March 4, 2020
There was zero traffic and good conversation on my way to the airport. We left at 8:15 and arrived at JFK at 10:30 for a 12:30 flight. Harry took my pic and sent me on my way. Everything is running so smooth and I have everything under control……… I get up to baggage check, hand over my passport and the agent says, “Where is your visa for India?” I tell her India is a layover for a connecting flight to Nepal. She says, “You still need a visa,,, it takes 3 days,,, you will not be flying today” I said, “I don’t understand… I didn’t think I needed one for a layover.” I explained my travel plans again after she had already handed me back my passport. No go.
As my soul feels like the light bulb just burnt out I stand at the counter stunned and send Harry a quick text….’Turn around’. It takes me a couple minutes to let the anxiety and disappointment subside before I drag Grover, and my carry on pack out through the once happy doors of destiny I just walked in, they close heavy behind me.
I am standing outside not knowing what to do next, waiting for Harry. My head is racing, I am not in my body. I take some deep breaths, and more deep breaths and ground myself out with the serenity prayer. After my head clears a bit I hop online to start the research. How long to get an Indian visa? 3 days. Can you still get a visa upon arrival in Nepal? Yes. Is there a flight directly to Nepal today? yes. I e-mail my booking agent to see if I can get a refund, and then call a friend to see if she could put this flight on her card? yes. Hmmmmm…
Something tells me to do more research about a layover in India. It just makes no sense to me why I would need a visa if I wasn’t leaving the airport. Info; you do not need a visa if you stay in transit area!! I run back inside wait in another line for a different agent and she tells me the same thing. No! I do not think they are listening to me, or I am not making myself clear. So, time is ticking…. I am not giving up. I go to the ticket sales lady, another line, and ask her. She asks me if I have my ticket from Delhi to Kathmandu? No. She said, “Purchase that ticket with me right now and we can get you on that plane.” Yes Please!!!
She calls the boarding pass agent who says they are closing in 5 minutes for my flight and she can not wait. She fumbles around in no hurry looking for a ticket that will give me the least amount of layover time; just book anything!! I just want to get on that plane. I get my ticket and am frantically running to the boarding pass agent who did decided to wait. I got my boarding pass! With tears rolling down my face I namaste the hell out of these women and start booking it to security, I am very late.
Thank god I have TSA precheck! I wait in line, no TSA precheck number on my ticket. I don’t have time to mess around so hop into a long security line, tearing my bag apart to get the electronics and fluids out because I was unprepared and didn’t think I was going to have to do this. I got my boarding pass but now I don’t think I am going to make it through security in time. My plane leaves in 20 minutes. Ten minutes later and my heart is pounding, I am too far back in line to make this plane. One of the women from Air India appears on my side with a TSA security guy. They fast track me through and now the three of us are running to the gate. She has my laptop and camera, my carry on is on my back, and I am running in my socks with my shoes in my hand.
They held the plane for me, they waited. I got to my seat with no water, food, and a desperate need to pee. And I don’t give a shit! I am so grateful to be sitting in this seat. Non-stop adrenaline for 2 1/2 hours. I think I may be staying in the Indian airport for 13 hours because we didn’t take the time to get the soonest flight. Again, I don’t give a shit.
I am 5 hours into the flight. Watered, fed, and peed. I sit in an aisle seat with noone next to me and a nice Indian man one seat over. Lilly, an Indian woman sits across from me with her two daughters and we get to know each other. My body has finally calmed down.
This would not have been the end of the world if I had to wait three days; but, it felt like it for those first moments. The anticipation and planning to get to this day. Saying bye to everyone, leaving the house spotless, driving to the airport, and a sleepless night. To repeat this like groundhogs day was not a good feeling. Instead here I sit on my way to India with my laptop open writing to you, and I have to tell you…. It feels so good to write about this and get it out of my system. It helps. I changed the lightbulb, and the soul shine is aglow. I have everything I need.
Namaste
