He sang by the window, while his son snored...

Travellers come in all shapes and sizes, and all temperaments, I must add. And perhaps this is what makes journeys so interesting - it's never the same experience, and even the most banal trips result in new and unique (often banal) stories.

So I was on my first international flight out of Pune (otherwise it's usually Mumbai), and was more curious than excited about what would it be like. As it turned out, it was almost like taking a domestic flight, with an added (and rather quick) immigration check and a 2am departure.

boring travel tales pune frankfurt flight
Reading newspapers...almost constantly!

I was on the isle seat and my co-passengers in the line were a father-sun duo, with father actually quite an elderly one. He was on the window seat, but had to use the toilet multiple times in the night, and this ensured that I didn't get much sleep (so much so for my insistence on always taking an isle seat on long journeys).


boring travel tales pune frankfurt flight
Uncle singing away to glory...

The white (maybe German, but I can't say for sure) on the isle seat in front of me, didn't take this too nicely though. It was night and he wanted to sleep rather than make his seat upright to let the elderly gentleman pass through behind him. So he didn't budge, and each trip to the loo became a long affair as my neighbouring uncle had to snake through with much difficulty.

When father wasn't sleeping, he would sing, in a language I didn't understand. He heard little so sang quite loudly, but always with a smile. Though I didn't enjoy it in the beginning, it grew on me later. It was like a loud lullaby to keep kids awake.

Hell broke loose in the morning in the morning when son was taking some medicines for his father (after one of those loo breaks) and dropped a newspaper from the overhead compartment on the head of our angry neighbour. Overcome with anger, he threatened to punch the nose of the son, while the rest of us looked on in horror. Nothing happened, but uncle stopped singing and didn't take any more loo breaks.


boring travel tales pune frankfurt flight
The angry neighbor

We had a refueling stop at the Bucharest airport and I stood at the open rear door and enjoyed the cool breeze. Quite cheekily I asked the air hostess if I could walk down for a short walk on runway, and rather predictably she was visibly alarmed! Just to change the topic, I asked her for coffee and even though she got busy brewing it, she also constantly keeping an eye on me standing next to the steps.




boring travel tales pune frankfurt flight
Looking out of the flight at Bucharest airport

I was fully awake awake now (though with a slight headache) and devoured all newspapers around. It was refreshing to read about the world when flying overseas - so my focus was on Iran and Israel stories, two countries that don't get along so well, and both high on my agenda for visits, especially Iran.

I often find talks in India which almost makes me feel as if we are the most important country in the world - because we have such a huge population, huge potential, and maybe lots of money also now (at least some have). While all of this might be true to varying degrees, India is not world and there is clearly so much more. Travel helps me see that even better, even though I already know that at the back of my mind. Just like United States or China aren't world either, there is Turkey which has taken hundreds and thousands of migrants from the conflict zones of Syria, or Greece which is going through tough economy, or Brazil where president was recently ousted and replaced by her deputy.

boring travel tales pune frankfurt flight
Catching up with Brazil

As our breakfast got over, I read a very interesting story, 'Keeper of the Family Secrets', about Aldo Gucci's mistress, in the words of her illegitimate daughter. I wonder if there is a movie on that as yet, it certainly spurns like a very interesting subject.

And just before we landed, the father was singing once again. He confident and defiant voice (or maybe he had a weak memory) welcomed us in Frankfurt :)


boring travel tales pune frankfurt flight
Finally lovely gray skies at Frankfurt...


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This is part of my series 'Boring Travel Tales', where I will recount all the mundane things that happen when I am moving cities, countries and continents. Some of these could be inspiring, while others could be depressing as I have simply no control over who happens on these exciting (or not) trips :)


Read some of the other stories below:
That time when we wicked Cola off our bodies...
How I missed eating the 'BEST' cake of the world at Lagkagehuset!

Comments

  1. Such a lovely story Sid. Not boring at all.

    I am impressed how you could weave this into a story. I couldn't have done so.

    Looking forward to your next one.

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  2. Let's face it, not all of traveling is exciting, part of it is a bit mundane. However, mundane in a foreign country can be interesting, complex, and even funny. I liked your post Sid!

    ReplyDelete

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