I am not a person who hates flying to start with as my major air-travel
in recent years was visiting India on holiday from Europe. Like all
other events in life this can be looked at like a coin; on one side the
travel time has reduced significantly while on other side only 20 to 30
kilos of baggage allowed compared to California (65 Kilo).
As we were moving out of Paris we had lot of important things to bring
along with us that we will need till our shipment arrives in next 5
weeks time. On the top of it, we added so many little things after the
movers left that I became jittery with two big bags,two big suitcases
and one small cabin suitcase. Luckily as we are now member of Qatar
Airways we got 15 kilos extra each so 90 kilos total.
It was very difficult to carry them from Apartment to Airport with 3
nights stays at Cite universitaire campus as we handed over the keys on
31st evening to our landlord. We had our flight on 2nd September and we
were left with 3 options- one to stay at friends place, second to book a
hotel room & third to be at Maison de l’Inde in Cite universitaire at
cheap price. We opted for 3rd option so that we don’t hassle anyone in
this procedure. Anyway, on our last evening at Paris we borrowed a
bathroom scale from the reception to do a last minute check and we
figured out we are almost on the edge of 90 kilos. It made me really
tensed and I was almost in need of counselor to release my anger,
frustration with bags, travel and move. From inside I inveighed against
Pamela for screwing up who was in-turn very cool as usual.
In a way, its good to drag such big luggage for last time to India. As
there we normally get porter if traveling by train and in flight they
don’t permit more then 15 kilos each.
Anywayz, we dragged them from Cite University to RER station (600 meters
apart) in the early Saturday morning. As we were huffing and puffing
some nice French gentlemen commented “Bon courage” (literally means
good- luck) – but it differs depending on the context like here good
luck on dragging such jumbo size suitcases. To my utter surprise the RER
ride was very packed as I never saw so many people traveling early
morning to Parc des Exhibition that too Saturday morning. This park is
the last but one stop before on RER as we reach CDG-1.
Now, as we had our flight from terminal-1 we need to take another 7-10
minutes bus ride to the terminal. Which means one more round of dragging
luggage from underground RER station to Bus stop and then arrange them
inside bus as other passengers joins us.
Well as we entered the check-in counter we found a long queue infront of
us. There was big group who were coming from Paris to Tibet. With the
thought of our baggage might cross the limit my pulse rate started
increasing and I made it clear to Pamela that I am not going to pay any
extra euros per kilos at any cost. If needed we throw certain items in
airport. Yes, with a very rough tone. That point of time I had no
sentiments for her rather every simple words coming out of my mouth was
full of anger, anxiety and tension which I ultimately took out on her
uncontrollably. Weighed down by bulging bags made me tetchy.
In one little corner of my heart I wanted that she learns a lesson if
baggage’s exceed the limits though till far it never happened. Always
she makes it to the edge by stuffing so many things….but this time I was
really waiting to happen. Even seeing a long queue I started blaming her
saying that because of those heavy luggage we got late.
While standing in the queue I tried once showing our membership card for
check-in via business class counter but in vain… after some 15 minutes
one gentleman came to us asking if we have membership card and we were
lucky enough to check- in via business class counter.
After checking passports & tickets she asked us in French:
She- vous avez combien de bagage ?(how many luggage you have)
Me : Quatre (4)
She: Votre baggage s’il vous plait indicating it to place in their
scale.
As I was placing luggage one by one with the thought now I will show
Pamela as soon as it exceeds the limit …..but to my utter surprise
nothing as such happened rather lady at counter said – Est qu’il reste quelque chose encore (Is there anything
else) with a smiling face.
Isn’t it enough….Atlast, we were to weigh our cabin luggage which was
bit overweigh by 2 kilos. But she accepted it without saying a word….bit
surprising you know otherwise normally they are very strict on that
part.
By the time Pamela asked her how much less it was from limit…and she
replied to it which I could not hear properly and it seem to me
something like one kilo or so. Finally everything went on smoothly and
she gave us our boarding ticket with smiling face said Bon voyage!!
As we were heading towards our gate…I was trying to show my caring
gestures to Pamela which she shrugged off. Trying to make my point
stronger I said- look, it was only one kilo less from the limit so what
it would be if it was over-weigh. Now it was her turn to show me her
rotten face for which I was bit taken a back first then asked her the
reason for the same. Showing the baggage ticket she said it was not one
but onze kilo i.e., 11 kilos less from the limit.
Well like always I apologized to her and this is a confession publicly
:D