The Trip abroad

                                  'Finally the tickets have arrived', thought Kim. She felt exhilarated as well as apprehensive about the trip she was goiing to commence next week, with her son. It was going to be her first International trip. She always had the little voices of doubt squeaking inside but which she always managed to overcome and come out a winner everytime in any situation. Her sister had told her a hundred times over the phone how to find her way out of Dubai International Airport if there was no aerobridge available. Her son had almost memorised that. So she made sure she noted everything in a small diary, She had shopped a bit for the travel. The flight was at 4 am on Monday. She returnce from work on Saturday to find her son not feeling well.
                                 Heck ! Now what she thought and took him to the doctor who of course prescribed medicines. Poor li'l chap she mused. He looked down as against the peppy look he should have had on his face as he was so excited ! Anyway, the D- day arrived. They were at the Mumbai international airport which was four hrs drive from the township they lived. They were there by 1.00 a.m. (3 hours before the departure, all internationsl flights, her son reminded). Though he wasn't his ususal self, he didn't much groan about the throat pain he was having. Then started the 'Q' ordeal of immigration check. She read the form she had to fill up. Keeping the bags on a side, ( no coolies here to have the luxury of someone carrying the luggage for you, how convenient train travel is, she thought). Her son started grumbling. He was tired of standing. She asked him to sit down. 'Where ? On the floor ?' he said, 'No, Mamma, I won't'. Oh ! god these kids !, she was feeling as it is jittery.  She said,' C'mmon baby please co-operate. Don't get on my nerves. Sit down on the floor. It's o.k.' She didn't like to tell him sit on the bare cold floor with the state he was in but no choice. The price to be paid for international travel. Why can't they keep some chairs here, she thought. So she continued with the queue and her son kept on walking/sitting moving side by side. The immigration form filled, she looked around to check what fellow 'quemates' were doing. One guy behind her was struggling to read the form. He appeared lost.So many out here can't understand English at all, she wondered. Since she had to kill time, she asked the guy if she could help him and he like a core Martian replied 'No'. She said. 'O.K.' and once again pondered over 'Men mentality' ! After five minutes, the guy asked her if she could fill the 'Ration card form'. She told him, it was an immigation form and explained its purpose. To her horror, she found, he was bound for Riyadh and had to go en-route Dubai, but he had ticket only till Dubai. She asked him and he said he was going to take up a job in Riyadh and an agent had arranged. Meanwhile her turn came for the Immigration check and she guided him to approach the help desk. She was asked to go through ...6. She only partly heard that but instead of clarifying, went ahead in the line. She asked her son where the numeral 6 was. She couldn't find any sign board up. He said,' Mom, look down on the floor there'. And there it was 6 written within a circle on the floor. Children can be so useful at times, she thought. Moreover, her son was sitting on the floor. Well they were out through the gate and into the Boeing 747 of Emirates and her son was an altogether a transformed personaliy. He got busy checking the T.V. found that he could log in and stuff and very happily chatted with the Air hostess, tied the seat belt as if he was an Emirates regular. Hey ! Nick, few hours before you were a sorry face and what happened now ? The joy written all over his face, wiped off whatever nervousness she was having and he said,' Mom ! I am hungry. When do they serve us breakfast ?' Boys will always be hungry ! She laughed at his question and sat down relaxed with her son at the window. Nick wanted her to shop online on board. She said no.
                                 Well the flight took off and the food served was good. Nick was elated about the information on the TV screen about the height they were flying at. He chatted non stop and she wondered where all his throat pain had vanished. Anyway he was happy and she felt at peace. The giant started descending and she looked out of the window apprehensively ( she was scared of heights ) and saw multitude of twinkling lights. Dubai was waking up to yet another morning and she was touching a foreign ground first time. Wasn't it a special feeling ? They got into the bus after alighting and her son held her hand when it stopped for the transit passengers to get down. 'Remember, what Maasi told not to get down at the first stop, the bus takes ?'. Well they reached the gate and the 'Marhaba' service was really good. You need to pay extra and you are escorted out by a staff who does all the paper work,  issues the visa and leaves you right where your folks have come to pick you up. No hassels. She almost ran on seeing her dad and sister.
                             Everything looked beautiful and clean. The Sheikh Zayed rd, the Marina, the Burj Al Arab, the various cornishes, the gold souk, the Crown plaza, geysers at Al Ain and most of all the Desert Safari apart from the various malls to shop around. Her son enjoyed the Ski Dubai the most. She wanted to stay back forever. Now that the Burj Khaleefa was ready, as she reminisced about her last trip, she wanted to make one more trip to see the giant.