First flight experience is unforgettable for any one. I still remember everything in minute detail, it seems like yesterday I boarded flight in Coimbatore.
I was supposed to fly by Air Arabia 414 Airways since there’s a direct flight from Coimbatore to UAE (Sharjah) and it allows one additional baggage of 30 kgs per passenger, so I will get 1 X 23 kgs of luggage, a hand bag of 6 kg and a back bag. I made a travel plan to travel along my third cousin uncle. So, we both planned to book tickets on same flight, My relatives informed me that they have planned to book tickets as a departure on or after 15th Feb. I left my previous organization on 2nd Feb. So I initially I thought that there were around 12 days more to stay in India.
Now here comes a twist, 2 days later as on 4 th Feb I was informed that my reporting manager was asked me to join as on immediate basis. And I was supposed to go there in 7 th February. Which means I'm only having 2 days more to journey. I haven't prepared anything for my travel and moreover I have to pack all my stuffs within 2 days and all. Moreover my uncle hasn't changed his travel date. So now I was travelling alone. This is shock number 1.
After this things, I made a checklist and started purchasing things for survival in UAE. I heard that the price and cost of living in CGC countries were too high to India (Obviously India is the cheapest country to live). That's why I had planned to purchase lot of items in a limited time, moreover alone in an unfamiliar place. Later my schoolmate bunk his office and came with me for the purchase. Even though we left few items to purchase which was in my checklist. I was so irritated about my unfinished purchases, and about my health due to the continuous rove.
Tired and weakened physically and emotionally that I am leaving all my family, friends I reached airport. I still remember the last moments in Coimbatore, My flight was scheduled 4.20 am. We reached 150 mins earlier and this 150 mins is the most emotional period I have ever experienced in my life. I never stayed in hostel my parents, I always had comfort of home and was always with a close knit of friends, going to UAE seemed like an adventure. I was so filled with sadness, fear, a bit of excitement and every emotion that had a word in english dictionary. Finally, I left my dad and my uncle outside airport strongly covering my tears and entered airport. After getting boarding ticket, immigration and all the security checks I was finally in the plane, I never travelled by air so this is a new experience, when the flight took off, it burdened my heart and I felt like I am leaving some part of my soul in India, a place where I lived all my 22 years of life . When the flight finally reached Sharjah at 6.50 am local time all the passengers started getting down. There was a bus came to the runway next to plane and pickup all the passengers to the terminal. I joined with them. At there a lot of peoples from different countries were there. A shiver ran down my hands. I remembered my uncles instructions and I directly went for the eye scan. In UAE, all the passengers who came there for the first time, must scan his eye and took photograph. And later I finished my immigration. And I went to the conveyor belt.
I searched my bag for a long time and I was unable to locate my bag (Even I had marked a unique identification over it). I searched over the conveyor belt here and there and I can't get that for a while. I was literally scared, then I enquired an airways employee who came to respond on the complaint I gave, he asked me to check my stuff in a group of luggage's. Later I realized that someone who took my bag and placed it next to the conveyor belt. A little cupcake of happiness exploded inside me after getting my stuff. Finally, I went through the exit entrance and I found my uncle there.