The Flight
We get to the airport on MARTA at 1345. The flight to Newark is due to arrive a bit over an hour late. United says we have plenty of time and refuses to rebook us on an earlier (Delta) flight. While we wait in Atlanta we try to guess which other passengers might also be headed to Mumbai.
The flight to Newark is uneventful. Mike is sitting next to a NJ town garbage collector whose hobbies include cooking food with Indian spice flavorings. Carol is sitting next to nobody talkative. Anyway, we arrive in Newark at 1855, with 1:15 to spare. This is plenty of time for us: but for our bags . . .? At this gate, we are finally in India Central.
United 48 ends up leaving 30 min late. Our flight goes over Norway, Sweden, Finland, Siberia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kabul, Pakistan, and western India -- very far from eastern Ukraine. The 777 has more legroom than any plane we have been on in years. Even though the flight is for a night-day-night plane, the flight attendants ask every passenger to keep the windows closed from the get-go. No tempting films, so we get 8 hours of good sleep.
We both awake with 4 1/2 hours of the 15 hour flight left. We head out of our seats. We talk with several Indians who are (a) long term American residents, seeking permanent residency and eventual citizenship, and (b) Indians back to visit family for various reasons. One man talks of the Indian elections as being a choice between murderers (BJP and Modi) and thieves (Congress). Another talks of the "Obama wave," and that eventually, Indians and others will be seen to be very conservative, if only the Republicans can control themselves, and resist saying that immigrants don't belong in the US and should all go home, post haste. A woman with a new baby is taking a multi-month hiatus from working and Columbus OH is about to become too cold.
Any way, the flight lands at 2210 on Tuesday. We go through customs easily, pick up our bags (which were actually on our plane!), get money (10000 R = $167) from an ATM (the moneychanger booth is too expensive).
To get into town, you prepay for a taxi to the hotel (the guidebook says 500 rupees for a trip, but it turns out to be 800 R at 61 to the dollar).
Off we go with our backpacks tied on top and the straps flapping in the wind.
It is hard to have first impressions in the dark. We see flashes of tall buildings and long stretches of 2-3 story residential/commercial. Some people out and about or sleeping outside. At one point, there is a strong smell of sulphur.
The driver finds the hotel (Traveller's Inn on 26 Adi Marzban Path, Fort) just after midnight. It is locked tight and dark, but soon someone comes down and opens up. We have a small room with A/C and shower that leaves water all over the entire bathroom. And to bed, as best as we can. (It is 1:30-2:00 pm in the afternoon in Atlanta).
We get to the airport on MARTA at 1345. The flight to Newark is due to arrive a bit over an hour late. United says we have plenty of time and refuses to rebook us on an earlier (Delta) flight. While we wait in Atlanta we try to guess which other passengers might also be headed to Mumbai.
The flight to Newark is uneventful. Mike is sitting next to a NJ town garbage collector whose hobbies include cooking food with Indian spice flavorings. Carol is sitting next to nobody talkative. Anyway, we arrive in Newark at 1855, with 1:15 to spare. This is plenty of time for us: but for our bags . . .? At this gate, we are finally in India Central.
United 48 ends up leaving 30 min late. Our flight goes over Norway, Sweden, Finland, Siberia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kabul, Pakistan, and western India -- very far from eastern Ukraine. The 777 has more legroom than any plane we have been on in years. Even though the flight is for a night-day-night plane, the flight attendants ask every passenger to keep the windows closed from the get-go. No tempting films, so we get 8 hours of good sleep.
We both awake with 4 1/2 hours of the 15 hour flight left. We head out of our seats. We talk with several Indians who are (a) long term American residents, seeking permanent residency and eventual citizenship, and (b) Indians back to visit family for various reasons. One man talks of the Indian elections as being a choice between murderers (BJP and Modi) and thieves (Congress). Another talks of the "Obama wave," and that eventually, Indians and others will be seen to be very conservative, if only the Republicans can control themselves, and resist saying that immigrants don't belong in the US and should all go home, post haste. A woman with a new baby is taking a multi-month hiatus from working and Columbus OH is about to become too cold.
Any way, the flight lands at 2210 on Tuesday. We go through customs easily, pick up our bags (which were actually on our plane!), get money (10000 R = $167) from an ATM (the moneychanger booth is too expensive).
To get into town, you prepay for a taxi to the hotel (the guidebook says 500 rupees for a trip, but it turns out to be 800 R at 61 to the dollar).
Off we go with our backpacks tied on top and the straps flapping in the wind.
It is hard to have first impressions in the dark. We see flashes of tall buildings and long stretches of 2-3 story residential/commercial. Some people out and about or sleeping outside. At one point, there is a strong smell of sulphur.
The driver finds the hotel (Traveller's Inn on 26 Adi Marzban Path, Fort) just after midnight. It is locked tight and dark, but soon someone comes down and opens up. We have a small room with A/C and shower that leaves water all over the entire bathroom. And to bed, as best as we can. (It is 1:30-2:00 pm in the afternoon in Atlanta).
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