Journey to Antwerp - Part 3 - Zurich to Brussels to Antwerp

Zurich airport is quite nice. You get the feeling that everything is well-managed (maybe it's that subconscious feeling you already have, having heard the phrase "Swiss Efficiency" one time too many, I don't know).

Anyway landed there on time at 6:20, and took their underground train to the domestic terminal. No problems at all in clearing the security check there as well, things were moving at a quietly efficient pace there. I couldn't help but notice the stark difference from Mumbai. While in one place there were people shouting all over the place ("Any Thai Airways to Bangkok" a la the Kochi bus conductors' "Aluva Aluva Aluva"), here it was far more peaceful.

Had an interesting sight during take-off from Zurich. It has 3 runways. Exactly as our plane (to Brussels) was taking off from one of them, there was another taking off from a second one, at what seemed like a 60 degree angle to ours. Beautiful sight, seeing the two take off together and then bank in opposite directions. You'd think it was some kind of synchronized show (well, maybe the ATC guys were having some fun :) ).

The final flight from Zurich too was uneventful. Landed at Brussels as scheduled at 7:15, went through Border Control and was out pretty quickly. The way they've put directions in these places, you really have to make an effort to get lost. Was actually wondering if I'd see my check-in luggage, as I'd through-checked it in all the way from Bangalore, with 2 flight changes after that. So was rather relieved to find it sitting neatly on the belt.

Had decided to get a taxi to Antwerp rather than the bus/train options, to avoid the hassle of getting off elsewhere and then dragging the luggage the rest of the distance. The taxi guy was someone I took an immediate liking to. As soon as he got out onto the 6-lane expressway to Antwerp, he moved over to the leftmost lane and floored the pedal to take it all the way up to 140 kmph, and kept it there. After hearing "Nikhil, this is not an F1 car, you know" while crossing 90kmph back home, this was awesome.

Traffic was light, and we made it to Antwerp in good time. Met my new room-mate, with whom I'd only interacted by email before.

I now understand first-hand what the term Jet Lag means. And it doesn't help one bit that it's as bright as day even at 8 in the evening.

From tomorrow, back to work!

Journey to Antwerp - Part 2 - Mumbai to Zurich

So here I am at Mumbai CSI (Chhatrapati Shivaji International, not the T.V series) airport, with about 5 hours till my next flight.

Getting in at the domestic airport, am amazed at how even well thought out systems can be rendered useless by sheer human laziness (or idiocy, you choose). I need to take the airport shuttle to get to the International Terminal, and am handed a ticket with my queue number neatly printed on it, by the information desk. But when the shuttle arrives, I see a mad rush towards it. Inquiring as to which queue was currently boarding, I'm politely told by the staff that the queue number is not being used, anybody can board any shuttle anytime.

Thankfully I'm able to meet Hrishiettan and Nanduettan like I'd promised, and then proceed to the Immigration after check-in. My heart sank on seeing the Immigration queue at Mumbai airport, the queue was so long! But miraculously, it didn't take me more than 15 minutes! The airport itself is in a big mess though, with renovation and construction all over the place. Half the terminal didn't have any air conditioning and was so stuffy. Boarded my plane on time.

My plane took off about half an hour late from Mumbai, though. The flight itself was super smooth, with clear skies all the way through. I though had a terrible headache by time I boarded, and so slept off right after take-off. But the view from the sky at night was simple amazing. In the distance you could see the flashing lights of some other aircraft (there was not a single cloud in the sky, as I mentioned), and on the ground you could trace the various cities and the roads linking them. The in-flight screens showed our current location, so had a very generic idea of what I was looking down on.

Had a hearty breakfast on the Swiss flight, with normal parathas and chana masala! A small disappointment here, tried the Butter supplied alongside the croissants to get a taste of the famous Swiss dairy product, only to find the label read "Made in Wadala, Mumbai". How could Swiss International Airlines do this to me!!!

Got to see the beautiful Swiss alps from the plane, though they were coated in far less snow than I'd expected. Our plane had to make a few holding patterns over Zurich before landing, so got to see the airport and the beautiful Zurich lake from the sky. Landed at Zurich at 6:15 local time.

Journey to Antwerp - Part 1

Date: Saturday, 9th August 2008
Time: 0500 hours (yes, I've seen this time on the clock before, but usually in the evening)
Location: Bangalore


Force myself to wake up and start packing. Seeing as how I've been systematically putting it off till the last moment, there's plenty to be done.


A quick round of furious ironing later (by which time the sun has come up to shine on a very rainy Bangalore morning), have all clothes neatly stacked and ready to pack. Finished, you say? No way! Still need to buy the stuff that I'd promised my new roommate I'd get him from India. A mad rush to the local Big Bazaar later, stare in despair at the load of things waiting to be packed neatly into the 2 bags I have bought for the purpose.


Funnily enough, the taxi (an EasyCab, one of these new fangled ones that you can order online and so appealed greatly to me) arrives half an hour early than when I'd requested it for. Decide to leave for the airport anyway, since there's nothing to be gained by remaining at home. But here, the Bangalore traffic, for which I'd so liberally accounted, fails me. Who knew that roads would be so deserted, even on a Saturday evening? I zip though to the airport with loads of time to spare, which leaves me with no option other than to walk around the terminal a few times.


Note to self: Having a can of chilled coke before what turns out to be a rather turbulent flight to Mumbai is a real bad idea.


Anyway, stage 1 of my 3 part journey to Antwerp is completed as I land at Mumbai airport.

A New Beginning

There is nothing that can be "not achieved" if you put it off long enough. This blog is testament to this principle of mine. Anyway now that I've gotten a lappy and some free time (read a net connection at home to upload stuff), hope to start some real blogging.

So coming soon, an update of my rather enjoyable journey to the beautiful city of Antwerp.