Flying the goodtimes - 2

As soon as I got my seat, I started window gazing, that I didnt quite notice, that my fellow passanger was a huge person. He occupied the entire area, and looked very unfriendly. But what to do? I had to confirm, if I was on the right flight. So I very meekly, wonder if my voice was squeaky, but I think, I appeared very confident, asked the crew. "Excuse me, what happened?". Of course that wasn't what I wanted to ask. But thats all what came out of my mouth. And it was another Brit-looking guy who answered. "Madam, I am afraid, we have a technical snag". Saying that he went off, towards the cockpit. And lo, there comes and announcement. "We are sorry. One of our accumulators have drained off completely. we have not enough charge to make the take-off.etc ...etc...".
But I am relieved. Double joy. I am on the RIGHT flight, and the flight is DELAYED. See, I know'em all. They say, it will take off in half-an-hour. Half-an-hour passes. The other flight takes off.
We have been recharged, but we are waiting for clearance from ATC for take-off. Once u get delayed, u are sidelined, and in a busy airport, as Bengaluru, u are sidelined, big time.
Finally, take-off is announced. Seat belt sign flashes. Our plane starts moving. I am at my window, peering outside, through the small drizzle. I see another huge jet (mine is an ATR)approaching at right angles, towards my aircraft's path. After sometime it drove into our path, and because I couldnt see it crossing, I assumed that it drove right in front of us, with us tailgating. It must have taken-off, and we would have followed it.
The remaining journey was pretty uneventful. The night was cloudy, and it was raining heavily. I could see the rain, and could also see the topography changing. The aircraft was flying very low. The captain was very chatty and was rattling off like a tour guide, to the extent of trying to make us distinguish between the aircraft's light and lightning. The food was delicious, the dessert mouth-watering, and service very friendly. Yup, we were delayed by almost an hour, but I had a good time:-)

Flying the good times - 1

For me, these days, air travel is like going to the dentist — something to be endured.

Flights are always delayed by atleast an hour, and reasons galore. So I was actually surprised when my flight was announced as on-time, during check-in. I delayed the security check. I was optimistic. The flight WILL be delayed. But NO. It was ON-TIME.

So then, I had to rush and run, and was probably the last passenger to reach the boarding gate. The ground crew, checked my boarding passes, and mumbled something. I looked ahead, and saw a shuttle-bus, waiting, engine running, about to close doors. I run inside.(Actually, it was one of the two shuttles that was waiting by the boarding-gate.) As soon as I got in, the door closed behind me, with a rude bang.

And then, my fear started... Did in get in the wrong bus? Flustered, I start scanning the baggage tag, of my co-passengers. The first guy had numerous tags (from the time he started flying I guess:) so confusing). I leave him, and look at the next person's bag-tag. Yes, she has a "My Same Carrier" tag. A sigh of relief!

By this time, my shuttle-bus has reached almost the middle of the runway. And lo! I see two "My Same" flights before me, and I recall that they announced two flights of the "Same Carrier", one departing for another destination, 30 min after my flight takes off. Oh, wat if??

I curse myself, for fooling around till the lat minute. The shuttle-bus reached its destination. And thank god, I reached the correct aircraft.(that was my belief at this point). I board the aircraft and wait for the flight to take off. But NO, it is not!

My doubts resurface. Did I after all get into the wrong flight? (Remember the other flight, leaves 30 min after my flight takes-off.) Did those people who verified my boarding passes, fail to see, I was boarding the wrong flight?...

to be continued

Yeah this happened!

It was late into the evening, when we got out of office. I didnt have my car with me, and and my friend offered me a ride in her car. She even lured me with the offer of dropping me at my doorstep. We walk towards the dim-lit carpark, and i find the back door of the car, is not closed properly. Fearing that some thief might have broke into her car, i alert her to it, when she says, "An incident happened in the morning, Get into the car, and I will tell u the story". Meanwhile we unlock doors. As usual she puts her bags, and umbrellas into the back seat and gets in. I too make myself comfortable in the back seat, and start fumbling with the seat belt. Suddenly she puts the inside light of the car, and casually looks around, and underneath. I ask her, if she has lost something. She replies in negative, fastens the seat belt and puts off the light. Then she turns the ignition on , and pulls the car in reverse from the parking slot. As we finally drive out of the car park, I ask her, "So? U were telling me about the morning incident. What happened". The ball is in her court now. She takes a deep breath, and says, "I was waiting in the junction, to turn to the bypass road, and checking for the traffic from both sides, when i see a really huge spider. " I am like "Spider?", not sure if i had heard right. "Yes a big, ugly spider, as big as my palm, sitting on the dashboard, right in front of the steering wheel. It must be somewhere inside the car. That was what i was checking. but i cant find it." No response from my side. I had almost frozen to death. here i am in a small car, riding with a spider. Yeeks, the very thought gave me a shudder. "It is of the same colour as the upholstery, some wheatish brown", as if i found some pleasure in knowing the colour was very Asian. Come on, as long as it was a spider, a hairy eight legged species, i despised so much, i didnt care if it was american, or african or british. I didnt care if it was a black widow, or still married. I wasn't interested in the details, which she was going on furnishing. It was a SPIDER, and it was travelling with me! My sole aim, was to reach home as fast as possible, and get out of the car, and my fellow 8 legged car-mate. I unfastened, my seat belt, and told my driver cum 2 legged fellow passenger of my fears and worries, when she reassured me saying,"We havent yet seen the protagonist, na? It might have gone out, in the daytime for all u know?". That laid my fears to rest, atleast superficially. I started enjoy the night ride, indulging in a bit of side seat driving, when we reached and intersection. We had to take a right turn, from the intersection, and we stopped to wait for the signal. As soon as the signal turns green, I see somebody, runnning towards us from the front end of the car. I get a very creepy feeling (somewhat similar to what was shown in "The mummy returns" movie, where the bugs, move under the human flesh). I alert my friend to the spider, and asks her to roll up her window, so that it wouldnot come inside. It runs over the bonnet, crosses the wiper, and climbs over the front windshield, and passes right over our face (yeah, big relief, the glass shield was there, but didnt decrease the creepy feeling) to the roof of the car. We proceed onwards, and reach my home. Now comes, the most difficult part. I have to get out of the car. For that, i have to open the door. Now, I know, my nemesis in on the roof of the car. My mind goes hyper. I imagine, what if it jumps on to my head, as i get out, and bite me. Shudder! But then there isn't any option. So summoning all my courage, yeah i needed a minute or two to gather myself, i open the door, and stepped out; rather jumped out of the car. I moved a little bit away, and closed the door, all the while, wary, if my predetor slipped in. But NO! he didnt. Neither was he in the roof, where i expected to see to see him. I closed the door, and the car pulled away from from. I turn around, to walk towards my home, but then , turn around, to look at the car, one last time, wondering where the protagonist is. And lo!, i find him in the roof of the car, towards the back end, crouching low, as if ready to jump, any moment...My eyes are glued to his eyes, as the car pulls away, with the eight-legged trouble on its roof...;-)

Buzz

Today was like any other day. I got my office bus, and reached office, as usual. Fifteen minutes earlier. Checked all I had to do, when my friend dropped in to say “hi”. Among other topics we reached “traveling-to–office” by bus.

She: Own car is more convenient. For bus, you have to walk till the bus stop.
I: I don’t think so. Yes, you have to walk, but that is exercise, a real blessing in disguise.
She: What about the pollution?
I: Pollution? It is fresh air in the morning. Rather polluted, but with the greenery, I guess it is healthy.
She: Car is cool. You have A/C, and no dust.
I: A/C? It just circulates stale air.
She: Huh?
I: Here, you are in sync with environment.
She: I drive a Honda – Technology rides with environment #a haughty smile#
I : #a polite smile#
She: Lakshmi, don’t you think you are wasting time?
I : How?
She: Bus stops at various …
I: #interrupt# It makes you punctual. #smile #. It did that to me.
She: You rush in mornings
I: Agreed, but I reach office a bit early, so that I can get plan my work for the day, before I start. And at evenings too, I get out on time.
She: Umm…#a long drawn out assertion, after what I suppose was a careful reflection#

Now I have the ground all to myself, and I decide to list out the other advantages of coming by bus.

I: You know what, coming by bus is really good. In the morning you get up at the same time. Plan well; so that you catch the bus. Walking to the stop gives you a bit of exercise. Make a few friends in the bus stop…
She interrupted me.
She: Oh, so you have other colleagues in the bus stop!
I: Yes, but also many others..
She raised her eyebrows. Knowing me, she knew, I don’t talk to strangers. She was waiting, for a clarification, or so I thought.
I: Its not like we start being friends from day one. It’s a slow process. Many people from other companies in Technopark; once in the public space, technoparkians are brothers and sisters. #smile with a twinkle in my eye# So you watch out for their cabs, and they keep a look out for yours.
She: #Smiled# oh I see…
I: Yeah and then, when I just miss the bus they say, it just left, or when I am late and wonder if I missed bus - noticing my worried and confused look - they reassure me saying, it hasn’t left yet. Strangers? Acquaintances? They don’t know my name, I don’t know theirs. But the buses bond us. I see them, I feel happy. They see me, they feel happy. They may not even talk, but through non verbal cues, we help each other.
She: yeah, so true…
I: Then my bus-stop friends; we talk; not about home or politics. Usually it is about the kids in the bus-stop, the other commuters, the overloaded, old and dilapilated CET and Medical College buses and the deluxe private Engineering College buses and so on.
She is visibly impressed. #Smile#
She: You are so observant!
I: No, it happens with everybody. And in the bus too, we have our favourite seats. The person sitting next to us, becomes our friend. If I don’t see her, I miss her, and vice versa. Ask what happened to her.
She: That is just courtesy. They don’t really care for you.
I: Are you sure? Maybe. But don’t you feel good, if someone asks you where you were? What happened? Sometimes you might be the only one who asked. Anyways I do it all the time.
She: Do they answer?
I: Well, it depends. Sometimes, they do. Sometimes they don’t. But I am sure they love it. After all I don’t pry, nor do I force an answer.
She: And then?
I: Then what?
She: It’s really interesting. So what else do you find interesting?
I: If you look out of the window, it’s interesting. The bus seats are higher. So you get a better outside view. You can see beyond the compound walls, the neatly manicured gardens of houses, the many flower beds, grandpas reading newspapers in the sit-outs. The swings, slides and merry-go-rounds in kids’ playschools. You can read the hoardings. You can see the face of the city changing. Can I really see and enjoy all these if I am driving?
She: So true. Now I feel like I am missing something. #A confused look, with a hint of sadness. #
I: You sure are! #smile# My bus almost always has the music on.
She: Even the car has, and you can choose the song you want to play. Don’t have to listen to somebody else’s favourites.
I: True.
And she had a triumphant smile on her face. But I knew better. #smile#
I: True, you can select your songs. But sometimes it is refreshing to listen others’ favourites. In the car, while driving, I don’t think about the song or the lyrics, I don’t even feel the song. I can’t afford to. While driving, I concentrate on the road. But here, I just let go. Listen to the song, the lyrics, and see them in my mind’s theatre.tography in mind. Its exhilarating.
As I was saying, I was also imagining/ reliving that feeling. #smile# Well, I guess she too imagined. Had a dreamy look in her eyes, and she mumbled something.
I: um?
She: Its so romantic.
I: Well it is #smile#
She: So tell me more.
I : You want more!?
She: I sure do.
I: While we are on the topic, you can add to the romance. You can listen to your favorite piece in mobile/ipod too. But the best is when you have a book to read. Be it on any subject. The bus is the best place to read. You can really absorb the book.
She: How? With so much distraction, and breaks
I: See, when I start reading, nothing distracts me. I am in no hurry. So I read, reflect, and because I get so little time in the bus, I read in bits and pieces, which means, I do think about what I read. Reading for leisure, I feel is at its best while traveling.
She: I should try that. #a pregnant pause# But if you read in the bus, how come you said you talked and made friends?
I: It is no compulsion. Some days I don’t feel like reading. Some days I don’t feel like socializing. Some days I feel like making a phone call, typing out a message, dreaming about someone, catching up some sleep…
She: You do all that in a bus?
I: Is there something in the list that you find difficult to do? Even you must have done all these.
She: #after much contemplation# Guess, you are right. I never thought as much. I should say your thinking process is so good.
After a minute of thought, she said
She: You know what, Laks. All the times you said, you enjoyed coming by bus, I thought the real reason was, car costs too much , and burned a hole in your pocket. Now I know.
I: Car costs. Bus is reasonable. But no one is compelling me. There is no driver’s tension. I still take my car once a week, and I enjoy the drive. It isn’t routine.
And before we knew, we were laughing and saying “Routine is boring!”
She: If the Govt. just gave so many reasons for car pooling and using mass transportation, people would have resorted to it, rather than simply talking about pollution and fuel. Why don’t you run a campaign?
I: #smile#


Copyright © 2008 Lakshmi R.S. All rights reserved