I was never out of India before but when i got information from my consultant that my tickets for maiden abroad journey to riyadh have been confirmed to Dec 21, 2008...i was very excited...
at the night of dec 19, 2008 i boarded at Padmavat express for new delhi from where i have to start next and maiden phase of my journey .
I was accompanied by my younger brother-ASIF, father in law and my staunch friend IMRAN..
at new delhi as it approached to evening, because of tension and excitement i was very much disturbed and was even feeling pain in stomach.
many friends from aligarh and new delhi came to see off me..
when i departed from my fellows at entry point of Indira Gandhi International Airport, i felt some sort of confidence and strength in me. and felt as all burden has been removed from me.
after clearing customs and security checks, i went to waiting lounge and started checking my emails at my Mobile. many of my students and one of my best teachers, Dr. Pramod Kumar from IIITM Gwalior have wished me; i replied their mails sitting at lounge.
Then came a person who has seen me at interview venue and because of my unique attire identified me. it was only after conversation i came to know that he is also going to join there as faculty and his name is SHAWKAT.
after sitting for few hour i left my hand carry with shaukat and started visiting lounge, i have never seen such large collection of wines ever before as seen inside airport. in all these activities how whole night passed i could not guessed.
then came the boarding time, when i boarded in aircraft ( a AIRBUS 300) i found that i have window seat and further just above the wings. after some delay flight started moving. with few attempts i found seat belts easily and fasten it.
I could easily see the movements of ailerons on the wings, since i have taught Modeling and Simulation for two years specially simulation of autopilot i was seeing it at real time and was guessing what was going inside.
when plane took off it was a huge thrust i felt upon me, initially a bit scared but when i saw inside plane, got relaxed. after two hours of journey, we were howering over sanatcruz Mumbai, i could easily see the lights of City which never go for sleep.
Plane has taken two rounds of the city and was coming down when it took two sharp jolts, i was very much scared but everything was normal, it was nothing but an old Air India plane only.
we were taken to another building in a bus where a Boeing 747 Jumbo was waiting for us. before boarding to plane it was time for security check again. after security check i offered Fajr SALAH at airport, thanx to democratic government for this freedom.
Jumbo was really Jumbo in every aspect. from there it took 4.5 hours to riyadh. in between i saw how plane was penetrating clouds..........
when it started lowering altitiude, i again looked beyond the window and found red sand and dessert and some hounds of camels. it was now saudi arabia.....
plane landed and airport building was really very big....
at customs counter, i met with a very friendly custom officer after knowing that i am going to join King Saud University as lecturer, he behaved me very leniently....
although i have informed my dean about my arrival, but since could not get reply from him, i was a bit scared about.
but when i came out, i found an aged arabian shiekh with King Saud University placard, he took me with him to his ford car and dropped me at Hotel Dellmon Shrouq.
we were allotted double bed rooms and they were really very nice and splendid, after getting fresh i joined him again to University, it was very vast campus again full fledged with all healthy academic activities.
while returning from university, i purchased a SIM card and informed my mother and to my wife about my well being.
at evening i was very much disturbed and confused about azan timing and salah, it was only after isha that i came to know that MY WATCH IS STILL SHOWING ME INDIAN TIME while i am at Saudi Arabia, i corrected it.
i have taken dinner at a Turkish Restaurent and returned to Hotel, taken out my laptop, learned some common arabic sentences with traslate.google.com.
seeing my well furnished room and very comfy bed, i lie down pondering about what changes have taken place and when slept i still don't know...
