This blog commences at the very start of my journey, from leaving the UK and heading first to Dubai. I hope I will see something of Dubai from the air though am only visiting the airport before moving onwards.
I have been longing to go to India since being a child, dreamed of visiting there in my teenage years and have continued to nurture the desire that is finally coming to life! And this is despite my best efforts over a good many years to get involved in projects in India or engage in (say) the OERIndia scheme. Yes, the place has been elusive for me.
I am looking forward to a bombardment on my senses - all my reading has suggested India is a feast of colour, smell, sights and noise so I really hope as I write this each day I have something to say in terms of the sensory experiences I have enjoyed, been bamboozled by or even found overwhelming or utterly exuberant!
I feel incredibly lucky to indulge myself in this way as well as very aware I might meet and see extremes of poverty and deprivation also. Not least that I heard on BBC news only this last weekend about the immense amount of slavery in India, today, in the 21st century. Yet also hear Kerala enjoys the highest literacy for females of all Indian states.
So I am trying to prepare myself for incredible contradictions and contrasts and intrigued to consider how I will deal with those as a visitor and as a western spectator. We shall see ...
Well, after a drive of about 2 hours and following a big hug with Matilda, I am now at Heathrow and its 18:16 and I'm waiting for my flight to Dubai. Check-in and security were both easy peasy with hardly a queue for security. The departure lounge is active with people milling about and the shops are all festooned for Christmas. I have 4 hours of free wifi.
ReplyDeleteThe elderly lady sat opposite me is in her sari, a lovely tangerine and white design, with lots of sparkly trimming. She has decided to lie down across the seats and I can see her little lemon socks on such tiny feet. Later a suited man joined her and he has very shifty eyes, scanning all over the place - maybe they are on the same flights as me?
Anyway I have spoken to my Laura and heard Matilda is safely back at Karen's house so everything is in order. I'm eager to get going but there's another hour so I will sit and watch people, read emails and read my book.
Happy travels Chris!!! I hope you had a good flight.Looking forward to reading your stories.
ReplyDeleteHello Chrissi, I am now in Dubai but only visiting the airport. It was a busy flight and not easy to sleep so ended up watching Boyhood - a good film I'd missed when it came out not so long ago.
ReplyDeleteIt is very gold at the airport and there are noisy birds high up in the building. I'm also sat close to the Winston Smoking Lounge by chance and it's packed in there! Luckily the smell or smoke is not drifting outward. I shall go in search of a coffee while waiting for my next flight.
There were immense stretches of desert to be seen as we approached Dubai broken only by long straight roads.I'm hoping to view the sea and coast when we take off again with the benefit of daylight.
Hope you managed to spot the palm tree shaped man-made island :-)
ReplyDeleteNo, I couldn't see it but was looking! I did see what looked like oil places though and I did get glimpses of the sea.
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