Travelling in an airplane is a once in a lifetime opportunity that most of us wish for. And yes it is true that , if you have the chance, at least once you must experience it. The feeling of flying above the clouds is something no words could describe. I remember as a kid I used to pester my dad to take me on an airplane. As we lived in Aluva, I often asked him to book an air ticket for Trivandrum (which is only a 1 hour flight and cost less). It was not just me, my mom had also long since cherished the dream of flying and so we used to collectively attack on dad ( which is 3 females: 1 male ratio) to take us on airplane.
While it was me and my mom who were the most anxious to fly, fate had better luck for my sister who got to fly in the year 2013, after her wedding to Kuwait. The next year, ie in 2015 I finally got a chance to fly! We went to Kuwait to visit my sister’s new born baby , my wonderful niece! That was the first time I proudly walked around the airport with the passport and boarding pass clutched in my hands. Since then I have been lucky when it comes to flying. I have been to Delhi, Malaysia and Dubai.
One of the first Airplane selfies
Travelling light..
- PS : I am someone who loves to carry very little luggage while travelling. Most of the time, especially if on a trip , I prefer to carry a single bag which I check in as hand luggage. Interestingly this attribute of mine became one of the contributing factors to my husband loving me even more! Also whenever I go on trips I carry my little purple notebook, even though most of the time I end up writing nothing in it!
While all the flights that I have taken (whether alone or accompanied) before wedding, went well, lately it is as though my flights have been jinxed. Each time there is a new issue for me , including the last one and so it was my mom who suggested me to jot it all down.
- Entry 1: August 2017 – Trip from Chennai to Cochin (travelling with husband)
Selfie before the flight
Scene: Inside the Aircraft (15 minutes after take off)
Air mask jumps out from the upper head cabin
Announcement: Please breathe using the air mask as being demonstrated, the cabin pressure is dropping.
Me: One hand clutching my husband’s , other one busy reading escape routes from the aircraft!
After around 20 minutes
Pilot: Due to technical difficulties we need to land the aircraft immediately. Now flying back to Chennai Airport
- Entry 2 : October 5 , 2017 – My first trip to Dubai. (Travelling alone)
Scene : Check in counter
Lady : “Hello Mam, Ticket and passport please.”
Me: “Sure!Hey could you get me a window seat.”
Lady : “Okay let me check.. Oh ! Are you married ?I thought you were a student.”
Me : “haha! You are not the first one to think so!”
Lady: “Mam, Everything is alright but is this your new passport?”
Me: “Yeah I had to get a new one after wedding.”
Lady: “Oh! Okay Could you show me your old one?”
Me:” I am sorry , It is at my home , I don’t have it with me right now.”
Lady: “Sorry mam , You can’t fly today. We need to see the old passport’.
Me: ‘What if I go collect it from my home. My place is just 20 minutes away.”
Lady: “No Mam Once you go out ,this boarding pass will be cancelled. Please make way for the next person in queue”
Me: “I have to fly today. What if I wait here while my parents go take it from home?”
Lady : “Okay that works but counter closes in an hour.!”
Lucky for me that my home was not far away and my dad and father in law had a bit of a race car moment driving up and down the airport! Anyways I was able to fly that day.
- Entry 3: Jan 2 2018- Flight from Dubai to Cochin (Travelling alone)
-
Ready for take off
Scene : Passport control
Me: hands over passport and boarding pass
Arabic lady : writes something in Arabic on my boarding pass and gestures me to go meet a police man
Bewildered me: “Why? Is there anything wrong?”
Arabic Lady : Repeats hand gesture
Frightened Me: Goes to policeman .
Police: sees my visa and passport, gestures me back to the lady
Annoyed me: Goes back to the lady
Arabic Lady : Shakes her head as though I had done grave mistake, and gestures me back to the policeman
ME: “Could you please translate what is written?”
Arabic Lady : “No , I can’t tell you that”
Me : Goes back to the policeman who then goes to another officer, they have a heated discussion and finally they guide me outside the Airport!!
I was not able to fly that day and later on upon googling I understood that I was not allowed to travel outside since my residence visa was under processing. Anyways I flew again on Jan 28, 2018 once my visa problem was cleared!
All Set
Pictures I send my hubby 😛
- Entry 4 : 16 Feb 2018 – Flight from Dubai to Cochin (Travelling alone )
If you are wondering why I keep travelling back and forth, first time I had to go back for visa change, this time my mom in law had a surgery so this was a 10 day trip.On this trip I successfully cleared check in and passport control , however this time the aircraft was late by 3 hours! It was an Air India flight and 3 hours me and my fellow passengers waited. Of course they gave a ‘regular’ Mcdonalds burger and a ‘regular’ orange juice to calm us down.
- Entry 5 :5 May 2018 – Flight from Dubai to Cochin (Travelling alone)
This time , it was a 6 day trip to attend my dad’s retirement party, kind of a surprise visit. Flight time was 8 pm and we had to report by 5pm.
Scene : Terminal 1 Dubai International Airport (time- 4:45 pm)
Me and hubby: Searching for check in counter number. Two minutes into the search we realised we were supposed to be reporting at Terminal 2!
Scene: Terminal 2 Dubai International Airport (time- 5:15 pm)
At 5:20 I joined the queue at Check in counter. It was a Fly dubai flight and there were around five flights taking off at the same time (7:55 pm to 8:00 pm). It was a long queue and believe me guys I waited for 2 whole hours for just checking in! At 7: 40 pm I was standing at the passport control queue! For the 8:00 pm flight I boarded the aircraft only two minutes prior to the flight! Thankfully, rest everything went fine, the aircraft took off at 8: 15 pm.
- Entry 6 : 11 May 2018 – Flight from Cochin to Dubai (travelling alone)
Snap for my instagram story
This was again a Fly Dubai flight, so as a precautionary measure I arrived 20 minutes prior to reporting time, just to be on the safer side. However this time , the flight was delayed for 2 hours (or more, the crew was not sure!) The fight supposedly to take off at 2:50 am , finally took off at 5: 20 am!
That is my most recent flight experience guys! From a girl who wished to fly at least once, now I travel with two passports and have had many experiences.. I wonder what would it be the next time?! Until then..taking off for now 🙂
0 Comments