Saurabh Wagh

28^th July: Frankfurt airport

“Travel Value – The Duty Free Shop” : That’s where I am right now, waiting for my  connecting flight, having nothing better to do and so, continuing this blog.
 

I ll start from where I left last.. After that attempt to write a blog on board, I dozed off for some time, thanks to the good breakfast I had. What was pleasing was, this sleep could help me escape the jet lag as it was early morning back in India. I got up in about 2 hours only to find a movie being put up, and to my surprise, it was Taxi No 9 2 11.. Hindi !!!! wow.. I feared it would be some English movie and that I would have to go back to sleep but well, this movie was enough to keep me wide awake. I didn’t know how the next two hours passed by, and at the end of it, they started displaying the landing signs… Excitement again crept in as I started lookin outside the window for my first sight of a foreign land. This is the moment when u always get to see the unexpected. Well, dunno why the thought of foreign land always brings tall buildings and all hi-tech stuff in front of our eyes, from what I could see, it was lotz of greenery with lakes all over.
 

After some time, the plane landed and I was all set with luggage, ready to exit the plane so that I could complete whatever the formalities at earliest. However, amidst the hurry, suddenly a wave of excitement passed through my body as I realized that I was gonna set my feet for the first time  in my life on a foreign soil. However, this excitement was short lived as I soon realized that the airport was too huge and I had to find my next terminal soon.
 

The information desk lead me to a so called “train” to take me from one terminal to another.. The train started and picked up speed so quickly that I almost fell down. Finally in a few mins, I reached my destination and it felt as if I had reached a different airport. In this process, I made a new friend.  A chap who was traveling by the same route… So we started the hunt for the correct terminal - Gate C 06 together.
 

After a lot of inquiry and following the signs, I finally reached my Gate C  06. When we tried to enter the waiting area, we were driven out since it was 3 hours to go for our flight. I decided to take a look around the place, but I couldn’t keep the luggage with anyone and so, roaming around with all this surely was a pain. The only thing I felt which was worth visiting around was the duty free shop..
 

My initial interest in the duty free shop was to chk out the prices. After getting a hang of it, I entered into the liquor section. They had an amazing collection of the best stuff from all over the world. The brands and names just heard from friends in conversations were all in front of me and God !!! what shapes and kinds of bottles.. !!! The only thing that drove me out of that section was the feeling that if I by mistake bumped into that delicate rack with the luggage I was carrying, and if those bottles crashed down on me, I could so very easily lose out on the entire amount that I was carrying with me. But well, I ll not forget this ever, what a sight !! yet something told me.. this was just the begening.
 

I had convinced myself that I ll carry some momento from that place but when I explored the rest of the store and checked out the prices, I dropped that idea. However, finally I actually found something apt to carry as a momento. Something so apt. Well, I picked up a price list which was available for free and had the cost of all the items for sale. It will not just remind me of the place, but also of why I did not pick up anything from there.
 

Out of the store and my friend and I found a place to sit. Ever since that time, we are seated there, just staring at the passengers, sure having a great time though. Too amused at the fact that human beings exist in such varied forms too. Quite a treat for my eyes, but I guess, from what I ve heard of the USA, I wont find such a treat there.
 

It really is amusing to see such different kinds of people, their way of talking, walking, addressing others. Some thing that interested me the most was a stout black lady walkin with a thin white guy n 3 very cute black kids following them. I could just look at this and smile. I am just trying to absorb everything that was happening around me right now. I however conclude that some rules are globally true:

1. Kids all over this planet are really cute, irrespective of their country
   
2. Babes are always accompanied by lame people and somehow you land up getting frustrated looking at their good luck
   

Any ways, it seems as if my friend is getting a little impatient and is tryin to peep into the book to check out what I m writing so I better wind this off for now… write more later

The signal to keep the seat belt fastened has just gone off and so here I begin my blog on board – LH 757. I cant really express how I am feeling at this moment, but the best I can say is, kinda sad after saying a goodbye to all the folks back in India, kinda excited over being in an international flight for the first time in my life, staring here and there at everything like a newborn baby.. and ofcourse , a lot more curious over everything that is yet to come.. But first, let me brief you on the good bye drama…
 

It was 10 in the night and I still had all my stuff scattered all over the place.. I made some hasty phone calls to friends asking them to come a little late as I needed to get done with all this chaos before they arrived. I was in a big mess and cursed myself over not beginning with the packing a little early, though let me tell you, how much ever early you start, you are bound to reach this same state. Amidst this mess were the phone calls ringing to wish me a happy journey.. and I could not turn down any of those.. My neighbor came to meet me and give his best wishes and that again took some more time.. also, there were too many last minute additions to the luggage and it was bothering me too.. Finally, I was over with all the packing and told myself, whatever was remaining could be sent with someone later… but no more packing. But before I could take my bath.. my friends arrived.. I hurried up with the other chores and joined them. They were all prepared and had come with a cake.. it really helped to lift the mood.. All at home also got involved in the cake cutting and we had a party of sorts before we finally set out..
 

At the airport, I was with dad s friend who was gonna be with me till the final security check. He insisted that we enter and complete the boarding formalities even before my friends reached. I agreed reluctantly as I was scared at the prospect of not getting to come out and meet them.. since they had come down this far to say a good bye to me. Done with the boarding and the mighty task of baggage checking and collecting some forex, I tried to move out of the airport and to my shock, something had gone wrong somewhere and I was not being allowed to come out.. After a lot of pleading, I finally heaved a sigh of relief as I  was allowed to come out.. I was just praying to avoid any emotional drama here and fortunately, there was none. I guess, my parents are even more strong and immune to such things than I am. My mom was more worried about me missing the immigration and security than emotional abt sayin a good bye.. I had a photo session.. and then some hungama with friends.. bhouji had come down to the airport too to bid me a good bye.. so had chat with him too.. dad was looking too excited abt me going.. n he too was cheerfully getting involved in the conversation with friends… and mom.. angry that I wasn’t getting over with all this and moving in for the immigration and security.. so I was assured.. no emotional drama.. I m lucky my mom doesn’t watch the K serials other wise I m sure she would have wept..
 

So moving on, I went to the immigration counter, submitted the form and that was done, no one asked me any questions, no declaring anything. I moved to security, had one last talk with parents on the cell phone that the fellow accompanying me was carrying and then bid a good bye to him too. At security , all went smooth except when I removed my jacket, the coins in my pocket were all over the place and the security guard had a hearty laugh.
 

Done with security, I moved to my correct terminal gate and waited for the boarding announcement.. and as any other smart Indian, stood very close to the gate from where I had to get in. Unfortunately, the airline ppl were smarter, they let ppl go only in a specific order and with due respect to Murphy, I was in the last lot to climb in.
 

It took quite some time for all the security checks to get over and the aircraft finally showed some signs of motion. Murphy struck yet again with the place next to me being empty. With a reflex thought, I initially thought, probably someone will board at the next station. It took some time for me to realize that ok, there was no next station coming and no one was gonna board mid air.