My Onsite trip :P

So here is my story of my ever-so-dream-of-an-onsite:
i just yearned for it for so long, never saw it coming. And so it all started falling in place, or so it seemed ;)
This year has been eventful to say the least :)
My mgr got my visa processed. It happened with least of hassles, maybe thanks to the prayers of so many ppl :)
And i was to fly to Atlanta on 26th June. We(my parents and me) start packing, packing and more packing. The FIFA world cup was on. Dad and me would sit up late in the night to see FIFA and do my packing as well.
Incidently 90% of my predictions of the world cup came true. I almost acted like a clone of Paul ;)
And then 2 days before my travel, my client tells my mgr, I need to travel 2 weeks later!
Good god, was i dissappointed. That would be the least to explain my plight.
Ok, so i send multiple mails, to travel desk, hotel bookings, everyone, to reschedule my travel date.
The new travel date - 11th July.
So what do we do with the loads of snacks i bought.
Well, with FIFA around, late night TV viewing, dad and me - started hogging.
One packet at a time, thinking that would be the last. But soon we realise we have exhausted all snacks :D
Now, since most of my "nice-dresses" were all packed, i started getting them out and before i realized one suitcase was totally unpacked. :D
And, now i m almost there. The 11th July is just a few days away.
And so, i start packing again and start shopping for snacks too..
As they say, history repeats itself - 2 days before my travel i get to know 'again' i am not travelling and it would be on 2nd of Aug!
Good lord!
what the hell is what i was thinking.
My mom was furious - more worried of my dad's cholestrol increase after eating a 2nd round of snacks ;)
Ok, So this time, i m less dissappointed as i had been there, done that; kind of situation.
This time i unpack everything consciously and empty snacks too...
Finally and once for all the travel for 31st july does get confirmed!
Can you believe it! :P
So i was to set sail on 31st July 2010.
I just had 2 days to pack and finally and thankfully the pack unpack melodrama ended.
The last 2 days got sooo tense, i had to take backups of 2 machines, pack stuff, "shop" and what not!
And finally the D-Day arrives.
We book a cab, goto the airport. Well thatz what we thought we were headed.
My flight was at 615 IST.
We leave home by 2. Just to realize almost the entire blore is in a big jam.
I am yet to discover why the jam!
So our good good driver, keeps wading through different roads and finding more jams and trying really hard to evade them. So its nearly 4 and we are not even close to the airport.
My heart beat is racing, and my mom is saying a lot of stuff, none of which i could comprehend.
We finally reached the airport.
And then we dump everything, all my stuff onto the trolley...
Mom dad look a little distraught...i assumed probably they were tensed too..But in retrospect now, i think they were already missing me.
And then without even a second thought, i just drag the trolley inside and run off to check in et al...
Dad is frantically walking up and down outside only to find out where i am.
I finally finished my check in.
And then i try to go out. All this while, i dumbly assumed 'i' can go out even after check in. Well, hell no. I couldnt. :(
Damn dissapointed.. I wanted to hug mom and dad.. i couldnt :(
Anyway we spoke through the glass pane...and finally i set off to do my immigration and run towards my flight...
Finished it all without much hassle...
And then, i reach the gate. A lot of people just like me were all seated, waiting for them to all us board.
I was excited that it was really happening. Geee...I was a little shaken up, coz i wont be able to see mom and dad for another 3 months.
Anyway finally i get to board.
I got a seat next to the window...i was happy :D
I was like a little kid, all excited and happy to see the world first hand. This i would call my first flight. That last time i flew was when i

was 8. I can hardly recall the experience.
And i saw the containers containing all our bags. I was super excited to see them. The product i am working on actually does exist!!! lol
The flight then is about to depart, the engines start rolling and we start crawling on the runway and then in just a couple of minutes our flight takes off. Phew! what an experience....
I flew leaving the sunset behind me...well did i take it along with me, i wonder..
The best view was when we were still in an inclined position and i saw my lovely city and an even better sunset next to me...
The view is imprinted in my mind...an image i would never forget...
And then we flew and flew and flew...
Midway, over the sea near Pakistan, due to some rain or something, the whole plane starts wobbling...what a scare.. :P
And after some 6 hours we finally reach Dubai.
One of the best things of flying i found was that, the geography we studied in school, does exist big time...gee :D
Oh ya, midway from the flight, i did get to see some of those tiny islands near Dubai...

So this is part - 1 for now...
will post more ;)

--Shreya