Our Kerala Journey Begins: A 40-Hour Train Ride, A Seat Mystery, And The Excitement Of Finally Reaching God's Own Country

Sometimes the journey becomes just as memorable as the destination. Ours began with a train, a surprising seat upgrade, and 40 hours of unforgettable memories.

After weeks of planning, discussing itineraries, booking hotels, arranging cabs, and checking the weather every single day, the day had finally arrived.

Our Kerala trip was no longer just a plan on paper.

It was happening.

Our train was scheduled to leave early in the morning at 6:16 AM, so there was no scope for waking up late or taking things casually. We got ready well before sunrise, checked our luggage one last time, made sure nobody had forgotten their phone charger or medicines, and left for the railway station.

This wasn't going to be a short journey.

We were about to spend nearly 40 hours on the train, travelling all the way to Ernakulam Junction, where we were expected to arrive at around 9:30 PM the following day. Thankfully, we had already booked our hotel and arranged a cab to pick us up from the station, so we knew that once we reached Kerala, everything else was sorted.

For now, all we had to do was enjoy the journey.

The Calm Before The Adventure

We reached the railway station almost an hour before departure.

Anyone who has travelled by train in India knows that railway stations have their own charm. Some people were rushing to catch trains, some were saying emotional goodbyes to family members, children were running around, announcements echoed across the platforms, and vendors were busy serving tea and snacks.

Since we had plenty of time, we decided not to rush.

A cup of tea for some, coffee for others, a packet of biscuits, and endless conversations—that was enough to keep us occupied while waiting for our train.

Every few minutes one of us would look towards the tracks hoping to see the train arriving.

Finally, it did.

The journey had officially begun.

The Seat Mystery We Never Expected

Like every traveller, we had booked our train tickets well in advance.

When the tickets were confirmed, we were quite happy.

All four of our seats had been allotted together—Seat Nos. 4, 5, 6 and 8.

Perfect.

We imagined spending the next forty hours together, chatting, playing games, watching movies and enjoying the scenery outside.

But Indian Railways had something unexpected planned for us.

Around eight hours before the train's departure, we received an SMS saying our tickets had been upgraded.

Normally, that sounds like good news.

Until we opened the updated reservation.

Instead of four seats together, we found ourselves scattered across the coach.

Seat 30.

Seat 34.

Seat 40.

Seat 46.

Four travellers.

Four different places.

Our excitement immediately turned into confusion.

"This is an upgrade?"

We laughed, but we were also wondering how we would spend almost two days sitting separately.

After thinking for a while, we decided not to worry too much.

We would first board the train and then politely request fellow passengers if they would be willing to exchange seats.

There was no harm in asking.

Operation: Sit Together

As soon as everyone settled down, we started talking to the passengers around us.

Thankfully, people were incredibly kind.

A few of them agreed to exchange seats, and within a short time, we managed to sit together again.

Problem solved.

Or so we thought.

For the first few hours, everything went exactly as we had imagined.

We chatted continuously.

Shared snacks.

Looked outside the window.

Discussed our itinerary.

Made jokes.

It finally felt like our family trip had truly begun.

But the happiness didn't last very long.

After a while, we realised something.

The passengers who had exchanged seats with us weren't travelling all the way to Ernakulam.

One person had to get down at Kota.

Another was leaving at Panvel.

Others also had different destinations.

Which meant that every time one of them got down, the original passenger occupying that seat would board, and we'd once again have to rearrange everything.

After discussing it among ourselves, we decided it wasn't worth troubling people repeatedly.

So we thanked everyone for helping us and quietly returned to our original seats.

Sometimes, it's easier to accept the situation than keep fighting it.

Making The Best Of What We Had

Even though our seats were separate, it didn't really affect the experience.

Throughout the day, my husband and I mostly sat together on one upper berth, watching movies on our phone, taking small naps, and simply relaxing.

My mother-in-law and father-in-law comfortably occupied one of the lower seats.

When night arrived, everyone finally shifted to their allotted berths.

The rhythmic sound of the train slowly became our bedtime music.

One by one, all of us drifted off to sleep.

A Pleasant Surprise The Next Morning

The next morning, we all gathered again.

By then, several passengers had already reached their destinations and left the train.

Interestingly, many of the seats remained vacant.

For the first time since our journey began, we suddenly had plenty of space.

No more worrying about disturbing anyone.

No more seat exchanges.

No more adjustments.

My husband and I immediately occupied an empty side lower berth.

It turned out to be one of the best decisions of the journey.

The large window beside us offered uninterrupted views of the changing landscapes.

Villages passed by.

Dense greenery slowly became more common.

Stations came and went.

Every few minutes, one of us would say,

"Look outside!"

And the other would quickly pick up the phone to capture another video.

Those simple moments often become the most memorable parts of travelling.

Forty Hours Didn't Feel That Long

One thing we genuinely appreciated throughout the journey was how smoothly everything went.

Meals arrived on time.

Breakfast.

Lunch.

Evening snacks.

Dinner.

Again breakfast.

Again lunch.

We never had to worry about finding food.

The journey became a perfect balance of eating, relaxing, watching movies, taking naps, chatting, making videos, and simply enjoying watching India pass by through the train window.

Sometimes we'd record each other.

Sometimes we'd record the scenery.

Sometimes we'd simply put our phones away and enjoy the view.

Forty hours sounded incredibly long while planning the trip.

But once the journey started, time somehow passed much faster than we had expected.

Finally... Kerala!

As the evening approached on the second day, excitement began building once again.

The announcement we had been waiting for was finally getting closer.

Ernakulam Junction.

We packed our bags, folded our blankets, checked every berth carefully to make sure nothing had been left behind, and stood near the train door.

Slowly, the train entered the station.

After nearly forty hours on board, we had finally reached Kerala.

Stepping onto the platform felt special.

This wasn't just another railway station.

It was the beginning of a journey we had been dreaming about for months.

Our cab driver was already waiting outside the station.

After meeting him, we loaded our luggage into the vehicle and began our short drive to the hotel, which we had booked around 20–30 minutes from Ernakulam Junction.

The check-in process was quick and smooth.

Once inside our rooms, we freshened up, had dinner, and finally allowed ourselves to relax.

The long train journey had come to an end.

Outside, Kerala was waiting.

Inside, we were already imagining the adventures that lay ahead.

We knew the next morning would mark the real beginning of our Kerala road trip.

With excitement for the days ahead, we switched off the lights, went to bed early, and fell asleep with one thought in mind—

Tomorrow, we would finally begin exploring God's Own Country.