There is something about waiting at the airport all alone. As I am waiting for the flight today in the crazy morning hours, I thought of penning (or rather typing) down my thoughts.
Most of my long hours of waiting at the airport have been during my international flights. Earlier when I would have a lot of time to wait, I would simply find my gate, dump my head in a book and finish it off while waiting for the flight. I had been able kill really long hours using this trick.
But recently my short trips where I travel alone and wait for an hour or two at the airports, I have found interesting ways to spend time apart from reading books.
One of the ways is to tour all the shops that are available at the airport. While I am not really a shopper, and mostly buy only sweets or special delicacies from that place, it's a great way to pass time. I am always amused by the various Indian special art and craft items on display there. Most of it is very expensive and not reasonable at all. I think it's mainly targeting the foreign tourists. But it's an awesome eye treat. I try and get ideas on what kind of things I should buy for myself and my home from a place that sells it at a cheaper rate.
On my trip to South Indian locations like Chennai and Bangalore, it's sandalwood articles, gods goddesses, typical Mysore craft items are all really inviting. North India carries embroideries, flashy colorful things that are so Indian. Great things to look at, I have been able to avoid the temptation of buying those so far, not sure how long I can though!! While roaming in Europe on the airport, I picked up quite a few trivia items like fridge magnets, cow bells, souvenirs and so on.
The other way I spend time is by just observing people's behavior. There are IT folks like us who are rushing to finish their presentations on their laptops, businessmen trying to do their deals over calls, some loud people flashing how busy they are hopping across cities. There are mummies running behind their hyper active kids, mummies and daddies picking up costly toys and chocolates for their little ones waiting for them at home. There are anxious people who would continuously keep checking that they are at the right gate or not, people who are really tired travelling these weird hours.
There is the airport staff always busy in doing their very very important things ensuring that everything is fine. There are colleagues in groups cursing their bosses for meetings they are travelling for. People frantically searching for charging points to charge their dying mobiles and laptops that can get them back on their always on life. There are people cursing the internet bring very slow and not being able to send that critical mail out before they fly.
My observations at Istanbul airport where I was supposed to wait for 8 hours, that got extended to 10 hours were really very vivid. I got talking to this Egyptian guy who spoke broken English. When I mentioned I am travelling for work, he started praising Indians being so business minded. I am not sure where he saw business in my mind, but anyways I accepted his compliments on behalf of all Indians. During that wait period, I saw at least 100 different varieties of burqa or hijab being wore by the ladies from Middle East and Africa, a great mixture of races and nationalities running around to catch flights, it was quite an experience!
All in all, I have learnt to observe people, enjoy their moods and learn from them. It helps me keep busy even in other situations when I am alone like marriages of distant relatives, other kids' birthday parties where I don't really have much to do. So many moods to look at, so much to learn!!
Most of my long hours of waiting at the airport have been during my international flights. Earlier when I would have a lot of time to wait, I would simply find my gate, dump my head in a book and finish it off while waiting for the flight. I had been able kill really long hours using this trick.
But recently my short trips where I travel alone and wait for an hour or two at the airports, I have found interesting ways to spend time apart from reading books.
One of the ways is to tour all the shops that are available at the airport. While I am not really a shopper, and mostly buy only sweets or special delicacies from that place, it's a great way to pass time. I am always amused by the various Indian special art and craft items on display there. Most of it is very expensive and not reasonable at all. I think it's mainly targeting the foreign tourists. But it's an awesome eye treat. I try and get ideas on what kind of things I should buy for myself and my home from a place that sells it at a cheaper rate.
On my trip to South Indian locations like Chennai and Bangalore, it's sandalwood articles, gods goddesses, typical Mysore craft items are all really inviting. North India carries embroideries, flashy colorful things that are so Indian. Great things to look at, I have been able to avoid the temptation of buying those so far, not sure how long I can though!! While roaming in Europe on the airport, I picked up quite a few trivia items like fridge magnets, cow bells, souvenirs and so on.
The other way I spend time is by just observing people's behavior. There are IT folks like us who are rushing to finish their presentations on their laptops, businessmen trying to do their deals over calls, some loud people flashing how busy they are hopping across cities. There are mummies running behind their hyper active kids, mummies and daddies picking up costly toys and chocolates for their little ones waiting for them at home. There are anxious people who would continuously keep checking that they are at the right gate or not, people who are really tired travelling these weird hours.
There is the airport staff always busy in doing their very very important things ensuring that everything is fine. There are colleagues in groups cursing their bosses for meetings they are travelling for. People frantically searching for charging points to charge their dying mobiles and laptops that can get them back on their always on life. There are people cursing the internet bring very slow and not being able to send that critical mail out before they fly.
My observations at Istanbul airport where I was supposed to wait for 8 hours, that got extended to 10 hours were really very vivid. I got talking to this Egyptian guy who spoke broken English. When I mentioned I am travelling for work, he started praising Indians being so business minded. I am not sure where he saw business in my mind, but anyways I accepted his compliments on behalf of all Indians. During that wait period, I saw at least 100 different varieties of burqa or hijab being wore by the ladies from Middle East and Africa, a great mixture of races and nationalities running around to catch flights, it was quite an experience!
All in all, I have learnt to observe people, enjoy their moods and learn from them. It helps me keep busy even in other situations when I am alone like marriages of distant relatives, other kids' birthday parties where I don't really have much to do. So many moods to look at, so much to learn!!
Interesting read!
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