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Tip
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Travelling
can be one of the best ways to learn more about new
places, cultures and traditions followed in different
parts of the world.
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The Most Charming
Travelling Companions in Town
My better half, Kapil has
been asking me to accompany him to the states on one of his trips there so
that I too can enjoy seeing a new country. I have not been able to oblige
him because , being a rather doting mother, I cannot bring myself to
travel without my two little brats . However nor can I bring myself to
venture a long flight with them. These flashbacks into the past will help
you understand why!
My daughter Tamanna, and I were on a flight to Bangkok and she had mild
fever. As I could not hold her and measure out her syrups myself, a kind
sardarji neighbour willingly obliged. He expressed friendliness out of
compassion for the sick child and tried to engage with her. The child
rewarded him by beaming at him and deftly kicking a glass of water onto
his lap. The poor gentleman tried to undo the damage with tissues but the
seat and his trouser were firmly wet.
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Later when the food
arrived, little bits kept tumbling onto his (wet!) lap thanks to the
antics of the little one. I kept trying to field whatever bits I could
before they reached his lap much like a desperate goalkeeper in a finals
match but my daughter was clearly a champion scorer. I kept murmuring
apologies. He heaved a sigh of relief when the food trays were taken away
and put on his headphones to enjoy the in-flight movie. It was then that
Tamanna decided that she wanted his phones and stood up to pull them off
his ears. No amount of reasoning could deter her from her single minded
goal. Not even her own set of phones. A protracted game of tugging ensued
and the further the sardarji leaned away the more determined became the
hurls of her body in that direction. Anyone who has tried to hold down a
struggling child knows the superhuman strength they possess.
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I strained every
conceivable sinew but was unsuccessful in stopping her. Finally the
neighbour just surrendered to the focused daughter-distressed mother duo
and handed over his earphones!
After some more novel
ways of torturing the gentleman further she finally dozed off and a I have
not heard a greater sigh of relief than that which emanated from my
neighbour! An hour later, as we were landing, she stirred in her slumber
and I will never forget the look of pure terror on the gentleman’s face as
he turned to his neighbour and remarked-“the devil is waking up!”
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On another
flight to Bangkok where we had wonderful hostesses, my
daughter being well this time was full of even greater
energy. She decided to expend that by running up and down
the aisles with me giving chase. Though tiring, it was not a
bad deal. Till she devised a little game. This involved
walking up to the airhostess, winning her friendship (which
is very easy when one is blessed with an angelic face) and
then when the hostess least suspected it, trying to pull off
her sarong! No amount of reasoning on the part of the
airhostesses or me seemed to make her desist from this game.
It turned out to be an extremely tiring flight with one
determined girl, one extremely harried and embarrassed
mother and a couple of pretty airhostesses clutching their
sarongs tightly racing back and forth between the aisles. |
Other eventful flights involved stacking
butter and jam tubs as a substitute for lego building blocks, running off
to return with pieces of food from the plates of unsuspecting passengers
in front and many many more…...My son, Aditya a newer entrant to the
skies, alternates between wailing loudly with head flung full back for
maximum resonance or running between the aisles as fast as his little legs
can carry him.
I find myself constantly amazed at human
tolerance and kindness and ask for God’s blessings for staff crew and
fellow passengers! Meanwhile it will take me a while to recover from this
trauma and build up the nerve to fly with my two little friends.
Contributing Author:
Dr Anjali Mehta, is an ex-Army eye
surgeon with my own practice at Dwarka . She enjoys writing both thought
provoking and fun articles now and then.
mehtanjali@gmail.com
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