Sunday, November 27, 2005
Welcome back to Mumbai !
"We have started our decent to Mumbai, Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport. We should be arriving at our destination in 20 mins."
This is the announcement that brings me back into half my senses after the long 22 hours journey back to Mumbai. And especially when the journey includes a 2 hour delay in Zurich (free of cost), my state is never receptive to the cute smiles of the beautiful air-hostes on the flight. And in between the quite bustle that spread across the whole plane with people makeing up their hair, rubbing their eyes open, straightening their back-rests and falana falana, I begin the preparation to land by filling up the embarkation form and stretching out my legs. Still in a drudgy state, I drag myself down the corridors to clear my baggage thru customs.
But the last stretch out of the airport is always different... I have never "Remembered" the "Scent" of Mumbai ever.... Infact I dont even know if there IS a "scent of Mumbai" which I should be aware off... but everytime I walk thru that stretch to get out of the airport, I actually can "Recollect" that smell. And as the warm air from outside mixes with the Air Conditioned air being circulated thru the building, it starts to tickle my senses. And somehow that is the time I completely return back to full alert and a develop the "persistent smile" syndrome. That small 3 second journey thru the rapidly tranforming air from the inside into the warm air of the outside always brings up memories which I wud otherwise have believed forgotten.. And the the "Persistent Smile Syndrome" takes over ... Not only me but many other fellow passengers too!! ... walking out of the airport smiling for no rhyme or reason and turning their heads from one direction to another... and just like theirs, my brains too starts running this ultra-fast algorithm...
Step 1: Pick a face
Step 2: Begin Scan and store in temporary cache
Step 3: Find Match in Database
Step 4: If "Not found" Clear Cache and pick next face. Goto Step 2
Step 5: Found a recognizable face? start GRINNING and MOVE TOWARDS "Known Face"
And then I get greeted with that one nice warm hug that lasts quite a lifetime... And thats when I finally say to myself... "Welcome back to Mumbai!"
This is the announcement that brings me back into half my senses after the long 22 hours journey back to Mumbai. And especially when the journey includes a 2 hour delay in Zurich (free of cost), my state is never receptive to the cute smiles of the beautiful air-hostes on the flight. And in between the quite bustle that spread across the whole plane with people makeing up their hair, rubbing their eyes open, straightening their back-rests and falana falana, I begin the preparation to land by filling up the embarkation form and stretching out my legs. Still in a drudgy state, I drag myself down the corridors to clear my baggage thru customs.
But the last stretch out of the airport is always different... I have never "Remembered" the "Scent" of Mumbai ever.... Infact I dont even know if there IS a "scent of Mumbai" which I should be aware off... but everytime I walk thru that stretch to get out of the airport, I actually can "Recollect" that smell. And as the warm air from outside mixes with the Air Conditioned air being circulated thru the building, it starts to tickle my senses. And somehow that is the time I completely return back to full alert and a develop the "persistent smile" syndrome. That small 3 second journey thru the rapidly tranforming air from the inside into the warm air of the outside always brings up memories which I wud otherwise have believed forgotten.. And the the "Persistent Smile Syndrome" takes over ... Not only me but many other fellow passengers too!! ... walking out of the airport smiling for no rhyme or reason and turning their heads from one direction to another... and just like theirs, my brains too starts running this ultra-fast algorithm...
Step 1: Pick a face
Step 2: Begin Scan and store in temporary cache
Step 3: Find Match in Database
Step 4: If "Not found" Clear Cache and pick next face. Goto Step 2
Step 5: Found a recognizable face? start GRINNING and MOVE TOWARDS "Known Face"
And then I get greeted with that one nice warm hug that lasts quite a lifetime... And thats when I finally say to myself... "Welcome back to Mumbai!"
:: posted by RagsInRags, 5:25 PM
1 Comments:
while i was reading felt as if i was actually living it:D u r a gr8 writer:D
