i hate dealing with authorities and i had tried to postpone it for as long as i could. i thought getting visa on arrival at Bangkok would be quick and easy. But others had thought the same. The queue, when I joined it, had already developed three long loops. It took me close to two and a half hours to get my visa in hand. Suvarnabhumi airport certainly can improve its visa services.
Meanwhile as i waited for my visa, my sister waited for me at the lounge and not being able to spot me, she somehow managed to get past the arrival lounge and into the prohibited-for-non-travelers-area with the result that when i finally reached the exit gates there was no sister to be seen. i remember i felt a thought forming in some part of my mind which went something like – what if she has left, i don’t even know how to reach her house - but faced with my conviction that KD would wait till sundown, it didn’t have a chance. :P
While at the visa counter i had eyed the numerous public phones, but not having any thai coins i had not been able to call KD. Now i managed to get change but i could not figure how to use the phone. Is there any particular reason why thai public phones are so complicated to use? Finally a lady taxi driver came up to me and offered her mobile phone and charged me 5 bahts for it’s use. KD was contacted and you can imagine my happiness and relief when i spotted her familiar figure from almost a mile away (Suvarnabhumi is huge!) coming towards me. i had finally arrived and the vacation had started rolling!
We exchanged news and traded insults and got into a taxi and headed home. At home, KD announced that she had a meeting to attend and the venue was very near two big malls – Carfour and Robinsons --, did i want to come along and wait at the malls till her meeting got over or did i want to rest? Of course i wanted to come along! After sis had showered and i had changed, we hailed another taxi from our doorstep which took us to her venue. Sis instructed me on how to reach Carfour and disappeared into the hotel and i found myself walking down the street of Bangkok. :)
to be continued...
3 comments:
I was already at the airport when the boards announced that the flight from Delhi had landed. 30 minutes passed. Then one hour. I started pacing near the meeting point. Another half an hour passed - no signs of MD. I got worried, maybe she is waiting at some other point? So, I did a 'walk around' all possible places. Another half an hour and no sister to be seen. Did she board the airplane? She must have - the last I talked to her she was at the departure lounge in Delhi. What could go wrong? Did she choose to walk out of the plane in mid skies for some reason?? No - that could not be! Did they send her back from Bangkok airport because of some document problem? No - no flight available now. Then??? Should I stay put at the designated meeting point or should I look for her? What if I move and she comes and does not find me? Grrrrrrrr - I decided to go inside and check anyway. And while I was dodging authorities who wanted to see my tickets, I received a call on my mobile. 'Tui Kothai achish? Where are you, I am waiting for sooo long??'....... Madame MD had finally come out!!!
Lol! Loved these posts - you make it sound so terribly funny, but I can imagine all too well what you must have been going through! And dealing with rude Delhi-airport types too - all my sympathies. I laughed longest at that airlines guy asking you 'kis bewakoof ne apko andar jane nahi diya' when only second before he'd been supporting that very bewakoof!
Now waiting impatiently for the next instalment! :)
what holiday without suspence !!?
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