant train trip that.

I find Sri Lanka ok, personally, I like India (and even Bangladesh) better.
Have also been to Nepal.

They are all similar in many ways.

To simplify, you could say Sri Lanka being so small is like one region of India.
India is so huge and in my opinion the most diverse country on the planet by a country mile.

Lions, Tigers, great national parks, palaces, forts, temples, Taj, sadhus, Varanassi, Himalaya, skiing, camel safaris, deserts, coral islands, tropical beaches etc, it has it all.
Pretty safe too, a bit hassle though.

Definitely worth taking a long train trip of an absolute minimum of at least 24 hours, if not more.

Fantastic just watching India pass by.
Just go 2AC, guaranteed 4 to a carriage, no more, probably (without looking it up) £30 to £40 for a 2,000 mile train trip.Some trips, depending on the train provide food for that price.

 

[mini-x2]

same dress sense as @mini-x2 , loafers, brick red chinos, electric blue shirt and canary yellow blazer

Great sartorial style has that fella.

 

[Fletch]

Great sartorial style has that fella.

was talking to one of your mates , at a 40th doo, friday gone, mentioned your portillo look in tuscany

 

[kick in the quinn]

aye the only Tory he displays is his dress sense

Those shocking pink trousers!

 

[mini-x2]

was talking to one of your mates , at a 40th doo, friday gone, mentioned your portillo look in tuscany

OUT OF ORDER

 

[dangermows]

Aye Negombo is awful.


Brilliant train trip that.

I find Sri Lanka ok, personally, I like India (and even Bangladesh) better.
Have also been to Nepal.

They are all similar in many ways.

To simplify, you could say Sri Lanka being so small is like one region of India.
India is so huge and in my opinion the most diverse country on the planet by a country mile.

Lions, Tigers, great national parks, palaces, forts, temples, Taj, sadhus, Varanassi, Himalaya, skiing, camel safaris, deserts, coral islands, tropical beaches etc, it has it all.
Pretty safe too, a bit hassle though.

Definitely worth taking a long train trip of an absolute minimum of at least 24 hours, if not more.

Fantastic just watching India pass by.
Just go 2AC, guaranteed 4 to a carriage, no more, probably (without looking it up) £30 to £40 for a 2,000 mile train trip.Some trips, depending on the train provide food for that price.

I actually prefer Sri Lanka, but fell in love with the chaoticness of Delhi. Never been to Bangladesh mind.

 

[El Oso]

I actually prefer Sri Lanka, but fell in love with the chaoticness of Delhi. Never been to Bangladesh mind.

Yeah,
I find Sri Lanka a bit more relaxed.
India more chaotic, one of the reasons I like it more.
If you think Delhi is chaotic, try Dhaka.
Unbelievable.
Crowds like Wembley way on the pavements at night.
Huge traffic jams of cycle rickshaws.
Love it. And great food.