startling banals

romantic long-distance train journeys

Ah!
:)

Anish, I just can say GREAT.
during these days whenever I have some time, come to this page and read... some of them haunts my mind couple of hours...
I liked the way of your writing.

That is if you get a window seat, unless of course it doesn't matter as much for the fact that the train is bearing one away, or maybe bearing to.

yes window seat makes a difference.. but you could sit in the door. i wasn't thinking of bearing away or to, just great company :)