Coming back to Life

A classic Floyd track from the Division Bell album and then something more too. The phrase "Coming back to Life" is something related to rejuvenating the mind, waking up from a deep slumber, a fresh start.

For any desi who has been in the US of A for a sufficient amount of time this phrase can be truly applied when he is landing on Indian soil. There is a very very different feeling when you are coming back to your country. The feeling, the high can never ever be achieved by any sort of stimulants whatsoever. And if you ask anyone he would probably tell you that just this feeling itself is totally worth the actual price of the ticket or any other expenditure incurred on the trip.

I had gone to India last summer. My itinerary was St.Louis - Detroit - Amsterdam - Mumbai (Northwest Air). I couldn't sleep during the route from Amsterdam - Mumbai. The airbus had displays which showed the entire flight route being undertaken like a driving route on google maps. I spent quite sometime watching that route and especially had my eyes glued to the display when the flight was somewhere beyond the Pakistan border and in the Arabian Sea.

I sometimes think that patience is one of the few virtues I possess but now with the flight just hovering over Mumbai I was getting damn pissed. Finally it did land however. The feeling when the wheels touched down on the tarmac are just the same as any other flight landing I had experienced but then again I knew better. The flight finally taxied a bit and soon was at the gate. Even while the flight was taxiing I was grinning from ear to ear. There were signboards around in Marathi and desi vehicles all around. As soon as the doors opened to the aircraft and I stepped out I was hit the face with INDIA all over. It wasn't just the weather or the smell or anything like that. It was just the entire experience of being on Indian soil after being away for so long.

I was never more happy to see a Mumbai Police constable than when I was while walking towards the baggage claim carousel. I hadn't told anyone that I was coming on that day to India except a few close buddies and so I really wasn't in a rush to head back home and all. I managed to get my bags comfortably and headed out of the terminal to gorge on some really good food after eons. Since no one at home knew about my arrival I figured I might as well use the extra time I had at my disposal and go home at my own convenient time. I did reach home late though and gave my folks quite a good scare.