India
“India is the only country wherein total number of engineers exceeds the number of vehicles on the road”
- Nipun Varma
I left Thailand as my friend departed for Australia. My plane was nearly midnight but I was only going to Kolkata which was 2.5 hours away and only an 1 hour time difference, I was as far back as you could go on the plane which was full. At least I had an aisle seat and there were not many foreigners on the plan I anticipated passport control to be a breeze…… well not the case they took for every all local cleared so they then started to allow foreigners to move to the others desks , finally through down to collect the luggage which still had not arrived it took forever my case was last out. A note in India when you leave the terminal you can’t return in this is important knowledge I knew but never believed would need to use it. Once I collected my case went outside searching for my name on a card … no joy it was now 2.30 local time I was tired no phone working (SIM cards in India totally different story) not sure what to do. You hear all those stories I tried to get back into the terminal eventually security opened the door and direct me to the taxi stand. I showed the stand where I wanted to go he said take a photo of the google map (very nervous now) my taxi driver appeared after a while he took my case but then called the police over who spoke reasonable English they telephoned the hotel confirmed the address and off I when not sure if I would arrive the streets were a sea of colour as it was a festival. I did arrive hotel they said it was not safe to be in a taxi late night yes I knew that
Tired angry I wrote to my agent in Australia and to the service desk in India it was now nearly 4 am and I need to be back at the airport by 11.30. The manager of India telephoned me at 7 am I was not happy said he would ring back……long story I was picked up for my flight to Darjeeling by the same person who missed me the previous day he to.d me at the wrong door, I took a big breath said stay calm ….. what could I do just move on. Darjeeling hear I come
