An ancient Traveller

It started with an urge to travel and learn. When I got an opportunity to study abroad with full scholarship, I had no second thoughts. It took a year and a half to complete my paperwork and visa formalities. Finally my day had come to travel abroad.

I was excited, conscious and keen as I walked into the Bangalore Airport. Leading the line, but not sure what next, somehow managed to let four people cut in front of me. I was observing my fellow passengers. Trying to look smart, I handed my ticket and passport with a “hello” to the air host near the door. He had a pleasant smile on his face, but gave me a weird look. I gave a weird look back and moved on. The plane was double seated. I put my backpack in the luggage rack above me and made myself comfortable beside the window; I was not sure if it was actually my seat. I leaned back and closed my eyes with a relief of making it till “my seat.”

“Excuse me” a male voice woke me up, sounding like a young smart guy in his late twenties. I opened my eyes, he was good looking but didn't seem as smart as I had imagined. “Window seat is mine” he said and tried to show the proof in his ticket. I did not look at it but gave him his “window seat” back. Though I wanted to punch him on his face!

I fastened my seat belt before any instructions, then unfastened it. We heard a male voice from the pit crew, giving instructions to fasten our seat belts during our flight. The plane took off and I experienced a tickled feeling in my abdomen. After fifteen minutes, a bald middle aged male air host came near our seat with a cart full of preserved food and asked “What kind of drink would you like? I wanted coffee, instead I said “I would like some tea,” then I said “I want coffee,” but he didn’t hear. The window seat guy told me to speak louder, but I didn’t. I ended up not taking any drink. I was sick of these male voices telling me what to do!

We introduced to each other and talked why and where we were traveling to. It was mid January, and I had my sandals on. He told me that it was going to be very cold in North East America. My shoes and socks were packed in my checked in luggage, so he gave me a pair of socks. In return, I gave him a pen, which my sister gave me as a present. The flight stopped at the Paris airport where I had a layover. My next flight was in seven hours and his was in two hours. With that lasting memory of a brief friendship, we said goodbye to each other. He took off to Canada, and I went to the US.