Experience of travelling alone

Every moment in a person's life is precious and I am a strong believer of that. Any moment any thing can happen...One such incident that  I am reminded of at this juncture is my travel to UK.

My husband was deputed to work for a company in UK. So, he had to leave the country in the mid week of Nov. Since I was working in a software company, I could not start along with him. So, it was decided that I shall start on Dec 06, Saturday. 

Dec 06 has always been a day with a tightened security in all parts of the country since the babri masjid incident. It was the same that year as well. On Dec 04, I woke up with a feeling that I just had 2 more days to spend time in India. I switched on the TV to only be shocked by the news flashes. It was told that there was a hijack threat in planes and so, all the airports, railway stations and other public places were put on high alert. Isn't it enough to give a shock for a mom? Yes, it is. My mom was so tensed that she asked me to cancel my flight and asked me travel some other day.  But fate had it all different.

 I was excited to face such a dramatic situation and for my mom's sake I told my husband about the situation. He was upset after hearing the news and decided to do something about it. He tried contacting the travel desk of his company to ask them to check whether there was a ticket available for me to travel on Dec 04 itself. He was asked to wait and was also told that in order to check whether there was a ticket available or not, they would have to cancel the ticket that has already been booked. It was agreed. Since all this happened all of a sudden, I decided to meet my friend that day itself and we went out for lunch. Spent a good time with her after long time.In the meantime, I got a call from my husband telling me that a ticket was available and that I would be needed to start on Dec 04 itself. I dint know what to do since I still had a few more things to be packed. My friend and I started off and I went home after dropping her in her office. 

All of us were very tensed. But then, every now and then, mails came in updating us of the current status of my ticket and at one point, everything was confirmed. I took a print out of all that was needed and sat down for packing the left out things.My dad also arrived from his place which is a village near vellore. He came in here exclusively to be with me. But it was only a matter of hours left for me to get ready. Though I was left with a lot of time to board, I was enjoying the last minute pressure that was there for me to get ready for the airport. I kept updating my husband regarding what I had done and in turn I was told what I was supposed to do. We all had our dinner together and at exactly 11 P.M, we all started towards the airport in a car.

The moment I entered the airport premises, I felt a sense of pride in me. Though, there were mixed feelings in me going around, I still could feel the pride predominantly over the other feelings. I had a thought in me telling me that I ll be independent and there would be no pampering and no child-like treatments. I could hear so many voices advising me to take care of my health & of course my husband's (because of whom I am in UK now ;) ). But still, something was telling inside me that I am going to be independent. I still dont understand why I had a feeling. Travelling "alone" from India to UK was very scary. At least to my parents though both of them are educated, still they have a feeling that I am too young to be left all alone ;)(Strange.as  it sounds.. they got me married :P) . Even my husband calls me a kid but I guess that is because I am short ;).. That apart. 

It was 00.30 in the midnight when I entered the airport bidding adieu to my parents, my sweet lil kido sis, my parents in law and relatives. They were not allowed to come inside the airport as it was a day before the D day, Dec 06 '2008.  Though it had been many years after demolishing the Babri masjid, it day is still considered a black day, with many fearing attacks. It was the same that year too as there was a hijack threat to add to the fire. All the airports throughout the country were put on a high security alert and there were so many levels of checking.

Going through these levels of security was hectic but the ultimate thing happened at around 01.15 A.M. When I was about to go in for the immigration check, I found that my folder which contained all the documents, like my certificates, destination address, etc., were missing. I dint know what to do and whom to contact. I could not call up anyone. So, I started off by asking the persons who were responsible for replacing the trolleys as I knew that I had kept it in the trolley. None of them gave a positive answer. I was panicking. My mind was clustered with all thoughts how to get the duplicates of my certificates as I had lost hope of getting it back :(. I finally decided to approach a girl who was a part of the airlines that I was going to travel. That girl said that she remembered seeing me with a folder but again she was not sure. 

Everything came to a standstill. I was about to call up my parents and ask them apply for duplicate copies. But a man suddenly came from somewhere. He was asking people about a folder. He said that he found a folder and that he was trying to contact the person over phone whose details were there. Eventually, that was my husband's details but then he could not be reached since his mobile number was no more active. I thanked him asked me where he found that. He said that a lady who was a "first-timer" took the trolley without asking whether anybody was using it or not. But when she found those documents she handed it over to the person from whom I got back the folder. Thank God!!!! Later, I could recollect the incidents. A lady came up to me and asked for help to fill-in the immigration form. I helped her and after thanking me, she left taking my trolley. Then, at that time when I tried to look in for the folder, I realised that it was missing. I am still not able to imagine what it would've been if I had lost my certificates.

Later on, after the security check-in was over, I relaxed for sometime. Then, at around 2.30, it was announced that we could board the flight. I boarded the flight when my seat number was called for. 

I settled down only to hear the sound ZZZZZZZZZZZZHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.................... The flight took off and I could hear no more voices except those crew members and the captain, everybody had slept.  At 8 in the morning I was half-way through to my destination without any problem ~ "THE HIJACK". 

Then at 5.30 P.M IST, I reached my destination "United Kingdom" (a day before the one, I supposed to have arrived).

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