I reached the Sardar Vallabhai Patel International Airport just before midnight and had nearly 5 hours to kill before boarding the flight to Sharjah. Fortunately, once I had slowly sipped my way through a decent cup of Cappuccino at the new Terminal 2 concourse the Air Arabia counters had opened for check-in. I was among the first to reach one of the counters after my passport, visa and hotel reservation in Baku were inspected and approved by the staff. I could make out that the airline was strict about the weight restrictions for carry-on baggage as the cabin bag was weighed and tagged showing the weight.
By the time I was at the boarding gate I still had three hours for the flight. When the announced boarding time came and went, I became a bit anxious because of the connecting flight from Sharjah to Baku which was within 90 minutes of landing in Sharjah. The airline staff calmed my anxiety saying that boarding wouldn't take much time as the flight was just about half full. The flight took off a half hour late and maintained that delay on arrival in Sharjah.
The Sharjah airport and services are primitive, to say the least. I was amused to find four airline staff pushing the ladder to the aircraft for passengers to deplane. I was deposited at the arrival lounge in a terminal bus and there was an airline staff loudly announcing gates of connecting flights. My gate for the flight to Baku was not far and the security check was done in no time at all. I was ravenously hungry by then.
I made my way to an eatery from where I picked up an egg sandwich and a cup of coffee. I was at the gate a few minutes into the scheduled boarding time and was amazed to see very few passengers. The flight was near empty when I boarded and passengers started coming in trickles thereafter while the flight waited well past its departure time; it was delayed for connecting flights linking to Baku. The flight departed 30 minutes beyond the scheduled time, but I was lucky to have got the connection, which at one point during the journey from Ahmedabad looked dicey. I also got the news of my son, Ajay, having reached Baku and the hotel safely. He told me that it was raining heavily in the city; may have to alter the day's plans if the weather stays that way the whole day.
It is my first visit to Caucasia. The Caucasus straddles the transcontinental region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. The region comprises of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia and some parts of southern Russia. A natural boundary between West Asia and Eastern Europe is the Caucasus Mountain Ranges. The Republic of Azerbaijan is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and West Asia. The former constituent of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics gained independence in December 1991.
The national flag of the Republic of Azerbaijan consists of three horizontal stripes of the same width. The upper stripe is blue, the middle stripe is red, and the lower stripe is green, with a white crescent and eight-pointed star depicted in the middle of the red stripe on both sides of the flag.
Despite an overwhelming Muslim population, 97.3%, the country is considered to be the most secular in the Islamic world. The country is an upper-middle income nation with a high level of economic development and literacy. The Azerbaijan Manat, AZN, is equivalent to INR 49. The country is rich in oil and gas. Besides, nearly 55% of Azerbaijan is agricultural land and the fishing industry is active too with the proximity of the Caspian Sea. Another major revenue earner is tourism, which has bounced back after the cessation of hostilities with Armenia.
Baku, the capital and commercial hub of Azerbaijan, is a low-lying city with coastline along the Caspian Sea. Baku lies 92 ft below sea level, which makes it the lowest lying national capital in the world and also the largest city in the world below sea level. It is the only metropolis in the country and nearly 25% of the country's population live in Baku. The capital city is known for its harsh winds, and hence its nickname, "City of Winds".
It is famed for its medieval walled old city, which contains the Palace of the Shirvanshahs, a vast royal complex, and the iconic stone Maiden Tower. Contemporary landmarks include the Zaha Hadid–designed Heydar Aliyev Center, and the Flame Towers, 3 pointed skyscrapers covered with LED screens.
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