My foreign Odyssey

Let me be very clear, vocal and honest about my travels. I started my foreign odyssey in the year 1975 under the impression that it would be my first and last visit abroad. In those days, there was no visa problem to go to Europe or to United Kingdom. What was needed was only a passport. The airports were very open. Fuel was cheap. Tickets were very inexpensive. Everything was fine. Yes, I was invited to visit Europe as a return visit by my friend, Elke from Germany. I had no money to make that trip. Even if I had, one would not get foreign exchange. How much foreign exchange one could get…guess?! ——– —- ? You are wrong One could get only Rs.250/- worth of foreign exchange! And against one’s air ticket, at the airport, one could get another Rs. 75/- worth foreign currency. I have that proof as there is an endorsement in my passport.. My friend said that she would meet all my expenses and I could come. So I thought of going to Europe.

My ticket to Germany was sent by my friend. The cost of the return ticket to Bombay-Frankfurt-Bombay was Rs.3250/-. The cheapest ticket was available with Egyptair and hence I accepted that offer. I needed visas for France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and Austria. The Consul General of Spain was surprised to know that I would like to visit Spain. He gave a wonderful lecture on Spain. When I went to get the visa for France, the office had not yet opened, there was a Security man from my town.( most of the security men or drivers or hotel workers used to be from my town) and hence getting the visa was no problem at all! When I look back at those days of travel, I start wondering how the whole world is changed. People have lost faith in each other and there is no such helping nature now. I got stitched a suit because I was under the impression that the suit was a must for foreign visit. I had a very archaic type bag with cloth cover to put my dresses. Cloth cover was to avoid any damage to the bag. Do not laugh but it is true.

I travelled from my town to Bombay by bus. I went to Bombay Airport and got the very valuable foreign Exchange in British Pounds. I got 3 pounds or so. My passport has that endorsement.

From Bombay I boarded the plane and left Indian soil for the first time and flew towards West. Yes, I was excited. I thought of Swami Vivekananda and remembered what he thought while going to USA. The plane took off and I could hear the sound of wheels getting into their slots. I knew I had left the Indian soil. I looked out. In no time, the plane had crossed the Indian shore and was flying towards Arabian Gulf.

After about four hours flight, the plane landed in Cairo. There was a stop over in Cairo. I had a connecting flight to Frankfurt on the next day at 10 o’clock in the morning and hence the flight ticket was cheap. They were providing accommodation to transit passengers. That apart, one could go to see the Pyramids of Giza and Perfume Bazar of Cairo in a conducted tour arranged by the airlines for transit passengers only and I availed of that opportunity and saw the Pyramids, the Sphinx and the perfume Bazar. It was a bit late in the day.

Next day morning when I came to the airport counter from the transit hotel, I saw complete chaos at the counter. Somebody was announcing that the plane in which I was supposed to go had been cancelled and that the next plane might take another 10 or 12 hours and that too, he was not sure. I asked somebody who was standing there as to what should be done and he said if one paid $10 to the person at the counter, he would put me in some plane going towards Frankfurt. I showed him that I had only five dollars and he should help me. He said OK and asked me to show my transit card and he took me to somebody behind the counter and talked to him. He said Ok and gave me a boarding card by the plane which was to leave in 30 minutes. I boarded the plane and to my surprise, I found hardly 20 to 30 passengers in the plane.I left Cairo and I said never again I would like to come there. One more aspect I cannot forget is that in the airport restaurants, they had only camel milk. Till then I did not know that people drank camel milk also. That desisted me from taking even a cup of coffee there. I was not used to black coffee. A traditional Indian exposed to western culture for the first time.

I landed in Frankfurt. But my friend, without being sure by which plane I would be reaching Frankfurt Airport, had not arrived at the airport. The communication system was not good in those days. I did not know what I should do. I was shocked to see everyone talking in German. Till that time I had been taught that English was the only international language and all could speak that language. My entire opinion about English language changed at that time. She had asked me to stand near the Visitor’s Meeting Point. I stood under it waiting for my friend. She did not come for about 30 minutes. I became anxious, a foreigner in a foreign land for the first time. I asked some persons whether they could speak English. They said “Nay”. I tried to operate the Telephone machine. I had not seen such a telephone box which could eat coins. Moreover I had no coins. At that time a guy came near the box and I asked him whether he could speak English. He shrugged and said nay. But still. I showed him the phone number and by signs asked him to contact my friend’s home. He asked me in broken English, someone coming (to take me). I with a broad smile nodded my head. I wanted to impress him that I was not an intruder. I think he did not understand me and he asked me again and I said Yes. Then I came to know that nodding head is our habit or culture and they cannot understand it. My friend’s mother received the call and he said some Asian was waiting at the airport. She replied that her daughter had already left to collect me. I thanked him and told him I do not have coins to pay him for the call. He just waved his hand and said ‘Tschüß’. It means ‘cheers’ and went. By that time my friend arrived and we proceeded to a restaurant for a cup of Capucino. Since then whenever I go to Germany, the first thing we do is to go to that restaurant and have capucino. So, I arrived in Germany, new country, new civilization, new culture, new traditions and new environment. And since then, I must have gone to Germany nearly 15 times!!! I should check my passports, the present one which I use is the 5th additional passport. That was the beginning of my foreign odyssey!!!