Flight to Mexico

 30 september 2021 

What does one do after a flight across half the world from Dubai to Mexico city via Barcelona ?

One sleeps 

As ones inner clock is all jumbled up that one feels like a zombie who had tequila one too many and saw a dinosaur too .

Kidding iam not sozzled its just the jet lag coupled with the altitude sickness that happens when one is air dropped to high altitude city though not very high around that of Ooty .

Economy in any flight is economic in its comforts, cramped spaces and boxed lunches with continious sky movie watching and standing in front of flight toilets giving way to the busy stewardesses .

And with bloody masks on and God knows where the made in China microbe was lurking in !

I truly pity the crew of airlines  doing this for a job ,odd times ,at times irritable passengers and work stress

Appreciate all of them they do a great job .

One good thing in such flights passengers too are reasonably well behaved considerate and not pushy even us Indians ..

So we left Dubai at 4 am on Tuesday morning in a 

Boeing 777 .200 LR ( LONG range )

Emirates has lot of Boeings mostly huge 777.. 300 ER ( extended range of more than 7000 nautical.miles ) .

Since ours did have a stopover at Barcelona Spain where crew changed too and we had to step out and later come back while flight was cleaned .

But then I cant add Spain in my visited countries list just being in transit .

After Spain plane got fuller more cramped and time stopped as it was just food TV and toilet visits with lost wires fallen forks etc but fun indeed.

During covid times online form fillings have increased

Spain required an online form with a QR code for transit too ..

All this as we held valid US visas which was a passport to most countries imagine what a green card or citizenship gives you but i wouldnt forsake my indian citizenship for these minor advantages at all 😁

And so we landed in Mexico city almost a day behind 

Time travel to past

And jet lag hit us in force with altitude sickness but the luxury of a Hyatt makes us rest well .

 Flying these days ..my thoughts 

Hopping across countries in intercontinental flights where one is jettisoned across time barriers like a piece of flotsam floating in an alumunium tube flying solely out of mans ingenuity .

Even a  hundred years back people went in huge steamers on choppy seas for the same voyage taking weeks ,though planes existed even then but to put bombs into each other or to ferry passengers though rarely .

Our progress in aviation has been remarkable indeed ,and there has been a  transformation in its outlook .

From luxury travel to utilitarian .

Even business classes are more businesses now albeit with better space , leg room ,classier sounding food ,real cuttlery ,and stretchable ergonomics instead of  old world luxury of low skirted stewardesses mixing cocktails .

First class still retains the  charm of yesteryears for those who can afford its extravagance , or to those qualified enough to be sponsored for the same .

Dont grumble 

About chartered planes or flying in own planes i know nothing to write .

Economy class has definitely become cattle class and iam sure there are brainos whose job it is only to find how to pack more in less .

The crew are more focussed on doing thier jobs and not in serving the passengers with charm and rightly so too ..

When we reached Mexico city after a day everyone though tired broke into a clap of gratitude to the crew who had  brought us safely across the oceans and tended us softly but surely ..

Security checks have definitely changed too as the dangers lurking have too .

No use in grumbling 

pack wisely ,be aware of cons and respect thier jobs .

At times its absurd as in India with same task being repeated , but there could be a reason for that and that may prevent you and me from being blown off into blithereens .

There are enough rabid loonies flying around .Immigration people I had noticed though some are friendly ,are not that back tapping loud guffawing salesmen, instead most are sombre ,with Indian immigration officers winning the price for frowning .

Naturally they arent models to keep grinning at you and me right ?

Baggages are delivered better though some get thrown a bit as seen in you tubes but baggage claiming and rechecking in in transits is a punishment .

About food iam doing a post on aviation food ,read it .

Above all Covid brought flying to a halt though things are opening up now .

 immigration officers frowns arent seen through thier masks these days .

See look at the positive side of things .

Smile

Harimohan