Friday, July 19, 2013

The ride from Delhi to Kolkata

The ride from Delhi

With a seat number 30F in a flight that is supposed to go to Kolkata, the procurement of ticket and preservation of the same had been done with clinical precision. The ticket had been procured from Airline counter with a suggestion coming from a boy manning the desk that getting online tickets are considerably much cheaper than what one gets to gain from the airline counter. The explanation appeared to be somewhat less convincing and as i stepped out of the ticketing lounge and headed towards the bus stand, the thoughts were on the true nature of observation and those mired in oscillation. Again i headed to the airline counter and the lady who had replaced the boy who had been dishing out ticket heavy, spoke in clarity about Kolkata flights and those headed to the city with a degree of creativity. Managed to procure the ticket between 4500 and 4800 rs, the ticket-pricing seem to be in order and more at ease it could be had it been secured a little over 15 days when there was enough breeze.

With the ticket taken and temperature of those willing to take and spread their tale recorded, thoughts went on two gentlemen, one hailing from northeast and another flying after a two day interval to the south to participate in a feast. Both were taking snacks when i broached the scale of admiration i have for these places and the people appearing striking fit with striking shoe laces. As i stepped out after paying the exact amount, not a rupee more, not a rupee less, i was more concerned about bus connectivity and its configuration. One of the DTC personnel gave directions on time the bus would come and the amount of time it would run. With Dhaula Kuan reached, it was time to ponder whether this spell of rain would bring fore the drainage leak. Soon after i took auto for S J Enclave, hoping against hope the next day travel would have something to unravel. The next day a little after 1.20 pm i set out for airport sighting none on the way who flashed their visiting card attached to their coat. The last day experience on Delhi's ring road had been painful to say the least so this time round i settled for outer ring road, perhaps they call it that way to see less of a traffic, with the temperatures of those caught in the snarl going up and down, making the entire exercise by no means therapeutic.
When i reached it was a little after 2pm breach, breathtaking was the sight of those who had come padded up with rose. As i made an attempt to step inside, the guard told me to show the real identity card, showing xerox is as if you have not taken your bath. Days when people may be short of identity card and carrying xerox which has a durable clarity, are we to expect they would be dismissed and debarred. As i showed the indentity with a guarantee, the gesture suggested i could step inside even if i never desired to be a company rep.

After the window seat was given, i knew the sole baggage had to be checked in as it carried savlon and no other gin. Soon i serached for landline and there were some who had been kind enough to keep the lines open for all these years and had been receiving the much-deired cheers. Post security i stepped in a lounge that had travellers split among those who had willed their wealth and those taking precautions to keep handy health. As for water for which you don't need to whisper, i tried from a tap placed probably near the loo and the way you could take it was somewhat difficult. I left the idea and came across two men , one hailing from Solan in Himachal and another from Ballia in UP who had dealing in handing out food stuff that came for a sizeable rupee. After meeting them and memorising others who could be potential gems, i took a seat and considering the air conditioning could be kept mild - it was mild by a degree- so that people and perspiration are seen two sides of the life file.

Announcements were being made for flights to Bangalore and Srinagar, some happy to note that they were under a roof with a sizeable cover. The thick attendance in the airport premises that was not to be seen had shown the economy had begun to lose sheen, howsoever hard you may try to get fdi there would be more intuitive tents coming from departments like hawa hawai. fdi aaj hai kal nahin, fdi ke bal par kaun si sena jawa rahi.  Some were talking about gas pricing and how farce it looked the entire exercise of getting into global racing.  As announcement came to board amidst no sighting of breeze, the airline bus had kept ac effectively high for long adding to the cost and taking away the crown. With 30f the seat and the entry from backside, i could see some cabin crew talking about chennai, a city with a four set of clue. Lucky enough to have a spare seat  next to me, gave an opportunity to speak to myself but i desisted as it was not a home turf.  Indian oil tanker getting the tank filled, one wonders when would barter system would emerge, we would give grains and in exchange take oil range. It was a Saturday with terminal One looking robust with a little less appeal, probably it would be to do with crawl zeal. As the flight took off, in 75 seconds i spot Qutub Minar and hope its retains ita aura and ascend.

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