View from the Sky (The Almost Missed and Shaky Flight)

I was almost certain that I was going to miss my flight. My airport trips are rarely normal, either it rains like crazy or the flight gets massively delayed and lands in the middle of the night. This time there was a massive jam on all roads for no obvious reason and the traffic would not move. And as you would know, these days the airlines don't listen to anything at all. It was just last week when I happened to sympathize with a friend who missed by flights because he reached the airport 40 min before departure instead of 45! And here I was, about to face the same and desperately hoping for the flight to get delayed. Simultaneously my mom was praying that we reach on time, a friend of mine was searching for the next possible flight and my old but cute driverji was driving as if he had just been injected with and overdose of testosterone (of course only where he found an at least a 200 m empty stretch).

And to top it all, airport entry points are always confusing. We were already late and then missed the correct turn and we were again moving towards the city. Anyway, my prayers were heard and I reached the airport gate at 11:17 for my 12 noon flight. I don't know how many people I manged to scare/ shock/ entertain because I was running as if a mad dog was chasing me and then screaming in the middle of the airport 'Where is the Spicejet counter!!'. Breathless and sweating (due to lack of exercise and Kolkata weather respectively), I reached the counter, still unsure whether they would let me check in because it was 11:18, but they were generous this time! Eventually the flight got delayed by 20 min.

The flight finally took off at 12:20 and it was a lovely and bright weather. I always take a window seat for two reasons, to enjoy the view and also so that I wouldn't have to get up when someone else needed to answer the nature's call. But today I just wanted to be on the flight, irrespective of the seat, and they had given me one on the aisle. But honestly, the view was spectacular and since I had my camera with me, I was really desperate to grab a window seat and take some pictures. That didn't happen and instead it started shaking a bit, then a little more and then a bit more. I got a roller coaster feeling in my stomach and honestly speaking was quite enjoying it. By this time most of the passengers gripped the handle of their seats and the woman next to me started praying. I was completely enjoying the shake though. Eventually it settled down in to the usual smooth flight.

We were making our way through the white clouds in the blue sky and it looked lovely. I thought the shape of each cloud represented something familiar and was trying guess what. Took a few pictures too, while the lady next to me who had the privilege to occupy the window seat looked at me with some suspicion. Eventually she snored away, and I thought 'what a waste of the wonderful view'. I looked around and guess what most people on the window seats were sleeping. Obviously I have seen that blue sky with clouds many times, but today I was in a poetic and serene mood. I guess the fact that I did not miss the seemingly impossible to catch flight made me believe in prayers being heard. And in the middle of all this, I was also checking office emails on my laptop, what an anti-climax!

Finally we landed at 2:20 and I was back from a lazy city to a tough city.

I know it has been a long read, just felt like writing like writing and not reviewing. Some pictures and what I think they look like. What do you say? In fact it is a little childish but still taking the risk. After all, we all have a child in us, who does wake up once in a while. It's my day today :)

This looks like a mountain

This looks like smoke coming from a dangerous fire

This one's funny, looks like a dolphin jumping out of the water to me :)

And this is even more funny, I think it looks like an elephant with a truncated trunk :)

My Google earth image: You can see one of the Dwarka metro stations

Another Google Earth image from my lens :)