CHAPTER 2
What the hell happened just now?
I was to fly to San Francisco via Hong Kong with company through out (or as my dad liked to believe, supervision). So I boarded my flight to Hong Kong, there was no turning back. All those movies about hijacks, snakes on board came to memory and it wasn't helping. There should be more RomCom movies shooted on planes! I wasn't complaining. After all you can't be excited without being scared. For all my pretended fear, I got on my flight and slept! The flight started at 4:30 in the morning.
I slept at 4:30 slept for an hour or two (or so I thought) and woke up to a bright and sunny day at 12:00 AM. The magic that happens when you overtake earth's rotating speed or better yet move in the opposite direction. There may be no Abra-Cadabra but human machines are not that bad. Well after a bit of trying to listen to Beyonce (Surprisingly she's not that good when you are half sleepy!) I was fidgeting in my seat bored and found my neighbour in the same mood. So we started talking.
She was from Mongolia, a first year student in Bangalore and going home. That's when I said the most ignorant thing in the entire trip.
Me:"Mongolia? Cool. So China Huh?"
Her: "No Mongolia. China is different"
Me: "Isn't Mongolia to like the north of China?" (I at least got my Geography right!)
Her: Yes it is. But it is a seperate country. We actually speak Russian!
Me: Ooops.. My bad (Uncomfortable Silence)
She was a nice person and I learnt a good lot about Mongolia the Country.
Apart from that one moment, the flight was as comfortable as it could be. My sister spoke a lot about turbulence and I was half-hoping I could experience it. (But it is not a very good thing to want, so I gave up!). We finally reached Hong Kong (four hours later than expected and just in time for our next flight to SFO). Considering all the delay that happened in the earlier flight, I thought the next one could be delayed by half an hour. But that was not to be.
We practically, literally ran to our next flight. Remember when I said my innovating packing decision (the shoes) would haunt me, they did. After hours of queue-standing, security-checking and wandering in the Bangalore Airport, my feet were already sore. Now I had to run! Lets just say my running at that point was no very elegant or sufficient. So I reached last in my check in queue and was going through the security check. My manager (and another colleague who was travelling with us coincidentally) I guess had better shoes and were a couple of slots ahead in the queue. They saw me going through security and started boarding. I was gonna join them in a minute or so we all thought.
For all the paranoia I had about losing my passport, maybe I should have been a tad more careful about what I had in my luggage. I already explained the one packing mishap, now let me elaborate on the next. My first flight from Bangalore was scheduled to leave at 3 in the morning and Bangalore roads are not the safest at that time of the day. So in yet another un-me moment, I packed a Pepper spray in my bag. I was already feeling safer and before I go any further, Pepper sprays are legal for defensive use in India. Well back in the Airport, It was 2 in the afternoon and there was a big crowd and airport security around. I feel safe in a crowd in daylight and with uniforms around. So when I was going through the security line, the pepper spray was not on my mind. The nice man in the security asked if he could check my bag and I said "Sure. Go ahead!".
Soon the man starting speaking something in Chinese and I was getting impatient. My legs weren't feeling any better standing there. And then he showed me my pepper spray and asked
Him: "Ma'm, Is this yours?"
Me : "Yes..."
Him: "You know you can't carry it, right?"
Me : "Oh sorry, I accidentally packed it. You can remove it!"
Him: "Ma'm, Pepper sprays are illegal in Hong Kong. Not just the airport"
Me : "Illegal like Drugs are illegal"
Him: "Yes"
Me : mouthing "Ill...eee..ggg..alll"
This is from Wikepedia. No Kidding!
Me :
Other : What is the Purpose of your visit?
Me :
Other : Ma'm, What is the Purpose of your visit?
Me : Business. I am only flying via Hong Kong.
Other : Are you travelling via CX872?
Me : Yes.
....
....
The cops arrived. I think English literature is very prejudiced against Chinese/Russian Jails and American Federal agents. The Hong Kong cops were really polite though Firm in their questioning.
I was starting to think maybe I could get three meals and a book to read in Jail. After a lot of questioning, they told me they had to seize the object (the spray) and I was like "Please! Take the thing as far as you can from me!". I got a feeling that I wasn't going to Jail and I was right. They told me that visitors got one warning and so I would not be arrested this time. I would get a warrant and if this happened ever again on Hong Kong soil, I would be jailed. I was relieved and glad that I would be out of this country in the next hour and I was never coming back.
That was when they informed me my flight was leaving as we spoke. That cannot be, the entire process did not take ten minutes. Remember when we were running because the flight wouldn't wait, turns out it really couldn't wait. So there I was stuck in a country I didn't want to be in. When you have exhausted your last warning, you cannot but be paranoid.
What the hell happened just now?
I was to fly to San Francisco via Hong Kong with company through out (or as my dad liked to believe, supervision). So I boarded my flight to Hong Kong, there was no turning back. All those movies about hijacks, snakes on board came to memory and it wasn't helping. There should be more RomCom movies shooted on planes! I wasn't complaining. After all you can't be excited without being scared. For all my pretended fear, I got on my flight and slept! The flight started at 4:30 in the morning.
I slept at 4:30 slept for an hour or two (or so I thought) and woke up to a bright and sunny day at 12:00 AM. The magic that happens when you overtake earth's rotating speed or better yet move in the opposite direction. There may be no Abra-Cadabra but human machines are not that bad. Well after a bit of trying to listen to Beyonce (Surprisingly she's not that good when you are half sleepy!) I was fidgeting in my seat bored and found my neighbour in the same mood. So we started talking.
She was from Mongolia, a first year student in Bangalore and going home. That's when I said the most ignorant thing in the entire trip.
Me:"Mongolia? Cool. So China Huh?"
Her: "No Mongolia. China is different"
Me: "Isn't Mongolia to like the north of China?" (I at least got my Geography right!)
Her:
Me: Ooops.. My bad (Uncomfortable Silence)
She was a nice person and I learnt a good lot about Mongolia the Country.
Apart from that one moment, the flight was as comfortable as it could be. My sister spoke a lot about turbulence and I was half-hoping I could experience it. (But it is not a very good thing to want, so I gave up!). We finally reached Hong Kong (four hours later than expected and just in time for our next flight to SFO). Considering all the delay that happened in the earlier flight, I thought the next one could be delayed by half an hour. But that was not to be.
We practically, literally ran to our next flight. Remember when I said my innovating packing decision (the shoes) would haunt me, they did. After hours of queue-standing, security-checking and wandering in the Bangalore Airport, my feet were already sore. Now I had to run! Lets just say my running at that point was no very elegant or sufficient. So I reached last in my check in queue and was going through the security check. My manager (and another colleague who was travelling with us coincidentally) I guess had better shoes and were a couple of slots ahead in the queue. They saw me going through security and started boarding. I was gonna join them in a minute or so we all thought.
For all the paranoia I had about losing my passport, maybe I should have been a tad more careful about what I had in my luggage. I already explained the one packing mishap, now let me elaborate on the next. My first flight from Bangalore was scheduled to leave at 3 in the morning and Bangalore roads are not the safest at that time of the day. So in yet another un-me moment, I packed a Pepper spray in my bag. I was already feeling safer and before I go any further, Pepper sprays are legal for defensive use in India. Well back in the Airport, It was 2 in the afternoon and there was a big crowd and airport security around. I feel safe in a crowd in daylight and with uniforms around. So when I was going through the security line, the pepper spray was not on my mind. The nice man in the security asked if he could check my bag and I said "Sure. Go ahead!".
Soon the man starting speaking something in Chinese and I was getting impatient. My legs weren't feeling any better standing there. And then he showed me my pepper spray and asked
Him: "Ma'm, Is this yours?"
Me : "Yes..."
Him: "You know you can't carry it, right?"
Me : "Oh sorry, I accidentally packed it. You can remove it!"
Him: "Ma'm, Pepper sprays are illegal in Hong Kong. Not just the airport"
Me :
Him: "Yes"
Me :
This is from Wikepedia. No Kidding!
- Hong Kong: Forbidden for civilians and legal to possess and use by only the members of Disciplined Services when on duty.
- Such devices are classified as "arms" under the "Laws of Hong Kong". Chap 238 Firearms and Ammunition Ordinance. Without a valid licence from the Hong Kong Police Force, it is a crime to possess and can result in a fine of $100,000 and to imprisonment for 14 years.[22]
- India: Legal[23] and does not require any licence
- They are sold via government-approved companies after performing a background verification.[24]
Me :
Other : What is the Purpose of your visit?
Me :
Other : Ma'm, What is the Purpose of your visit?
Me : Business. I am only flying via Hong Kong.
Other : Are you travelling via CX872?
Me : Yes.
....
....
The cops arrived. I think English literature is very prejudiced against Chinese/Russian Jails and American Federal agents. The Hong Kong cops were really polite though Firm in their questioning.
I was starting to think maybe I could get three meals and a book to read in Jail. After a lot of questioning, they told me they had to seize the object (the spray) and I was like "Please! Take the thing as far as you can from me!". I got a feeling that I wasn't going to Jail and I was right. They told me that visitors got one warning and so I would not be arrested this time. I would get a warrant and if this happened ever again on Hong Kong soil, I would be jailed. I was relieved and glad that I would be out of this country in the next hour and I was never coming back.
That was when they informed me my flight was leaving as we spoke. That cannot be, the entire process did not take ten minutes. Remember when we were running because the flight wouldn't wait, turns out it really couldn't wait. So there I was stuck in a country I didn't want to be in. When you have exhausted your last warning, you cannot but be paranoid.
omgg....tat was really shocking :| :| !! But ..wat an experience :P semma trillling saran.......
ReplyDeleteLux.. It was! The most exciting thing that happened in my life!
ReplyDeletewoah... man quite an adventure indeed... Pepper spray seriously???? gotta be glad you are not on their no fly list ha :) wer are you now??? I didnt quite get the idea if you had missed or boarded the plane???
ReplyDeleteHa ha! I am not on their no fly list. But HongKong is on mine :)
ReplyDeleteI missed the scheduled flight. Boarded another 12 hrs later!