Monday, December 28, 2009

A tale to tell

Hello guys, here I'm sharing my experience of being airborne first time and a much awaited professional event called "Onsite Visit". I'll be narrating as and when I find some time to write. I hope you'll enjoy it.

You are welcome to scribble your comments on this post.

My first air travel experience…


After lot of discussions and recommondations from client for sending Amit Sali (that’s me) for the site visit for production of new software version in the month of Oct-Nov 2009, the month of Diwali itself. Being recommended by client, I was so exited for my first site visit. I was travelling to Dallas City in Texas state of United States Of America, aka USA.

Everyone in my family, friends, me, even my doodh wala was exited. I received my passport with USA VISA stamped on 15th Oct, 12:03 noon hours by courier, and then I started for ticket, hotel booking and cab registration. I completed almost all the things by 4 PM and left from Pune office towards Mumbai Airport at 5:30 PM. I received lot of phone calls and SMS during travel to Mumbai. I could not talk to my
parents much due to heavy call traffic on my phone and my cell phone battery was almost died.

I got to airport, the "Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai" at around 10:00 PM. I went through all airport security stuffs and immigration check and reached to breakout area, waiting for going aboard as the Delta Flight DL-185 to Atlanta from Mumbai was scheduled on 16th Oct 00:30 hours.

I still had 1 hour to go. Thoughts and excitements were flowing at a lightning speed within me, like how could be the flight, what facilities would be there, what if the plane crashed, have I missed any thing to take, how pretty would be the Air Hostesses, etc. I was fantasized with all those dreamy waves.

Suddenly the call for Delta flight DL-185 passengers got announced to reach the terminal. I woke-up from the dreams and head towards the gate through the breezway. A girl of age may be 24/25 of average height; curly brown hair in pink-white suite with cheerful smile on her equally pink chicks came at the gate of the flight and welcomed me aboard. Wow! She was so beautiful.

to be continued....

and the story continues....


I looked at her, she was looking pretty. I smiled and said “Thank you”. She smiled too, and then escorted me to my seat with proper directions. She asked me to call if I need anything. I nodded and thanked her again. I moved slowly towards my seat through aisle. Every passenger was busy in keeping their belongings inside the overhead compartments, reading magazines provided, listening to music on their iPods, making comfortable in the seats. I reached to my seat, it was a window seat as I requested for it at the time of issuing boarding pass. I put my bag and made myself comfortable in the seat.

I started going through magazines, watching advertisements, looking at those pretty ladies on each page and also in some of the seats of the plane, and thinking who will be the one beside me throughout the journey. My curiosity and patience came to an end when an elderly fat bull of age around 50-55 came and sat on the seat next to me. My heart was broken.


to be continued...


To counsel myself I started looking for that girl with pink suite and pink smile. My eyes were scanning every corner of the plane, but failed to get a glimpse of her beautiful face. I couldn’t find her on the flight. It was another discouragement for me.

With disappointed heart I started looking outside through the window. I could see delta flight support staff, loading our luggage and baggage on the plane. Few were inspecting the flight for the final time before take-off. There were lots of planes parked in line, waiting for their turn to fly high.

Meanwhile there was an announcement from our captain whose name I do not remember as now saying “Welcome all to delta flight DL-185. We are about to present you a video on your screen. Please keep attention to all the instructions shows in the video. Our crew members will also guide you if you find any difficulty in understanding the instructions.” There was a precompiled video showing where are the exit doors on the plane, what to do in case of emergency, how to fasten and release seat belts, etc. I was very attentive to those lessons as if I’m listening to a commander in chief addressing a very strategic speech to his soldier who is going on a war. I carefully fasten my seatbelt as instructed.

And, there was a jerk, a backward jerk. Two flight support members with green and red lamps were guiding the captain to take the plane on the runway. At last the plane was moving. The plane was moving slowly and carefully on pathway towards runway. I could see few flights taking off and flying in the dark sky. With last turn we were on the runway, a huge one may be for our huge plane. The plane stopped for a while, and was ready to take off.


to be continued…



Captain started giving thrust to heavy engines of the plane. Engines started leading to their highest potential, gaining sound like a whistle of an old chemical factory. That monster sound was unbearable for me. My ear’s diaphragms were resonating, I thought it would burst. I closed my ears tightly with two fingers.

With that sound, plane started accelerating on the airstrip. With every second the velocity was increasing exponentially. I was pushed back inside the seat. I hold the handle-bars tightly with fear and excitement. I was breathing my breath. 0 to 100 in just 5 sec. I could see direction boards and landing signals passing by rapidly. Finally, captain raised the nose of the plane towards dark sky. The plane was about to take-off and I was about to leave the ground. At last the plane lifted itself from the runway and I was airborne.

I was airborne for the first time in my life. I was flying in the air. It was an exciting moment. I could see the beautiful city Mumbai, illuminating in Diwali lamps and fireworks. Everyone was celebrating. Everyone was wishing good bye to me, thought rushed through my mind. I said good-bye to all of them. I was flying higher and higher, passing through dark clouds and reaching an altitude of 35 thousand feet from the ground. I was on cloud-nine.

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and the story goes as follows...


Within few minutes we were at height of nearly 11 kilometers from the ground, I spotted it on the LCD screen. I peeped through the glass of the window, to check how our earth looks like from that altitude. I could see nothing but endless dark sky with twinkling stars and signaling light of few airplanes. “Is it a dream? Am I in a fairy tale?” I thought. Yes, I was dreaming. It was a wonderful moment that I was enjoying for the first time in my life.

Soon one of the crew member announced, it was safe to release our seatbelts and I came back in real life. People were already moving in the plane as if they were walking in the garden. I too joint them. I walked through all corners of the plane watching every little thing on it, being it doors locking system, pathway, chairs, lavatory and very importantly those pretty air-hostesses on board.

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I came back at my seat and relaxed myself. That bull was not at his seat. I thanked god for the moment. I was missing my loving mom, dad, and my cute little sister who packed my bags. My sister was so excited. She had made a check list of all required items and checked so many times so that I did not miss anything important. Mom was very worried about my travel. I could make out that from her tone while talking to her on the phone. She was giving so many instructions and orders to take care of my belongings and myself, to call her when I reach at US airport. She was very concerned about my eating habits, this and that. She was telling every possible thing she could. While dad was confident enough and just wished me luck and boosted my morale.

I couldn’t meet them at the Mumbai airport. They couldn’t reach on time due to heavy Mumbai traffic and slow car driver. I had to pass immigration check and I was a bit late too. Yes, now I was missing them all.

to be continued…..