Globe-trotting Kup

 Yesterday I heard x was travelling from B'lore to Cochin with her kids which reminded me of my own trip

from COK to Paris.The whole adventure of travel was kinda hectic but on the whole pretty tame, now that I look back..my lil angel was very decent most of the time.
 It all started when I suggested travelling alone with Kup from India to join SN who had left just 3 months back..(this way I can blackmail him for the saved ticket money)Also this would convince my 2 sets of relatives that I have finally grown up..Getting married, having a stable job and having a baby somehow doesn't do the trick. Anyway  tickets were booked, cancelled (thank AI) rebooked; luggage packed, 101 advices duly heard etc etc.Since most of my stuff was in France itself I packed mostly baby stuff in our big suitcase,including my laptop which I saw off with my heart somewhere in my stomach region.And suddenly luck of luck..got to know my cousin A was flying out to the US on the same night, though not on the same flight.
  Princess Kup being a seasoned traveller was showing no signs of worry.after all less than a year back;I'd flown with her from Korea via China to India and later on to France. I had just started her on solid foods.
Actually what happened was that one day she saw me eating mangoes and started crying till I cottoned on
that she wanted some too..
 The 3 hour trip to Nedumbasseri went uneventfulas she slept in my mom's arms..car travel has never been a problem for her.We met my cuz with her entourage.After exchanging tearful goodbyes, the three of us went inside. I was getting enough stares already coz of my attire and the baby carrier. We were a bit early and since Kup seemed rather quiet, I gave her to my cousin while I went to the loo. Little was I to know it was the calm before the storm hit. 

  There was supposed to be a special queue for disabled people and single moms with kids and the person there; not only had an irritating cold, he also took more than half extra time to let us through..regular queue was much faster.I could see A grinning at me..Kup chose exactly that moment to wake up and start sniffling...progressed to crying in bouts..ending in full fledged screaming..which even my parents on the other side of the gate could hear..We somehow got through security, I had to take her out of the carrier and hand her to the sweet lady at security. Once reaching the lounge I was bone tired. Kup was still crying and people looking at me as if keeping her in the carrier was the cause of this commotion. But at least there was a a nursing room(at the other end of the hall) Even after feeding, she did not quieten down as her sleep was disturbed.

I tried rocking her..no way she just wanted to get out of the carrier..(Being QA it was more like getting on KSRTC bus to go to market)everybody wearing sari n purdah, I even spotted an appappan wearing mundu. And everybody travelling at least 5 persons together.. could not have managed w/o d carrier..Once on the flight, they fixed me a bassinet and she she slept on and off till Doha. Had a bit of ear problem during touch down. I had kept antihistamine handy so it was ok.

 At Doha airport I had to search 2 ENTIRE FLOORS  carrying her and my bag for a bathroom with baby changing rooms..!!!Gawd! In Delhi they have that  BASIC facility every 50 metres apart..Mera Bharat is mahaan after all. I met a similarly suffering mother in the changing room who had to fly on to Texas, though her husband was with her.

 Once changed and fed, Kup was back to diva mode. By the time we had to board,she had charmed all the nearby crowd, ranging from French, Chinese, Indonesia..and no one could speak English. During boarding it was 102degree hot n all the kids started screaming their heads off. All of us adults were trying various methods to calm down their offspring; to no avail. And not to boast, but I was the first parent to understand that heat was the problem..so I peeled off all her clothes except diaper and started  fanning her ...And all the others rapidly followed my example..Once we took off, she again fell asleep,this time for real..So I had proper food and freshened up..I hadn't slept the previous night, so I slept well.. had time to lavishly make food and feed her (air hostess was really sweet) and watch the other older babies and toddlers drive their parents crazy.. Other people too were praising the little princess and I was basking in the reflected glory (hey! after all it's me who is raising her, though hubby later claimed it from his share of the genes) and she's such a brave little flier...and her first flight too.' I guess it was just plain dumb luck or my mother's prayers.

 Things were blissful till one French mother asked me "Oh! Your baby is whiter than my baby; is your husband a Frenchman??!!!'  Though I was hatching murderous plans in my head, I must have given her some appropriate reply, since she was quite friendly even after that. Somehow we we made  it to Paris.there our luggage was delayed...but thank god only half  hour..

Then we finally met the ICHAYAN and i really had butterflies in my stomach on seeing my love (yeah I plead guilty of being hopelessly romantic sometimes) At last I was able to unload my precious little burden..she took quite naturally to him (of course how could it be otherwise..)and since she is getting up now, I draw the curtains on this lovely reunion scene....good night