Got up early then i expected, or should i confess that i did not had sound sleep… got up at 6.00AM…met a couple of people in the neighborhood and its 11.00. The vehicle has arrived.. Time to leave.. Visit to the temple had some curd and i am to start THE LONGEST JOURNEY… We have to pick up my Breda from Prakashganga… He is happy and concerned about my new assignment… I can see it in his eyes, he reminds me that it feels just few years back that he used to Carry me for my school… We are at the airport waiting for Vasant sir.. I am getting the instructions I am supposed to get. Abhijeet arrives to drop me as well.. in a few moments Vasant sir is there with his Father and Wife….
Time to leave now.. the atmosphere is very volatile.. I take blessings and hugs from my dears, and then suddenly there is emotional explosion by mummy. To add to the situation Madam (Vasant Sir’s wife) join my mother. Well we have to leave now.. Everyone is waiting for the last glimpse and we turn back, they wave at us so do we.. We move ahead and can see them still looking for us… Its hard to be in such a situation… We come back and bid our final good bye… the wind suddenly is heavier and my BP is definitely high…
Check in – security check and we are off to Delhi. Landed in Delhi, the Weather is just awesome. One of our earlier friend is there to receive us. Thanks to him we had a fun time in the Chills of Delhi. Rachit my dear friend came to see me off at Delhi airport managing time from his busy schedule in Delhi… Time to go towards an agonizing travel experience..
Check in – immigration - security check and we are in the waiting lounge. Checking out the Duty free shop and enjoying the view around… call for boarding at 2.15AM. And we are in the craft… 2.30AM we are scheduled to leave… The captain announces that the control tower has delayed the take off due to bad weather.. Nothing much to our surprise… and the wait starts.. I am asleep- I get up- have a look out of the window- no movement- we are still parked. 1hr, 2hr, 3hr…. we are finally cleared for take- off finally after 9hrs. of sitting in a stationery aircraft… we are served breakfast and then we are on a 4.30 Hrs flight to Addis Ababa (Ethiopia)…. we have already missed the connecting flight and are unaware of what lies ahead.
We have to stay in Addis for 6 Hrs and we are to be transferred to a nearby transit hotel. We are tired, hungry and have lost track to time and date… Immigration check and we are in Ethiopia.. Reached hotel.. called everyone concerned as we are not traceable, and they were really concerned… Thought of taking a stroll outside the hotel.. Barely 10Ft away from the hotel we are greeted by an Ethiopian gentlemen “Namaste Namaste, how are you? I had a teacher in my school Mr.. Ravi Sharma he was from India, my sister is in Pune doing her engineering …..” He said he worked at the same hotel we were staying… he joined us for the stroll even though we displayed our reluctance to the same.. we were thinking why doesn’t he leaves us alone.. We decide to turn back and we thanked him and he is on his way… Socha bach gaye and discussed that its not necessary that every person around is intending to loot us..Just when we were to reach the hotel another person greets us ““Namaste Namaste, how are you? I had a teacher in my school Mr. XYZ he was from India, I Like Sharukh Khan and Blah Blah....”.. Thought lets go back to the safe house… and we returned… time to leave for airport… On arrival we are informed that we now have to travel to Lagos and then to Abuja…. Mar gaye… too tired to think about anything now… Lets board the plane.. And I am off to sleep for the rest of the journey…
Landed in Lagos… Immigration done and m out with the Heavy luggage I brought… Surprise… No one from Ethiopian Airline to assist… Authorities informed that we now have to take a cab to domestic airport… mar gay subha 5.30 ko kaun sala bahar jayega… I was soo tired that ghussa bhi nahi aa raha tha… thanks to a co passenger an Indian, social Service karne wala… Hamari bhi madad karne ke liye ready tha… He called a vehicle from his Lagos office and we got a ride… 6.15 we are at Domestic airport… Surprise flight for Abuja scheduled at 2.30 P.M. Baki log dusri flight ki ticket leke chale gay… Hum do Indians apna boriya bistar leke baithe the….Hungry, tired, sleepy, frustrated, disgusted and all other feeling at once.. Brought a sim at the airport called our M.D at 7.00A.M. Vehicle and manager on his way to help us… He books is us for 10.15 flight… and we are on our flight to ABUJA our final destination…… We land in an Hour… And I realized the Bus depot in the remotest location I can remember in India is Better than this Airport….
We are out and our Vehicle is waiting…. A Toyota Sequoia Love at first Sight…. We reach guest house and WE REST IN PEACE….
