Monday, September 04, 2006
A quick visit to another world …
My first On-site trip is full of experience …
Highlights…
I got myself upgraded to Business Class on British Airways… trust me … its different!
However, as usual, with a lost mind… I forgot to take the receipt of my first dinner (that was nearly GBP 25)… arhhh…
OK… to begin …
I was supposed to travel blr-lhr direct … however, unavailability of tickets forced me to travel through Delhi, and all the travel itinerary got pre-pone to early evening from late night… a hush-hush from office and I was off to Delhi… Thanks to Alu, who came at airport on my request and stayed with me till wee early morning when I went in for check-in. Check in was smooth… I was the first on the counter and he asked me if I was feeling lucky … (apart from usual questions) … and I said I think so … he asked me I would like to upgrade to B-class (from earlier – world class plus – a level above economy)… I said why not!!! … He gave me a B-Class window seat! (I was definitely feeling lucky). Further moving to immigration, though guy looked at my photo many times (my photo in Visa and Passport don’t exactly match… they just manage)… but then he really didn’t ask anything… after that the wait period was awful… there was relatively nothing you could do… with eyes drooping and head spinning… it was really difficult to stay up!
Finally when I boarded the plane, it was different from what I have seen B-Class sections earlier … one gets his own space … in isolation … and seats in pair arranged in diagonally facing with a dividing curtain … and I was seated with reverse direction … (it was not so good feeling) … and then my neighbor managed to spill my juice on my seat! Ouch!
The rest of the flight was peaceful … breakfast was superb … I haven’t seen a “thick” spanish omelet … it was really delicious… there were few movies running in their entertainment section (including a few new ones) … but my headache didn’t let me do justice to them…
While the flight was moving over our neighbor - afgans, the sight was unexpected … it was different… huge ranges of hills and mountains with literally no vegetation… a few lines of greenery could be seen on the river marks (it could be river itself, but I was more than sure it was human habitat than just the river) … vast lands with no growth in vicinity … even then it was having a beauty of its own.
I reached my destination in time (actually a little before) … and immigration was smooth. Then we (my boss and other team members came by another flight) … started our further journey by car to our final destination … it was a long ride…
Few things which amazed me of this place was the adherence to the signs and traffic sense… the highway was such that you can’t take a U-turn in the middle of the road… there were places where in some work was going on … the speed limits were on… and all the vehicles actually followed those limits… within the town/city … it was more prominent … whatever speed you are coming, for a pedestrian you have to give way… even if the road is empty, you don’t jump signals… you give way to the vehicles over the circles … you follow lanes … in a three lane-road, you are only in the lane where you need to go and don’t jump lanes in between, even if the side lanes are empty and you are in a BIG queue …
Another thing that amazed me was the adherence to the work-life balance (or so to speak), most of shops close by 6pm (even if the sunset was closer to 8pm) … even the coffee shops close … the only things that are open are food joints (not all) … and pubs.
I have now traveled in Mercedes Benz (car and van), BMW, Porsche, and London Taxi … yay!!!
My return was a direct flight in economy class and let me tell you there is a good difference between b-class and economy class…
It was a good trip overall … and now back to Hosur Road in Bangalore … grrr….
Highlights…
I got myself upgraded to Business Class on British Airways… trust me … its different!
However, as usual, with a lost mind… I forgot to take the receipt of my first dinner (that was nearly GBP 25)… arhhh…
OK… to begin …
I was supposed to travel blr-lhr direct … however, unavailability of tickets forced me to travel through Delhi, and all the travel itinerary got pre-pone to early evening from late night… a hush-hush from office and I was off to Delhi… Thanks to Alu, who came at airport on my request and stayed with me till wee early morning when I went in for check-in. Check in was smooth… I was the first on the counter and he asked me if I was feeling lucky … (apart from usual questions) … and I said I think so … he asked me I would like to upgrade to B-class (from earlier – world class plus – a level above economy)… I said why not!!! … He gave me a B-Class window seat! (I was definitely feeling lucky). Further moving to immigration, though guy looked at my photo many times (my photo in Visa and Passport don’t exactly match… they just manage)… but then he really didn’t ask anything… after that the wait period was awful… there was relatively nothing you could do… with eyes drooping and head spinning… it was really difficult to stay up!
Finally when I boarded the plane, it was different from what I have seen B-Class sections earlier … one gets his own space … in isolation … and seats in pair arranged in diagonally facing with a dividing curtain … and I was seated with reverse direction … (it was not so good feeling) … and then my neighbor managed to spill my juice on my seat! Ouch!
The rest of the flight was peaceful … breakfast was superb … I haven’t seen a “thick” spanish omelet … it was really delicious… there were few movies running in their entertainment section (including a few new ones) … but my headache didn’t let me do justice to them…
While the flight was moving over our neighbor - afgans, the sight was unexpected … it was different… huge ranges of hills and mountains with literally no vegetation… a few lines of greenery could be seen on the river marks (it could be river itself, but I was more than sure it was human habitat than just the river) … vast lands with no growth in vicinity … even then it was having a beauty of its own.
I reached my destination in time (actually a little before) … and immigration was smooth. Then we (my boss and other team members came by another flight) … started our further journey by car to our final destination … it was a long ride…
Few things which amazed me of this place was the adherence to the signs and traffic sense… the highway was such that you can’t take a U-turn in the middle of the road… there were places where in some work was going on … the speed limits were on… and all the vehicles actually followed those limits… within the town/city … it was more prominent … whatever speed you are coming, for a pedestrian you have to give way… even if the road is empty, you don’t jump signals… you give way to the vehicles over the circles … you follow lanes … in a three lane-road, you are only in the lane where you need to go and don’t jump lanes in between, even if the side lanes are empty and you are in a BIG queue …
Another thing that amazed me was the adherence to the work-life balance (or so to speak), most of shops close by 6pm (even if the sunset was closer to 8pm) … even the coffee shops close … the only things that are open are food joints (not all) … and pubs.
I have now traveled in Mercedes Benz (car and van), BMW, Porsche, and London Taxi … yay!!!
My return was a direct flight in economy class and let me tell you there is a good difference between b-class and economy class…
It was a good trip overall … and now back to Hosur Road in Bangalore … grrr….
Comments:
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it's quite an experiance going out ..especially if like me it's ur first time...i was jus zapped and amazed by so many things arnd me.. and the first things i noticed was the traffic...how smooth it was, no hiccups, noone jumping lanes...and still so fast...and the greenery..eveyrthing jus seems so green..liek there's no dust arnd anywhere!!
where r u living right now? london?
where r u living right now? london?
you HAVE to travel more!!! then youll start WANTING for home!!!
sigh.. i have moved house SO many times now that i just want a little corner i can settle down PERMANENTLY! and THEN travel for fun.
sigh.. i have moved house SO many times now that i just want a little corner i can settle down PERMANENTLY! and THEN travel for fun.
I did a Driving trip to Wales this weekend and had an experience of driving on the British Highways.
Agree with you about discipled traffic etc ...
But if you live here for a long period, you realise that India isn't all that Bad - its better in more than one way.
Btw, you were lucky they served you a Spanish Omlette on BA. In my flight they tries serving some Indian Dishes and messed awfully ... would have preferred Air India to BA.
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Agree with you about discipled traffic etc ...
But if you live here for a long period, you realise that India isn't all that Bad - its better in more than one way.
Btw, you were lucky they served you a Spanish Omlette on BA. In my flight they tries serving some Indian Dishes and messed awfully ... would have preferred Air India to BA.
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