Friday, July 28, 2006

Coming to America

I have been doing this trip every single year for the last 5 or 6 years and still it kills me every single time

Coming to America is fun but the journey here is exhausting every single time

I got lucky leaving Bombay. Got upgraded to Club class on my first sector to London. British Airways club class is absolutely amazing... Flat beds, the service, the food...Sinpmly A class and I highly recommend it to everyone that can afford it...I know I can't ;)

I managed to sleep all the way to London - thank God for that

But Heathrow airport was simply a mess that morning

Snake lines that went on for miles (and remember I haven't even mentioned here the number of lines I had to stand in to get to the aircraft in Mumbai airport)

First the line to get out of the plane, then the line to get into the bus to change ternminals...then the line to pass security to enter the terminal, then the line to change buy duty free, then the line to cross security to enter my flight to Miami - Sheesh

There was no hope of getting upgraded on my sector to Miami

And to make it worse, I was stuck with over 8 kids under the age of 5 - out of which one 4 month old sat right next to me and a three year old right in front of me

I couldn't sleep for a second and it was a long long flight

Finally at Miami and I am pleased to announce that a) My bags made it this year -yipee and b) Immigration was cleared in less than 20 minutes as compared to the regular 60 minutes it takes every year and c) Miami airport has been revamped -nice pleasant change

My flight out of Miami was delayed so I ended up sitting at the airport for 8 hours...

God bless ipods and friends that come and sit with you for a while during transit...

But I'm finally home in Nashville

And Arete, I can't wait to see you too - enjoy your trip to Disneyworld

How has your last 36 hours been?