The last day in India and the beginning of our journey home. The trip home will take nearly two days so we took it easy in the morning, focusing on packing all of the beautiful souvenirs we were taking home with us. We had a final Indian meal, sort of, in the dining room at the hotel. Mike and I both had Chicken Tikka Masala pizza - a wonderful fusion of Eastern and Western cuisine.
We left the hotel at 1 pm with 5 bags and 2 carry-ons. Our flight from Baroda to Delhi left at 2:30 pm. IST. We flew Jet Airways, which I would recommend over Air India every time. Air India is owned by the government and not run like other airlines. Jet Airways was more of what I'm used to as a frequent business traveler. The flight is an easy 1+ hour flight and of course I slept the whole way. Mike is amazed at how quickly I fall asleep in airplanes. I think he was probably mid-story when I was out and stayed out until we started our descent.
We landed at the Indira Ghandi International Airport in Delhi a little before 4 pm. We gathered our bags and proceeded to the ticket counter to check in. STOP!!! I think I may have mentioned this before but I'll repeat it as it's important to understand our situation - you need proof of a ticket before you can enter the airport and before you can be issued a ticket. Unfortunately, proof of a ticket needs to be obtained from a pre-ticketing counter. Trouble is American Airlines doesn't have a pre-ticketing counter. Supposedly, one of the local aviation companies was supposed to support AA customers - but there was no one at that counter either. After several attempts to get information on what to do, we were told that no one would be at the counter until 4 hours prior to the flight. Our flight wasn't until 12:30 a.m. - 8.5 hours later. Ugh!
After learning this information, we had no other option than to return to the arrivals area and hunker down for the next 4.5 hours. We found an acceptable location called Foodie's Bar. I'm not sure why it was called that as they didn't have much food - but they did have alcohol. Mike and I spent the next 4 hours playing Angry Birds, Solitaire, watching the French Open and making friends with a Canadian soldier who was in India volunteering at an orphanage. It was about as exciting as watching paint dry. I was cranky, very cranky.
Finally it was 9 pm and we thought we could check in. We returned to the pre-ticketing counter and there still was no one at the counter that was supposed to be servicing AA. We inquired at the Information Desk and they summoned an AA representative to come escort us to security, show the guard our name on a list and then walk us to the AA ticket counter. We had finally made it into the airport!! We checked all of our bags and then went to do a little last minute shopping. I was on a mission to find a snow globe. Snow globes are traditional, fairly cheesy, souvenirs so I wasn't expecting much trouble finding one. Then I remembered, we're in India, nothing is easy here. There wasn't a single snow globe in the airport. Total fail on the one thing that someone asked me to bring home! :(
Since we were flying business class home, we were invited to the Kingfischer First lounge. Kingfischer is the local beer in India but they also have an airline - bizarre combination! It was a strange mix between mod and sad. But it was quiet and the drinks were free.
At 11:45 we began boarding our flight from Delhi to Chicago. The flight home would be 15 hours and 15 minutes, one of the longer direct flights offered by any airline. I had a great seat at the bulkhead and we had successfully swapped Mike into the seat next to me. Or so we thought. Almost as the cabin doors were being closed, the ticket holder for the seat next to me came by and said that he had to switch back because the audio/visio unit didn't work in Mike's original seat. Bummer! Mike went back to his seat and I switched with the guy next to him so we could still sit together. We figured we could figure something out. Turns out the audio/visio unit in my new seat didn't work. And add insult to injury, the reading light in my new seat didn't work either. We asked the crew if we could move to one of the empty first class seats and they said no due to 'policy'. Instead they provided us with portable DVR players pre-loaded with movies. Ok, that's not perfect but it's better than nothing. STOP! The power outlet in my seat (or was it Mike's) didn't work. OK, at this point, I was done. I was already cranky because of the layover. Now, I'm at my wits end. What else can I do but take a sleeping pill and attempt to sleep.
Sleep I did - for 11 hours. There wasn't anything else to do and I had slept very little the last two weeks so why not. It turns out in some ways, the lack of entertainment options was good for me. I had gotten my body back on ET and should be able to better manage jet lag.
Upon deplaning in Chicago, Mike and I rushed through customs and straight to McDonalds where Mike ordered a chicken biscuit, yogurt parfait and orange juice and I ordered breakfast burritos and a sweet tea. Oh to be back in the USA!
The flight down to Tampa was a breeze - First Class usually makes it so.
Mike was greeted by his beautiful family - wife Kerry, daughter Naomi and son Miles. They had come straight from church and were dressed to the nines. They were clearly happy for the return of their husband and father, as was Mike to see them! It was a wonderful way to arrive back home.
I can't believe it is over. All the anxiety I felt preparing for the trip, all the adventures I had with the three guys that made the trip memorable and finally meeting the team that works so hard every day to delight their clients was overwhelming and deeply satisfying. I feel so amazingly blessed to have had such a wonderful experience! I am also so blessed to have a home to come home to, friends and family that love me and a future full of dreams and opportunities. Life is good!
Until my next adventure....Namaste
We left the hotel at 1 pm with 5 bags and 2 carry-ons. Our flight from Baroda to Delhi left at 2:30 pm. IST. We flew Jet Airways, which I would recommend over Air India every time. Air India is owned by the government and not run like other airlines. Jet Airways was more of what I'm used to as a frequent business traveler. The flight is an easy 1+ hour flight and of course I slept the whole way. Mike is amazed at how quickly I fall asleep in airplanes. I think he was probably mid-story when I was out and stayed out until we started our descent.
We landed at the Indira Ghandi International Airport in Delhi a little before 4 pm. We gathered our bags and proceeded to the ticket counter to check in. STOP!!! I think I may have mentioned this before but I'll repeat it as it's important to understand our situation - you need proof of a ticket before you can enter the airport and before you can be issued a ticket. Unfortunately, proof of a ticket needs to be obtained from a pre-ticketing counter. Trouble is American Airlines doesn't have a pre-ticketing counter. Supposedly, one of the local aviation companies was supposed to support AA customers - but there was no one at that counter either. After several attempts to get information on what to do, we were told that no one would be at the counter until 4 hours prior to the flight. Our flight wasn't until 12:30 a.m. - 8.5 hours later. Ugh!
After learning this information, we had no other option than to return to the arrivals area and hunker down for the next 4.5 hours. We found an acceptable location called Foodie's Bar. I'm not sure why it was called that as they didn't have much food - but they did have alcohol. Mike and I spent the next 4 hours playing Angry Birds, Solitaire, watching the French Open and making friends with a Canadian soldier who was in India volunteering at an orphanage. It was about as exciting as watching paint dry. I was cranky, very cranky.
Finally it was 9 pm and we thought we could check in. We returned to the pre-ticketing counter and there still was no one at the counter that was supposed to be servicing AA. We inquired at the Information Desk and they summoned an AA representative to come escort us to security, show the guard our name on a list and then walk us to the AA ticket counter. We had finally made it into the airport!! We checked all of our bags and then went to do a little last minute shopping. I was on a mission to find a snow globe. Snow globes are traditional, fairly cheesy, souvenirs so I wasn't expecting much trouble finding one. Then I remembered, we're in India, nothing is easy here. There wasn't a single snow globe in the airport. Total fail on the one thing that someone asked me to bring home! :(
Since we were flying business class home, we were invited to the Kingfischer First lounge. Kingfischer is the local beer in India but they also have an airline - bizarre combination! It was a strange mix between mod and sad. But it was quiet and the drinks were free.
At 11:45 we began boarding our flight from Delhi to Chicago. The flight home would be 15 hours and 15 minutes, one of the longer direct flights offered by any airline. I had a great seat at the bulkhead and we had successfully swapped Mike into the seat next to me. Or so we thought. Almost as the cabin doors were being closed, the ticket holder for the seat next to me came by and said that he had to switch back because the audio/visio unit didn't work in Mike's original seat. Bummer! Mike went back to his seat and I switched with the guy next to him so we could still sit together. We figured we could figure something out. Turns out the audio/visio unit in my new seat didn't work. And add insult to injury, the reading light in my new seat didn't work either. We asked the crew if we could move to one of the empty first class seats and they said no due to 'policy'. Instead they provided us with portable DVR players pre-loaded with movies. Ok, that's not perfect but it's better than nothing. STOP! The power outlet in my seat (or was it Mike's) didn't work. OK, at this point, I was done. I was already cranky because of the layover. Now, I'm at my wits end. What else can I do but take a sleeping pill and attempt to sleep.
Sleep I did - for 11 hours. There wasn't anything else to do and I had slept very little the last two weeks so why not. It turns out in some ways, the lack of entertainment options was good for me. I had gotten my body back on ET and should be able to better manage jet lag.
Upon deplaning in Chicago, Mike and I rushed through customs and straight to McDonalds where Mike ordered a chicken biscuit, yogurt parfait and orange juice and I ordered breakfast burritos and a sweet tea. Oh to be back in the USA!
The flight down to Tampa was a breeze - First Class usually makes it so.
Mike was greeted by his beautiful family - wife Kerry, daughter Naomi and son Miles. They had come straight from church and were dressed to the nines. They were clearly happy for the return of their husband and father, as was Mike to see them! It was a wonderful way to arrive back home.
I can't believe it is over. All the anxiety I felt preparing for the trip, all the adventures I had with the three guys that made the trip memorable and finally meeting the team that works so hard every day to delight their clients was overwhelming and deeply satisfying. I feel so amazingly blessed to have had such a wonderful experience! I am also so blessed to have a home to come home to, friends and family that love me and a future full of dreams and opportunities. Life is good!
Until my next adventure....Namaste
No comments:
Post a Comment