Fly Emirates

The last India trip by itself is a longer story. Right from my sleeping pattern to running around and paying visits to all who have almost forgotten my face. The schedule was fantastic that I crossed the same district some multiple times for different reasons. Visa and the stamping, worst of all and had me hop between states. Not to be totally unfair, had a wonderful time catching up with my dear ones. Towards the close of my vacation I was all tired, wished to get “another vacation” to ease off my India vacation.

Finally my usual spot, the airport. Boarded from Trivandrum international airport. I was flying with Emirates (Trivandrum – Dubai- Dallas - Charlotte). I am quite a talented one for my running/sliding adventures which happen for every visit to the airport. This time being way very early for the flight, realized how boring airports can be. Though the concept of “queue” was supposed to be practiced, everyone seemed to be in a hurry. Pushing one another and drifting – all this is not required – “Boss we all are going in the same airbus and it will not move an inch unless each one of us make it to our seats”. At the security check-in, things looked to be a little different. One line/queue  was getting split into 2-3. I was not sure, which side I had to move and was confused with the logic of partition. I moved to the line one and started loading my stuffs to the conveyor belt. A security guy stepped towards me and told – “Madam not this one – the other lane”. He took my things and I had to follow him. I was still trying to find out what is different in there.

Checked in, and started roaming around the lounge. The bookstall on which I had my hopes on was not open yet. Ate some samosas from the cafeteria. I usually plunder all shops in the airport while in any transit. I could see some antique and souvenir shops open at that time, which were abandoned with no visitors. Wanted to check on what was exclusive there and approached one. The guy there, was all excited to see me. I don’t blame him as he would have placed his sole hopes in me buying something from there. He started explaining me about the heritage of Kerala and the famous places. He also mentioned that Padmanabha Swamy temple is the one I should not miss to visit. Wanted to yell at him – “Dude, I am a Keralite n I look like one. All my 23 years of my life was spent in this very city and the temple you just mentioned is like 5kms from my house. I had been much before I could walk on my own”.  Just did not say anything as I will land up doing nothing but embarrass him. Started talking to him in Malayalam and had a quality chat for some 20mts. I was more than desperate to kill time.

It was time and boarded the flight after one last call to say bye to my parents. The feeling was strange,  in fact missed the place a lot. The transition which comes to one’s life is always at the cost of missing the most dearest. This was a routine feeling every time and to get over with it  started watching some random movie. All through the voyage could not catch a single minute of sleep. Watched bits and parts of most of the movies. Reached Dubai in next 4 hours. Seriously admit the fact that Dubai has one of the biggest airports ever.  So big and huge and whatever, now I have another big queue for the security check. Placed all my cabin bags in the trolley and moved along with the mob. Started feeling a bit chilly irrespective of all the heaters mounted in every corners. I started checking for the jacket and guess what…!  can’t find it.  It is not new that I lose things, but this time it was my favorite jacket. I couldn’t  just let it go. Planned to sprint back to the aircraft and start searching. One look back, could see a whole city population behind me and it was no more a choice.  I always try to track back events to exactly find what has happened in the past. It is like a photographic memory…. picking back scenes, pictures, dialogues.  Lol – this is no skill, everyone have it in them.  I always appreciate myself using it :-).  I could remember roaming around with the jacket – in Trivandrum airport, the queues. But don’t remember it when I at the souvenir shop. I could trace it – lost it at the security check. It was the security officer, he missed to pick my jacket when he moved queues for me.

“What now” was the question. I did all that which is a routine during the panic hours. Called up my spouse and whined, he told me to forget about it as we can get the same thing again. He was asking me to get another jacket from the airport and get back home sooner!!!.. That was comforting but I was still stuck with the very thing. Called up home back in India and filled up my parents with the story. My mom called up the airport and confirmed that they have the “commodity” under their custody. I gave my mother all the details I could think about the jacket– its make, company, color, style. Finally my mind was clear as someone tracked it down and I would get it back someday.

I had a longer transit gap between Dubai and Dallas. During the wait time, bought some book and not_so_useful_things! As it got late and dark, it went crazy cold. I had to find an alternative for jacket. Searched around the concourse for a while and could finally find a shop which was selling caps and jerkins. All the jerkins were flashy and the only one which could get close to me was a black hooded-jerkin. It was a plain one, with a stitch – “Fly Emirates”. Not much to think, I took it and that was my comfort the way back. Got back to Charlotte safe!

I started using the jerkin, once a while. I could not just leave it as, it was my only help throughout the whole journey.  Every other person who see me in the outfit has a question or rather make fun of me, why did u get a souvenir one, you look like an airport ground staff. I get tired detailing the story. Once I went to the gym and had this jerkin on. A lady came and asked me, with all excitement – do you really work for “Emirates” wow! That was one of the best moments. I just wanted to tell “Yeah..yes I do”. I nodded her no. That time, it browsed me through all that happened during the trip. The long lasted tale among my travel freak-outs !