The thought of recounting the whole episode tires me. So I will bulet it.
1. Went to Al Italia counter to check for flight details
2. Was told the flight is cancelled because it is 'broken'
3. Stood in line for 2 hours trying to figure my life out
4. Counter bloke woman took 30 minutes per person to finally tell them, "but I can't do nothing"
5. Watched 3 flights to JFK take off because the Al Italia staff is thicker than the banyan tree in my grandfather's farm house
6. Got to the front of the counter
7. No solution provided
8. Was told to live at the airport as I had no visa to get out
9. Was given meal coupons to survive
10. Felt like a beggar on ration
11. Uncomfortable chairs
12. A bunch of cotton balls called a 'pillow' and a square rag for a blanket
13. Empty airport
14. 5 of us
15. Day break. New hopes
16. Flight to JFK at 1000 hours
17. Realise mid flight that connecting flight to Boston is booked for the next day by counter bloke woman
18. Cursed in Hindi
19. Landed in JFK
20. One and half hours to clear Immigration and Customs
21. Immigration guy thinks I look pretty
22. Collect luggage - 32 kgs each
23. Find Al Italia counter
24. Scream about wanting to go to Boston NOW
25. Get booked on a flight to Boston NOW
26. Run from international arrival terminal to domestic departure terminal 3
27. Feel thin. And breathless.
28. Elbow people throw security check
29. Run/Skid through airport with my magic socks. No time to wear sneakers. Oh, in America they think we are getting in ammunition/diseases/narcotics in our shoes.
30. Miss the flight
31. JFK airport too big to make it for a flight NOW
32. Get re-booked on 0420 flight
33. Ask for a window seat. Delta guy laughs at me, and then tells me I am Priyanka Chopra. (ahem, holding breath, tucking tummy in, going blue *beeble*)
34. Get on flight
35. Land in Boston Logan Airport at 1800 hours on August 26, 2007 - 56 hours later
36. See Rahul
37. Happy happy happy
38. Baggage still in JFK
39. Ugh Ugh Ugh
40. Go home
41. Sleep
Monday, 27 August 2007
Early Morning Scribbles
Reached Airporti Di Milano at 0640 hours thus completing the first leg of my journey. The flight landed before time. Passengers clapped. Everyone giggled. The 'made in Italy' people went berserk adding 'o's' at the end of every word.
With the next flight scheduled at 1040 hours, I settled down and picked up a few 'hints and proposals' form to scribble. Here is how it went...
0710 hours
Recollections of last night - I am so glad Debbie, Pipi, Nishith, Vaibhav, Aman & Mallu came to see me off. It made the 'going-away' less traumatic and full of guffaws till the end. I hope Ma gets happy soon. I know it will take her a while to get used to me being so far away, but I am sure she will bounce right back. For Debbie I wish all the luck in the world and pray she finds her 'road' soon. It amuses me at times to feel so protective about her but I am and I think I will be, for a while. Kevin and Aman, lovable, huggable, dependable. I hope we stay in touch to laugh at, with each other.
0745 hours
Waiting for 'them' to announce the gate number for my flight to Boston. Sittitng around by myself in a relatively empty airport scribbling on suggestion forms and looking at random people is quite the fun.
0800 hours
(On learning my flight to Boston is cancelled) Ok, so this is not that much fun.
With the next flight scheduled at 1040 hours, I settled down and picked up a few 'hints and proposals' form to scribble. Here is how it went...
0710 hours
Recollections of last night - I am so glad Debbie, Pipi, Nishith, Vaibhav, Aman & Mallu came to see me off. It made the 'going-away' less traumatic and full of guffaws till the end. I hope Ma gets happy soon. I know it will take her a while to get used to me being so far away, but I am sure she will bounce right back. For Debbie I wish all the luck in the world and pray she finds her 'road' soon. It amuses me at times to feel so protective about her but I am and I think I will be, for a while. Kevin and Aman, lovable, huggable, dependable. I hope we stay in touch to laugh at, with each other.
0745 hours
Waiting for 'them' to announce the gate number for my flight to Boston. Sittitng around by myself in a relatively empty airport scribbling on suggestion forms and looking at random people is quite the fun.
0800 hours
(On learning my flight to Boston is cancelled) Ok, so this is not that much fun.
You Say Goodbye, I Say Hello
My farewell party started on July 31, 2007 and climaxed on August 24, 2007 at the Chatrapati Shivaji International airport, Mumbai.
Every party was a whole new wave of emotions - pools of sorrow, waves of joy. The end of every party left me depressed. I started missing people, places, things even before I left them. Still, days went by...every early morning pre-sleep haze ended with excitement about the next day's plans.
August 23, 2007 hit me hard. Ma took leave to stay home with me and help me pack. Something was different about her today. She was being extra chirpy, and giggly. She usually does this when she is trying to cover up her sadness. At different times of the day, both her and me got a little teary eyed. By day end, I was depressed and questioning the move.
Sleep a perchance to dream. Sleep a perchance to re-evaluate. Woke up on the 24th feeling mighty pleased and gung-ho about leaving. A change is always and opportunity to explore a new facet, take chances...exactly what I needed.
Dad had a sad-phase around late afternoon, but then he got fine when I taught him to use Skype.
Debbie came home in the evening. Priyo came over after that. All of us drove to the airport together. Debbie and I giggled aimlessly and acted silly one last time...at least for a bit.
At the airport, Kevin and Aman (who professed undying love and got all senti, I'm guessing it was a 'rebound' act post the recent break up) came with garlands and flowers and did what they do best - embarrass me in public. Ma distributed Cadbury's to everyone around. Nishith and Vaibhav imparted serious 'family' advice. Dad grinned while sipping his chai.
A few tiny hiccups (a scissor in my bag - own up Debbie and I won't bite your ankle the next time I see you) and farewell phone calls (Lord Dudely, I hope you've not gone bald wondering how what will happen to us now) later I was air borne and super pleased with my window seat. Heard the Amelie soundtrack while take off (as usual). Felt nice.
And then I slept. Dreamt of seeing Rahul in 16 hours and how it would be when I will spot him among the crowd while trying to manoeuvre my trolley out of the arrival gate...(tich tich...pseudo romantic behaviour *beeble*)
Every party was a whole new wave of emotions - pools of sorrow, waves of joy. The end of every party left me depressed. I started missing people, places, things even before I left them. Still, days went by...every early morning pre-sleep haze ended with excitement about the next day's plans.
August 23, 2007 hit me hard. Ma took leave to stay home with me and help me pack. Something was different about her today. She was being extra chirpy, and giggly. She usually does this when she is trying to cover up her sadness. At different times of the day, both her and me got a little teary eyed. By day end, I was depressed and questioning the move.
Sleep a perchance to dream. Sleep a perchance to re-evaluate. Woke up on the 24th feeling mighty pleased and gung-ho about leaving. A change is always and opportunity to explore a new facet, take chances...exactly what I needed.
Dad had a sad-phase around late afternoon, but then he got fine when I taught him to use Skype.
Debbie came home in the evening. Priyo came over after that. All of us drove to the airport together. Debbie and I giggled aimlessly and acted silly one last time...at least for a bit.
At the airport, Kevin and Aman (who professed undying love and got all senti, I'm guessing it was a 'rebound' act post the recent break up) came with garlands and flowers and did what they do best - embarrass me in public. Ma distributed Cadbury's to everyone around. Nishith and Vaibhav imparted serious 'family' advice. Dad grinned while sipping his chai.
A few tiny hiccups (a scissor in my bag - own up Debbie and I won't bite your ankle the next time I see you) and farewell phone calls (Lord Dudely, I hope you've not gone bald wondering how what will happen to us now) later I was air borne and super pleased with my window seat. Heard the Amelie soundtrack while take off (as usual). Felt nice.
And then I slept. Dreamt of seeing Rahul in 16 hours and how it would be when I will spot him among the crowd while trying to manoeuvre my trolley out of the arrival gate...(tich tich...pseudo romantic behaviour *beeble*)
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