Dated: 2008 (OCRed from Handwritten Notes)
Mumbai – London – Dallas – Las Vegas – Chicago → London – Peterborough → London – Mumbai
I start off from home with a heavy heart – not sure why because it is just a few days trip. Maybe it is the healing wound in my back or the thought of seeing your family for a few days – not sure, might not really be able to analyze.
I came in early – reaching terminal 2C of the international airport. Very crowded – the vehicle in which I came goes all the way to the end and takes a turn and drops me at the gate – I see BA and enter showing my e‑ticket. I see not many people; it is 10:00 pm – the flight is at 02:15 am. I make some initial inquiry and stand in the queue – the wait continues – the queue length increases as it takes 2 U turn and the baggage screening has not yet started – whew… more wait and around 11:30 the baggage screening counter opens – the queue begins to move slowly – both checked‑in and hand baggage go through the X‑ray machine – boarding pass the next item.
“Have you reserved your seat?” Yes.
“Do you have hand baggage?” Yes.
“Check‑in baggage?” Yes.
I need to ask you some questions because of security reasons – please go ahead.
“Where are you going?” London – Dallas – Las Vegas – to US – yes
May I ask you for what purpose - Attend a conference.
“Can I have a look at the invite letter?” 30 sec.
I remove the paper and pass it across- scans for 30 secs – not sure what she saw.
gives the boarding pass – should say one of the less pleasant girls at the counter (did you pack your bags? - yes - With help of my son.)
Fill the immigration card – a long queue – a smart lady stamps departure 31/03/2008 ... but at my Singapore visa page! Sleepy?? not sure.
Walk down to Gate 5 – fill up an Airtel global calling card – 300 Rs – should be able to call for 30 odd minutes.
I walk into security check – loose my pen – my mistake – I put it in the plastic basket with my purse and passport [papers – pick up the important ones and forget – the pen – I realize very soon and go back for it – nope it's gone – someone taken it – sad - But then that is how it is.
Waiting for the announcement to board the flight - It is 01:25 am now. The Waiting space near Gate 5 is crowded – then sometime there will be an announcement.
Waiting for baggage screening – not a single person looks happy – probably the long queue – and the inefficient directions – unlike earlier – there are a couple of guys helping out old people, ladies with kids – so that they can get preferential screening of baggage - the trick is simple – get a wheelchair and ask one of the persons sit – use that and take people ahead for screening or immigration.
I spot a gentleman neatly dressed (in tie and coat) taking the preferential queue (non‑economy, act challenged) – one guy asks “business class” – the guy says “no” but continues standing – the guys says that economy queue is the “long one” – the guy in the coat doesn’t budge- the airport guy smiles and says it’s ok for him to stand – probably he doesn’t have authority to do anything – but one thing is clear – a very regular traveler probably knows what to do ad di it effectively – just needs a little think skin I guess.
See so many people come with huge bags – probably came for a holiday – not sure what they got and what they take back – but it looks a bit of a puzzle. Probably, the size of the bag size indicates how long you plan to stay at destination. Seeing the kids, I do feel one day Sumit could travel to a foreign land – not like after my PhD – maybe sooner – a small though occurs – maybe I can take him if I go on a longer trip – or maybe we could plan - holiday – hopefully we can one day soon. (01:40 IST / 31/03/2008)
AA51 London to Dallas
The previous flight which lasted more than 9 hours was not eventful - except probably at the time of boarding when an oldish gentleman was playing pranks on others – boy you are too long a he said to another boy. “My mother fed me well – how long are you?” “6 4 – inches or m or cm? I pitched in feet and inches. We discuss because flight is delayed 2:30 am – flight finally flew at 3 am – but till made it in time at Heathrow.
This oldish man became quite mum after I answered that I was a PhD in engineering – among other things that we discussed about why aeroplanes should not have solar‑powered runs – if not completely - at least in/for entertainment part in the aircraft – both of us were not sure why they were not being used yet -
The Mumbai-London BA flight was a 747 while the London‑Dallas flight is a 777 not sure what is the inside difference - I was sitting 41A which is quite front on the 747 flight while I am sitting 43G in the 777 – I am last but one seat (2-5-2) while the 747 was 2-4-3 arrangement. A window seat in a 747 was quite upsetting- restricted movement 0 it felt really cramped – especially with a Gujarati couple were fast asleep.
Apparently, the Gujarati couple in their late 40s were in UK for last 22 years; the gentleman was a carpenter… …Likes UK because apparently there is no corruption unlike in India.
Apparently when in India he was driving a vehicle and was in an accident – the other party shifted the blame on him – “London ka aadmi hai” – he had to grease the police apparently. Thus, his dislike for India.
01/04 – 04:15 am (1635; IST).
Just got up – probably the jet lag and feel fresh– thought I will write a little and then sleep until 6 am here time – the bath and maybe a walk on a taxi to Caesar Palace for the conference.
Had a pretty good sleep – woke up at 2:01, 4:01 – was a little suspicious if the minute digital clock was not working – really got up to check for – I have set the alarm at 6 am (supplied by hotel). Las Vegas is a city that never sleeps (4 am not much traffic – but there is some!) mostly visitors – that is what Braid something the taxi driver tells me - the taxi stand was almost 200 m with 16 bays – my turn came almost after a good number of minutes - I mention the hotel and get into the front seat – he speeds at 70 mph in a zone clearly marked 55 -
Ask if he is speeding –
“Have you been to NYC?”
I say “No.”
“Oh… do they drive carefully…”
Suddenly another car zooms past us – I say apparently the other guy driving faster! He is happy with the remark.
I have seen lots of these roads Google.com but can’t figure out except Sahara Drive – which I know if farther from where the $80 per night hotel is – I ask him if this the strip… pointing to a road marked “Las Vegas Blvd” - he says yes – did we pass the Ceaser Palace? No I took another route (probably longer?) to avoid traffic (even in this route there was traffic)
Pay him $30 – doesn’t even offer to get the luggage for me – I ignore because he is too stout – his getting in and out would have been “really a workout for him”.
The immigration at BLW was again a long queue…... the time I navigate the queue and answer questions like “Who is paying for your trip?”, “How much currency are you carrying?” Open your specs look @ the camera it is 1610. My luggage. I pick it up – and assume that I have missed { had earlier asked an immigration person if I could skip the Q to catch the flight – no since there are many flights to LV- not possible}.
A lady tells me that if I had gone directly to C6 from D33 I could have got into the flight – I was not sure I could have done that because this is my first visit to Dalas airport – anyway I ask what next – go by the next flight – I approach the counter – no flights to LV – everything full – I stand there adamantly – say I have a conference – my job done – I have a hotel reservation in LV. I need to get there – more than anything not my fault. I was travelling AA from London – if AA was aware then they should have not said yes to the itinerary! That works. “oh yes I have found one last seat” - I thank and move on. I am surprised at my stubbornness stance bit it worked – probably the proverbial case of pushing you to the back of the wall. All this done by 1640 D time – leaving time to spare. I call up Reddy wide who promises to come by 1700 at the pre decided place (I was not sure if she would make it) - with red t-shirt and black backpack – I waited until 1710 – then left for the security – I was not sure because of the longish queue at the security in the D terminal + the fact that mostly in D seem to be wearing - the same combination of clothes – minus a cell phone on me – it was a sure case of not being able to meet. Since my new flight AA535 had time to call up her again from Terminal A – but led me to an answering machine – I did not leave a message – just to save minutes on my Airtel card!
After the incident at Dallas – it has been bugging me -
With less than 1 hour halt at Chicago – the 1‑800‑882‑8880 AA reservation speech automation – looks like Nuance engine – the prompts are very “text book” like – first their SR performance bad the lower confidence and say what was best recognized if that fails (read out and expect the person to say not override) then say “I am sorry I am having troubel I will hand over to an agent” - apparently first ask for flight # number it two failed attempts is wrong (ask user) it directly ask for the source and the destination airports - “Las Vegas” got right “Chicago | O Harere Airport” got it wrong – and the then passed on to a human agent – well so much about SR – the human agent saif that that Chicago connection was legal – and all the immigration formalities would happen in LV - “I hope you are sure” I asked her – she said yes – well this is something I would not have asked a voice interface – natural language understanding – uhmm.. A long way off – also the agent was looking at my itienary (I suppose0 when she answered my query – well a machine has to be able to do that – yes it can have access to all the records – but will it be able to “understand” that the flight connection was legal – maybe it would with some AU but the stopper is “I hope you are sure” - I would live to see that being answered algorithmically or otherwise.
06‑04 – 2008 (in plane, Heathrow Airport, 0°C)
The plane AA-98 on the runway waiting for ground clearance – so that it can go into the bay – captain unsure how long it will take has switched off both engines! Looks like London is not used to snow so it is taking people a while to clear away things – not having much to do thought I might as well jot down a few things. Well, one thing that is bugging me is will I be able to survive two days in Peterborough – where temperatures are likely to be single digits or less! – maybe I need to quickly shop for “snow wear” if there is something… like that. Unlike The “from India” journey – this journey has been quite anxious less – maybe because I am closing on the day to reach home in Mumbai.
Reached Las Vegas airport at 10:40 local LV time by boarding a taxi – automated check-in with a touch screen – able to getch my travel after I insert my passport and then type in my destination LHR. It says “wait for a rep” to check your documents – no one comes! I wait for 2 minutes and check what is happening – the lady at the counter asks me to come and to get the boarding pass – boarding pass to London via Chicago in my pocession – baggage tagged and checked-in – I am through – it is difficult to get i – but pretty much simple to get out. Got through the security – then walked around and found so may slot machines (gambling) being unused – for the first time read the details and only then realised that it was just a “brainless” way to loose money – then thought when in Vegas why not try it – finally sunk in 8 dollars it was purely easy to loose! L Vegas to Chicago – change terminal and get on to the London flight happened quickly – on time changed to add on 2 more hours – that I had lost when I came to LV from Mumbai.
After 1 hour or so AA98 is docked “sorry folks you need to take steps and bus” - as I walk out of the aircraft 0 I feel the 0 deg effect – smoke coming out of mouth! Bus takes about 15 minutes to reach terminal 3 – a pretty quick walk and through the immigration – followed the signs to the underground train – the approach better than India but not as good as in he USA - (you need to climb steps at sometime can drag luggage at same time; better that in Indian because you always need to carry!) An hours trip brings me to the Kings cross – now I need to find another long distance train to go to Peterborough - took a few minutes to find the ticket counter where you ca buy using money! A ticket to PB – train at 3 pm from platform 6 going to New Castel – no reservation – but a ticket – I am not aware what to do to I ask and find that I can sit in a seat which does not have a ticker sticking on top of the seat – I scan – there seems to be no such seat – then I see one chap standing – I ask – apparently I can stand and go to PB which is at a distance of 1 hour – tired and having not much options - I stand and come to PB – board a taxi and reach the hotel – good room 0 outside it is very clod – skip dinner – eat biscuits and tea – a restaurant nearby – same odd thigs – the br part makes e take a decision not to eat!
Try to call – some problem with the phone – so use the pay phone to call Namita –Namita and Sumit are back it is 520pm here and approximately 10 pm in India. Then I put in a pound in the with internet access – can only see yahoo mail – TCS mail is a https so not accessible – not sure when to go to TCS lab – no information on when I want to go – it gets dark very late – even @ 7:30 pm – there was so much day light.
Things seen:
Bellagio fountain, Eiffel tower exerience
Lion Habitat, MGM world (3D movie)
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