I am addicted.

I am a”local”holic.

The changes in my outlook towards the way I travel, in the past one month have been nothing sort of truly extraordinary. Exactly a month ago I used to be ridiculed by one and all for the fact that I continuously cribbed about the journey from Mumbai Central to Churchgate, and considered all locals to be the curse of Mumbai. I would need two of my guys to help me get off at Dadar on Fridays. I would not get into a fast train for fear of being run over by an over zealous patron.

A month ago, I shifted to Kurla, and it has bought about a sea change in the way I perceive these wonderful machines, and the people who depend on them. I had spent more than a week gaining word experience from the people in my department on the best times to travel in the dreaded “Main Line”, to which the simple reply was “Never. The trains are always crowded!” “Always”, I asked incredulously, even at the times I travel, say at 11 pm. When the replies were always in the affirmative I knew that I had got myself into some serious trouble. The most important piece of advice I received was “Be sure u are at Kurla station before 8:45, and you will be OK.”

Sure. I will do that. At least I would try. 8AM meant that I needed to be awake by 7! Difficult. Very Difficult. Impossible ? I definitely think so.

Well from that day to today I have been there at 8:06 and been in the train. I got in to the train with the jostling crowd. Screamed at a few guys, elbowed a few others, and used my few extra inches in search for some air, waited for the moment the train pulled into Dadar so that I could breathe a sigh of relief.

The things that I have done in the past one month defy all my normal conventions; I have head-banged to Black Sabbath, swayed to Tiesto, read two books, the news paper, recorded a video of the Bhajan Mandal, ate train snacks and started regarding the 1 hour I spend in the train as a Adrenalin Rush!

I have even accepted a challenge to get off a train (Badlapur Fast on week 1, and Ambernath Fast on week 2) without any help at Dadar. I have gotten off a running train on every one of these days, something that I would not dare to do a month ago.

I capped my adventure by boarding a 9:30 Karjat fast the day before, had 2 feet on the ground till I reached Byculla, had one when i reached Dadar, and then I was suspended, about 2 inches off the floor, all the way to Kurla. Enjoyed every moment of it.

As a friend of mine puts it, "It is my free daily massage!"

I am now addicted. I am drawn to the challenge like a fly to the zap that is sold in the subway near CST. I am a true a”local”holic. Bring on all the fast trains.