When I almost missed my flight

January 10, 2012


Have you ever thought why the Emirates flight on the second Sunday of the new year on its way to Dubai would wait for a reckless and careless passenger, stranded in the Mumbai traffic?  Well if you think that this post is iffy, well think again. That person is the careless ME.
For once, I didn't pay heed to mom cautious advise and the golden rule any air passenger should religiously and obstiantely observe while traveling:Always make it a point to reach the airport three hours before your flight take off. I could have heard the voice of maa chiding me for being such a 'whipper snapper'. On that day, I was woken by the heinous call of crows and pigeons that was crawling near the window of my hotel in Colaba. Time to be set baby coz I gotta play the part of superman the time I get ready and go down. Bingo! It's hell. As I jump out of the bed to reach the bathroom for the morning ritual that is to take a shower, the bathtubs are filled with the inhabitants in the hotel. I do the waiting game as I light a cigarette. Finally, its all done and get down for breakfast at Picadilly and say Hi to uncle who owns the cyber near Colaba and which is frequented by hordes of foreigners. Uncle is ma university friend Wilbur's dad and he did everything possible to ensure that I don't sleep on the pavement with my luggage looming on ma head at 1 a.m in the morning. I just landed in Mumbai all the way from Pune.
The big question is..is..is how the fuck I almost missed my plane? I so wanted to buy a new laptop and I went to Vijay Sales to acquire the new machine. But, since there was something wrong with ma credit card, it was not meant to be and instead I went shopping  for some accesories at Fort. Bah! It was the new year sales and the devil tempted me to buy stuffs like shirts, t-shirts, trousers at Global and Westside. Then, I headed to Oxford bookshop to buy books, clicked pictures at Marine Drive. On my way back to Colaba, I huddled with carry bags and as I hurtled, straggled towards Levi's store to acquire  my new denim, I realized that it's almost 5 p.m.
Back to the hotel, I was faced with an uphill and herculean task. There are three suitcases and I struggled on how to put the whole possessions in the bag. I mean I just stuffed them inside imagining the suitcases to be the mouth and the clothes, the paranthas. I left my hotel at 6 and my flight was scheduled at 10.30 all the way at CST International airport, Santacruz. My red-and-yellow iconic Mumbai cab was caught in a swirl of traffic and the vehicles seems to amble slowly. I was worried and constantly fidgeting with the phone to check the time. As we pass marine drive, I clicked pictures, trying to lift the burden off my mind away from the traffic woe. As the taxi driver swirled towards Wilson college, near chowpatty beach and converging towards Mahalakshmi, I could sense trouble with the frantic snarl where vehicles were not moving at all. My cab was simply wiggling and the road ressembled like a a hotbed of countless robots cluttered in the city. Yes! I am thinking of Rajnkant's marquee spread across the globe. There is no word that shall describe the snail pace movement of traffic. Then, it is Mumbai and I should have realized about it long time back.
As we cross Mahalakshmi, the phone start ringing and it's Meghna calling to wave goodbye. Hey, where have you reached..I share my apprehension with her and she's like probably you'll reach in tym..I share with her that I don't wanna leave Mumbai and  comforts me by insisting that I'll be back very soon and forever. To beat the stress out, I toggled between radio mirchi, red fm to kill time. Finally, we had to make a choice and opted for the toll road in order to kill time. The easiest route is indeed the more tough one to negotiate as we are stuck in the human and immovable traffic where the vehicles seem to say, hello it's our birthright to go through this route. Finally, we reached the airport as I express relief.

Relief..aha! You must be joking! The airport resemble the western railway station as there is a huge queue swirling and straggling its way inside the airport. Finally, I jostled to the Emirates counter. I just freaked out as I was told that I am running an excess of more than 20k. I reached the HDFC ATM, withdrew money and paid. I just fucking freaked out as the helpful official sensed trouble did not feign to help me with the filling the immigration form. As I hustled towards the airport lounge where I had to carry a shit heavy loaded hand luggage, the cute Emirates official told me, Sir, please hurry we are only waiting for you before we take off. I am like what the fuck!Am I Some kinda celebrity. I just had time to say the soothing and charming words to the air hostess, Hi lady. She exudes a charming, Thank you, sir. Finally, I can breathe as the Emirates plane gets ready for take off. Who invented aircrafts?
I woke up in Dubai after two hours and thirty minutes. Finally, I am in the plane and missing maximum city. It's been a day. Oh! Mumbai you are faraway from me and you just loomed away from me. I am heart broken.

Mumbai[Rewind]

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Mumbai 2005: I alighted at VT station and found my way  out of the station at 6 p.m. I chose to walk, a heavy bag on my shoulders, all the way to Colaba. Now, with less money in my pockets I need a cheap motel to stay. Finally, found a small room at a South Indian place and everything got settled in Rs 100 bucks per day. Not bad for a five days deal. Imagine Rs 500 rent in what is known as the most expensive place in Mumbai. Dude! Its Sobo( South Bombay)
Colaba is an enticing and beauty for the eyes during the night as one stroll through the cause, opposite Leopold Cafe. One can see throngs of gora foreigners, some Jmaicans guys trying to sell Hashish and other drugs, touts trying to entice passers by and the fake sellers of Dolce and Gabbana coaxing you into buying their products. They won't let you go and a price of decent shirt may easily fall from Rs 600 to Rs 80, provided you understand their trick and be a smart ass.
Go for a long walk and near Picadilly hotel, there is a guy selling Kurta and decent shirts ranging between Rs 120 to Rs 180. Typical street malls in Colaba and very comfortable, indeed. You are dressed for the day. The view of Colaba causeway easily comes straight from a film reel, at least this is what I think. It's totally awesome. On another day, I remember being pursued by one guy selling a map of India which I finally bought for Rs 100 bucks. I remember saying no and this chap followed me from Causeway to Gateway. Finally, I gave in! This is Mumbai for you. I was new in the city. Every time, I visit the maximum city, I end up staying for more days than actually planned for. It is such a crave and addiction. 
The honking of our classic blue and yellow cabs, the red BEST buses, the awesome crowd, cafe Leopold, Sports Express bar, Cafe Mondegar, touts,sellers of all kind of stuffs-necklaces, earrings, bracelets, the beautiful and super hot women, the goras makes it a life long experience. A moment to cherish throughout our life.I am not born in Mumbai but it is a magnet. Over the years, I have grown to accept the city as my own, amchi mumbai--I made it my home and how I miss hoem now. It's been more than 2 years.
Till, Mumbai part 2 happens for me.
(To be continued....)

Mumbai diary

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Happy Maha Shivratree to everyone. As everyone spend the night in mandir,offering prayers to the Lord,I was at home hanging round my PC..mom came in the morning and me woke up in the sleep to wake up the door and went back to bed. Watched Saat Khoon Maaf yesterday and me feels that Priyanka Chopra is so damn scary. Well made film and it's a good change. The film contains some well directed scenes and good performances were extracted from the actors. Review shall come in one day or two.
In my free time, I have become quite an expert in going back to my past as it gives me a sense of peace thinking of the good times spent during my college days. It was in 2005 when I was still a student at Fergusson college, Pune. It was the last day of my second year exams and I had to meet someone at the airport in Mumbai since he was bringing something for me. Must say, I was soo exciting to go to Mumbai, the city of dreams.
As I took the Volvo bus late at night, I reached Mumbai at 00.30 a.m the next day and took a rickshaw at the airport. Must say for a long time for the dude to land in Mumbai as I told him, Welcome to Mumbai. We had some smoke and chai and he had to take a local plane on his way to Delhi as I accompanied him. It was in the wee hours of the morning and it was in no way possible to get a cheap lodge to stay. I strayed throughout the night at the airport. I asked someone that I need to go to the station and he asked me if I want to save money take bus or a rick, but I can't remember whether I took a bus or a rick. I must confess that earlier I boarded a rick in the middle of the night and the rickshaw driver took me for a ride and he came back post 2 km.. I made him stop since he was asking for a huge sum of money but I finally gave him Rs 100 bucks for nothing. I fought with him but there were lotsa rickshaw at the airport.Jus wanna get rid of the fucker and I'm like go take it, a******** I was taken for a ride and I still get jitters. Dat y I say Mumbai is a great teacher.
As the gentleman told me, I took another rickshaw which cost me only 15 bucks and boarded the local at Andheri and reached Churchgate. From where, I took a cab to Colaba. Imagine I had a huge bag with me and searching for lodging in one of the most expensive places in the city, the same place where shoot out happened and where hordes of tourists shop and have beer. After much frantic search, I was damn tired and went to a Cyber cafe and asked one of the guys, not before surfing. They took me to a place,much say I was apprehensive that it might be dark, sidey place.Fortunately,it wasn't and finally got a room for 3 days.The cost:Would you believe some 150 bucks per day and was a place which belonged to some South Indian guys. It is a very small room near to Mc Do, metro shoes and a jewellery shop.Soo happy, chat milgaya sar chupana ke liye:)
In the evening, met Adi and his girl friend who joined me from Pune. We had some beer at Leopold Cafe. Since Bombay, as it was now at the time, was his birth place, he took me around in the double decker bus from Nariman Point to Dadar. We travelled for a good two hours and man, what an awesome sight of the city when you sit on top facing the window and the busy roads. At Dadar,we met one chick, Aboli,his school friend and he set me on a date with her. We met, had coffee at CCD,promise to meet again. Back to Colaba, I indulged in lotsa shopping, buying tee,shirts,Kurtas, shells and a miniature yellow black cab,plus many more stuffs. It was an awesome ride and if I sum it as, Memories to cherish in Maximum city.
Mumbai unlimited.