In my family, it all started with my father...in a quite interesting manner though. His job made him travel a lot and he seldom stayed at home more than a week in a month. I am talking about those days when movies were seen and enjoyed only at theaters and not in front of the idiot box, pirated and telecast by some stupid cable TV shop. It was a booming industry and thus the travel to different cities and states were part and parcel of his job.
Then came one day when he had to travel to Siliguri (a town in North Bengal) very urgently and he had to take a flight. So you must be thinking, whats a big deal? It was...in those days when low cost carriers were not born and ordinary Indians were more comfortable traveling in sleeper class train and spend considerable amount of time on it to reach their destination, flying was a luxury. Nevertheless father had the chance to fly, albeit on official duty. On the day of the travel, we bid goodbye to him and I waited anxiously to hear about his flying experience when he returns..but wait, what is this...after an hour or two he came back. He said he missed his flight. Oh what a bad luck I thought, a golden chance missed. Nevertheless, he may have another chance..who knows. And quite true, he again got a chance to fly, for a official duty and to the same destination. What a co-incidence and luck (remember I was a small kid then, flying was a dream which was achieved only in my dreams and fulfilled by flying my paper planes!!). Now this time father had two of his colleagues to take him to airport and manage his bookings and travel. I also went with them to see him off...went up to the viewing gallery (some sort of, was there in those old days) and waved him good bye.
Came back home and told my mother about my newly acquired experience of visiting the airport and seeing so many plane at the same time. My mother was more relieved to hear that he boarded the plane and I wondered why. Then came the surprise....she told me that last time he did not miss the flight, but decided not to fly. He was apprehensive about flying and thought what would happen to us if he met with an accident. That sounded funny to me and laughed my heart out while my mother smiled, probably sensing the sensibility of my fathers thinking. Down the years when i recall the incident, i realize my fathers position...why was he afraid? he was not a weak hearted person having some aero-phobia (or whatever it may be called). He was the only bread earner in the family, i was a small kid...his thoughts were justified. A lower middle class family always thinks of day to day survival instead of a long term strategy...which was also true for us. But then he flew...his office made sure he did this time..got him escorted by two of his colleagues and entrusted them with the responsibility of his travel. Sounds funny but true. He came back all intact!! and I was more than happy to listen to his talks about his maiden air travel. I remember he saved the candies that he got in the flight and brought them back for me...it was a treasure and I flashed them to my friends. In those days, where PSP and computer were things not known or only seen in 'Star wars' movies, these little things generated much enthusiasm among young and young at hearts....alas we have lost those attitude to cherish these sweet little moments in life, where material things were overshadowed by heart-felt emotions and bonhomie.
Well since senior Nayak (my father) had his share of flying, junior should also have his!! it came but not before I past the quarter century of my life. The interesting part is that my first flight was an international one!! wow...so was i excited?? yes...you bet it....but wait, I was little anxious too...it is not like buying a train ticket and hoping on to it and start your journey. It is quite complicated ( I thought so at that time!)...So I reached there long before the time (you can gauge my anxiousness) and headed straight to board the flight (u can say my hangover of train journeys), when my trajectory was cut short by a security personnel. "Wait, where are you heading?" he asked, "What stupid question is he asking", I thought, "can't he see I have a ticket to Amsterdam and have my passport with me too, who is he to stop me?"....He was polite enough to see and understand that it was my first visit to international terminal, guided me to the direction of the counters when I can get the all important boarding pass and passport controls. Well, lesson learned and now experienced enough for pre-flight formalities!! After an hour I finally boarded the plane and set off to my journey... The inflight experience, i think are same for all the person who are flying for the first time...and I did hear something from my father...so am not going to mention my excitement when I saw clouds under me!!
Many years have passed after that and my job has brought me out of India which requires flying to reach home and out..........it has become a way of life rather than an experience....life goes on and those childhood excitements fade behind the years of maturity and experience.
