Hi Steemians!!
So, here is the other half of my journey from Swadesh to Vidhesh. If you haven’t read the first half, please find the link below and also if you like this journey don’t forget to UPVOTE, FOLLOW & RESTEEM.
It was already time to say a good bye to my friends, Amar had just visited London few days back and suggested me to be at the airport at least 3hrs before the flight. I agreed to do that and said a good bye to my lovies Pannu & Ammu and headed back to the airport. Though I had never seen what is written in the air ticket that I received via an email, I had a hard copy of it with me, all because the older generation doesn’t trust technology as much as we do. Since I had byhearted every bit of the ITINERARY, all I knew is my departure time was at 19:25 which is 7:25PM IST. Though I had a look at my air tickets once I reached the airport I couldn’t notice that my departure time was different in the AIR TICKET.
Yes, you read that right. My AIR TICKETS said my departure was at 17:25 which is 5:25PM IST, but the ITINERARY time which is 7:25PM was so badly registered in my mind that “1” from “17:25” was just invisible for me. This has happened a couple of times with me.
Unaware of my updated time, I was standing outside the departure gate with my friends and was feeling extremely emotional that I won’t be able to hang out with these people for a very long time. It’s been 9yrs since I know Srijeeth & Gautham and this was the first time I was going away from these both for such a long time. I know the technology now will keep us in touch, but I still would miss the physical presence of my friends around me.
Finally, at 4:50PM I decide to enter the airport. I could not find Turkish airlines display so I politely asked a pretty airhostess where can I do the Check-in for Turkish Airlines and the pretty lady misguided saying it has not yet opened. A quick thought came into my mind that however the airlines Check-in has not yet opened, why don’t I go out for some time and spend some more time with my friends. I started requesting the security officer 1 to let me go out. But the sincere officer 1 dint let me do that. Looking at my constant request and urge to be with my family he asked me to request another senior officer to permit me to go out. And the Officer 2 asked me to take a permission from the desk. I quickly ran to the desk and asked since Turkish airline Check-in has not yet initiated can I go out and be with my family? For my surprise he told Turkish airline doesn’t operate from Bangalore and I need to go to Air India Check-in counter.
“For a while I thought I will go out but then, felt let me get the Check-in done and be relaxed because I was very tensed about the baggage weight”
Though I had 6kg excess weight, I started requesting the Check-in officer in counter 1 to allow me to take it without charging for the excess. I must say knowing Kannada and being a Kannadiga really helped me. He finally made a deal, if I reduce the baggage weight by 2kg, he will ignore the rest. I was very happy and just removed few of the clothes that I found less interesting from my baggage and when back to the counter. This time I went to counter 2 because the counter 1 was busy. Now I had to convince the new officer all over again, but the counter 1 officer asked him to allow and after couple of seconds suddenly there was a panic situation and the counter 2 officer started asking counter 1 officer, haven’t you done the Check-in? The manager came towards the counter and started asking release the passenger as soon as possible, Do it manual blah blah blah!! Completely unaware of the situation I thought they are discussing about some other person and I was just watching the intensity they had at that point. The Check-in officer handed over three boarding passes to me and asked me to rush to the gate. When I turned I was shocked to see another officer was holding my bag and started screaming we got to run. That’s when I realised my flight was in another 5minutes and not at 7:25PM.
“Now I again thanked god for not making me miss Mangalore to Bangalore Flight. But this time for a different reason”
I mentioned earlier about my forgetful nature and now there is a glimpse of it, that is I forgot to make an online Check-in and select a window seat. Though I did not select the seat on my own I managed to get a window seat but this time it was an emergency exit seat. The Air India airhostess dressed in a pretty saree started explaining me the instructions of what should be done at an emergency and I just looked at her thinking in my mind am I the right person?
On my left was a young guy who was on a call with a girl and was worried about her journey. Since both of us had no partners I thought to strike up a conversation. Abhimanyu was going to New York to give a live performance with his band who would join him in Mumbai. We bonded pretty well from Bangalore to Mumbai and he was thrilled to know that I was gifted a mini world tour by my Mr NRI. We landed in Mumbai by 7:30PM which was ideally my departure time from Bangalore according to the ITINERARY (I would not like to take the entire blame on me). That reminds me I have around 11hrs of stopover in Mumbai. My next flight to Istanbul was on the next day morning at 7:00AM which kind of psyched me out. Abhimanyu decided to accompany me for some time but since he had a next flight we had to depart. I was left alone in that huge airport and dint know what to do the entire day.
Sleep is something that everybody loves to, and I believe sleep is always my first love. My mother always had a problem that I sleep a lot but that night I had no place to sleep. My drowsy eyes were asking me to take some rest but not having a comfortable space made me cranky. The grumpy me called Mr NRI and started saying why did he do this to me? I was out of my mind and just wanted to go back home. He convinced me take a lounge and relax for some time. I then went to an information desk and booked a lounge for myself. Once I settled down I could grab some food also get some sleep. Though it was not very comfortable I still felt better than before.
It was 3:00 AM and I decided to get to the immigration counter. There was a huge queue and I followed it too. I was still sleep deprived and was waiting when will I reach London. Knowing me very well I was extra careful about each and everything. I held the passport in my hand with the boarding passes placed in between and followed the queue. Always heard a lot about immigration queue but was experiencing it for the first time. Everything was going fine, I was following the queue lost in my own thoughts and suddenly noticed I just had the passport in my hand, but the boarding passes were missing. I started searching for them around me and found them on the floor which was two rows away from me. I requested a man standing in the queue to pass it to me. The look that he gave told me said it all, but I wasn’t surprised since I know I’m capable of doing this.
How can I not talk about the food that was provided? It was 7:00 in the morning and I was extremely hungry. The stingy me 😉 just bought a juice in the airport thinking that the food will be however provided in the flight.
What did I know what would the Turkish airline provide? I was experiencing everything for the first time and was excited to receive a nicely packed box of food by the airhostess. I was hungry and started my meal. It was pathetic, I still don’t know what they provided. I continued eating thinking if I don’t eat I will be hungry and fall sick. As I took another bite I realised if I continue eating, then definitely I will fall sick. Water was my real saviour. As I landed in Istanbul I quickly ran to a burger store and grabbed one for myself.
Three fourth of my journey had come to an end and was soon reaching London. My Mr NRI tried really hard to make me reach London as late as possible, but I finally reached Gatwick Airport lost in my thoughts and struggling with the trolley of bags, I heard someone calling my name, it was my Mr NRI with a smile of his face of finally having me next to him. After all the adventure’s when I saw him waiting for me with flowers in his hand, I just felt the struggle was worth it.
Whenever I narrated this experience of Swadesh to Vidhesh journey to my friends it made me realise, though I was travelling alone and did a lot of silly stupidities, I made it a memorable journey which I will think and laugh at. If I wouldn’t have made these silly things it would have been just another journey and wouldn’t have written about it. Got to spend a lot of time with myself and experienced something new.
“Never underestimate yourself, your capable of doing much more than you expect. Everything happens for a reason so just relax, fasten your seat belts and enjoy the journey of life. Either you will succeed or just make a beautiful memory!!!”
SWADESH TO VIDHESH- PART 1:
https://steemit.com/travel/@wanderdreamz/swadesh-to-vidhesh
See you Soon
Love from London 😉
