United States of America!

As most of you guys (and gals) know, I am in USA for my PhD. Right now, I am a student again... :)

I just thought I would resume my blogging, so i can keep you informed and entertained at the same time. Let me start off with my trip to the USA. In short, it was tiring, but the longer verison is better!

The flight was at 1:40 AM on the Sunday morning (08/16/09... Yes... i am now in USA and as they say, when in USA.... ). I had to check in 3 hours early at the Bengaluru International Airport saying my goodbyes to my parents and my dear friends who came to see me off at the airport. It was touchy.

Gafla #1: My lugguage was 25+25+8 where it should have been a max of 23+23+14.. So had to re-arrange the lugguage in the airport. did that and checked in the bags.

After check-in, i go for the immigration check which went smoothly. Next up security check.

Gafla #2: When i re-arranged the lugguage, i put in a sealed bag into my cabin baggage. As the security checked, i froze. It had a razor, camphor and after-shave lotion in it. To my suprise, the guard somehow missed all of them and seemed to concentrate on the dal that i was taking. Luckily, he allowed me to leave with all that i had come in with.

Next up, waiting for almost 2 hours. :) Called my parents from inside the lobby. Also called them when the flight boarding was about to start.

As the flight boarding started, another Aug-15 special check was in place at the airport. Another security check. Again the guard misses all the dangerous objects and asked me if i had mirchi powder along with me (since i had dal!!!)... Too much I say!

The Flight was Air France from Bengaluru to Paris. The flight was a long one. 10.5 hrs. I slept for about 1 hour. There were two meals... both were good. The french ladies were too good. Dont get the wrong idea here, i mean to say that their treatment as hosts was too good. Their language suggests respect and plesantness. I loved saying them (repeatedly)... " I dont speak france"... Phew.. lattu bole tho lattu..

The flight lands in Paris at about 8:30 AM Paris time (12:10PM IST). I had exactly 2 hours to check in again. One would think the Paris airport, being one of the largest airports in the world, would have better system.. But noooo they had such a long check-in line. And only 3 check-in points (i.e., at terminal 2E... there are other terminals... 1, 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, 2F, 3 with each one having about 42 gates! compare that to Bengaluru/Hyderabad's 1 terminal with 20 gates!). Anyways, after a long wait of 10 mins, my check-in process starts. Now, i was aprehensive that i would be asked to open my bag (afterall it was my BIG trek bag!)... The checking lady takes a look at it for about 2 mins.. and lets me walk. That was nice! Went to buy some chewing gum in paris airport, but the lady says " I take dollars, give you change in euros!", I said "NOTT"... ;)

Waited in the paris airport for about 1 hour.. Had a lucky coincidence of meeting a College friend at the paris airport and so played some catch-up with him. Then again, while boarding the plane, there were random checks. Both the checking people looked like Indians (or sri-lankans)... They were only stopping whites and letting all others go... :) Was nice again.

The flight from Paris to Chicago was the Air France (Again!) and this time it was a 9 hour travel. They gave me meals 3 times on this flight, but the earlier flight was more comfortable. The ladies were as charming as they were in the previous flight. By this time, i was really tierd. and wanted to sleep. so, slept over France and English channel and Ireland. Could not sleep after that. So watched "Incognito" and "The International".. then did some time pass till chicago reached.. I was suprised to note that, we flew for over 30 mins across Lake Michigan.

If you think Paris airport was big, think again... The Chicago airport had 5 terminals. I dont want to count the number of gates and all other bullshit... :)

In the flight, they had given me two forms to fill up so that we can go through immigration. So filled that out, went through immigration and waited for over half an hour for my lugguage (~ 1hour after getting off the plane!)... Took my lugguage outside... BTW, i had 2 BIG bags, one trek bag, two coats that i was carrying on me and a big book. When coming out of the airport, i had taken a trolley and i saw the bus that i am supposed to take from Chicago to Madison and started running towards it. In all the tension of boarding the bus, i forgot my book! :(

I remembered only when the bus was at terminal 3 after half an hour which was too late... The ticket to Madison is fairly expensive at $27 but is the second cheapest mode of transport after Greyhound. :) Reached Madison at about 5 when the sun was still bright. A friend from the Indian Graduate Students Association came over to pick me up in his car and dropped me to my place. He offered me to join him in his shopping, so i went along to explore Madison!

One weird thing about Madison is that the sun sets at about 8'o clock and its completely dark only after 9. Atleast right now. Also, the temperature is rapidly changing. Its already getting colder at nights (tolerable 70F... again... When in USA... ) as compared to 2 days ago when i came to Madison. I did not feel anything special being in USA. I had also expected the roads to be super smooth, which they were not. and the vehicles are noisy... but they never honk and give preference to the pedestrians.

Madison was very welcoming to me till now. Let me see how it treats me from now on!

Go Badgers!