Disclaimer:This note contains thoughts of a first time overseas traveller.Hence, This may not interest frequent fliers and NRIs.
Arun sweating profusely in Chennai is a sight people close to me are quite used to. I have the capacity sweat sitting under a fan. Given the amount of excitement, the fear of excess baggage being carried, and the climate helping in no small measure ensured that I was perspiring more than usual. Both my bros were not used to this, andpity my younger one, I shouted at him, for asking me to cool down!!! My sincere apologies to him.
My sincere thanks to my elder bro who traveled for about twenty hours to see me off, for just about an hour!! Vaanathaipola would be proud of this!!
The Bappi Lahiri costume that I chose was a mixture of desire and compulsion. Desire, as I wanted to wear my favourite Elements Shirt (Green Flouroscent… the typical Arun), but the suade jacket over that, was my first signs of fear of what was in store down under. Moreover, one more dress on me meant, one dress less in my baggage! It was only in the last one week, that I realized, why film kaatify (show off), their newly purchased full suits and blazers…
It was a rather short and sweet meeting at the airport with the family, as I initially thought that I can come out to the main lounge as far as I have not gone through the security check. But to my disappointment, I was not allowd outside, as I had got my Boarding Pass. So we could just take three- four snaps together, and it was a rather weird feeling. To be very honest, it was the most unique feeling.. not knowing whether to be happy tat you are traveling abroad or whether to feel sad that you are going to stay away from your family for a long period of time. There have been a few occasion in my life, where I discover or rediscover that I am still the senti senti school kid, though I seem to come across as a very nonchalant, casual person to others.
The flight from Chennai to Bangkok, departed half an hour late, but this did not have any effect on the final arrival time at the destination, as the flight for the Bangkok - Melbourne wing was a different one.
The flight reached Bangkok early the next day morning, and the snap that you see are of a tired (tired of taking rest!!) Arun, obliging the paparazzi… J ….
The first sight of the firangs, was at the Bangkok Airport, as lot of tourists were returning back to their hometowns in Australia.
The flight left on time from Bnagkok, and it was a long long journey, almost 10 hours non stop, till we reached Sydney. I thought this would be a normal stopover, where we could just sit back in our seats, andonce the Sydney folks get down, we start again! But to our dismay, all of us had to alight, and go through the security check, and then gaet back again.
I did have my mini anxious moments when I declared that I carried medicines, some food stuffs and an old pair of shoes. I thought this was just a piece of information, but I was informed that I need to declare these things specifically to the customs but, somehow I could manage to convince that these were insignificant pieces of my luggage and is not a matter of concern at all. That was the beginning and end of the only little niggle in the entire journey.
The best part of the journey was the cab ride from the Melbourne. My friend hee reassured me that a personcan get into the cab by placing complete reliance on the driver, and there would be no “meterku mele, one and a half meter”, etc etc. I just had to give him the address, and he dropped me without any problem.
The weather was just too cool (literally!).It had no sympathy for visitors from hot and humid cities, like Chennai.
Oh!! Did I miss out on the food aspect… It was the most imaginative cuisine that I have ever tasted. I am yet to figure out what was offered to me on the flight. The only ways that I could convince myself that I was indeed eating vegetarian, was to take a look at what my neighboring passenger was having. He was eating something different, from what I was having.
The teetodler that I am (if the once in two months beer intake can be excused), I actually think I missed the generous servings of alcoholic beverages. The stewardesses were most hospitable when they were serving alcohol, that it looked as though, they didn’t enjoy the company of saadhu passengers like me.
I had a reasonably good dinner the night that I landed, thanks to Prem, my senior at work, who had left some rice, pickle, curds, paruppu podi, for the hungry, or rather, the hungry for South Indian food guy.
I took a good nights (and mornings) rest and after I woke up at 12:30 in the afternoon, I had rice with Raajma Masala for lunch. Again thanks to my roomies.
Later, we went to Myers Shopping Mall, which is in the Central Business District (or CBD as it is called), or nearabouts, and then the Big W, which, I believe is the equivalent of Walmart in this part of the world. Tram was the preferred mode of transport that day.
But having groomed the window shopper in me to perfection, I didn’t spend a dollar there. We finally landed up doing the actual shopping in some other super market, and also went to the customary Indian stores.
Then from Monday morning it was office time, and the first day was total bench time, no work at all. I did a few other eventful activities like opening a bank account, hunt for apartments and so on. The best part is that we walk to office, and since the weather is very kind to us, we don’t feel that we cross about 100 blocks.
Tuesday and Wednesday have gone by uneventful, except to the extent of getting trained in cooking (eligible spinsters watch out for this space in future!!)
This place seems to be the best to get involved in sporting activities, and I need to get into the groove soon..
More to come shortly……
Bye for now,
Arun
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