I am travelling up to the Himalayan hill station of Darjeeling today. Darjeeling is at the top end of the Indian state of West Bengal. I have a 6:40am flight from Bangalore to Delhi. The flight is due to arrive in Delhi at 9:55am. My connecting flight leaves Delhi at 10:30am stopping first in Guwahati before heading on to Bagdogra. This flight is scheduled to arrive in Bagdogra at 2:20pm. I have arranged through the hotel for a car to pick me up at the Bagdogra airport and drive me the final 85km (50mi) to Darjeeling. It certainly looks good. . .on paper at least. . .
4:10am
My alarm goes off. My first thought of the day: Why must they schedule flights so early?. . .
4:15am
The driver calls and tells me he's downstairs. He is scheduled to pick me up at 4:45am. He's early, but at least he's here. . .I thank him for letting me know and tell him I'll be down in 20 or 30 minutes.
4:45am
We leave for the airport.
5:40am
We arrive at the airport. The first leg of the journey is complete and without incident.
5:44am
Per standard operating procedure I present my passport and a copy of my flight itinerary to the soldier at the airport entrance. My papers appear to be in order and I am allowed inside.
5:47am
The check-in line is very short this morning so I choose that option over the self-check-in computer kiosk-thingy option.
5:50am
My turn. I present my passport and flight itinerary to the airline representative.
5:51am
I am told that my flight to Delhi has been cancelled. They choose not to give me a reason. I choose not to ask, as it really sort of doesn't matter, at least not this early in the morning. OK. . .don't panic. . .there are lots of flights from Bangalore to Delhi. . .
5:52am
I am told that the next available flight to Delhi is on another airline and it leaves at 7:25am. I ask if that flight will get me into Delhi in time to make my connecting flight to Guwahati/Bagdogra. I am told that I will still make that connecting flight. Furthermore, the airline rep tells me that my flight from Delhi to Guwahati/Bagdogra will leave from terminal 1B. She even writes it on my itinerary so I won't forget. I think both of us are hoping this saves me a few minutes at the Delhi airport. I am handed over to another airline rep and I am asked to wait while he goes somewhere else to make the new flight arrangements. Why does he need to go somewhere else. . .Why can't they just do that right here?. . .
6:00am
The airline rep returns with a copy of an itinerary for the other airline's flight to Delhi. That's nice, but I guess I was really expecting an actual boarding pass instead. He tells me if this flight is acceptable then he will take me over to the other airline's reservation counter and finalize the arrangements. I look at the Delhi arrival time of 10:15am and ask again if I will still make my connecting flight. "Yes, of course, sir". OK. . .I don't have a lot of other options here. . . I say "OK". He walks me over to the other airline counter.
6:10am
The other airline agent finally finishes doing whatever it was she was doing and has a chat with my chaperon. Most of it is in Kannadu (the local language) or maybe Hindi. The only words I think I understand are "FEM number", which are repeated a couple of times. FEM must be an acronym of some sort. It's probably some kind of purchase order number. . .a way that one airline can buy a ticket on a flight of another airline. . .surely this is not the first time this has happened. . .why is this conversation taking so long. . .
6:13am
My chaperon says to me "I'll be right back sir. Please stay here." Where else am I going to go?. . .
6:20am
My chaperon is back. Turns out he does not have a FEM number with him. Instead he has a big wad of cash with him. OK. . .He counts out Rs 8600 (roughly $175). The other airline rep takes the cash and hands him a piece of paper. That doesn't look like a boarding pass either. . .now what?. . .
6:22am
My chaperon assures me that everything is fine and this new piece of paper is an updated flight itinerary with a reservation code on it. OK. . .at least that's progress. . .He guides me back to one of the computer kiosks and asks me to check in while he makes a copy of my original flight itinerary.
6:24am
The reservation code seems to be valid. Check-in complete.
6:30am
Still no sign of my chaperon. Where did he have to go to make a copy of that itinerary?. . .
6:35am
He's back. He wishes me a safe journey. I thank him for his help. Crisis averted.
6:45am
I'm through the security check without any trouble. I plunk myself down in a chair by the gate and try to relax. If this flight is even 5 minutes late I'm not going to make that connecting flight. . .please be on time today. . .please. . .please. . .please. . .
7:00am
The boarding process begins. At least I got lucky with my seat assignment. . .3F. . .right up front. . .I'll be one of the first people off the airplane in Delhi. . .
7:30am
The airplane doors are shut, but we're still sitting on the tarmac. It's OK. . .they always pad their flight times a bit. . .don't they?. . .
7:36am
The captain makes the following announcement: "Ladies and gentlemen. Sorry for the delay. There are currently about 10 aircraft awaiting departure. We think we're #2 or #3 on that list." He thinks we're #2 or #3?. . .how can he not know exactly where he is in the take-off order?. . .seriously. . .how can he not know?. . .
7:45am
Wheels up. Finally on the way to Delhi.
10:15am
Still in the air. I thought we were supposed to be on the ground already. . .this is not good. . .the Captain announces an estimated landing time of 10:30am. . .not good. . .
10:28am
Touchdown! What are the chances that my connecting flight is delayed for some reason?. . .I think that's my only hope right now. . .
10:31am
Still taxiing.
10:35am
We have finally stopped; just not at an actual gate attached to the actual terminal. We're parked on the tarmac. Oh. . .it's one of these Indian airport deals. . .we're all going to pile out of the plane and into a shuttle bus which will takes us to the terminal. . .my advantageous right-up-front seat has lost it's advantage. . .
10:40am
Onto the bus. . .to the arrivals terminal. . .off the bus. . .through the terminal. . .quickly. . .out the exit. . .
10:41am
I ask two separate people where terminal 1B is, just to double check. Both point me in the same direction. I half walk, half run. . .
10:47am
I arrive at the terminal. There's a check-in window outside the terminal. I hand the airline rep my paperwork. . .only to have her tell me "this is terminal 1A, not 1B". . .terminal 1B is actually on the opposite side. . .from whence I came. . .(my thoughts are not suitable for all audiences at this point in time). . .I ask her the status of my connecting flight. She cannot tell me, but she says that most flights have been delayed this morning. . .I allow a glimmer of hope to enter my mind as I set off back to the correct terminal. . .
10:53am
Terminal 1B. The check-in desk. "I'm sorry sir, but your flight has already left". I ask if they have another flight to Bagdogra today. "No, sir". Of course they don't. . .I ask if any other airlines have a flight to Bagdogra today. "I don't know sir. You'll need to check with them". She directs me to the other airline. . .again. . .why don't they have access to important information like this?. . .
10:54am
"I'm sorry sir, our flight to Bagdogra has just left. . ." Aaaaaahhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!. . .I politely ask if there are any other airlines with flights to Bagdogra today. "I don't know sir, you might check with that airline over there". . ."you might check". . .yea, I just might at that. . .since you are being absolutely no help whatsoever. . . I think this other airline is going to be my last option. . .as I don't see any other airlines nearby. . .
10:55am
"Our flight to Bagdogra is just leaving, sir". . .Aaaaahh. . .wait. . .she said "leaving", not "left". . .didn't she?. . ."Is there anyway you can get me on that flight?" "I don't know sir". "Please". "You'll have to purchase a ticket, sir". "Yes, whatever!" "OK, sir. May I have your passport and your credit card?" I have absolutely no idea how much they charge me for this ticket. They don't tell me and I don't ask, because at this point in time its really really not very important. I just need to get on an airplane, any airplane, that's going to get me to Bagdogra today. . .
11:39am
I am on an airplane, albeit with another airline, flying to Bagdogra via Guwahati. "Relief" doesn't begin to describe my feelings right now. . .Crap. . .I'll need to contact the hotel and let them know that I'll be late arriving in Bagdogra. . .I ask one of the flight attendants what time we will reach Bagdogra. She tells me "We land in Guhawati at 2pm and then we have a 45 minute layover". OK. . .that's not exactly what I asked her, let me try this again. "But what time will be land in Bagdogra?" "Sir, we land in Guhawati at 2pm and then we have a 45 minute layover". Are you kidding me here? I do not ask my question a third time. I pull out my original flight itinerary to figure out the flying time from Guwahati to Bagdogra: 45 minutes. OK. . .that means I should now be landing in Bagdogra at about 3:30pm. Now to call the hotel. . .do I have their number with me? I must. Wait. . .they sent me a text message a week or two ago with my reservation confirmation. . .
11:40am
I scroll through my text messages and find the one from the hotel. . .That's weird. . .there doesn't seem to be an actual phone number attached to this message, just the hotel name, which doesn't do me a whole lot of good right now. . .but I do have a printout of the confirmation with me. . .that should have a phone number on it for sure. I dig out this piece of paper and sure enough there's a phone number: 0091-354-2258721-3. Hmmmm. . .that's a weird looking phone number, even for India. . .I recognize 91 as the Indian country code. . .but that leading 00 doesn't make sense to me, and that trailing 3 makes even less sense. . .I dial the number as printed. It does not go through. Not a huge surprise. Extremely aggravating. . ."yes". . .surprising. . ."no". . .OK. . .I should be able to figure this out. Let me try and take the numbers that do make sense and turn it into a phone number. I'll replace the 00 with the magic + sign (interpreted as the international access code) and ignore that last -3 altogether. . .
11:41am
Not only does the call go through, but it actually goes through to the actual hotel. I let them know I'll be arriving a little later than expected, 3:30pm, but that I am still arriving today. They say "Thank you, sir. No problem". OK. . .I feel a little better now. . .but. . .
11:42am
I am pretty physically and mentally exhausted. My travels these past couple of months has started to really wear on me. I'm not sure if I can take much more of this. . .I desperately just want to be get to Darjeeling without any more unnecessary drama. . .Is that asking too much?. . .is it?. . .
2:07pm
Touchdown in Guwahati. OK. . .one step closer to Bagdogra. . .one step closer to Darjeeling. . .
2:50pm
Take-off from Guwahati. Headed to Bagdogra. Maybe the hard part of this trip is over. . .please let it be over. . .
3:36pm
Touchdown in Bagdogra. Just one more leg of the journey to go. Almost there. . .please let there be someone standing out side holding some kind of sign with my name on it. . .puh. . .leeeeeaaaase. . .
3:38pm
As I get off the airplane I notice that the control tower has the tarmac/apron elevation printed on it, as most do in this country. It reads: 126m/414ft. Darjeeling is located at 7000ft. Wait a minute. . .you mean I still need to climb some 6500 feet to get up to Darjeeling. . .6500ft. . .wow. . .that's going to take awhile, isn't it?. . .wow. . .6500 feet. . .
3:41pm
I exit the terminal and scan the handful of people standing around holding placards (most of which seem to be plain 8.5x11 pieces of paper with hand-written names on them). . .and nothing. . .absolutely nothing. . .OK. . .we'll give it a few minutes. . .I can call the hotel again if necessary. . .I am still extremely tired, but not too worried. . .
3:43pm
This little old guy comes up, stands in front of me, stares at me for a few seconds, and then whips out a little sign from behind his back. . .and. . .the little sign has my name on it! Yes!. . .
3:45pm
The little old guy hands me over to my driver and we get underway. The car is a pretty heavy duty 4x4; a jeep-like vehicle.
We drive through the town of Bagdogra, take a left at the town of Siguluri, and then at. . .
4:00pm
We take a right onto NH55 (National Highway 55). The road immediately begins to climb. . .
4:15pm
Wait. . .did I say road? Allow me to rephrase: this is not a road. . .this is crater-sized potholes with the occasional patch of chewed-up asphalt thrown in. . .this is unbelievable. . .
5:00pm
It's now pretty dark. The road conditions have actually deteriorated, which I didn't think was possible half an hour ago. "Bone-rattling", "bone-jarring", "unrelenting" are words that come to mind. I'm going to be sore tomorrow. . .maybe before tomorrow. . .no seat belts. . .who needs seat belts?. . .I have an incredible headache from repeatedly smacking it on the car ceiling as we negotiate the gigantic holes in the so-called National Highway 55. . .it's maybe a lane and a half wide most of the way. . .narrow enough that as we approach a car coming down the mountain both of us need to slow, or even stop, to make sure there's enough room to pass safely. . .or what passes for "safely" around here. . .
5:10pm
The headlights illuminate a small sign: Darjeeling 40km. Still 25 miles to go. . .only about half way there. . .I don't know how much more of this I can take. . .is anything worth this?. . .
5:15pm
We pass through the small town of Kurseong. The road does get a little better from here. . .or maybe it doesn't. . .I don't know. . .maybe my entire body is just numb at this point. It's also now pitch black outside. . .
6:15pm
We arrive at the hotel. Finally. It's a beautiful sight, although I'm so stiff and sore I can barely get out of the car.
6:20pm
Check-in complete. I am sitting in my room. It is cold enough in my room to see my breath with every exhalation. . .
From my door in Bangalore to the hotel door in Darjeeling: 13 and a half hours.
What a brutal day. . .absolutely brutal. . .I think the travel gods are saying "OK, that's about all the travelling we're going to let you do in India". Believe me when I say "I am listening. . ."
. . .and believe me when I say I'm trying really really hard not to think about what travails might await me on the journey back to Bangalore in a couple of days. . .if this is my last India jaunt I might as well make the most of it. . .so let's get a good night's sleep and then see what Darjeeling is all about. . .shall we?. . .
From my door in Bangalore to the hotel door in Darjeeling: 13 and a half hours.
What a brutal day. . .absolutely brutal. . .I think the travel gods are saying "OK, that's about all the travelling we're going to let you do in India". Believe me when I say "I am listening. . ."
. . .and believe me when I say I'm trying really really hard not to think about what travails might await me on the journey back to Bangalore in a couple of days. . .if this is my last India jaunt I might as well make the most of it. . .so let's get a good night's sleep and then see what Darjeeling is all about. . .shall we?. . .
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