It took me exactly 45 minutes to get to the taxi stand from the time I got out of the plane.
The flight landed at 8.30pm at the Delhi airport. I mentally prepared myself for the endless queues and delayed baggage. If I got out before 10pm, I told myself, I was lucky. I was little apprehensive because I dislike dark and Delhi Taxi drivers are notorious. My cell phone was in safe custody and I had no access to any phone.
But surprise!
There were 4 medical booths were we had to deposit a form stating whether we had any fever etc etc. Precaution of swine flu epidemic. There were bunch of people with face masks sitting in these booths collecting the forms. I do not know what purpose all this serves other than giving employment to bunch of people.
The immigration lane was short and sweet. There was literally no wait time. The fellow at the immigration booth actually smiled and said Good Evening. I was ready to faint from the shock of it when he reverted back to type and wanted to know why I had gone to US and what I was doing etc etc. Typical nosiness.
Then came the baggage claim. It took about 5-10 minutes for the bags to come to the conveyor belt. But by 9.15 pm I had my bags. There was no wait at the customs. They asked me where I was coming from and took the customs slip and I was through.
There was a pre-paid Taxi booth who made out the chit for a pre-paid taxi. And I was home by 9.45pm.
Of course lest we think that travel is a breeze the taxi driver was the perfect Delhi wallah. He wanted minimum Rs 100 as tip. We haggled back and forth. He told me that he did not have change for Rs 100 and it had been a long day and that no taxi driver worth his salt would come for such a short distance as he had done. finally we settled down for Rs 50.00.
Welcome home.
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