Up In The Air

When I left for Madras [I refuse to call it Chennai, Madras sounds more like home] for the second time within a month from Delhi, a friend of mine asked me whether flying so much was even healthy!

When I answered saying that I don't mind flying, in fact I loved it-Disha seriously began doubting whether I was human [quoting her, "You like flying! :O What kind of a creature are you?!]

Her retort got me thinking.

Do I really like flying? Do I like reaching the Airport an hour before I need to take the flight? Do I like the whole process of checking-in, security checks, boarding and then finally flying? Do I mind the sometimes, uncomfortable seat? The random, annoying co-passenger? A baby crying through the length of the flight? The turbulence? The food? The usual, non-smooth landing? People switching on their cell phones the second the flight touches the ground? Pushing your way to get off the flight? Waiting for your checked-in luggage? Scanning the mass of people outside the arrival lounge to look out for someone who came to pick you up? Or even standing (very rarely for me though) in line to take a pre-paid Taxi?

And I realized that I'm in love with each and every part of it. I'm strange, yes. But there are others who'd agree with me :)

I was probably 3 months old when I first sat on a flight (maybe, "slept" would be a better choice than sat although ironically, the fact is-i can never sleep well on a flight) and around 8 years old when I first flew as an unaccompanied minor.

It was all such an interesting experience, fascinating. When you flew as an unaccompanied minor-they pretty much took care of everything for you. You'd get special attention from the flight's crew. The ground staff usually tended to be happy to get rid of you ASAP! As a kid I remember thinking that being a part of the in-flight crew could be the coolest job ever. Sigh.

As I grew older, I actually began "dressing up" to go to the Airport! For me, it was generally a time where I was alone, responsible and in what I would think of as an "elite" environment. Don't ask me for further elaboration on the last reason :)

The night before travelling alone the first time around, I had a nightmare about this man sitting next to me, introducing himself as Mr Hijacker!

I still like pushing around the trolley, waiting in line to check-in, collecting my Boarding Pass and heading toward the Security Check.

The Security Check is the part where I'm usually the most paranoid. And maybe the paranoia wasn't present from the beginning. It could be attributed to one particular incident when they asked to recheck my backpack as they suspected me of carrying a pair of scissors. Well it turned out to be the lady with the bag before mine. But ever since then, I try to be overly careful! Its something similar to how, when I used to carry my cell phone to school, I'd make sure all the alarms were off and sometimes I'd pretty much dismantle my entire cell phone!

Once I'm through, waiting for Boarding to be announced is the perfect time to people-watch, a hobby of mine. [I do not have stalker-like tendencies, just in case you were wondering :D] Its amusing, alluring and engaging to watch people going about their Life. You come across families going on vacations.

The kids are all hyper and the parents usually seem to have a tough time keeping them from bringing the Airport down!

You have the hot shot "MBA type". They cannot imagine life beyond their blackberry/laptop/cell phone. Constantly typing away-making power point presentations (?) or talking away to glory on the phone is how you recognize those.

Then there are more hot shot Exec uncles, usually with white hair and with either a newspaper or a book in hand. They're the wizened Execs :D

We also come across the high-school/college-going teenager (male and female), usually scanning the crowd for some one to check out. Or they could be absorbed in listening to their iPod/mp3 player or even reading a book.

The "just married" or the "honeymoon" couples aren't hard to figure out at all. If its a north-indian couple, spotting the red bangles just ... defines who they are. Usually the guy seems to be all nice and caring, picking up the bag, buying stuff to eat or something. They look really sweet, sometimes enough to make your blood sugar levels shoot up, maybe.

A middle aged woman travelling alone, usually looks bored. Or is reading a book. Or could probably be people-watching like me!

Old uncles and aunties are, over the last few years, a more common site at the International terminal. What with their sons and daughters in the IT Industry and working outside of India :D And since I have traveled outside of India just once, about 5 years ago-I won't comment much.

Thats pretty much all the types of people you come across.

I've always, always had this fantasy wherein, my flight would be delayed by quite a few hours. In a city, where I've no one that I know [though thats pushing it far-in India, you always know someone, everyplace!] And randomly, I'd end up having an amazingly interesting conversation with some really hot guy [note to Amma or any other ... older relative of mine : Nope, this hasn't happened yet. And in all my "flying" history, my flight has never been delayed more than half an hour. I also assure you that I do not speak to strangers at the Airport :)] and we'd decided to go explore the city ... :)

Airport terminals are usually a rip-off regarding um, edible stuff. Inflated Prices. But if you're hungry and joints like KFC [Disha :D] are right there-you tend not to think much. But those are much better than the ... random stall selling water etc. are Oh-My-God-Are-You-Kidding-Me prices.

Also, the renovation going on to ... beautify (?) terminals in all major Airports just made them way more interesting. I love hanging out at Terminal 1D, IGI Airport, New Delhi and the one at Chattrapati Sivaji Aiport in Bombay. They're amazing. The ek dum "International" feel dene wale terminals :)

Boarding Gates close 15 minutes before departure. Another issue that causes me to succumb to paranoia! Sitting in the coach that takes you to the aircraft is ... uneventful. But recently, that was when I witnessed an amazing site-we were right next to this Emirates aircraft that was taxiing the runway, about to take off!

Once I board the flight, finding my seat is not as big a task as the whole "inching through the crowded aisle" part.

Fortunately for me, I have never been seated with unpleasant company. Usually they just don't talk! But one memory still stands out when I was seated with someone, who must've been in his early thirties. Way back when I was 10 years of age. I was going through this phase of reading the "Matrimonial" column in the newspapers-only for amusement, mind you! Some of the advertisements were hilarious and provided basic entertainment :) And I remember having a conversation with that ... Uncle about this new-found means of entertainment. He asked me to find him a suitable girl and we played that game for a little while, after which he showed me his wife's picture-I remember thinking at the time that she was extremely pretty! Later on, he let me exchange my aisle-seat with his window-seat so I could see the view while we were landing :)

Once when I was flying with a cousin sister of mine, we ended up identifying one of the crew members as an ex student of our school! And that was probably the only instance where I also spoke with the Captain of the flight. On seeing this "Mathemagic" book in my hand, we told me that once we were passing Bhopal, he'd come along once more and that I would show him some... magic tricks. That never happened :P

Weirdly enough, I've never experienced a smooth landing. But some day... Yes. Some day :)

The Gods of Baggage Claim have never particularly liked me. It is therefore, no surprise that I usually wait the longest for my checked-in baggage! Now that I'm used to it, I love that part too!

And then... you walk out the doors that separate life and the high life.