The flying Kadaai

February 2000, Bombay

Wednesday evening, I was informed that I would have to start working at London for a Euro conversion project from the following Monday for a year. That gave me 2 days to shop and plan and be mentally prepared for my first stay away from home. It also gave little time for my company to plan & book for my journey.

All flights were full and it would not be possible to postpone the trip by even a single day. A trip via a lesser known (read - Unheard of) airport and airways called YEMEN was arranged. Sanaa, a desert town, famous for its unique mud houses was the stopover. London fine, but Sanaa? Why am I going to Sanaa? Is the airstrip long enough for takeoff? Was I going to ever reach UK? Huh??

Friday evening, the International airport was packed as usual. It looked like a Tabela, flies and filth all around. It had not dawned on me yet that I was going AWAY for so long. I was too busy shopping & packing and calling all my cousins to inform them of my trip. It yet seemed like Thursday to me and I was already on flight. And crazier and funnier things were to come.

I had enough trouble trying to fit everything I needed for a year into 24 kgs, a single check in bag and a handbag. But what were my fellow passengers carrying? Bartan (read vessels, utensils, huge utensils).. Haan? People were carrying huge aluminum pans and ladles and pitchers as hand luggage? Were they planning on cooking in-flight? A few of them even tried to fit their kadaais into the overhead spaces unsuccessfully. So there were kadaais and bartan all under the seats. A fellow passenger explained that it was Hajj time.

First Sanaa and now rolling pins under the seats. By now, I was highly amused. To add to the spectacle, a few of these passengers started laying mats and praying in the aisles. The flight crew had a tough time asking them to buckle up. No language in common, the crew was highly agitated and screaming and pleading, asking people to sit down. An old gentleman seemed to heed advice. He arose and walked away. But to the crew's utter surprise, he went and kneeled in front of the fire escapes instead.

Somehow, a few people helped the crew and managed to enable the flight to take off. During the flight the only spectacle was the hostesses snatching away glasses and bottles from the pilgrims. It was funny to see hostesses begging the pilgrims not to use water in the restrooms and searching people headed to the restrooms for water. Though a little late and unclean, the rest of the flight thankfully passed off without incident.