Journey!

Must be wondering where did I go? Well, I went to India for a long vaccation for three and half months! So I was enjoying and was busy spending time with my family so was not able to blog, though I missed blogging! Anyways I am back now......so here I am blogging!

 I love to travel and I love journeys! So I don't mind sitting in plane for hours together! When I have travelled alone or with my husband, I used to read a book, or listen to music or watch a movie or just peep through the window watching the clouds or just sleep, not even wake up to eat something or walk arround!

  But while travelling with kids, its totally different! Even then I make sure that they get to eat something and sleep! Its not been too bad, until now, travelling with my kids, because there is some strong chemistry between me and my kids that, they co-operate a lot and try to understand the situation,when I explain to them and they try to adjust to the situation! Touchwood!

  But this time, I had horrible experience travelling in the plane! I travelled in Air India! Well, that should be actually enough for one to understand why my experience was horrible! That too after the horibble plane crash in Mangalore, its worth for me to write about them!!  There is no ethics or proffessionalism and they don't even care when people complain about their service!

  They promise to give the stroller in Bombay, but when I ask for the stroller in Bombay they say that "Sorry mam, we cannot give it, you can get it in NY"! But the stroller did not travel to NY so I did not get the stroller at all!!

 In flight service is so horrible that, you don't feel that you are travelling in a plane!! They don't come at all when you want them. Both of my kids were sleeping on my lap so I was unable to get up and go, so I called them several times to get coffee for myself but they did not come at all!

 When my kids woke up, I wanted milk for them, so I went and saw that there was nobody in the kitchen!!

 The bathrooms are so horrible, its not even worth to mention! They don't even feel sorry for their horrible service.  They don't have the boarding bridge, so as soon as you land in Bombay you need to get on to the bus and that will take you the airport and from their again you have to go through security checking and then run to the gate to board the plane!

 This time there was unexplained delay in flight from Bangalore and also in Bombay.  Kids were so sleepy and hungry and cranky! The schedule flight from Bangalore to Bombay was at 8.20 but Air India guys did not even care to say why there was a delay! So finally they started boarding at 9.20 and the flight left at 10 in the night!

  So after reaching Bombay, since it was a NY flight, there was some extra securtiy checking again!

  Well you are carrying your handbag,and also you are carrying your kid and with that you are walking with another kid, with all these, you are forced to take off shoes, jackets..........! Well, I do understand the need for security checking, but atleast they can consider about women carrying kids!

 Anyways, when I came to the security checking in Bombay, I felt so week in my knees and got so scared that there was a huge line, for women and it was aleardy 11.30 in the night and my next flight was at 12.45!

 My elder daughter said that she can no more stand and feeling very tired and sleepy! It looked like that I might miss my connecting flight to NY.  I went and requested and explained my situation that with two kids and my flight at 12.45, can I go for the security checking right away! But she did not even bother to answer me nor look at me, she was busy eating sandwich and cleaning her teeth with toothpick! Yuck!

 Well, both my daughters started crying, it was too hot, and we were sweating like hell and it was already 12.05! Ok, I just grabbed my handbag, carried my younger daughter and asked my elder daughter to hold my hand just walked near the security checking, breaking my line!!

  All the people standing in front of me, did not even talk but obliged and had sympathic look for me and allowed me to go right away for the security checking! Thanks to all of them!

  After the checking I litterly ran to the gate and near the gate also, they were checking the bags, so after all of that, I finally boarded the plane and it was 12.38! Oops! I was so tired and tensed. So I went and sat in my seat and kids were very sleepy and told them that until the take off they need to wear their seat belts and after that they can take off the belts and sleep on my lap!!

 But the flight never took off and there was no explanation as to why its getting delayed. Above all there was no AC, so everybody was feeling so hot and couple of seats ahead from our seat, there was a very small baby, which was non-stop crying on top of his voice.........!!

  And finally the pilot announced at 1.40 that in few minutes we will take off, since the baggage were being loaded to the plane and also they were waiting for some more passengers to come, the flight was delayed!! And finally at 2 in the midnight the flight took off and as soon as at it took off, both of my kids took off the seat belt, took off the arm rest and both of them grabbed my lap and were fast asleep!!!!

  It was one hour and 15 minutes of delay and there was no explantion!! Actually to be very honest, I was so scared to travel in Air India, after the Mangalore accident! I was scared to the extent that I could not say proper "Good bye" to my family!!!! The things I read in the newspaper........that the employees are not treated well, the crew and the piolt are not given enough break and sleep and they are not paid well. From past several months their salaries are due......!

 Well, those things explain that why they give a bad service! 

 Anyways, still I feel that somehow I came back safely with kids! I did not even close my eyes for a minute, I was watching movies and lisenting to music, only counting mins and seconds to end the journey and get off the plane.

  While landing I was so scared that I was holding my kids hand and praying GOD! I could see the same fear in everybody's face while the plane was landing!!!!!

   Hopefully Air India will learn a lesson from Mangalore accident and improve on their treating their staff and their service!!!

  But my trip to India was very nice,memorable and filled with lot of fun. Will soon share the reicpe of obbattu, which my brother made for Ugadi festival, when I was in India!