Europe: 1. Welcome to Rome

     Awake for nearly 24 hours, I had almost begun to doze as I dumped myself in the middle seat. The seat of the aircraft was not as easy as expected from an international aircraft. I was very tired, and had no patience to make any effort to ease myself with the help of the pillow and the blanket which were offered by the airlines. I was in deep sleep by the time the aircraft took off. My wife woke me up after some time as the crew began serving meals. Having lost track of time, neither of us could figure out if it was dinner or lunch, but we were certainly hungry. Although I was feeling sleepy, the heterogeneous aroma that had filled the aircraft started tickling my taste buds. Bread roll, butter, jam, cheese, plain potato cutlet, muffin, cake, a sort of boiled leafy vegetable, watermelon, apple, canned fruit-juice, yogurt…., were more than enough to satisfy my hunger 41000 feet above the sea level! It took me less than a minute after gulping down the fruit juice before dozing off once again.

     It was after a good nap, still half asleep, when I casually glanced at the window. I saw a bluish orange broad strip in the middle, with a grey hue at the base on a black backdrop. I put on my glasses to have a better view. It took me some time to realize that it was something we often hear and speak about - the horizon. So far, I have enjoyed viewing the magnificent sky through aircraft windows only during the day. My first ever rendezvous with the horizon of dawn through an aircraft window took away all my sleep and fatigue as well in merely moments. Gradually my eyes got glued to the breathtaking sight. Orange lazily soaked in the love dispensed by yellow. About an hour later, the mystery of black faded away steadily to unveil the softness of blue. Soon the white clouds began to tease the aircraft. I was absorbed in watching the splendid sky when the steward greeted me, who had once again appeared promptly to disburse the morning snacks and hot beverages. I thanked him, but not being quite hungry, I decided to keep the wrapped snack-bar reserved for the layover period at Frankfurt airport. As we approached Frankfurt, the farms and grasslands looked picturesque. The ploughed brown fields peeped in gently and added to the gorgeousness of the sprawling green carpet. The sheep were busy enjoying the lush green grass. The windmills stood tall and proud, showing off their elegance. Soon the Maine river was visible, flowing with all its charm, gracing the vicinity.

     The landing was soft. Frankfurt seemed to be a busy airport. Once done with immigration and other formalities, we were still left with an hour before boarding a flight to Rome. Our mobile phones automatically set the clock to local timings. It was afternoon. I had the snack bar and bought a chocolate muffin at the airport. Some of us tried coffee, but it was not like we get it in India. Europeans prefer less or no milk in coffee. Travelling to Rome was in a smaller aircraft, similar to domestic flights in India. As soon as we came out of the airport, we were welcomed by chilly winds. The captain of the coach greeted us and helped everyone put the luggage in the designated space. He was a Romanian and could speak Italian. The coach was comfortable, and the ride was smooth. The traffic was disciplined and uninterrupted. Roads appeared amazing to all of us who were used to bumpy rides. Gradually, the clouds began to gather. Soon it started drizzling to make our ride more interesting.

     We checked into the hotel at around 5 in the evening. The hotel was located in a quiet place on the outskirts of Rome. The rooms were simple, yet homely. We were taken aback when we were told that the drinking water was not provided separately, and the tap water was potable which could be consumed safely. We initially sipped the tap water timidly, then tried hesitantly, and in the end gulped assuredly. I had heard similar accounts about Japan, but was unaware of Europe. It was still bright at 8 in the evening. I opened the window, but shut it soon as it was quite windy and cold, more so because it was raining. We signed off early after a quick meal as we were supposed to leave for a city tour of Rome by 8 the next morning.

Grazie (Italian word for thanks) Rome!

(Rome- 23 Apr, 2024)

(cont.)

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