My Musings

earlier The RETURN Home. 30 Sep 2007 Sunday Our last day at Mumbai. Packed and lunch at 11AM. Ravi and Sweta came by 1130 and we started for airport. Had a very enjoyable time with everyone at Mumbai / Pune / Thane. Reached airport by 12 noon and checked in the two bags. Vijaya trolleyed these bags for X-raying. Checked in, security clearance completed, and we were inside the aircraft by 12-50. Took off at 1-25PM. The flight was via Bangalore and we reached Bangalore by 3-30PM. The aircraft had to circle around for over 30 minutes before being permitted to land. Informed Arvind and Ashok re this delay. Took off from Bangalore by 4-10PM and after a 40-minute flight we landed at the Kamarajar domestic airport, Chennai at 4-50PM. We walked out thru the air-bridge and came to the baggage arrival conveyor belt. Collecting our two bags, we came out to wait for Arvind. He came 10 minutes later and then we drove back home. Home, sweet home. Aditi was all smiles on seeing us and she ...

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 give...