I rarely write reviews and it is only when I find a quality product that I do. This is a review for the Casio F91W-1 watch – an ideal watch for those simply looking to keep time, but are also looking for a durable watch. I purchased this watch nearly 6 months ago from Amazon for $11. I was ideally looking for a digital watch that I could wear round the clock without worrying about water getting into it, or it being scratched. I found what I was looking for. The watch’s scratch proof plastic was put to test during these months of rough use in an environment that requires moving around large objects, and dealing with sharp edges and doors. I also wear it when I’m sleeping so I don’t have to fumble for my cellphone for time if I wake up in the wee hours of the night. Its also got a very useful yellow-green LED light that lets you see time in the dark. While this little light isn’t the brightest or the best, it does its job well of letting you keep time. I’ve read that this watch used to sport a regular bulb until a few years ago when it was replaced with an LED. Might save battery. But who cares, since its said that people have hardly had to replace the battery on theirs. According to reviews on Amazon, there are some who’ve used the watch for 10+ years not having to bother about batteries.

To summarise, this watch is a simple digital time keeper with extreme durability, reliability, and a battery that you’ll never have to worry about. For those looking for a better looking glow light in their watch, Casio also has a Illuminator – F105W – 1A. This is a slightly modified version of the classic F91W-1. My friend bought this a couple of days after I bought my Classic. Apparently, he was looking for something simple too. He keeps making fun of my rather boring LED and tries to show off his blue illuminator. I have to admit that it does look cool while still retaining its classic casio look.

Here are links to both these watches on Amazon:

<- Casio Men’s Classic Black Digital Resin Strap Watch #F91W-1

<-Casio Men’s Illuminator Digital Watch #F105W-1A

My childhood had a lot of trains in it. I was born and I grew up when my father used to work for South Central Railways. I had a neat train set at home at an age when kids need toys. I broke it several times, in my quest to understand the thing. My father fixed it up with some strong glue, and once told me he’d convert the trains to electrical trains similar to their real counterparts, instead of running on battery. He never did it, and I eventually forgot. Also, 99.x% of my journeys were by train. I really do not like the idea of travelling by bus. I find it hard to control nature’s calls and there is no way I can ever sleep in a chair! The very memory of me laying on a berth of a sleeper class, with the tracks, suspension and wheels creating the coolest ever symphony, is bliss, and it makes me want my childhood back!

I used to love the smaller details of life as a kid and I didn’t spare trains either. I could distinguish if the tracks were on wooden or concrete sleepers, if the tracks were long-weld or short-joint tracks (not technical terms), and I could tell when the engine was pulling or coasting or slowing down, even those small changes. I used to wait for those diesel engines to puff away all that dirty exhaust, because I loved the sound the engine made when it did that. I used to be so particular about getting a window seat because you get to see so many beautiful things outside. Bridges, farms, tractors, lakes, puddles, rivers, cows. Hawkers selling breakfast,  cool drinks, biscuits and everything else that can be eaten, hawking away in their weird voices, and making those tring-tring sounds with bottle openers. Ticket collectors and their black suits with a pad in their hands waiting to board the train and talking to passengers looking for an upgrade or a seat-change. A guy would announce the arrival and departure of trains using a hand rail-bell. Every departure was affirmed with a loud whistle of the guard with a green flag waving in his hand. Whenever the train braked, a strange smell would fill the compartment’s air and I used to love it. People hated it. I would then sit in my window seat and watch trains after trains go by – goods, passengers, super-fast and just single engines. I could pass hours without knowledge, just looking at all the track, track yards, exchanges and traffic signals. And when I was waiting for a train, I would look at all the trains arriving at a station and would wonder about each part – wheels, brakes, pipes, and more.

Here are pics of suspension found on Indian trains :

There are lots of pictures of trains (and tracks) taken by a Mr.Sriskand. Click the image below to go straight to his website.

The second image is free. The first and third pictures have been linked to their respective websites, so don’t sue me.