My visit to the United States - V

Its been a while since I encountered snow. Well, this time I did and this time the snow more than made up for the separation.

The backdrop was the picturesque Seattle. It snowed for a couple of days before I arrived. After half a day's break it continued to snow overnight and then again the next evening and the next as well. I was informed that the last it snowed like this was about 10 years back. It was a punishment to go out in this weather. However, I had my flight to the windy city and had to leave. My poor brother in laws Pratik and Vikas were the guys to bear the brunt and had to drive me to the airport. The roads were filled with ice and snow. The trees had a white cover. It was as if the whole city had turned white. It was an over whelming sight. Driving on ice was a dangerous task but was handled very well by Vikas.

After an hour's drive we managed to reach the airport around 7.30 in the morning. The scene inside was something like I'd never seen before. I was scheduled to take the Alaskan airlines flight bound for Chicago via Reno departing Seattle at 8.45. There were hundreds of people queued up to check in at Alaskan. The que went on for what seemed like miles. People were in the que since as early as 4 ! Most of them had already missed their flights and were in the que to get re-booked. I realised that there was no way that I would make it in time and so went from one airline to another seeking seats for any possible connection to Chicago. "No seats until the 24th" said one rep. A few airlines had cancelled all their flights out of Seattle that day. The snow took its toll on everyone. As for me, I had no other option but to cancel my trip to Chicago and take the hour long drive back home with Pratik and Vikas.

My visit to the United States - IV

I realised today that this series from my blog is running into several parts. Now that's not the problem. The problem is that I started using the Roman numerals which are now becoming problematic. Until 3 it was a cake walk but thereafter ?

While I keep mentioning visit to the United States I must also add that I did also visit Toronto for a day. So, technically it is my visit to North America. Anyways, this particular trip is my shortest US trip till date. In almost all my trips there is a day when my checked baggage does not arrive with me. Wonder why this NEVER happens in India. With all the sophisticated technology and all you'd wonder how come such things happen and that to so frequently.

Well, on this instance the scene of crime was Seattle Tacoma airport. Due to my frequent travel on the Star Alliance network of airlines my bag was tagged as a priority. I was always under the impression that "priority" meant that the bags would be taken care of and would arrive before everyone else's on the carousal. However, Air Canada and United Airlines have sworn to crush my beliefs. They keep trying and trying until one day I stop expecting the bag to come at all. This way when the odd day the bag does turn up I feel highly about them !

Getting back to the carousal waiting for my bag to come. I waited and waited and finally the bags from our flight were being sent on the carousal. The rounds went on for about half hour before a group of us accepted the fact that today was our turn to face the music. It turned out that the entire "priority" group's bags didn't arrive. We all stood in line to file the claim. After another 10 or 15 mins.the rep at the counter asked the baggage handlers to re-check if there were any bags left and sure enough the guy replied (after the re-check) that there was indeed a trolley full of bags that were missed out. Finally, after the two hour trauma I got my bag.

The worst part of all this is you can't even take out your anger on the reps in the United States. You can't shout at the people and lighten up from within. At least in India you shout a few abuses at the person at fault and feel light from within !

My visit to the United States - Part III

Most times on arrival into the States I keep awake for a few hours and then go to bed around 7 or 8. This way I have no jet lag etc.and get back on track immediately.

However, this time I was very sleepy and took a nap in the evening. It was dark at 5 in the evening ! This little nap messed up the start of my trip and I felt sleepy the next day as well. From then on things were fine though. There was a lot of gloom all over which was aggravated by the dull weather. I expected to see a very vibrant US around this time of the year, being Christmas but it was not to be.

I wonder what is it with the sun and how one feels from within. I feel very energetic and active when the sun is around during the day. The day the sun isn't there is an instant dullness. I pity the places where the sun doesn't shine for 6 months. What the heck would I do were I to go there !

My visit to the United States - Part II

Hey there !

On this trip I took Singapore Airlines, which according to me is the finest. I always try to get to fly on this rather than the rest. There are a number of reasons to do so. I think the service all through, be it on the ground and in air is absolutely fantastic. The food is good and the in flight entertainment is very good. The seats also seem to be a bit more spacious vs the other airlines. Of course, the icing on the cake are the air hostesses. There is just no match in this category !

How much ever I try to convince my wife otherwise, she firmly believes that I opt for Singapore Airlines because of the air hostesses ;)

I've had the opportunity to travel in several airlines and truly believe that Singapore airlines is a class apart.

My visit to the United States

Off I am to yet another trip to the United States.

As I await my boarding announcement I got a few moments to post this blog from the wonderful lounge at the majestic Hyderabad International Airport. It is truly a fascinating airport at par with the best in the world with regard to style and amenities. It is a totally different world in comparison to the old airport. Although the journey to the new one is significantly longer than to the old one, which was basically in the heart of the city.

However, once at the airport, at every point there is a marked difference to the old one. To start with, there are a large number of brand new trolleys waiting by the 'drop off' zone. Once in the terminal, there are several counters for every airline with the most courteous staff guiding anyone needing assistance. After checking in the immigration is also a pleasant surprise as the 10 odd counters (against 3-4 of the old airport) make people breeze by in no time. The well stocked duty free welcomes every passenger after which there is a long isle with eateries and shops on one side and a seating area on the other. The lounge is very well done and has a good selection of food and drinks; a few lap tops for those wishing to browse the net (from where I type presently) and also a shower area.

Well.......that was just my boarding call. So got to go. Will keep you on track with the rest along my journey.

My visit to Dubai - Part II

I take off from where I left in my last posting.

To start with the airport has more than doubled in size with the added new terminal. Its quite different in architecture in comparison with the older one. The modern elements are made visible with the designing and colors. The security remain the same though :)

There are no more free rooms. In fact, one needs to be in the category of "who's who" or at least be sent by one to afford a good hotel room in today's Dubai. There are no more close hotels. Everything seems far thanks to the tremendous surge in traffic. I could hardly see the open sky anymore. All I saw were towering sky scrappers of the finest and most unusual architecture. It was quite a sight. During my stay I did have the opportunity to visit the same mall I had visited years back and although the layout remained the same the brands have changed. In smaller local brand has made room for a larger international brand. Global brands embrace each and every inch of shopping space in the mall and on the large hoardings outside and on the roads as well.

Every street has some on-going construction. The roads are packed with the best of vehicles. I can't think of any other city with a Lexus taxi ! The city buzzes with activity. People value time and are on the move always.

The city has created one icon after the other and continues to do so. The most famous of them the Burj Al Arab which stands majestically in the Arabian Sea just off the coast. The more recent

landmarks are the palms and the world which are man made islands which have literally made impossible, possible. Then there is the world's largest tower - the Burj Dubai, the world's largest shopping mall (supposedly) - the Dubai Mall, the list goes on.

My visit to Dubai

It was my first international trip in the year 2001. I was extremely excited to step on-board the Emirates flight out of Hyderabad headed for Dubai and thereafter a connecting flight to Milan. Travel was not so common those days and hardly any international flights out of Hyderabad. Emirates had some great offers which attracted people like me. Of-course, the most attractive was the price. However apart from that they also offered a night's stay free of cost at a four star hotel for transit passengers.

As this particular blog is about Dubai I am skipping the European leg of my journey, which I can come back to on another day. I took my transit stay offer on the way back from Europe to Hyderabad. After the little more than 5 hour flight I reached Dubai and was scared at the sight of the Arab security guards. They do look menacing. Well after all the formalities at the airport I was escorted in a chauffeur driven car to the 4 star 'Airport Hotel' which was a wonderful hotel near the airport. It was luxurious from within and for a first timer, I felt like royalty. The next day I headed to a mall nearby called the City Center, Deira. I was amazed at the sheer size of the mall and needless to say ended up buying some necessary and a lot of unnecessary things. I didn't have much time and therefore couldn't see much of the city.

I would do injustice to Dubai had I not mentioned the airport. They literally had several palm trees all through the terminal with an array of glittering shops on either sides. It was a spectacular sight to see them make a shopping mall right inside the airport. This "mall" too was packed with visitors buying any and everything to take back to their homeland.

I came back with fond memories and thought how developed they were until I returned back to Dubai for my longest stay (over a week) in the city in November, 2008. I could never have imagined the kind of transformation that this city has gone through in the last 7 years. If I thought they were very developed in the year 2001, then words cannot describe what they are today.....................
(to be continued)