Across the Atlantic

My first post from the United Ishtates of Amreica. The country which will be my home for the next two years.

For me 3 Aug dawned just the same way it does for me whenever I have a journey ahead, and this being a biggest journey of my life till date added some extra time I had to stay awake the previous night.

Had prepared myself thoroughly for the D Day. There were lots of pending work that had to be done, and all this made the time fly faster than it usually does. And in a jiffy it was 4, the time to leave. Hugs, tears, wishes from all the members from my family and was into the car to the airport.

The journey to the airport was spent mostly on the phone and some occasional last minute gyan from dad and mom about how to lead my life in there...

Met the people with whom I was supposed to travel, thanks to Orkut and the other technological advances that has made us to re-think the concept of time and distance. These have made the world a smaller place to live in. The group that I was travelling with had atleast one other friend whom I knew. We got going straight away behaving like a bunch of school kids on their way to a picnic. We did have the license to behave so as we had rid ourselves of the corporate tag and back to being students.

It was time to say good bye to family and friends and as the airport doors closed behind me, I was on my own.

The journey was hectic to say the least. The views from the window were amazing. As soon as the filght took of from BIAL, I felt pang of melancholy seeing the airport road like a ring of beads finally disappearing into the horizon. Landed at Mumbai on time where a pang of humidity hit me as soon as I set foot at the airport reminding me that I am still in India. Waited there for 4 hours, which was not at all boring because of the 10 ppl who were travelling with me. The flight took of frm Mumbai at 2:20 AM on the 4 aug, thus started the longest 4 aug in my life. 26 hrs after leaving BIAL it was still 4 Aug in Raleigh. The path that the plane took to Brussels was a tad scary, passing thru Pakistan. Afghanistan, Iran....

The flight landed at Brussels at 7:20 local time. A very nice ariport, with loads of shops but being a student now could not buy frm any of them :D.
The flight took of frm Brussels to JFK at 10:10 local time, passing over the english channel finally hitting the mighty Atlantic. The plane was flying so high above the clouds that the Atlantic looked like a mighty expanse of blue most of the time covered by a blanket of clouds. The views were amazing.

Flying for over 5 hours over the Atlantic, made me feel helpless and awe struck at the expanse of the ocean.

The approach that the flight took to JFK was awsome. One turn of the plane and the vista of New York was painted before my eyes, an amazing sight indeed. Landing at one of the greatest cities in the world was an amazing experience. The flight was kissing the surface of the Hudson river before hitting the JFK runway.

A word about JFK. A HUUUUGE airport which I think has around 8 Terminals (My plane landed at terminal 8) Immigration was a cake walk and so was customs, with nothing much being asked. With 4 big bangs (the Immigration officer stamping my forms) I was formally allowed into USA. There was a 3 hour wait before we were asked to board the final flight to Raleigh.

A few words about this modern engineering marvel (Being very very sarcastic). This plane was supposedly to fly and we were asked to sit in it!!. It was just like Air Deccan, 100times more worse. The height of the plane was just a shade below 6 feet. From my seat I could see the cockpit which was even more conjusted. The airhostess was cranky. The way she spoke made me wonder whether I knew English. The plane actually waited for a few minutes for people arrived and only when it was almost full did it fly. I was wondering whether they will stop midway to pick up people!! :D

Again the views from the window was amazing. And after an hour landed at Raleigh. I got out of the plane and humidity hit me again, making me feel at home!!. Collected all my luggage and was waiting for my sis to pick me up.

It was still 6PM 4 Aug!!. The only thing that made me feel I was in an alien country was the lack of chaos and disorder. The place I stay is absolutely silent!! No crows!!, I could not even hear one of them cawing!!.

I shall get back with more about my life here in the States.

Goodbye for now..