Back 2 USA...

Over confidence is not that good, afterall!

In my last trip here, I had no issues at all in reaching the destination. I reached my friend's house in San Francisco, without bothering him at all. And I thought, "Hmm, I am really good! I did not face any problem in doing things that were all first time for me, including boarding a flight!". While going back also, everything was so smooth that, I concluded that traveling is just a 'Baye haath ka Khel' for me...

Little did I know that, these were the things that happens not because I am good, just because I was lucky enough...

This time, the flight was at 3.00 AM from Bangalore and I realized the first mistake, I did not have a pen. I had to wait till some one sitting next to me in the waiting lounge to complete his immigration form. And this cost me precious time as I realized that the queues in all immigration counters were getting longer by the second. I some how scrapped through it to find that the flight is delayed one hour. Suddenly, I realized that the biggest challenge for me is to stay awake so that I can listen to the announcement to board the plane. I did that somehow thanks to some energetic kids running around shouting...

I didn't even know when the flight took off from Bangalore. It had a stop in Mumbai and then we left for Frankfurt. On the way, somewhere around vienna, I could catch a glimpse of land below, and Boy, that was beautiful. Europe is indeed beautiful. I wish I get a chance to visit Europe some time. Okay, I agree that I am luckier than most. But then, there is no limit to human greed...

I Frankfurt, we had to get off the plane as some cleaning had to be done. I took my hand bag and went for a walk inside the airport, came back and realized that the flight will be one hour late because of some technical snag. I tried to spend time immersing my face in a novel "Catch 22". I had bought it during my first onsite trip, still have not crossed the page 40. I suddenly found myself looking around the waiting lounge (Not vayil nottam...).

Finally the flight took off and reached Chicago 2 hours before my connecting flight to Rochester. I thought there is plenty of time. But by the time I got both my check in bags, I found that I am only 30 minutes before time. I some how, reached the United Airlines counter and they asked me to leave my checkin baggage there without checking in and run to catch the train to the domestic terminal. I reached there 15 minutes before time and was shocked to hear that there is no way I was going to catch my flight.

I was some what relieved when the boy at the counter told me that they will allow me to take the next flight to Rochester without paying even a single penny more. I was happy. At least nothing bigger happened. They it suddenly hit me that my luggage will be send in the first flight. I got anxious and informed him the same. He told me that he will send a message to the check in dept if I can give a description for both of my bags. I gave the same and he send it out...

Through out that flight, I was tense about the luggage. I reached Rochester and was waiting to recieve the luggage. The tension grew and after some time, I saw the grey suitcase coming out. I was so relieved, I went running took the bag and kept it along side my hand bag. But, there was no sign of my red bag. I waited and waited. Then I suddenly realized that there are no more bags coming in. I was left wondering what to do next. Then I saw a pretty long queue and I came to know that none of them had recieved their luggages. I also went and stood in the queue.

One guy in the queue had 8 of his bags missing. I don't know how he managed to check in 8 bags. Then there was another guy, who was missing only two bags. But it was not his bags which had gone to wrong destination, but himself. He somehow boarded the wrong flight and reached here. No wonder, he did not find his luggage as it had already reached its correct destination.

I lodged a complaint and I realized that my bag had gone for a trip to Richmond, Virginia. After two days I recieved my baggage. I am just happy that I atleast was able to catch my correct flight. Err... Am I getting overconfident? No God, Please dont teach me another lesson!!!