Round The World and other travels
A frequent flyer's collection of trip diaries
This is: New Year in India (2016/17)
Some final pleasant surprises
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 Flight AI9506 to Bengaluru |
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The main business of the day was to complete the first stage of our journey home, but as this took place wholly within India, it's worth including it in the story - especially so as it involved another wonderful hotel stay. Following a final breakfast at Mosaic, we packed and waited for a sensible departure time for Kochi Airport. As Uber had been such a success during our time in Kochi, we decided to use it again for the transfer. The airport experience was helped on this occasion by being able to use the Air India domestic lounge. In due course, we made the short hop back to Bengaluru Airport in an ATR72-600 turboprop, very similar to those used by Aer Lingus Regional.
It was a short walk - but thanks to construction works, a none too easy one - from the airport terminal at Bengaluru to the Taj Hotel. And from the moment we stepped through the front door, this was clearly the most remarkable airport hotel that either of us had ever experienced, anywhere in the world - sheer, five-star luxury. After settling in, we managed an hour of poolside relaxation prior to sundown.
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LEFT: First impressions of the Taj BLR |
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| RIGHT: An hour by the pool |
Later, beautifully made cocktails and a wonderful Chinese dinner nicely rounded off this final full day in India.
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The following day, the homeward journey would get underway in earnest and would bring some surprises. An aircraft substitution and five-hour flight delay would together create the circumstances that allowed us to sit in the first-class cabin while receiving Club World service. Later, the EU-mandated compensation for the delay would result in the intercontinental travel for the trip turning out to be one of the greatest travel bargains I have ever enjoyed.
On the next day again, I would arrive home to the harsh realities of January in Scotland. But for weeks to come, I would be able to banish the cold, damp semi-darkness of many a dreich winter's day simply by conjuring up memories of my fabulous first visit to the country that I had so carefully avoided for much of my life.