Log: Bangalore - Paris - London

There are a lot of ways to narrate a journey. Some journeys are really special, there is so much that goes around you. As the scene around you change, a part of you keeps reacting to all that visual sensory overload. The changing landscape, numerous faces that pass by, each quirk that catches your attention and your brain shifting gears in response. But then there is always a secondary track that keeps running, analyzing, thinking, rationalizing issues, decisions you just took and those yet to be made.

At the end of the journey, having arrived, I seem to lose all that I had gone through. All that I agreed to, all that I wanted to do and all that I sweared never to do.

This one was probably one of those journeys but this time around I was typing it out on my iPod. Having managed to transfer it to my laptop today, I want to share what the journey meant to me.. of-course minus a few things. Mostly meaningless read out of context, but may be you could relate to a few of theese..

9th Aug, 00:01 : Time for a last call. She didn't pick up but anyway Happy Birthday!! I will make it up to her.. I better get her something good when I return..
Should I make another call. She might be reading a book but isn't this too much. My head is really heavy. This time around, the excitement of flying abroad is simply missing but this rush of emotions is too familiar. The last few minutes have been so good. This is exactly why I had been longing to comeback to India. All those landmarks, Downtown LA..Universal Studios.. Burj-Al-Arab all had been so good but having friends with whom you want to spend that last few minutes even at the risk of missing the flight.. priceless. We just had coffee at the CCD in Banglore airport and talked all kind of non-sense about non-issues. But frnds I am going to miss you all. Last goodbyes linger for long but I guess if it's from unexpected people it's natural to stick on longer..

9th Aug 1:40 :Sitting in the flight and instead of checking out the inflight entertainment menu from Air France, I am sticking to my iPod and typing this out. I guess, I need to clear this mess out of my head and anyway 1:30am is not a great time to watch a movie.

1:50 AM: The menu card is simply great. Simplistic yet impressive. Designed as a postcard it manages to make it's point. You are travelling to Paris... I will keep this as a souvenir. Start collecting now and I will be able to use it at some workshop like Steve did with those silly air sickness bags.. Wow!! I seem to be assuming I will stick on the the Travel domain long enough to be conducting workshops like him...But that where I got to reach.. Get paid for talking management BS :D
PS: I forgot to pick it up when I left the flight :(

2:15 AM: Did I really chose this playlist or is it running on shuffle mode for all songs?? And why am I asking myself this after 2hrs!! Have I been listening.?? And why did I refuse the wine!! Well I guess it's a lesson learnt from the first flight across time zones. No alcohol... it just aggravates the jet lag.. Anyway I am feeling too drowsy. Thoughts seems to have reached Alice's wonderland.. I am running but I am still where I started. I am feeling more confused than before..I am going to sleep off now.. there is no end to this analysis..its already been 3hrs..

4.15 Am: The idiot sitting next to me has spilled water on me while trying to get out.. I guess choosing an aisle seat also has its troubles..Anyway since I am up, this is the best time to shift to Paris time. THis is the best way to fool yourself about the jet lag.. Change over to Destination time some time during the trip and you wake up believing the time you see on you watch. You are in sync with the new time zone. Really helped me to be on time with the transfer between terminals last time. The flight map shows we have already crossed Middle East. There's no way I can prove Dilip was wrong about the flight going over Pak airspace.

7:04 Am: Wow!! If this is not co-incidence, these people have a great CRM practice. I was served breakfast on a priority..before anyone else. This seems to be because I had refused dinner last night!! How did they track that. Ohh.. I now see the steward pick up small cards fixed on the head rest of some seats. So did they mark all those people who skipped dinner?? Did my seat also have a card? I wish I had checked it earlier..

9:23 Am: CDG airport is really neat. I like this arched view. There is no free wi-fi here. This dumb piece of machine doesnt accept cards. NExt time I need to keep in mind to carry a few currencies of the transit airport. Where do I get Euros now.. So my tweet can wait till I reach London.. And yes.. I need to tell Ranjith that the wi-fi at Banglore airport still sucks!!

Now that's sight of a life time... Never imagined someone could look so graceful in a short gown!!! I swear she looks like Diana!!! French are sure pretty!! (it's ok..I know Diana was not french!!)So the uniform for Air France employees vary.. This is a lot better. simple yet elegant..

Before I forget. The entire immigration desk as well as the security check counter were manned by women.. Did I say "Manned"... Well, I would say this is a nice model.. should be tried out in India. Blue eyes!!! who spoke me of blue eyes last time??? oh yes.. And I am back to the same old thing!!! I thought I had finally got it out of my head..

10.15 Am: As we were walking into the flight, I was telling Mariam how a window seat would have been great. It was beautiful morning and we are to cover the English channel. The take-off and landing itself would be worth it. The ticket said 20D, and that meant an aisle seat!! But guess what, this was a smaller plane (3X3 seats) and mine is a window seat :)

Two radar posts!!! What's the need for two?? Seems like they have two ATC towers also.. Is it because CDG airport is so huge?? Two radars are fine but two ATCs.. highly unlikely.. I need to ask Arya..

Am I noticing for the first time, the design of the exhaust pipes of commercial aircrafts..I will never forget that interview in Vanarsi.. "If you really love aircrafts, as you claim, you should be able to tell me if the wings of a sukhoi is above or below the fuselage.." And I was thinking.. What's the fuselage!!! It's been a long time and I thought I had lost interest..

WOW!!! That's a CONCORDE!! So French have treasured it!! This seems like a true scale model.. a replica of the original legend..How long back was that?? Who was describing that first hand view.. over the breakfast table. I need step out the flashback mode...

Hey!!! I can see the shoreline.. Is it the normandy beaches..Anyway they look beautiful...