Videshlag

Returning to India after a vacation in US,always brings same feeling i used to get on 1st day of school after summer vacation. I shudder at the thoughts of same routine to be followed for next 10 months, heat and congestion, noise and people all around-jostling,pushing,treading on your toes. Moment you touch down at Mumbai airport ordeal begins. After long,grueling, sleepless non stop flight,when one is awake for almost 30 hrs, one has to walk down a long corridor with heavy stroller bag, to Immigration.Luckily immigration check is fast but then one has to wait for luggage to arrive.It took 45 mts to get luggage and then to take it through customs screening is pain- lift 4-22kg.bags, put them on belt, retrieve them on other side and put them back on trolley, walk long distance to get out of terminal to meet people who have come to receive . To get to your car, walk with your heavy trolley over uneven road with potholes- balancing the bags, and if you get stuck in a pothole then need help to lift the trolley out. Car park is dimly lit and these days it is overcrowded and very difficult to take the car out to the exit. Honking all the while!In US one hardly ever hear honking. In all it took some 2 frustrating hrs from the time of landing to get out of the airport! But i have experienced the same situation for so many years. whats new.It is this "India shining"/"India on the March" thats the reason for frustration. This talk of making Mumbai like Shanghai increases your expectations. You know the Mumbai you left 2 months ago and in just 2 months things are not going to change but when one returns from abroad expectations are raised and one feels that our airport would be like Singapore/Hongkong airport and as user friendly. When you realize that nothing has changed, then frustration creeps in. It takes some 2-3 months to overcome this videshlag. Then i get used to it and switch off my car engine when i am caught up in gridlock at busy junction, increase volume of Red FM-Lage Raho.