We were warmly greeted on board by our two cabin attendants, Siddharth ("please call me Sid") and Prabhu. Sid spoke English very well and did most of the talking. Prabhu, on the other hand, didn't speak much, but worked very hard for us nonetheless.

After unpacking and settling in, we were all invited to the lounge, where we were to have a briefing plus a free drink, courtesy of the train's management team. We were four carriages away from the lounge and by the time we got there, we were among the last people to get a seat. A few people (well two couples specifically) who were behind us weren't as lucky and decided to make their feelings known to the asssembled audience, complaining loudly about the lack of seats and the general state of their accommodations! Despite the unpleasantness and the boorish nature of their interjections, we privately conceded that the train was looking a little dated and, in hindsight, the food could have been a little more adventurous, but we were happy to be there, we were comfortable and we were made to feel very welcome. We resolved to relax and enjoy the experience... and it was to be an experience!