Kolkata Kronikles 1 - Volvos, BIAL, aeroplanes etc.

I started out from home at 7:30 am. Was packed and ready by then. I gave a missed call to Binu and Vignesh, as usual. The office cab passed me twice as I walked to the auto stand. I had a tough time finding an auto and a tougher one finding an ATM. I reached the bus stand after great hardships to find the gentle and noble red monster (Volvo bus to BIAL) quietly waiting for me. Rs. 150 for the long and peaceful ride to the airport. It’s further away than I thought. We reached by 9:45 am. I got down and had no clue where to go.

Fortunately I found this lady who kind of escorted me all the way to security check. She asked me, “So, is this the first time you’re going home from college?” Hehe.. I was so kicked. I still may pass for a college student. So I played along (yes, ok, alright I lied – but it was just white lies, harmed no one and I only did it for fun – I think you should try it at least once – assume a new identity with complete strangers).

She asked me which college I was in and I said what came to my mind first “Christ College”.

“Oh wow! My son is there too. In fact, I just left him at the hostel and came!”

That’s when I went, “Uh oh…”

So I told her I was doing my M.Sc. and in the 2^nd year. She asked me how I’d got a leave coz the session had just begun and I said our session had begun earlier, besides, I was going for a “family emergency” (whatever THAT is supposed to mean)…

We spoke a lot and I covered up – realizing first hand how very true that saying is – the one about having to tell many lies to cover up one lie. She asked me about the college, how it is, is it strict, dress code, ragging and what not. As she went through the security check, she shouted to me, “I hope you meet my son. His name is __”

“I’ll keep an eye out for him!” I shouted back. Phew! Thanks god she didn’t ask me my name. And I don’t know hers.

BIAL is pretty huge and nice. Lots of expensive shops, brands and more. I walked into a place that

said “Free internet and snacks” (at least, that’s what I thought it said – I was not wearing my spectacles).

The internet, true, was free – the snacks, as painful experience taught me, were not.

There was no one at the counter and it was like a buffet spread. I waited for 10 minutes and no one turned up. So I helped myself (like a dud!) to a modest 2 idlis, chutney and coffee. At precisely that moment, this uncle walked in to man the counter. He informed me as politely as he could that it cost me a whooping 200 bucks (the idli for 100, coffee for 60 and Rs. 40 VAT). I don’t believe I quite controlled my mouth when it fell wide open. Oh, and BTW, I had to pay Rs. 260 to just get inside the airport (development fees, ostensibly).

The Indigo flight was delayed by half an hour. I sat in my window seat and thoroughly enjoyed the take off. I love takeoffs. The sudden jerk with which the plane leaves the ground and rises into the air, leaving the ground far below. Passing layers of clouds as it goes higher and higher. Roads, trees and cars become smaller and smaller. It rises higher. Then fairy-tale-type fluffy clouds surround you. Higher. A sea of fluffy clouds below you. Higher. Then it’s all white. No lines, curves or contours. Like being surrounded by plain, undifferentiated, all-enveloping whiteness. Higher still. A thin sheet of whiteness below you. Then it’s all a peaceful light blue (my favourite colour). Light blue with streaks of white breaking the uniformity now and then. They appear like land masses out in the sea but are just far away clouds.

The ground now looks like a still picture. I thought of Google maps. The waves on the shore seem to be frozen white lines. Rivers and roads are thick black threads. The rest is all green or brown.

I didn’t even realize when I fell asleep looking out the window. There was a time when I was petrified of flying and I avoided it at all costs. I was too scared to die in a plane crash. Now I don’t mind that much. Not that I want to die (of course I don’t! I’m not even married!) But at least I’ll get to see a pretty view before I start screaming my lungs out…

It was time for the plane to land. Landing, I have discovered, is my most favourite part of being in a plane. I learnt later that take offs and landings are the parts that most plane passengers dread (which explains why the guys beside me were holding on to their seat arms for dear life. At the time I thought that’s how one should be positioned for the landing, but I wanted to look out the window).

Well the plane descended slowly, passing the layer of clouds in reverse order this time. It sure is pretty. However, the best thing is the sinking feeling I get in the pit of my stomach each time the plane goes down a little or tilts, or the ground seems closer. It’s like the feeling you get when your part of the Ferris wheel goes down and round. I have always loved that feeling. I have always loved Ferris wheel rides. And I love plane landings. J