GNANARAJAH C AYATHURAI trip to India

OUR COMMENTS IN RESPECT OF THE TRIP ON THE PALACE ON WHEELS S AS SET OUR BELOW:

"DEAR RAJIV,
FIRSTLY I WANT TO THANK YOU AND NITIN FOR ALL THE SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE RENDERED TO MY GROUP (16) DURING OUR RECENT TRIP ON THE PALACE ON WHEELS.

YOUR HELP AND YOUR WILLINGNESS TO PROVIDE AIR PORT TRANSPORT AND LUNCH AT BROADWAY HOTEL AND A CITY TOUR WAS GREATLY APPRECIATED BY ALL.
IN PARTICULAR NITIN SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH US AND HE WAS AT ALL TIMES HELPFUL AND VERY PLEASANT AND OBLIGING.HE ACCOMPANIED 2 GROUPS ON 2 DAYS
TO THE AKSHADAM TEMPLE WHICH WAS ALSO APPRECIATED.

ON THE OTHER HAND THE FOLLOWING WAS COMMENDABLE:i

The well organized tours and trips, with the exception of the wild life expedition looking for the tigers.At one point we stopped for the open toilet
but I now get the feeling that that was very dangerous in tiger areas and the Guide did not even carry a gun.We later heard/ read about a 16 year old boy who was mauled and killed and there were others as well.

The food- needs a greater variety.The meals at the Hotels were good.
Celebration of the Holi festival was good .
Good tour guides overall.
Our travel agent’s extra services i.e. city tour,lunch, airport transfers etc.
Excellent service provided by the cabin attendants as well as the staff at the dining car.

Our group's observations and recommendations for improvement of the Palace on Wheels are set out below:

1. The cabins are too small. It may be acceptable for a 2 or 3 nights tour but for a week, it is rather suffocating. Perhaps a 2 /3 cabin saloon can be provided as an option to tourists.The rooms are far too small and everything is very cramped.

2.We understand there were no first aid facilities on the trains. If this is true first aid facilities must be available for emergency.

3.The beds, cabins must be regularly fumigated to destroy insects and other unwelcome bed-fellows. Some of my pax were bitten badly by bed bugs which have left bad scars on their hands and bodies. This a sad reflection of the conditions on the so called luxury train.Generally very unhygienic.,

4. The linen (sheets, pillow cases, towels) can be of better standard to reflect the 1 st class standard of the train. .

5.The breakfast preparing area (pantry) is a constant worry with respect to hygiene.The poor fellows have to prepare breakfast within an extremely small area and they even have to use the small area where they sleep!!There is not a kitchen as such.

6.The coaches need upgrading in terms of ride and noise vibration.The trains go fast and the ride is very bumpy and uncomfortable.Despite my specific request for saloons 2 saloons away from the dining saloon we were allocated cabins at the far end of the train. I had specifically mentioned that we were senior citizens, some above 75. Walking along the passageway to reach the Dining cabin was a big task when he train was moving so fast!!

7. Overall decor in the cabins can be improved in a big way in keeping with 5 star status of the train.

8.Music/video capabilities can be enhanced given today’s available technology and facilities.

9. At one of our saloons, running water was not available on two different days which caused much inconvenience to my 8 pax in that saloon.I think this breakdown in a Luxury Train is totally unacceptable even though a lot of excuses were given.Just imagine 8 in the saloon and toilet cannot be flushed!!