My Trip To Singapore

Singapore ... Nov - 2008 ... Its a place that I've seen in the Maps ... I know my cousin Kenny lives here ... I also knew couple of my friends Palani and Rohit work there ... Its the place most of the queries raised by the support group of ASPAC gets the response from ... So that had been my view all about Singapore

The first call regarding a job opening came somewhere in Dec - 2008 but there was no progress as the person who called had no further information other than it was an opening in Singapore ... All the source provided was, its an onsite opening ... But it was the time when I had been elevated from one level to the other, so was not so keen on the shift.

Well after this there was absolutely no clue of what happened that there was no further updates from the caller ... Since there were other things jolting in my mind that this went out of focus. Later somewhere during the end of Jan there was another call from another person regarding the same job opening ... The job location and the client location were available this time but the job description was not available so when inquired again went on the silencer mode.

Later in July I made up my mind for this role and there started my trip to Singapore

It was so short a duration, too short for me to plan the next few days ... I had a huge list like my MBA Projects, Trip Preparation, Relieving Formalities, Home Shifting, Vehicle Disposing ... on and on ... If that day I had a blog for preparing to Singapore, then there would have been a major relief ... (now you got the reason for the previous blog)

I was so excited about the travel, firstly for the reason that I was stepping on to the flight for the first time and secondly its a different country altogether. Though I was quite excited about the travel parents were not that happy with it, whatever be it staying away from them is not an easy task. So they decided not to accompany me up to the airport else might get emotional.

So it was my dad, my uncle, my bro and my cousin who had come to drop me at the airport. That's the maximum that our car could accommodate. It was the first time that I was entering the gates of Chennai Airport (it had been only dreams till then). I've seen my cousins, uncles go past that gate but that day it was me and only me. It was a different kind of feeling where you are given an entry into a different world. Being the first time it was kind of hyper excitement which ruled me all over. I still remember what all I did, what were right and what went wrong.

With the KT sessions from friends and relatives on how to board the flight ... I was expecting it to happen the way they said ... But just for convenience I had all my documents handy (the Passport (PP), the ticket(FT), a pen) ... I took a trolley and put my luggage as I got off the car. The first check point was the security officers who checked my PP and FT and allowed me in. I could see my people come in through another gate close by. Then I went past the first zone ... it was just like the OSI Reference Model where the data moves from one layer to the other ... Its just that there is no excitement shown by the packets but even they are hyper active at times.

Next I was asked to check the weight of my baggage. As mentioned earlier it is 30 Kg check in and 10 Kg cabin baggage for the Indian Airlines. I took the trooly towards the weighing machine and wooow ... the check in bag weighed 45 Kg and the cabin 9.5 Kg ... That's when I realized that I've been carrying a 55 Kg luggage till the time I got the trolley's. Probably that might help in long time if you plans of joining the weight lifting team. You can always say, this is how I started my career. There was something telling me that my baggage was over weight when I had packed it at home, but I was convinced by my people by saying its less than 30 Kg. Its better to have an empty bag when you travel, because there are some carriers which are very keen about the weight (free weight) that they allow. If its 30 then 30.5 is also either to be paid or removed from the baggage. Here it was not 0.5 Kg but almost 15 Kg that I had to shift to the other bag. Since I was aware that I would be traveling again within a couple of weeks, it was easy for me to plan my travel accordingly. But in case you think you would not travel at least for 6 months or so, then better take the things which you feel is necessary ... For Singapore food is not a constraint, so try to avoid the rice bags, noodles packets as they are avilable in surplous.
Next what happened is the load sharing like the bandwidth, I managed to share the load between the check-in, cabin and the home return baggage and the result was much better 30.6 Kg and 9.8 Kg respectively. Then I wore the 3 sweaters and 2 jackets which were taken off the check-in to make me look heftier. What happened next was unbelievable, I was guided by one of the baggage security personal to go to a specific counter. When I was standing in the queue I noticed a person in front of me giving a package of 45 Kgs ( 3 boxes of 15 Kg each) and he was cleared without any additional payment. Now the funniest part was when that guy was arguing with the baggage officer to include another parcel of 20 Kg. When the officer said it was already exceeding the standard of 30 Kg, he replied, "Why do you bother so much, you cry as if I asked you to carry ... Its only the plane that is going to carry my luggage, then what is your problem?" Now coming back to my story, the baggage officer asked me what happened to the excess weight that I had. I told him that I had packed it and sent it back home. Then he replied, you could have inquired with me before doing that. I might have adjusted it and sent the baggage without the excess payment. Believe me - it happens only in India. People being good is at times helpful, but with people misusing powers and facilities it becomes tough to get the privileges. It is with this security officer that we specify the preferred seat in the flight, well I didn't know that until the flight took off :-(

Once my check-in was cleared I returned to my people and explained them what had happened. I was given the immigration form and was asked to fill the journey details and some personal details. That's the last place where I met everyone and said "Good Bye". Now I didn't know where to go for the Immigration check. I went to the Air India counter and asked him where do I collect my baggage. He said its already sent to the baggage section and asked me to proceed to the immigration counter. Now where is the immigration counter? When I asked the same to the person there, he said, "Go to the end of the hall and you will find the queue there". Well assuming all the ends would lead me to the immigration counter I made my way to the right end of the hall ... The crowd was comparatively lesser and since it was the first time, didn't know how the immigration counter would look like. The end of the hall took me to a decision point, on one side i had the last baggage belt. Now the confusion was should I need sit and travel or stand. I didn't see anyone traveling that manner so went to the other side which was the "Rest-Room". I thought for a moment, probably they want us to empty ourselves before we board the flight. Then suddenly one of the security officer seeing me lost asked me where I wanted to go. All I knew was, Singapore Flight No. IC 555 (Indian Airlines) to Singapore, he said,"If you go that way you would reach the rest room and not Singapore". Very funny, then he guided me to the other side of the hall. Now I rushed there with my trolley and parked it in the place where it read "No trolley's beyond this point". I displayed my PP, FT and the immigration form and asked me to stand in the queue. That's where I realized that there is going to be another round of checking. From the far it looked like a verbal quiz. I was quite tensed as to what are they going to ask me. I started to memorize the flight no, job title, company name .. .etc ... Next its me on the queue, I was asked for the immigration form, then the lady in the counter asked me few questions:

Lady: Show me your IF and PP
Me: Displayed the PP and IF
Lady: Look like you are tensed? What happened?
Me: First time on flight, so little tensed.
Lady: Where are you from?
Me: India
Lady: Where are you coming to?
Me: (confused whether it was going to or coming from, I replied ...) Singapore!!!
Lady: Ha .. hah ... I asked, where are you coming from?
Me: Chennai ... India ... Bangalore ... Avadi
Lady: Ha .. hahah .. hah aaa ... Oh my God, so are so tensed??? Don't panic ... relax
Me: Yeah (Still it was running in my mind that its a verbal quiz going on ... I was just praying I should answer the "key" what they expect) ... will try to relax ... (Oru kulanthaiya, tension aaki paakurathula, avungalukku oru inbam)
Lady: How long is your stay?
Me: 2 Weeks ... Sorry ... 2 Years (then suddenly a thought struck, what if I stay more than 2 yrs in Singapore, what will happen ... then corrected my reply) ... As of now for 2 years, but if I like the job then might extend
Lady: Your Visa is valid only for one year (when its very clearly printed in it, why do they need to ask such silly questions)

Then she returned the PP ... I asked her if I cleared the test, she said ... Go on!!!

I thanked all my stars for making me clear that level of interview. Later I moved upstairs, went into the land of dreams ... felt Singapore there itself seeing the ambiance. Little further I saw another check-post, Why God Why ... How Many Check-posts, thought of the OSI once again and went to this gate. This is the cabin baggage check and body check counter. They asked me to keep whatever I carry onto a plate and move it through the screening counter. Here you do the childhood drill exercise ... 1..2..3..4..5..6..7..8 (well if you still don't remember, just recollect our dear K.Bhagyaraj's dance moves) ... there by the security clearance also got through successfully.

At every point you have a thought, what's next ... Remember the 3 sweaters and 2 jackets, I was literally like a grilled chicken with the entire attire ... So unbearable anymore, I removed the sweaters and the jackets, again was scared to stuff them in the cabin-bag. Actually you can have them in the cabin bag and no one bothers much about the cabin -bag unless they find it too bulky or find it suspicious. I was waiting for my flight's call ... from there things looked pretty simple. Its just that you wait in the long queue when the FT is verified. I was pushed back by a family of two who rushed as if the flight is about to depart without them ... One does not realize that everyone's heading the same flight when the call is made for a counter. Then I consoled myself thinking, probably they are running for the window seat or the front rows, to watch the movie better (its an assumption created by the so called Air-Bus who offer free Video when we travel)

I passed through the final layer of the OSI Reference Model and met the Air hostess (what an excitement) she said, "Good Evening!!! Welcome to Indian Airlines" as if I was the only one welcomed I said "Thank You" ... Then she asked for my ticket, she guided me in and said its towards the last ... The first compartment being the executive class, I asked if I could sit here. She said your ticket has been booked for the seat at the last. I asked her who booked it so behind, she said its at the baggage check-in counter. That's when I realized that I should have asked him for the seat of my preference.

I took my seat, it was in the middle ... kept all the 3 sweaters and 2 jackets there and reserved it ... then tried to keep the cabin bag. Even here we can see our people fighting for space and place. Well all the instructions given on one end, I was just wondering
Am I really traveling in a flight???
The A/c is cool ... Dim lights ... Push-back seats ... Seat belt (Hmm ... that's what confirms)
Where am I heading to???
Oh, a new place ... a new country ... a new culture ... a new job
Is this a dream???
To achieve heights, you need to dream higher ... One day when the time comes, they would be like this journey or may be still better ... Full of sweet memories with every moment cherished this trip to Singapore has been one such Dream Come True!!!