Journey:: Quantas

its late friday afternoon, and raining outside. i am returning from a bi-weekly team meeting and just about finished with my work for the day. so, i guess you can't blame me for not feeling very productive!! besides, its been long since i shared my fair bit of ramblings. so, here it goes.

the journey to sydney was quite un-interesting. although i can't help but mention that my future roomie, Pankaj, or PJ as he likes to call himself, and i did not travel together as we were supposed to. we were together from SB to LA. and then, we were supposed to board the 10:15 flight out to Sydney. it was only after we reached the gate in LAX that PJ found out: he was scheduled to fly out at 11:50 instead. our travel agent, whom we knew by then to be quite a character, as if to prove that very fact, felt the need to book us in two different flights during the major part of the journey. as it turned out, i was able to catch up on my much needed sleep, only to wait for PJ in Sydney.

Quantas is a good airline to fly. it maintains high standards in most of the details relating to customer care and comfort, especially in the food department. no, i am not talking about the quality of the food here, (considering which, i have had better) but rather their uncontrollable need to feed you.. even when you are asleep. they tend to wake you up albiet your multiple "no thank you"s and would not let you sleep without having something to eat. aawwww!! those considerate caring bastards!!!

i was also amazed to notice the leg room, or the lack of it, that their planes offered. now, my notion of australians, and i might be going out on a ledge here, is that most of them are tall and strong. and frankly, i thought there would be more leg room even if it means reducing the seating capacity. but then again, its just 14 hrs of journey over the pacific with merely a patch of hawaiian land to stop in case of emergency. so, why bother with those almost-trivial comforts, more the passengers the merrier! damn commercial airlines and their money-making mindsets!!

i spent about 10 hrs sleeping, with intermittant eating ofcourse. and i watched a movie: "good night, and good luck". its a well made movie with a good story and all, but it was slow as hell. it almost put me back to sleep again before i landed.

the first thing that struck me when i arrived in sydney, apart from the warm breeze, was the fact that i am stepping foot in the southern hemisphere for the first time. i am looking at the southern sky for the first time. it was mildly exciting and mildly intimidating, but mostly normal. meh!! so, i am here, big deal!! it looks like sky elsewhere.

after a couple of hrs of wait without anticipation, i was joined by PJ. we were planning to take a taxi to the hotel. so, we went to the information desk to find out where we could get taxis, and instead got convinced that it is better to take the shuttle. i guess its a hang over from my grad student days that got slapped on to my face:: all he had to do was tell us, in his strong australian accent, that "its cheepah". PJ and i looked at each other: "oh yeah, thats a better option" ... some people never change.