The Airport “Transfers”

The great Indian summer is back again with more heat, lesser mangoes and usual watermelons. As much as the heat pricks, the joy of summer vacation soothes. Sadly this joy abandoned me a decade ago when I graduated. In fact, shortly I’ll be looking for schools for my little one and with him will come once again the vicarious pleasure of awaiting the summer holidays. Holidays are always about fun and friends but most importantly they are about planning for that long awaited trip. Trip to new destinations, family reunions or visiting grandparents.

The excitement of going on an outstation holiday is not the prerogative of children alone. Right from short listing of the place to booking of the tickets and packing the bags, it all adds up to the zealous momentum irrespective of the age. However, by my personal experiences I have realized that our enthusiasm on a vacation at two particular places of logistics is dependent on whether we are the arriving or departing passenger and guest. Have you noticed how eagerly you wake up at 4.00 a.m. to catch the 7.00 a.m. flight that takes you to Goa or Simla or Kabini? Do you feel the same joy waking up at 4.00 a.m. otherwise? Forget waking up, your city airport no matter how dilapidated, seems like the most wonderful place buzzing with people some coming in, others going out and you are amongst the departing passenger. When I look at other passengers who aren’t holiday goers like me but travelling for work or other mundane purposes, I feel quite sorry for them. Here I am all exhilarated with my back pack while they worry about the presentation on their laptop.

The feeling of exultation continues as I arrive at my destination. In fact this new airport appears even more wonderful but now my heart goes out for the passengers in the departing lounge. Poor them, while my holiday has just begun they are going back to the old trap. Candidly, I kind of feel fortunate and superior at that moment. However, time does its own justice. After 3 nights and 4 days or 6 nights and 7 days of languor, I am eventually back at the airport and this time I am at the receiving end of those imaginary smirking looks by the arriving passengers. Now forget the early morning flight, even the noon flight seems too early, packing, sorry I should call it dumping clothes in the bag seems like a task and that wonderful airport looks most dreadful, about to transport me back to my morose routine.

Another place that invokes similar emotions in me is the hotel lobbies where I check-in for the holiday. At the time of your check-in, naturally there are others who are checking-out, their luggage piled in one corner while they wait for the shuttle bus. I do feel bad for their holiday coming to an end and wonder my fate would be the same after 4 days. But then I have to remind my silly self that before the 4th day there are 3 days of absolute chilling out you fool. And thus returns the delight of the experience called “Holiday”. However, the same plush lobby with its balmy surroundings no longer delights you when the concierge has gone to get the luggage and the airport shuttle is at your service. You see the airport “transfers” -pun intended, can actually transfer your mood.

I found my psychology and behavior as a tourist or holiday-goer quite amusing. There is no attempt to understand the why’s and how’s of my mental working but it’s surely interesting to jot it down and share it around. It’s just a game of perspective and angle depending on where you are and who you are i.e arriving guest or departing passenger. Well my way to end one holiday is to start thinking of the next. Waste no time and start the hunt for the next destination in the in-flight magazine itself. It not only eases the pain but makes the arrival in your city airport bearable. Once at home I browse through the atlas and travel magazines, it not only gets you going through the rut but has done some good for my miserable geography.