Back when I was a kid, I used to run around open ground hoping to see the aircraft whenever there was sound of a plane!. We used to make paper planes and fly it over and over again. Hell!! we even caught Dragon flies , tied their tail to strings and played chopper :). All those time I always used to wonder what will it be like to see clouds from above for a change.
Just when I was about to leave Deloitte and join Samsung, I was offered work onsite(US office) couple of months in future. Of course I left it for a better job but missing an opportunity to fly at least once was always bothering me. A month into my Samsung job, my Deloitte manager pings me in Gtalk and says :
"
Manager: Hi Ajith
how are you
me: Hello Manager..
I am doing good.
manager: gr8
me: how about you?
manager: gud
u missed the opertunity....your bad luck
X1 and X2 going to onsite"
PS: Manager, X1 and X2 is substituted for actual name :D
While I was happy for X1 and X2, I was partly sad not because I missed opportunity to USA, but because I missed opportunity of flying.Few months later in Samsung I get opportunity to fly abroad. To South Korea, a place of vast cultural extravaganza. At very last moment I pack my bags and get ready to see real life-size airplanes :). Of course something HAD to go wrong and it started to downpour in Bangalore. Heavy rains are rare in Bangalore and rain gods just decided to toy with my flight experience :| . I take my luggage into cab amidst all the water and finally start journey to airport. During journey, all I could remember was The Catalyst song from Linkin Park and all my friends in Bangalore. I messaged a few of them "good-bye" and started enjoying ride, while "Bangalorean -taxi meter" started ticking :s.
If you have been to Ulsoor in Bangalore, you can see other side of the city. Crowded and noisy like fish market. After having seen this and the Metro construction sites, I never thought Bangalore had clean roads at all. But I was proved wrong when we passed by New airport road. Magnificently lit , this structure is testament to all that is clean and beautiful. I met my Samsung senior at airport traveling with me to Korea and asked him to guide me since I have no knowledge whatsoever about airports and rules followed. Check - in , Custom and Immigration goes on and I finally rest in passenger lounge. Sitting here I think about scene in Friends when Ross declares his love to Rachel at airport and I wonder if that's ever possible in Bangalore airport with all these Police and Security :)
At 2.20 I board the plane, a beautiful beast. I had booked window seat :D :D. Few mins later , take-off ...Even though it was dark I could see enough to distinguish large objects. Finally as seat belt sign was off, I began exploring the plane for stuffs I can access :). I was like inquisitive kid in between candies wondering what the next one would taste like. Though other people were sleeping , I couldn't go to sleep since I wanted to savor every single moment of this trip. Air hostess then gave me Chicken - like sandwich :(. The small T.V in front of me kept giving details of the craft. The highest of all that was recorded was 39000ft, -52 deg C outside temp and ground speed of some 685 - I forgot unit of this one. I opened the shutter of the window and touched the glass. The coldness outside had affected glasses and I could feel my fingers becoming very cold & numb. The air hostess asked me to close the shutter :( :( and I began switching channels to find "Bolt" being played.
I thought I would see the movie but I fell asleep few mins into the movie :). An hour later air hostess wakes me up for breakfast :O !!! . I had food 1.5 hr back and now breakfast!!.. and my head is buzzing because I had only 1 hr of sleep. I open the shutter to see bright light and clouds brimming over the edge of the flight's blades. When the plane banks left/right, it seems as though entire globe has just been tilted for better view. Its an amazing sight to see and it made me envy all the pilots who get to do this all the time.
Our flight landed at HK International airport. It's a giant beast with almost all you need in life; at one place. One side of this airport is covered by Mountains and hills brushing against clouds. The other side; the open side is surrounded by sea. Air-crafts landing here is beautiful sight to see. We went around , ate some special sandwich and before we knew it we were on our connecting flight to Incheon, S.Korea. The above pic was taken on this flight. As we landed at Incheon , I could immediately see the structural differences in building architectures. Every other standing giants here are work of best artisans. I came to know that Incheon was the #1 airport few years back and its currently #2 . I was keen to experience what jet-lag is but heck I didn't feel anything. I think its highly over-rated :).
The Visa stamping lady just saw Samsung and then started stamping all our Passports. She didn't even bother to check our faces and the same went on with luggage, Security and taxi guy. It seems Samsung for one is highly influential and no doubt I got to know how people respected it in Korea. I collected my first Korean Wons from a very beautiful foreign exchange lady :). I must agree that almost 90% of Korean women have the most beautiful legs I have ever seen :) and when I see them all I can think is Monica(in Friends) saying "hamana hamana hamana" :D.
After getting our luggage back we called our respective Guest Houses and headed for beautiful and hopefully less hectic 3 months of our lives, thus ending my first and one of the most beautiful experience.
Cheers :)
Ajith
PS: Sorry for a late and few number of posts. I was very busy with work . Thanks!
