I continue my experiences from my previous post where I described my journey till the point where I was on-board the aircraft. Now, I shall try to pen down my thoughts through my maiden flight. I am sorry, this might turn out more like a philosophical rant.
While I was sitting in the craft, waiting for it to taxi and take off, I was very anxious. Here I was, travelling alone for the first time, unsure of how things will turn out. I had just some cash on me and a mobile phone to help me out. Just in case. I was nervous. Yadu was sick and so he wasn’t going to be around, local help was also limited. I had been warned about likely language and traffic troubles in Bangalore. I was afraid it might be a hostile city, after all, for a newbie like me. There were so many things that could go wrong in Bangalore.
Captain Hardings updated us on the status of the flight. We are on ground hold for engine start and taxi for another 20 minutes. Sorry for the delay. I whiled my time away looking at the distant airport and the nearby crafts. Soon, the plane started to taxi and the crew asked us to put on the seat belts, keep the seat straight, and brace ourselves for take off. Off all the people I could see, I was the only one following the instructions verbatim.
The plane, now, approached the runway but took a halt. A jeep was flying down the runway. It stopped a few hundred metres away. A guy stepped out and fired a green flare into the sky. Soon an international service by Air India took off. We were next. We taxied onto the runway and stopped again. The engines suddenly roared to life, the plane started running and a few moments later the nose was up, then the craft, and we had taken off.
Suddenly, blood rushed into my head; my ears went all red and hot and I couldn’t hear a thing. Three seconds and a gulp after everything was normal. I was flying and with it came a surge of confidence. All my anxiousness and nervousness was gone. Bangalore, I am on my way and you better be ready for me baby! That was what I felt – pure exhilaration and curiosity. Now before you go “Gross!” let me tell you that this was the first time I was above 20ft of land. My eyes were stuck to the window, now, taking in all possible details. I was trying to identify places and landmarks and everything else I could see down below.
And then I realised, at the speed I am travelling, I am already far past Delhi. I wished they built huge name-boards for all cities, villages, and every-possible-where so that air travellers could identify places. But alas! no help there.
Beauty, they, say is skin deep. You know, like beauty is what you see. Incorrect. Beauty is a lot more than that; lot more than what you see. Beauty is, always, felt. Its the emotion that fills you up when you see anything beautiful; the glow that you glow with. That’s beauty. I had seen many pictures and footages of aerial views but that can never equal first-hand experience.
Its a sense of grandeur that you feel – a grand scheme you are just a minuscule part of. It is, in a way, a belittling experience, sort of, simply transforms you into a small fleck of life compared to the totality. The Whole Picture. It is also a Whoasome!® experience. :P
This is my maiden journey alone; my first flight experience, and I wish I could share the sight with my family and some dear friends. I am feeling lonely like I have never felt. I have never been this lonesome, in other words. Perhaps I shall feel more lonesome at Bengaluru. Whatever.
At 3pm, I run into bad weather. Gawd! First Flight and bad weather already? I am flying over somewhere around Hyderabad. I should be. Its kinda all white outside the window. The plane is shaking slightly. Feels like its being played with by high winds. I am taking a lot of pictures with my mobile phone. I hope they turn up good.
Amidst these thought of grandeur and loneliness, and bad weather of course, taking in the beautiful sights of flying over clouds – I have approached Bengaluru. In the meanwhile, I had something to eat on-board; the prices were overkill. Hell! They got a monopoly here. Its like Leave it or Take It.
Landing was smooth; we were actually flying over the runway seconds before landing and I thought we had landed already (pretty smooth huh?) but then came the thuds and the shakes and the rumble and we had finally landed. Bengaluru International Airport. 4:20 PM IST. The temperature outside is 28.6 degree celsius. Have a pleasant day. Thank you, captain Hardings.
To be continued.
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