Sleep
completely deserted me despite the best efforts to at least catch forty winks.
The thought of having to take the 3 am bus, for which I had to leave the
apartment at 2.30 am kept playing over and over in my mind. Just after midnight
I gave up any pretence of even trying to sleep. I showered, completed the
packing and left the apartment at quarter past 1 am.
I
wasn't sure if the streets would be safe at that hour. I needn't have worried
because most of my transit from the apartment to the bus stop was through the
Skanderbeg Square. It took me just 10 minutes to the bus stop. Youngsters were
seen moving about after a hectic night out. Some were obviously quite drunk.I
saw a guy trying to do his version of the pole dance on a lamp post. Some
laughed so loud that I felt the tremors. However, nothing was out of hand.
Police presence was extremely visible. Their whistles and the occasional
warning from patrol vehicles kept matters under control. In one place I found a
driver being questioned, possibly due to negligent driving.
There
were not too many passengers on board the bus that left for the airport exactly
on the hour at 2 am. The conductor of the bus boarded it a few stops later and
collected the fare. The fare could be paid in Euros (4) or Lek (400) for the
one-way ticket. The trip lasted less than 30 minutes with the roads virtually
empty.There was some excitement on board when the driver suddenly braked.
There was a stray cow on the road. People started discussing how dangerous it
is for such things to happen and the negligence of the owner, etc. I doubt if
anyone saw me smirking, listening to such drivel - wished they would drive in
India some day!
When
I got to the Tirana airport the Wiss Air counter was open. The check-in was
smooth and so were the immigration and security formalities. The duty-free area
is under renovation. I found the prices of liquor quite reasonable. I had over
three hours for the gate to open. I took a comfortable seat in front of a cafe.
With business not heavy at that hour, I was not disturbed from my perch.
The
flight to Athens took off on time and within an hour I was facing a massive
immigration queue. Fortunately, the queue moved fast enough for me to collect
my suitcase within 30 minutes. I exited the airport, bought a cup of cappuccino
and sat in an enclosure near it to kill time.I had almost five hours for the
next flight from Athens to Mumbai. I recollected the tense moments four days
back when I discovered that my ticket from Athens to Tirana was booked for the
wrong day. Anyway, everything since then had planned out fine and the trip to
the Balkan States was coming to an end.
The
check-in counter for the Indigo flight opened 3 hours prior to the flight.
Though I was given the boarding passes for the Athens-Mumbai and
Mumbai-Ahmedabad flights, as per rules, I was expected to complete immigration
and customs formalities at the first port of entry into India, namely, Mumbai.
The
flight was not even half occupied. It landed in Mumbai half an hour after
midnight. I took photos and videos of the views of the Middle Eastern landscape
in between naps. The airline staff served chicken dum biryani with mirchi ka
salan for lunch with a beverage of choice, which was coconut water with lichi
juice for me. Well before landing passengers were served a vegetarian snack
with a cup of coffee.
During
the course of the flight I requested for a blanket and I was told that I have
to buy one! When I expressed my displeasure, the staff was kind enough to
adjust the temperature. Credit where it is due; the staff returned a while
later to check if I was feeling more comfortable.
Apparently,
Indigo does not have a separate set of aircrafts for international destinations
from India, where Mumbai is its hub. The rather long flights to Europe spanning
more than 7 hours without an entertainment system or a pillow and blanket
certainly falls within Shashi Tharoor's definition of cattle class. Moreover,
the entire economy section is served by just four airhostesses. This is sheer
understaffing, when the flight is full, as was the case on the Mumbai-Athens
flight on 29th August. The aisle was constantly occupied by the staff with their
trolleys, incommoding passengers.
The
immigration was quick in Mumbai and I passed through the duty-free glancing at
deals for liquor. I was not sure if it was within rules to purchase liquor in
the Mumbai duty free and carry it on a domestic flight to Ahmedabad. For sure,
I could purchase liquor in the Ahmedabad duty free if I landed there by an
international flight.
Anyway,
not wanting to take the risk, I quickly passed through duty free and collected
my suitcase from the carousel. Massive queues had formed at the customs green
channel exit where staff screened hand baggage. I patiently ambled along and
finally 'broke free' from the unnecessary hassle, which defeated the very
purpose of a green channel exit.
I
took the domestic transfer exit at the airport and deposited my suitcase at the
Indigo transfer desk for onward transfer to Ahmedabad. Thereafter, I went
through the mandatory security check and waited in the food court area for an
hour before going to the gate for the flight. During the wait, I had a feast of
masala dosa, idli and vada with a strong cup of filter coffee. Wah, the taste
of food from one's own country is something I delightfully savoured.
The
flight to Ahmedabad took off ahead of schedule and landed at the destination
nearly 30 minutes before the scheduled arrival time. Thus ended my visits to
the 72nd and 73rd countries. In less than three weeks I expect to be back in
Ahmedabad airport for another leg of the Balkan tour to Bulgaria and North
Macedonia.
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