What a way to start

Back from the rivers of Disbelief ... this is more of an exclamation than a statement; cuz indeed the ‘Kashmir experience’ was way beyond what I could ever dream of – in every sense.

The tour was planned from 21^st Oct ’04 till 1^st Nov, and for the same I was supposed to take the ‘5-20’ waala Air-Deccan from Bangalore to Delhi and join them for what would be the most memorable trip of my life (actually that’s what I’ve been sayin for most of my trips recently, but believe me this was special).

I had finalized the trip about a fortnight back with parents, though my coding-schedule was fraught with deliverables before I could leave (btw this was close to the fag end of our coding cycle here in Talisma). It had been a series of nite-outs before the eventful trip, but still that could help me release only 3 out of the 4 features that I was handling, though the 4^th was almost 80% done, but 6 hrs weren’t to be enuff for finishing it. In fact for once I thot about chucking Kashmir, although my manager wouldn’t mind finishing up the feature once I was back, but it was more so cuz of the idealist and perfectionist person that I try to be (n all I manage to just a try!!). But thanks to some gyaan from Ankit (great buddy in Talisma) that I finally decided otherwise and moved on with the trip. Bags were all packed (this morning – after the nite out – I’d managed to spend some time doing the needful), ‘bye-byed’ everyone in Talisma and off I went.

Reached the airport a good 1.5 hours before the “scheduled departure”. As I gave my bag for scanning an ‘Air Deccan’ guy came running to me asking “Aapko kaunsee flight pakadnee hai?”
I was like “yehi saadhe paanch waali”.

“par who tou dus ghante pehle nikal gayee”.

“What!!!&^*%^#$%@#”, Boy! bahut zor ka jhhatka laga!!

This human mind tends to always read what it wants to read, and so 5-20 was read as 5-20 pm (obviously only jerks wud wanna fly to Delhi at 5-20 in the morning rt?). And surely the Deccan-Airways people dint think so, and there I was stranded at the Bangalore airport wondering what to do. Fighting with the Deccan Airways wudn’t hv made any difference – my fault after all. At least I wanted to find out about the refund schemes n stuff, and had to content with a paltry 200/-. But instead of wasting more time there I quickly checked out all the Airlines’ counters outside the Airport to see if I was so unlucky. For a second I thought I was, as all the Jet/Sahara/Deccan flights were packed. Par jiska koi nahi hota, uska Indian Airlines hota hai, heh! Managed to get a seat for the 8pm flight finally, but only after paying Rs 11455/- (uff it hurts typing the amount!). Actually while waiting in the IA counter queue (I wonder if there were more people like me … queue in front of an IA counter … I must be kidding… rt?), I called up dad giving him the shocking news(They’d reached Delhi a week back). As I was speaking to him, he was repeating whateva he heard on the fone (u think he could keep mum hearing my exploits). As I told him about my chances of getting an IA ticket I requested “dad, mummy se abhi kuch mat kehna. She’d unnecessarily worry!”

“Yaar mom saamne hee khadi hai. No hiding from her now!! Anyways all the best”.

To which mom started repeatedly asking dad, “tum log mazaaak kar rahe ho naa!” And was she shocked when she heard the reply!

It was long 2 hrs wait at the airport. Called up a few friends, but finally had to find a better time-pass, and what better than – “Five point Someone” (5.+1). Oh man, 250 pages of pure-masala. Could only finish the first few chapters and I was in the flight, and u’ll all agree how much an IA flight sucks, especially if ur used to the lovely women who look after you in ‘Jet’. So the journey was largely boring, as I caught with some sleep after scores of nite-outs back in Talisma.

Finally reached delhi at arnd 11. Parents were there to receive me, and mom still asking me if I’d come by Deccan Airways (and if it was all a prank), and its still a secret, hehe! As we moved from the Airport to our guest-house (in Green Park extn), we went past RK Puram (“DPS RK puram!”, I jumped), IITD (I was reading all about it – remember) , Vasant Vihar (this is where I was born 23 yrs back – and my first trip to Delhi eversince) and finaly reached the GH by 12. Was really feeling sleepy and hit the sack soon after.