My first trip abroad!

Having a passport itself gave a sense of pride, the day i got to finally see my passport a couple of years back!! Now why is that??...thats a long story.

Maa had come to see me off. She came a couple of days before we were to start. Even till then i was excited that i am going to see mom after nearly 6 months! That thought never sank in my head that in less than 48 hours i had to start for a land unknown, language unknown.

But somewhere deep down in the psyche, a sense of confidence was there, that we can definitely manage. May be its the confidence that preparations and background spadework instills in your psychology. After having done a lot of research of what and where of the bound destination, I was completely on a firm ground.

Even till the day we were to start, till that very evening we had been out of the house going about here and there.

Was feeling happy that maa was all the time with me and may be that was another reason for the renewed confidence too!

Despite having a overweight baggage, i was all giggling and having fun packing the stuff...reshuffling the contents here and there and pulling each others legs!

Hubs was getting tense how are we going to manage.He was at his nerves end. :-)) Once got a blank stare for the giggling about and then i knew ...ok lady.. time to get serious!

When i was finally pulling the bags out to the main hall to be carried to the cab, did the realisation sank in, that i am not going to the nearby town. The destination am abound is a alien place...to which you need to have something called passport. Nowon, the small notebook of 36pages was your primary identification document.

The freedom and few of the liberties which we tend to take for granted in the native nation will not be there... In a matter of few hours i will become a foreigner!! The thought sent a chill run down the spine.

After having a sad look back at the empty house which was my 'home' for the past 6 months..i silently walked down the stairs with a heavy heart. Trying hard to control the urge to break down. But this sadness was nothing comparable with the heaviness i experienced when i started from my maiden home for the wedding. Still somewhere a certain sense of belonging had come which made my heart sink in sadness.

Held maa's hands tightly so that not to loose the few minutes of the drive from home to airport. So that i get to travel with her in the same cab.

Held maa's hands tightly by my left hand and held Granpa's hands with the right hands.
Amma began to sob....in between trying to speak ...desperately attempting to hold back the tears and the shiver in her voice. Held her close by her shoulder and leaned my head against hers.

How i wished there were more traffic jam on the way to airport....but the otherwise long wait for the traffic jam to clear seem short on that particular day.No time is long enough in the time of leaving your beloved ones back.

Loading the baggage in the trolley, it was finally time to say bye ...a hard thing to do. Every one seemed to be in sombre mood.
After a hug to maa, hubby's maa and granpa...held my hubbys hands and started walking towards the entrance...turning back frequently to catch a glimpse of maa and everybody there.

After checkingin the bags, hands were free and now was time to say bye to Hubbys' brother who had also become a good buddy of mine. Poor chap was tackling a lot of uncertainities. Finally waited at the departure lounge. Called up everyone on the mobile book to say a bye and went through the routine of security etc etc.

Finally after a long wait got our flights call. Heaving a heavy breath, i started off towards the entrance and finally boarded the flight.

Seating ourselves comfortably, i lunged tightly to my hubby! Wanted to weep loudly..but controlled my nerves so hard that i got a nasty headache. Soon the flight was running down the runway and whooooooooooosh...i was bon air! Kept tracking the positioning screen to see if we have crossed the indian shores! Anticipating the same felt asleep. When i finally woke up , it was about 20mins to land at spore! As the flight came to a standstill and i reached the flight's doors, i pounded my right foot hard on the carpet to indicate my "First step outside India"

Went around the singapore airport. Watched some beautiful take off while catching up on our morning coffee...

Wondered what time it would be back home...I realised it is still around 4:00AM only!!

Then caught the connecting flight out to Taipei!
On boarding the flight when i saw the faces around ..did i thought, oh my... they all look so similiar and we look different!!
After about 5 hours again made a landing..this time in a place which would be my home for the next 4-5 months!
Welcome to Taipei!!



The place was pleasantly cold. After following all the formalities, waited for the cab pick up arranged for us.
Not spotting them first , we started off to go by ourselves. Then saw a familiar sounding and looking name in a familiar language in a card. When the cab driver lady brought the cab on the front porch....Oh my god!!!!! What do i see... a MERC BENZ for CAB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


After being awed my the 'cab', i started to look around. A neat city which on the outskirts does remind of delhi's okhla area! :-))

Then checked into the hotel and something strange struck me about the lift

They dont have a numbered 4th floor!

Well welcome to a place with lots of oddness and strangeness.
Got a lot to know and explore! Happy exploring :)