We had empenadas (fried filled latin pockets), ice cream, and pizza (yes, excessively nostalgic). Hung out on her roofdeck (w/Aalap and Puja), then headed off to the airport to do customary protocols which went smoothly. On the plane by 10PM, in the Air by 11:35.
(NYC, lights passing in the night from high altitude, 12:10AM)
Qatar Airways, I've gotta say. The food was great, the service courteous, and the plane was brand-spanking new. The video on demand system can keep anyone from the most skeptical luddite to a caffeinated 12 year-old with ADHD occupied for hours. They have a clever system to wake us up which involves the subtle use of gradually shifting colored lights and even though i was in the very last row, i was one of the first ones off: yes, they have a back and front exit.
Otherwise, I ended up in Doha, with spotty (though only for me it seemed) free WiFi and a decent 'luxury' duty-free. This type of thing isn't really my scene but i purused around and impulsively bought some sesame cookies. The crowds were pretty engulfing, as the duty-free concept seems to attract people to spend tons of money solely on copious amounts of cigarettes and booze. But if that isn't attractive to you, buy water. I grabbed 2 bottles of aquafina at 50 cents a piece. I would've thought that water in the middle of the bloody desert would have been a scarce commodity: apparently not.
Sooner or later, a few book chapters and a quick flight; a snack, and a nap later i finally made it. About 34hrs after I left Upton, I was in Ahmedabad. Not to mention, free of Swine flu.
paying for water ? You are not an "amdavadi" yet! He will pickup an extra bottle from the plane :)
ReplyDeletewhat do you see in the picture of nyc?
ReplyDeletefiery, streakily moving, shadowed by a mysterious Alladin Genie, watched by an angel on a white bird