My third-flight and also my last flight with Jet Airways were deliberately priority to be written. Remembering every Jet Airways flights that are very important in completing my exploration in South Asia region.
Early morning flight (2:05 p.m.) which was departed from Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai made me lack of sleep time since checked-in until landing (04: 35).
Entering airport, I immediately sought a pray room. Entering prayer room, I was greeted by a man who was wearing an ihram cloth (Ihram cloth is specific cloth for hajj or umrah in Mecca) among a group of umrah tour which were praying together. His hospitality smile welcomed me after ablutions.
He : “Assalamu’alaikum, hi brother, where are you come from?”
Me: “Hi sir …. from Indonesia“. I threw a smile to him.
He: “I’m from Bangadesh, I think you are from Malaysia“. He smiled again.
Me: “Yeaa….Malaysian and Indonesia are looking same”. I shaked his hand
He: “Where will you go?”
Me: “I will go to Colombo…Oh ya three days ago, I visit your country”
He: Suddenly hugging me … ” Really, How about my country? nice? “
Me: “Yeaa, exotic country….very original….I will come again next time”.
He: smile again and patted my shoulder.
I also found some Indians praying at some airport corridors.
Dinner at that night were some authentic Indian street fried foods which I got from the last rupee after exploring Mumbai”
A thing that I always do when traveling is to exchange my last local moneys into USD before leaving a country which I visited and then spending last coins which can’t be exchanged to buy a menu for next meal. In fact, sometimes I will eat it in next country.
Last 2 hours waiting time was used to charge all my electronic devices which low battery after I use it in exploring Mumbai.
Airport information calls which don’t use Indian-English accent at all make me feeling like at European airports (It’s still dream….I’ve never set foot in Europe). Yeah cool.…all information calls at this airport is accented with native english .
It was really nice to see my plane leaned on gate 85D, a sign that I would set foot in Colombo soon.
1 hour later boarding process started.…
Online checking-in that I did 24 hours before flight made me free to choose a window seat. This position is always my choose at every flight to easy documenting every moment during flight.
Trying to still awake by reading “Jet Wings”, I hoped cabin crews would immediately distribute in-fligt meal.
Even when I fell asleep, inflight meal never came. Apparently, there wasn’t food on this flight. Or whether I missed it. Because I really fell asleep very hard. Because less sleep during Mumbai exploration.
I was awakened by flight attendants to immediately establish my seat, signaling that I would land in Colombo soon.
I deftly set up my Canon EOS M10 and turned it on. I would catch some city view when plane prepared to touch down at Bandaranaike International Airport.
I was stunned by a row of lights that were patterned straight and neat. There wasn’t doubt that it must be a beach that would ll be my destination in Colombo.
10 minutes later, Jet Airways actually landed in Colombo. Hmmmh… couldn’t wait to get down soon.
My arrival was at 4:35 a.m., I had to wait until morning to catch first airport bus which would go to downtown.
Subha udesenak! “Pearl of the Indian Ocean“….kindly welcomed me, please….hehehe.