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Mumbai Tour Diary 01

THE FLIGHT 16 Sep 2007 Sunday.

Vijaya and I woke up by 5AM, took bath, were ready by 6-45. Arvind took us to the Meenambakkam airport in his car. We were quite thrilled and I was a bit tense also. This was our first flight, you know. Checked in, got the Security formality completed, sat in the lounge.


Many flights were being announced continuosly. To think that barely a decade ago, there was just one airliner in India !Our GoIndiGo flight was announced at 0815 - at Gate 1. Gates 1 to 4 are in GF and 5-8 are in FF in Chennai. An AC bus took us to the waiting aircraft. carried our suitcase and bag as Cabin baggage only. We entered the aircraft - a A320 airbus - with a child's eagerness! We took ourseats 7A & 7B and after a few seconds' fighting with it we could fasten our seat belts!!


The flight took off at 0850 and it was smooth and noiseless. The last time I had travelled in an aircraft was during Sep 1969 (to Rome / Beograd), and I remember all passengers were given cotton to close their ears during takeoff - the sound used to be very harsh those days.We could see white clouds around the aircraft - it was cruising at an altitude of 35,000 feet. We purchased sandwich for a whopping and atrocious Rs 100.00.


After 90 minutes we reached Mumbai by 1030AM. The flight was enjoyable and smooth. I was unnecessarily scared! We took the bus to the airport lounge where Ravi and Sweta were waiting for us. We travelled in his Maruti SX-4 car and reached home by 11AM.


rajappa
11:30 on Sep 17


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