The previous evening we had decided to leave early for the airport as the hotel started breakfast service at 7 am. The bags were packed and repacked to ensure that each piece was within the airline permitted limits. The Raki aided sleep had been peaceful and restful. I couldn't have much of breakfast, possibly because such a wonderful driving tour had come to an end. I filled a crunchy bun with butter and sour cherry jam. A couple of sausages and a small piece of omelette are all I could manage.
After breakfast I settled the hotel charge in a mix of Euro and TL. The stay had been comfortable and the location of the hotel was A1. The hotel did not have a car park of its own. It had an arrangement with a public car park for 45 TL a day. The hotel assistant fetched me the car and helped load all the baggage in the car. We left the hotel by 8 am and it was quite complicated getting out of Taksim area. Despite the guidance from Google Maps I missed a turn and had to go around another time. Even though I recovered the route, at the narrow portion of a street lane I was side swapped by a vehicle. That did not cause much of a problem because I braked hard to limit my damage. Even then I felt bad because I had driven all over Turkey for 14 days and 3000 plus km and this had to happen now. However, the slight damage had been to the right side mirror. There was heavy wind and traffic even at that time. Once I hit the highway the pressure eased and the spacing between cars improved. The 45 km drive to the rent-a-car drop off was covered in about the same time. As I drove in to the drop off point a person from Cizgi waved me to a parking slot. We took the baggage out when he went around and inspected the car. I had taken full cover with zero excess and hence only the toll charges of 265 TL was payable while handing over the car. We had got through every toll without payments as the TAG had been active. The Dacia Sandera Stepway had been an extremely reliable companion during the 14th edition of Record Drive.
Once the car was handed over we took the elevator to the departure lounge. We were mighty early for even the check-in, forget the flight. We cleared security, non-intrusive and quick, and reached the check-in. The early check-in counter opened by 9.30 am and we were the first ones to get the boarding passes. A cup of coffee and croissant later we sauntered through the Duty Free and picked up a premium bottle of Yeni Raki, the traditional Turkish drink of grapes and anise. On this trip to Turkey we were able to experience both the airports of Istanbul, the Sabiha Goecken on arrival and now the IST on departure. While the SAW was very basic the IST cannot even compare to either Mumbai or Delhi international airports. However, there is a lot of publicity regarding the many international accolades and awards won by them and they are touted as the world's best airports. Certainly not they are, even if you stretch your imagination the most you can. They are small too in comparison to hub airports in other parts of Europe and the Middle East.
The flight was to be at 1.35 pm and the gate was announced shortly after noon. There was no movement at the boarding counters at the gate even after 1 am. When I voiced my concern to the gate clerk that I have a sharp connection from Doha to Chennai, he assured me that the connection would be maintained. Finally, boarding was completed by 2 pm. The B777-300 ER aircraft was less than even half full. Immediately after the aerobridge pulled out and the aircraft was pulled out from the dock heavy, gusty winds and driving rain put on hold the taxiing. We sat in the flight for 80 minutes waiting for the weather to improve. The helpful airhostess plied us with fruit juices, rice crackers and hazelnut wafer biscuits. She was apologetic about not being able to serve alcohol or food until take off. The delay meant that, in all probability, my connection from Doha to Chennai would be missed. What awaited me in Doha then was moot!
The flight took off after the storm had blown over about a 100 minutes behind schedule. What was announced as a four and half hour flight was completed in slightly over three hours. We were at the deplaning point at 7.10 pm and I was hopeful that the connection would be met. Horrifyingly there was no Qatar Airways staff either at the deplaning point or at the Transfer point to assist. All of us who had missed the flight had to more or less fend for ourselves and get to the transfer desk. When asked why there was no announcement or placards for those who had missed the flight, there were only shrugs. Extremely poor service and recovery strategy by the Qatar Airways staff. Shocking because it is touted as one of the world's best. At the transfer desk I was given the option of either taking a direct flight the next day or hop via Delhi to Chennai on Air India. I took a commitment from the staff that the luggage allowance would not be reduced from Delhi because it is a domestic flight. Similarly, it was also confirmed that Duty Free purchases, including liquor would be permitted as cabin baggage. As long as the bottle is in a sealed cover, there would be no issues, it was confirmed. The Delhi flight was about two hours away and that was alright. In the meanwhile Hetal had proceeded to her gate for the flight onwards to Mumbai.
From the Transfer Desk I went through security and onwards to the designated gate. At the gate we were told that the flight would be an hour late! That gave me a lot of time and I was generally loitering around, with no specific purpose in mind other than to kill time. That is when I realised that I did not have my hand bag with me! Panic and more panic. I tried to remember where I could have left it. I darted to a transfer security area as well as the Transfer Desk it served and was told that they did not have the missed bag. Panic hardened. I went to the lost and found section and they too did not have it. Then I met an airport staff who told me that I may have gone to the wrong security area and directed me to the Transfer Security in another area. By this time I was perspiring and truly in total panic as my wallet, old passports, the second mobile phone, other documents and the Duty Free purchases were all in it. I went to the security supervisor and told him my predicament. He asked what colour and make the bag is. He had the Aristocrat stroller bag and asked me to tell him what it contained. He checked my current passport with the old one in the bag and after some more verification handed me the bag. Miracles happen. The boarding was delayed and hence, I found the missed bag.
With the retrieved bag I was on my way leisurely to the boarding counter when I found some people running to B9 counter. I too picked up pace, reached the counter and found that the flight was now on time! I could not believe what I was hearing! There was no shortage of drama in that two hours I was at the Doha airport; missed connection, rerouting, missing hand bag and its retrieval, delayed flight and it getting back on track. Surely, my blood pressure would have been worth checking.
The three hour flight from Doha to Delhi was on time. I was surprised by the quick immigration clearance at the Delhi airport. Baggage took more than a half hour and passing through the green channel of customs I took the exit gate and re-entered the departure gate because the transfer gate had a long queue that was getting longer because of delays by security personnel. Security personnel do not seem trained enough to do a quick job, rather they plod and build queues. When questioned they say they are working for our security!
Check-in counters had long queues, but they moved quick enough to complete the process without much delay. The check-in clerk said that if I was carrying any Duty Free liquor the security personnel would not permit it to go through as cabin baggage, totally contradicting the assurance given in Doha. Again, thoughtless action by Qatar Airways. This despite my telling the transfer desk lady that on domestic flights liquor is not permitted in the cabin baggage. She told me that she is an Indian and travels regularly to Mumbai and has no such issues. Anyway, the just in time intervention at the check-in prevented unnecessary debates and consequent loss of the bottle at security.
The flight to Chennai was uneventful and as scheduled. Baggage was a good wait, but otherwise the rest were fine. After reaching home I took some time to recap the lovely Turkish Delight. The car hire had cost me Rs. 22,000, fuel Rs. 11,500 and toll Rs. 1165. I got a mileage of over 16 km to a litre of petrol. Fuel cost varied from 8.13 TL on 15 November to 9.89 on 28 November, an increase of nearly 9 percent, while Turkish Lira fell over 25 percent during the same period compensating me for the increased fuel price.
Brilliant infrastructure, seamless public transport, excellent municipal governance and responsible public amenities management. Clean toilets, garbage bins everywhere, people not shouting and creating a nuisance, excellent food, plenty of history, rich culture and much more. I could go on and on about Turkey.
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