NEWCASTLE TO FREMONT

From Newcastle to Fremont

After a delectable stay of a hundred and eleven days with our Granddaughter and her family, it was time for departure to Fremont in California, US.The stay was wonderful and our visit to London, Stratford and the Lake District  were memorable and fit enough to be cherished for a long time. We had to leave despite a desire to extend our stay and the insistence of our grand daughter.The pure love extended to us by the members of the Sai center can never be forgotten. Reluctantly we packed up things with the assistance of Sri Kailash, husband of our grand daughter. Suresh, a friend  and Sai devotee offered to drive us to the airport along with Kailash. My grand daughter with her newborn child and other two kids came to the airport to see us off.They were all a little put out and sad at our short stay and departure.

We had checked in online already and the luggage was well within the prescribed limits. Wheelchair assistance was requisitioned but strangely one chair was available and I had to to walk along for quite a distance through sections of the airport. We were taken to the special assistance room where we relaxed for a couple of hours. Many passengers bound to places like Chennai, Bengaluru,and Hyderabad were also present and left according to the time of the departure of their flights.

We were picked up by the motor van which went through the labyrinthine turns of the Heathway airport in London and brought us to the gate where we boarded the “ World Traveller” of the British Airways. It was a gigantic aircraft with different entrance points according to the number of the seat allotted. We boarded the plane on priority basis and settled in our seats.They were very comfortable. Within a few minutes drinks were served. Aircraft crew were very courteous and did their duties effectively. Vegetarian meal was served to us and we relished it though the quantity supplied was insufficient. Tea, coffee, apple and orange juice were supplied along with snacks intermittently. It was a flight of about ten hours duration.

Except that it was a little boring to sit for such long hours, our journey was smooth. The plane flew past the clouds at a height of 38 to 40 thousand feet. It went over the Atlantic ocean, Greenland, and Labrador regions and zoomed into Canada.Then it entered North America, hovered over the area near to San Francisco in California. By about 5 pm local time it landed safely at the airport to our great relief. Wheelchair assistance was readily available and we came to the baggage claim area after clearing the immigration formalities. Our passports were stamped for a period of six months and we came out.

My son received us with a beaming smile and it was a touching reunion after a gap of two long years! Our daughter in law and grandson Pranav joined us at the airport and we drove to Starbucks for coffee. Then we drove to Fremont home where parents of my daughter in law and her sister’s family gave us a very hearty and warm welcome. It was our first visit after my son became the proud owner of a beautiful house at Fremont recently! It was a very happy union with my son and grandchildren after two long years!

.