Ok. Here's the thing. India is insane and it makes travellers insane too.
We had a 6.35 flight from Goa. If we thought the system there was confusing it was nothing compared to Mumbai International departures.
We fumbled out way through Goa and got on the right plane by sheer good luck I think. We landed in Mumbai where luckily we didn't have to check our bags. They're going right through. We hope. So off the plane and into a line for international transfers. It moved slowly as hand luggage had to be screened before getting onto the transfer bus. Then a jolly 20 minute ride through Mumbai. Feeling rather smug right now because after all we had plenty of time. We hadn't eaten since about 8 am but once through customs, security and immigration we had time to spare.
The bus deposited us in the road outside the terminal which had us wondering about the point of security screening before getting on the bus.
Mumbai international is an impressive building but that's about the only thing that is. We couldn't see any signage so we asked. That way said helpful lady on information desk. We trudged over to security where a very chatty lass patted us down and waved us through. Right we thought plenty of time we'll have a quick look at duty free and time to eat. That was nearly 2 1/2 hours ago. We still haven't eaten.
What's the problem?immigration that's what. We rocked up after a brisk 15 minutes in a glacier like speeding queue. Only to be told our flight isn't in the system yet. Come back at 10. Only 10 minutes away. What the hell.we got back in line at the end of the queue again. Flight not in system. I was told 11. Bernadette told midnight. We waited some more. Then a man in airline uniform assured our flight Was in the system .back in queue once more. Flight not in system. 3 times now. We talked to 2 English girls whose flight was apparently about to board who weren't allowed through because flight not in system.
So here we sit in no mans land between security and immigration. We can't go forward and we are told we can't go back out either. There are no toilets in this airport twilight zone hell and we are starving. We are debating whether to get back into the ever increasingly long line. Oh . And there is no way of finding out if your flight is in the system unless you get in line. So do we get in line for the 4th time and hope like hell that by the time we get to the front our flight will be there or do we wait until midnight and hope likehell that we don't miss our flight because it's taken so long in line. It's beginning to feel like Groundhog Day. This way lies insanity.
Update. We got through on 4th go in the line. Even then Bernadette and I went through and the bloke Mick copped tried to tell him flight not in system. Mick muttered something about how many times he'd been in the line and pointed to us waiting on the other side. Man left his booth without explanation while I watched steam come out of Micks ears. Then he came back and stamped his passport. At last. Goodbye India. Leaving the country proved to be more frustrating then getting the visa to go there. And that's saying something.
Oh and the squits returned last night. Siiigh
Sent from my iPad
We had a 6.35 flight from Goa. If we thought the system there was confusing it was nothing compared to Mumbai International departures.
We fumbled out way through Goa and got on the right plane by sheer good luck I think. We landed in Mumbai where luckily we didn't have to check our bags. They're going right through. We hope. So off the plane and into a line for international transfers. It moved slowly as hand luggage had to be screened before getting onto the transfer bus. Then a jolly 20 minute ride through Mumbai. Feeling rather smug right now because after all we had plenty of time. We hadn't eaten since about 8 am but once through customs, security and immigration we had time to spare.
The bus deposited us in the road outside the terminal which had us wondering about the point of security screening before getting on the bus.
Mumbai international is an impressive building but that's about the only thing that is. We couldn't see any signage so we asked. That way said helpful lady on information desk. We trudged over to security where a very chatty lass patted us down and waved us through. Right we thought plenty of time we'll have a quick look at duty free and time to eat. That was nearly 2 1/2 hours ago. We still haven't eaten.
What's the problem?immigration that's what. We rocked up after a brisk 15 minutes in a glacier like speeding queue. Only to be told our flight isn't in the system yet. Come back at 10. Only 10 minutes away. What the hell.we got back in line at the end of the queue again. Flight not in system. I was told 11. Bernadette told midnight. We waited some more. Then a man in airline uniform assured our flight Was in the system .back in queue once more. Flight not in system. 3 times now. We talked to 2 English girls whose flight was apparently about to board who weren't allowed through because flight not in system.
So here we sit in no mans land between security and immigration. We can't go forward and we are told we can't go back out either. There are no toilets in this airport twilight zone hell and we are starving. We are debating whether to get back into the ever increasingly long line. Oh . And there is no way of finding out if your flight is in the system unless you get in line. So do we get in line for the 4th time and hope like hell that by the time we get to the front our flight will be there or do we wait until midnight and hope likehell that we don't miss our flight because it's taken so long in line. It's beginning to feel like Groundhog Day. This way lies insanity.
Update. We got through on 4th go in the line. Even then Bernadette and I went through and the bloke Mick copped tried to tell him flight not in system. Mick muttered something about how many times he'd been in the line and pointed to us waiting on the other side. Man left his booth without explanation while I watched steam come out of Micks ears. Then he came back and stamped his passport. At last. Goodbye India. Leaving the country proved to be more frustrating then getting the visa to go there. And that's saying something.
Oh and the squits returned last night. Siiigh
Sent from my iPad
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