On 14th Dec 2005, two days after I landed in Mumbai, I was sucked into an adventure of the urban kind. One of my VJTI classmate, R, had come down to mumbai. Me, M, A and T (all vjti classmates) picked R up from the airport and decided to go to Bandra and spend rest of the evening. Sizzlers at Kobe was followed by a stroll on bandstand and then the tired band trooped into Cafe Coffee Day. Catching up on old times and new over endless cups of coffee made us all forget about time. A casual glance at R's wrist watch was enough to make us jump out of our skins. It was already 11:30pm. I had to reach Vashi, A had to go to Thane, R was to be dropped at Chakala and M had to come back to Bandra. Stirred into action we hopped into M's car and decided to drop R first. Finding R's friends place in middle of nowhere aided with directions like Near Hotel S, 3 blocks from a deserted milk booth, beside Angel Apartments, in Divine apartments, seemed like one of the tasks in Amazing Race. Finally at 12:00 we managed to located her place of stay and bid adieu. Three musketeers in Chakala with each one headed in different directions. M dropped me and A off at a rickshaw stand in SakiNaka. After a bus, cab and a car we took another mode of transport to Ghatkopar Station. A got off to get onto the train to Thane leaving myself to reach my destination, Vashi. Vashi never seemed so far as it did on this fateful night. I asked the rickshaw driver to drop me at Ghatkopar Bus Depot. Reached there and to my dismay I found the Bus depot completely deserted. I thought I made it in time to catch the last bus, but the bus was long gone and the depot was closed for operations. Now panicking I had only one more option and that was to catch the last harbour line local from Mankhurd to Vashi. I hopped into the auto yet again this time I was reassured by the auto driver that we would make it in time. Crossing my fingers and hoping against hope I reached Mankhurd Station. I was greeted by an empty platform, no indicators to display the time of arrival and one lone person behind a single lit ticket window. Now fear gripped my heart and praying to god, if ever he existed,I went to the window and thrust a Rs 10 note and asked for a ticket to Vashi. I was overjoyed when I heard him say that you just made it in time for the last train. I thanked my lucky stars and no sooner than I turned towards the platform, I heard the whistle of an approaching train. It sounded like music. I reached home at 1:30am. I was so relieved to be back home.Though I had to face music of the other kind from my half asleep dad. It happens only in Mumbai. Just the thought of the possibility of spending the night in some godforsaken place with no shelter on my head sends chills down my spine. God actually exists and helps only if you pray hard.
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Monday, December 12, 2005
Flight To Mumbai (Philadelphia-London-Mumbai)
10 Dec 2005
2:30 pm load bags into airport shuttle (damn excited about going back)
3:30pm reach airport, unload bags (hoping bags dont exceed the weight)
4:00pm bags checked in, marathon three hour wait to board the flight (look wistfully through duty free shops and finally pick up chocolates, only affordable item)
5:00pm hope the flight departs on time (damn hungry and very excited)
6:00pm boarding begins (damn! these first class passengers always get to go first)
6:15pm in my designated seat and flight awaiting permission to take off (yipee! finally we are about to be airborne and on our way)
6:30pm bad news, flight has been delayed by half an hour due to inclement weather and we are 10th in line to take off (now I doze off)
7:15pm feeling damn impatient and cant wait any longer (still dozing, wait, did I hear the whirring of engines?)
7:30pm pushed back in the seat and wide awake (adrenalin pumping throught the veins, finally we are airborne and we'll be in mumbai 19 hours later)
8:30pm dinner served (yummy asian veg meal rounded off with gulab jamun)
9:00pm-11:00pm wedding crashers (watched it for the first time...awesome movie)
11:00pm-1:00am drift off to sleep (only time I slept)
11 Dec 2005
1:00am breakfast served (jesus christ! what in the merlin's name)
1:01am realise that we are gonna land at london heathrow in one hour (rush through breakfast and coffee)
1:31am cabin crew getting ready for landing (whoa its 6:30am in London)
6:45am land at london airport in heavy fog (brrrr...its -3 deg celcius)
7:00am realise that this is the time when you would be blissfully in bed under a comforter (for god sake, its 2:00am in Philadelphia)
7:15 am in a queue for security check (looks like a long winding queue and end up spending an hour in there half standing half dozing in a daze)
8:15am in a queue (not again) (this time its for freshening up....i hate queues)
9:00am finally manage to shrug off sleep with a cup of strong english coffee (damn i paid almost 2 pounds)
9:30am still an hour to board the flight to mumbai (call up mom and dad and tell them about your whereabouts)
10:15am at the boarding gate (its all mayhem...no announcements...people in a mad rush to get on board....remember scenes at the ST depot in Mumbai)
11:15am flight is already half an hour late (I can see people following the indian standard tie already)
11:30am all strapped up and we are on our way (hurray! just 8 hours more and I'll be in aamchi mumbai)
1:00pm lunch served (doesnt seem interesting anymore...still eat it)
1:30pm try to sleep (damn I left my sleep in philadelphia...the wine doesnt seem to work either)
2:00pm still trying to sleep (Assure myself that I'll get plenty of sleep in mumbai)
2:00pm-4:00pm catch up another movie (somethings got to give...awesome movie)
4:00pm again try to sleep (no use)
4:30pm idle talk with the passenger next seat (do I hear snoring...I was talkin to a sleeping passenger)
5:00pm seriously sleep deprived
6:00pm give up trying to sleep (snacks served)
6:30pm nth glass of apple juice (I hate appple juice)
7:00pm arouse one friend from deep sleep and walk like zombies up and down the aisle)
7:10pm booted out from the first class section (curse the airhostess under my breath)
7:30pm realize that its half an hour for destination (wide awake and all excited)
7:45pm Ladies and gentlemenn please tie your seat belts, we'll be shortly landing at Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport (nothing sounds more pleasing)
8:00pm(london)-1:30am (Myumbai) This is your captain speaking..we'll begin our final landing descent...the weather out there is a warm 26 deg cel...it was a pleasure flying with you (stop talking and get the plane down)
12 Dec 2005
1:45 am look out of the window and gaze at the lights of mumbai (its amazing)
2:00am step out and stand on motherland after a year and half (no words can explain this feeling)
3:00am finally meet an eagerly awaiting family (its so good to be back...collapse in the back seat and crash)
2:30 pm load bags into airport shuttle (damn excited about going back)
3:30pm reach airport, unload bags (hoping bags dont exceed the weight)
4:00pm bags checked in, marathon three hour wait to board the flight (look wistfully through duty free shops and finally pick up chocolates, only affordable item)
5:00pm hope the flight departs on time (damn hungry and very excited)
6:00pm boarding begins (damn! these first class passengers always get to go first)
6:15pm in my designated seat and flight awaiting permission to take off (yipee! finally we are about to be airborne and on our way)
6:30pm bad news, flight has been delayed by half an hour due to inclement weather and we are 10th in line to take off (now I doze off)
7:15pm feeling damn impatient and cant wait any longer (still dozing, wait, did I hear the whirring of engines?)
7:30pm pushed back in the seat and wide awake (adrenalin pumping throught the veins, finally we are airborne and we'll be in mumbai 19 hours later)
8:30pm dinner served (yummy asian veg meal rounded off with gulab jamun)
9:00pm-11:00pm wedding crashers (watched it for the first time...awesome movie)
11:00pm-1:00am drift off to sleep (only time I slept)
11 Dec 2005
1:00am breakfast served (jesus christ! what in the merlin's name)
1:01am realise that we are gonna land at london heathrow in one hour (rush through breakfast and coffee)
1:31am cabin crew getting ready for landing (whoa its 6:30am in London)
6:45am land at london airport in heavy fog (brrrr...its -3 deg celcius)
7:00am realise that this is the time when you would be blissfully in bed under a comforter (for god sake, its 2:00am in Philadelphia)
7:15 am in a queue for security check (looks like a long winding queue and end up spending an hour in there half standing half dozing in a daze)
8:15am in a queue (not again) (this time its for freshening up....i hate queues)
9:00am finally manage to shrug off sleep with a cup of strong english coffee (damn i paid almost 2 pounds)
9:30am still an hour to board the flight to mumbai (call up mom and dad and tell them about your whereabouts)
10:15am at the boarding gate (its all mayhem...no announcements...people in a mad rush to get on board....remember scenes at the ST depot in Mumbai)
11:15am flight is already half an hour late (I can see people following the indian standard tie already)
11:30am all strapped up and we are on our way (hurray! just 8 hours more and I'll be in aamchi mumbai)
1:00pm lunch served (doesnt seem interesting anymore...still eat it)
1:30pm try to sleep (damn I left my sleep in philadelphia...the wine doesnt seem to work either)
2:00pm still trying to sleep (Assure myself that I'll get plenty of sleep in mumbai)
2:00pm-4:00pm catch up another movie (somethings got to give...awesome movie)
4:00pm again try to sleep (no use)
4:30pm idle talk with the passenger next seat (do I hear snoring...I was talkin to a sleeping passenger)
5:00pm seriously sleep deprived
6:00pm give up trying to sleep (snacks served)
6:30pm nth glass of apple juice (I hate appple juice)
7:00pm arouse one friend from deep sleep and walk like zombies up and down the aisle)
7:10pm booted out from the first class section (curse the airhostess under my breath)
7:30pm realize that its half an hour for destination (wide awake and all excited)
7:45pm Ladies and gentlemenn please tie your seat belts, we'll be shortly landing at Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport (nothing sounds more pleasing)
8:00pm(london)-1:30am (Myumbai) This is your captain speaking..we'll begin our final landing descent...the weather out there is a warm 26 deg cel...it was a pleasure flying with you (stop talking and get the plane down)
12 Dec 2005
1:45 am look out of the window and gaze at the lights of mumbai (its amazing)
2:00am step out and stand on motherland after a year and half (no words can explain this feeling)
3:00am finally meet an eagerly awaiting family (its so good to be back...collapse in the back seat and crash)
Back Home
01:10 am 12th Dec 2005 Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai
Back to mumbai after a year and five months. Its so good to be back home
Lets see what adventures await me in aamchi Mumbai. Keep a lookout for this space
Thursday, December 08, 2005
Two days to go
In exactly two days I board the flight to mumbai. I cant control my excitement any more and wish that these two days just fly off. On 10th Dec 2005 at this time I'll be at Philadelphia International Airport all set for my maiden voyage back to India. My motherland. I feel like singing "Mere des ki dharti..." or "Ye ho des hain tera...." I am dying to hear the air hostess announce; "Ladies and gentlemen pleases tie your seat belts. We'll be shortly landing at Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport. The local time in Mumbai is 00:40 and the weather out there is clear and at a pleasant 20 C. Its been a pleasure flying with you......"
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