A Night At Dallas Fort Worth International Airport

                   

                 It is a billion dollar question till this moment, how my stress was overcome without much panic ,held up at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport over night on May 28,en route to my daughter's place in the US. Despite being optimistic and undaunted, stress and emotions take control of me easily even at the slightest provocation.          

                 Boarded the third and final flight ,the American Airlines at Dallas, scheduled to depart at 9. 50 PM to reach my destination, the Kansas City, after 90 minutes.The flight took off at 10. 30 PM only to stop immediately at the runway,with the announcement that the flight was stranded due to the bad weather.The delay was conveyed to the other end with the help of the phone from a good Samaritan, seated next to me, as the status of the flight would  be displayed as "Departed ". At 11. 00 PM, the passengers were told to alight and go back to the gate.

               At 1 O' Clock midnight, the flight was officially cancelled, followed by the issuing of alternative tickets, a standby ticket for the 7.00 AM flight and a confirmed ticket for 11.55 AM flight. All these formalities over at 2 O' clock midnight, taking the elevator and the Sky Link, reached the other gate to board 7.00 AM flight. Also had the first time experience of eating at midnight in a restaurant, that too Burritos in a distant country.

               A pleasant surprise, of course midst of so much of anxiety, was the sight of some folding, camp cots at the gate.Nearly 36 hours since leaving home at Chennai,what else can be so alluring to stretch the body for a couple of hours.Camp cots being provided at the airport was not known earlier to my daughter and family, other friends and relatives, some of whom happen to be frequent fliers  but had missed the " adventure " of being held up over night in an airport.

             Getting ready to board the 7.00 AM flight, my name, listed as the 42 nd standby, lost all hopes.Opening the mouth to narrate my ordeals of a 36 hour Odyssey to the Airlines Staff at the Gate on two or three occasions had to end abruptly seeing their  hands raised,signalling to stop and mean   " We do understand you; yet we are helpless ! Listening to such stories are a part of our profession, when the weather plays truant ! "

           Noting that there was also a flight at 10.00 AM , my request to give a seat for me in that flight was accepted.To move from Gate A 11 to Gate  A 37 ,again the elevator and the Sky Link, with the bare minimum to walk.Had Coffee and Chips at the stall. Confirming the departure at 10.00 AM, the news was conveyed to my daughter again with a phone of yet an other good Samaritan.The co passengers and others waiting ,at the gate ,were very cordial and supporting.

        Last time Jiji , GG, God,s Gift, safe in his mother,s tummy was  now holding his mother's hand to receive this grandma while his brother to be,Aarji, RG, Reward of God has succeeded him in taking his place.May God' s blessings be with their family for ever !

Rain, Rain Go Away !

                            Rain, Rain, Go Away!
                       Come again another day !

                        Had this popular rhyme could become true due to a miracle,the inconvenience turning into an experience for me at the Dallas Fort worth international airport in US could have  never happened.

                      Really, it is a sorry state of an incidence as well as incident for the passengers with immediate,urgent and prior appointments, engagements, persons with health issues, infants etc.

                     A couple of days before my departure from India, my son living at the opposite of the globe casually said, " Amma, I remember you are going to US through Dallas, Texas.The news is that the state of Texas is in floods." Busy with the travel priorities ,what he conveyed was least assimilated by me and brushed aside.

                 The first leg of the journey, departing at 4.10 AM from Chennai and flying for 4 hrs. and 30 minutes to Doha, Qatar was fine. Hamad international Airport, Doha whose expansion work is going on for more than 10 years seems to be an airport of world class, well connected to many destinations through a wide network of airlines.The service both by the Qatar Airways and the airport deserves to be recorded.

               After a transit of nearly 2 hours at the airport, embarked on the long mission of 15 hours plus to Dallas.On many an occasion discussing my travel to US,letting out my ordeals to be encountered on board for several hours, despite my optimism had no check.Fortunately,time seemed to have taken wings! My long time desire of watching the movie of my favourite star, Kathi, was fulfilled.There were nearly 10 Tamil Movies downloaded in the mini TV.

             To my joy, the fight landed at Dallas,the port of entry, at 3.30 PM, Local Time, 30 minutes prior to the schedule.The immigration took nearly 1 hour followed by the collection of baggage, Customs check, rechecking of the baggage to the American Airlines domestic flight to Kansas City and the Security Check up. Completing all these formalities, had a sigh of relief at 5.30 PM at the gate to board the domestic, final and third flight to Kansas City,from where my daughter's residence at Overland Park is a 30 minutes drive.The gates of the all the terminals at the Dallas airport are well served by the Sky link, only with a bare minimum to walk to reach the gate.I remember even at the Chicago O,hare airport, the passengers have to walk a long way depending on their gates, after alighting the train at the entrance of the Terminal.

         With more than 3 hours to board the flight, walking through the several corridors to while away the time, had the least thought that this airport is going to be my haven for more than 15 hours!

           



         

           

A long lull

                    Three months since my last post! A long lull indeed !

                    It is also going to be a necessary but pleasant break from my work to go to US to welcome my cute little grand prince likely to step into our  kingdom around June 20.

                 The pressure of completing the assignment at the work place, getting ready to embark on the long trip and so many chores kept me off, from recording my recollections.

                My travel from Chennai to Kansas City, especially the second leg of the trip from Doha, Qatar to Dallas, US for about 15 hours was not as tedious as anticipated .

               The unanticipated halt for 12 hours at the Dallas Fortworth airport due to the rains, before boarding my third and final flight of a duration of 90 minutes accepted easily as an experience by me, still seems to be surprising !

This Sunday,Very Much Auspicious

                Today is the first day of the Tamil month, Panguni, the last month of the Tamil year. Next month, the same day is going to be the Tamil New Year's Day. Unbelievable, one whole year is going to get over.

               Today seems to be very " mangalaharam ", boosting up my spirits. Every day, I try to make it to any one of the temples nearby on the way to my work. Mostly week ends and holidays are skipped, unless the day happens to be significant, personally or religiously.

             Today being the Tamil Matha Piraappu, the Siddhi Vinayaga Temple in the adjacent locality was my priority. On reaching the temple, to my great joy, abishekam was going on for Vinayaga, not anticipated by me at that moment and that made my day.

            Today also happens to be the 48 the day after the Kumbhabhishekam of the Mariamman and the Murugan Temple near our house on Jan.26.One Mandalam, 48 days are over.Chanting of the Mantras in the temple reverberate in our house right from the early morning. With the blessings of both the Gods, we could make it to that temple on all days of the whole Mandalam.

          Today, while this post was being typed, there was a call from one of my  my friends, who is also my school and college mate, inviting me to the Valaikappu Function of her daughter.

        Today,that is this Sunday is unique, the word. " Today "is used half a dozen times in this post. !A Big and Special Thanks to All The Gods, that all these fell on a Sunday, to be enjoyed to the full extent.

             

Over to the end of 1970s

    March 08, Sunday  

      Today is the Women's Day. My memory takes a giant leap backwards to this day by end of the 1970s when I was a final year student of my U.G. Course at the prestigious Sarah Tucker College, Tirunelveli.This college has the honour of being the first women's college in South India.

      Even four decades back, we were advanced and fortunate to celebrate this day.Then it was called the International Women's Day.Mrs.Latika Padalkar.I.A.S, Collector of Chennai was the Chief Guest. As the chairman of the College Student's Union, I had the prerogative of spending the whole day with her, right from receiving her at the Railway Station till seeing her off at the station again.

     A Golden Day, painted brightly in the memory canvas.

    Anxious to know how and where that great lady must be now, googled and found that she has settled in Pune. All the photographs taken with her are great treasures.

   A ray of hope to meet her with the pictures of her taken during the Women's Day, on getting a chance to visit Pune in future.

  Salutations to the lady who sowed the seeds in me to take the UPSC examinations. Though that remained only a dream with just getting the application from New Delhi, such elegant personalities continue to keep up my spirits.

May she live long with a good health !

Two Celebrities , Too simple

       Simplicity, I always strongly feel is a great quality to be applauded. It becomes obvious, being found in highly qualified or very wealthy persons. Highly learned individuals make me curious to know the contributing factors behind, be it hereditary, acquired, situational, motivated etc. In this context, Mrs. Sudha Murty, Chairman of the Infosys Foundation and her writings in English, the small stories about ordinary things, made extra ordinary with a message are simply adorned by me. How I Taught Grandma and Other Short Stories, authored by her finds always a place in the gifts given by me. The day,I am longing to meet her may be a golden day in my life. 

      A rare and enviable opportunity, indeed it was, I felt, to spend a few hours with two celebrities,  a couple of weeks back. One is an Indian diplomat in the Indian Foreign Service and the other, a business magnate of national as well as international fame, also with a social consciousness. Meeting and chatting with such dignitaries by the people outside their known circles may happen, at times in the flight or at the airports lounges waiting for the departure.

    A function organized at my work place facilitated such a wonderful get together. Both the guests carried away the audience with their captivating speeches. We felt at ease with the diplomat who continues to serve outside the country. Listening to her perceptions about places and persons were delightful.

   The philanthropic bent of mind and the sense of creating social awareness made the business man endearing to every one.

 

Utopia - Excellent Service

                   Excellent Service, similarly rendered everywhere and every day to every one is sure to make our country a Utopia.

            Utopia, Called " Yootopea " is the  name of a book written by Thomas Moore, which describes an imaginary place or state, where every thing is perfect.

                  Yes, the services at the Passport Seva Kendra, Coimbatore during the renewal of my Passport was awesome. By God's Grace, I had the opportunity to visit a few countries with transit at some of the top international airports. Hence this is not the first time of my exposure to an ambience of high tech. and sophistication Yet, mesmerized and speechless,, was I at the execution of the process at the various counters, that deserve to mentioned as world class.

             Police verification was not required as there was no change in the address. Subsequently the experience of the renewal of my passport from the moment of applying for the reissue, online till the time of receiving the second passport by speed post, all within 72 hours was hazzle free, enriching and pleasant.