It was a long journey from Brussels to JFK airport(New York). During the flight i asked for couple of beers.. had snacks.. and lunch.. there was nothing to do much in the flight so i went for a sleep once again.
The flight was about to land in JKF airport.. suddenly lots of things started running in my mind.. there were some instructions given to me .. which i had to follow once i reach airport.. i started thinking about my documents.. my passport .. and all.... soon we landed and i had a stop of 5 hours in JFK airport.. and this was bothering me as there were no smoking zone in mumbai airport and Brussels airport.. for 5 hours.. what should be my activity... was not sure of.
The first thing that came into my mind was getting the immigration thing.. one of my well wisher had told me about the complications of this process and the way it would affect my travel stay. So after reading all the sign boards.. trying to listen what was being announced.. reading the instructions that were written in boards..
Never in my life i was so alert.. not even in 1991, when there was a major earthquake hit, in my native place in India measuring about 6.6 in magnitude taking lives of thousands of people.
Soon I was before the counter for my immigration.. officer asked me some questions and he stamped the papers.. gave them to me. It was so quick that i could not imagine.. as my friends told me that it was complicated and all.. might be it was their experience they were sharing with me.
There is one thing which i would like to disclose.. there are people in our country(India) to whom if you listen about their travel experience particularly to US. .. they will tell in such a way that if you close your eyes.. you will feel like being there in US ..... any ways i didn't observed any such things.
There was a break of 5 hours...what to do???? i asked my self.... i started looking for the flight counters from where i had to take the flight.. then i noticed, just outside airport.. i could find people smoking........ without wasting any moment .. i asked security if i could go out smoke and come back.. and he said YES.......
WOW... i had a pack of cigarette in my hand bag... but i didnt had any thing to light it... any ways.. came out .. took my cigarette.. asked gentlemen near for light.. and yes i was smoking.. i was happy for this as no one told me that i could smoke in JFK airport...
I was watching people taking photographs.. smoking.. hugging their friends/ relatives. saying good bye.. have a safe journey....... some rejoicing returning of their loved ones. I was standing in the sun.. as i didn't feel the warmth of sun all time AC was not suiting me .... I saw people sitting in the ground just outside of airport tying to hide themselves from sun..... slowly i noticed me that some of them were watching me... initially i thought they were watching me as my look was not American.. but then soon i realized it was not my look .. it was because i was standing sunlight.. but i knew how good it was for me.. no sunlight for 2 days.. all air conditioned..i ignored them kept smoking standing in the sun.
Time slipped away as i took some photographs. from my digital camera..watching planes landing/flying.. it is a busy airport.. and one can easily find flights.. taking off and landing at the same time.. in same airport.. .as it was a HUGE airport.
During this whole travel i was missing my wife.. It was a short journey and was also my first journey so i didn't wanted to take any chance and as such i had to leave her back in India.... i started missing India once i came to know that flight was delayed for another 2 hours... I had already completed all the formalities and was in boarding lounge.. what next i asked myself...as I could not go back....out of airport... slowly i was not feeling good ... it was really embarrassing for me.. started roaming here and there.. I was not able to remind of, the time running so SLOW in my life.. it was killing me........helpless.... frustrated... then i realized it was not only me who was frustrated/embarrassed .. their were other people also.. suddenly i heard a lady talking to the lady officer in a high pitch... see was loud enough... usually i don't do such tings.. but as i hardly had anything to do in the airport... i started enjoying it .... soon i could figure out some other people joining her..... Any ways.. I was about to board the flight after 7 hours of waiting...
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