First time that I got into an aircraft was in my 30th year of age to attend an orientation session in a Management Development Center in Bombay (now Mumbai!) It was from Coimbatore to Bombay and it was a night flight. I enjoyed my maiden air travel and it prompted me to pen an article titled “MIDNIGHT IN MID AIR” which was published in the most prestigious House Magazine “YOGAKSHEMA” and was well received by the readers.
On 27th February this year, there was a post in ENVIUS THOUGHTS in https:nvsr.wordpress.com under the caption “WONDERFUL WORLD OF CARTOONS” where I had included the cartoons of renowned cartoonists of our age M/S R K Lakshman, Keshav, Surendra and others. In the same post, I also introduced, by incorporating the cartoons and drawings of three young school going girls and one was that of my ward Nivetha, the then 11th standard student of a leading school in Chennai.
She is now in US for her vacation and I asked her to write about her maiden air travel to US a few days back. She left for US with her mother and sister to spend her vacation with her beloved father who is in US on deputation on his office work.
Narrator with her mother and younger sister in their maiden air travel.
I gave her a vacation home work to write her air travel experiences in 1000 words and she has beautifully responded and she chose to write under the caption ” MID NIGHT AND MID DAY IN MID AIR” and that forms the ENVIUS THOUGHTS Sunday Story this week. I am sure, my esteemed viewers will find the story quite interesting and appreciate the honest attempt of a present XII standard student. Please read here her experiences nicely narrated:
“Hello uncle, I am here to share my view on first time travelling by air.
I started my travel from the mid night at 12.15 p.m. from home. We took a cab to go from home to airport. After 30 minutes, we landed in airport. When I entered into the airport I felt sad of missing everyone who was always in support of me.
After half-an-hour, our time was exhibited (displayed) to enter into the terminal in the airport. Then we entered into the terminal, they extended welcome to us to get into the Chennai airport. There was a big queue. Then we somehow kept the suitcases in the machine which takes the cases to the airplane. They put the tag in our bag pack and gave the form and also informed that, we will be receiving the cases at the final destination. Then we stood in the nearby desk and filled the form. Then we stood in the queue and gave the form. Then entered into the check-in counter, then we walked for a small distance and we boarded the plane.
On seeing the plane I was really delighted that I had ever seen a big plane like this. Then we entered into the plane by the stairs I was really excited and then we sat in our seats. While the flight started to move they asked us to close our ears as it produces horrible sound. This makes our ears deaf!
From Chennai airport to Abu Dhabi airport we traveled for 4 hrs. While travelling they gave us the morning breakfast. It was really a healthy food and a complete one, I loved it very much. After eating it I started watching the TV in the plane. After 2 hrs, I slept for a while. When the flight was to be boarded I really got head ache. Then we boarded the Abu Dhabi airport. From there we took up a small bus to reach the Abu Dhabi terminal. We enter into the terminal and saw the flight number; only the flight that we are going to board was delayed for (2 ½ hours). I was bit worried about it. Then the other shocking news was that we had booked the flight from Abu Dhabi to New York but suddenly due to some reason the connecting flight was from Abu Dhabi to Washington. OMG! It’s all our fate.
Then we boarded the flight, our seats were mixed up in this flight. Somehow we managed to travel a very long distance (14hrs). It was a very big travel. At the end we reached Washington. Then we entered into the Washington airport by the terminal. Then by an escalator we walked to the check-in counter. We kept all our things including the shoes in a tray. After the check-in got over we took our bag packs, and took the shoes in hand and sat over the sofa and put on the shoes.
My younger sister who was very tired of travelling left her bag on the sofa itself. We were also not conscious about it. Then we checked our number at the display. Then we boarded to that number they said that to go to the train which takes us to the flight which is on the other side of the airport, we had lot of leisure time in between the flight comes. When we came and sat for the train we did not notice till then after the train arrived there, we took all our bags that time only we noticed that one of the bags was missing. We were not sure of where we left that.
Narrator with her younger sister who lost her bag!
We informed to one of the helping people over there. He said to remember and recollect for a while. Me and my sister ran to see whether we have left it in the place were noted the address. then again got down by the elevator and we took a train went to the check-in place but it was not the one which we entered and asked one among the people who were waiting for the train they said there are 2 check-in places in this airport . We roamed the airport for 1 ½ hrs but still we couldn’t find it. Felt so sad and thinking about the flight we went again to the place to get the train and go to the flight.
We went to the train and sat down he asked us whether we got our bag packs or not we said no and then when he asked our flight number the door number was changed instead of getting into the train, which takes to the other end of the airport, he said us to wait near the door that was given. We waited for 1 hr, we were very tired after that they called the people going to Nashville.
They checked our passports and welcomed us. Then we were waiting to get into the flight it was really chill while we were standing waiting for the flight to put off our cases. Then we entered into our last but not least flight. I sat near the window seat.
I happily say that it was really wonderful to see the whole city with full of colorful lights in the mid night in mid air. When we come close to the airport, the roads were filled with small flats, which seemed to be like the playing cars from the flight high above. Then we reached our final destination it’s none other than Tennessee.
I was eager to see my father after a very long time. Then I saw him waiting for us. He welcomed us. And we went, took all our suitcases and went with our father .While going with him, he also introduced his friends, who took us in the car to our home safely.
From the starting of my travelling till the end I learned a lot. I really enjoyed this trip.
As I was in the mid air in the midnight not knowing any direction this way or that way, I was also in mid air in my blank mind not knowing about my future- studies, career, life etc!!!
It was a great trip for me, thank you for listening to my views and first flight experiences. Have a great day!”
That was indeed a pleasant presentation, beyond my expectation, which I enjoyed and I am sure you would have also!Thanks.
She is the narrator of her maiden air travel!
A bird’s eye view of a town as seen from her aircraft!
Envius Thoughts 