TRAVEL|LIFE|SELF

My Fantastic Journey From India And Welcome At San Fransisco

Thrilled to get a double promotion on my travel stories from Medium here I go again to San Francisco

Celebration of my top writer travel tag from Medium

I am celebrating my tag! I got the top writer tag on the topic of travel on May 22nd, 2021, and again for a second time on July 8th, 2021.

Aldric Chen wrote in his editorial that Preeti Singh writes on travel and I chided him. Come on Aldric, I also write on finance, technology, yoga life, and spirituality but you always mention travel. Now it seems I do have a label.

I am Madam Travel! Medium too has given me this label and I do have a lot of stories so I should keep on narrating my experiences of my travels.

My journey from New Delhi airport begins

On 5th June 2017, I reached the New Delhi airport and I offloaded my luggage and checked in. I got my boarding pass. Picking my travel trolley I went through the security gates. Thankfully United Airlines was on time.

My son called up from the USA and asked me if all was in order. He had found out that the flight was on time.

I reached the United Airlines Boarding Gate where they were calling out the seat numbers and rows for people to enter the aircraft and begin boarding.

I was an ordinary passenger from the economy class. The airlines' desk beckoned me and said that I had been upgraded to the premium economy as my son was a frequent flier with them.

My seat had been changed. I did not know what this particular class meant but I guessed that it was better than a plain economy seat and I should be happy about it.

I was shown to my seat and I was told that I was placed in an area where I had enough leg space as it was the first seat in the compartment. These were premium seats and I knew that they were payable seats. I asked the air hostess if I had to pay extra for sitting on that seat.

The air hostess smiled and told me that it was complimentary and to enjoy my journey sitting there. They were grateful as my son traveled with them a lot and that goodwill was being shared with me. That was a nice surprise and I began to feel relaxed and enjoy the beginning of my journey.

The lucky day as the Plane takes off on time

Soon, I was in for another surprise when the air hostess told me that the other two seats next to me were empty and I could lie down and sleep after the take-off of the plane.

The lights were dimmed. The formalities of take-off were done and the announcements were made. The flight slowly ascended and soon we were in the air and we could see clouds everywhere even in the dark night.

We were lucky that we started flying because all the flights after this one had been paused, we were told by the air hostess. The reason was that there was a squall in Delhi but we had sped away.

After the squall, there was heavy rain, thunder, and lightning in Delhi. Had our flight not alighted we would have been caught in the rain. Like the others, we would have to be in Delhi for the whole night at the airport. That day was indeed a lucky day for me when things were working favorably for me.

The fantastic journey

The air hostess served us food and drinks and she came to me and treated me like a long-lost aunt. She sat with me, chatted, and was serving me more and more food.

“Mam, please try this, it is a great dish. You are lucky we have a great menu today. Usually, it is routine but today it is very good with variety too” said the air hostess.

I was pampered as though I was in a five-star hotel and not a flight. I lapped it up and had fun with them.

They asked me about my profession and one of them was a part-time MBA student. She had some queries in finance when she knew that I was a professor teaching finance courses she asked me her doubts. I addressed them since I was teaching that particular subject.

It was good entertainment for me as normally flights are not so interesting.

The air-hostess put off the lights and announced that it was time to relax and rest and if anyone needed anything they were just to ring the bell by pushing the button.

She brought me blankets, pillows, an eye mask, a sound blocker for my ears, and also a brush, toothpaste, tissue paper, and a pair of socks in a small pouch. I have traveled so many times but I have yet to find people more courteous than this team.

Newark to San Francisco

The next morning we were at Newark where we had to stop and change for the flight to SanFrancisco. There was a stop over time of only one and a half hours. I do not know how I made it to the next flight after completing customs.

I think the flying time was 6and half hours between Newark and SanFrancisco.

I reached there on time and everything was very fast and easy at the airport.

I looked at the reception area and I was disappointed. My son and my grandkids were not there to welcome me. I thought my pleasant journey ends with this. No one has come to receive me because it is a working day and he may have a meeting fixed up.

Just then my phone rang. I picked the phone and a person called to say, “Madam, I have come here to welcome you”. He brought a big bunch of flowers with the name of the family members.

Learnings -Make people feel special

My son had sent a chauffeur in a big royal car to receive me and drive me. Then suddenly he called Mom “this is a surprise for you! Hope you are comfortable and feeling pampered?”

In front of me was a royal car with a uniformed chauffeur. He opened the door and welcomed me.

My son called again “We are waiting at a restaurant. You will reach us in 30 minutes”. The family was there to welcome me for lunch all of them holding flowers and cards and eagerly waiting for me!

What a fine surprise! Life is full of surprises! Travel is fun! Enjoy every moment of life.

It was the most fantastic journey and best surprise anyone could have. I felt so royal and special.

The family had been so thoughtful and had given me such a warm welcome to my visit to SanFrancisco to spend some quality time together.

Enjoy these wonderful family moments together.

Last words

Make people in your life feel special. Give them special moments. Give them surprises.

Always live your life! Treat others well. They will surely treat you with love and kindness too.

©Dr. Preeti Singh, 2021. All rights are reserved by the author.