Not like I have never seen or been to a big hotel, but a couple of hours in and out, is an adventure of its kind..
I never thought my red eye flight back to my village could be this adventurous. I sure have this travelling sickness, hours before any long journey with symptoms ranging from nausea to anxiety and depression, and if you are travelling from the west coast to east (or south), its as good as travelling around all the way to the next continent.
I am rarely before time at the boarding gate, but this time, it sure was fruitful to be at the gate an hour in advance. I was sitting in 1 corner, miles away from the area, with the intention of being among the last few to board, ofcourse I am lazy and I don’t like standing in queues. I heard a faint call: we have a full flight, anyone volunteering to give away their seat tonight, would get a 300$ travel certificate and……(I stopped listening beyond that, as if this wasn’t enough).. anything to stay in the beautiful state of California for a few more hours.
I made my way at the counter, handed over my ticket, and there were too many in line waiting before me to grab the opportunity. I was lucky I would say, my tickets were a good match to be exchanged, and I was told to take a seat, while everyone else boarded, and left. Not all airports have free wifi, but this one did, and I was more than happy to spend the next 6 hours whiling away time on the internet, in exchange of 300 quick bucks. Didn’t I mention, I am currently broke?
Soon I was summoned and handed over a pile of vouchers, and slowly I realized, there was much more to the story. A cab will be here to take you to sheraton grand, but you have to be back in 4 hours, our driver would be there to pick you at the hotel. Certainly, the grand hotel room, sounded much better than the airport.
Next came the food vouchers…breakfast and lunch for tomorrow, I was only elated to find out that they would perhaps serve as my dinner. In case you are wondering why, then that’s because they serve a heavy breakfast to first class passengers and that’s what my new ticket was. I was upgraded to a first class ticket and then I knew what I had just earned unknowingly. I am still very much a student, even close to being unemployed, and a business class travel was not something I had imagined in my farthest of dreams.
It was 2 AM by now, I was excited about my brief hotel stay, how much I love travelling alone, only added to the glory. Everyone was envying me, whoever heard the story. From the cab driver to the guy issuing my new ticket. What would you do for 3 hours was the question. A few suggestions came such as jumping on the bed, a long hot shower and so on. I entered my room, on the 17th floor, knowing I have limited time, I began to explore what was around. It was foggy that night, so sitting by the window on the couch was not a good option, I started my stay (more of a visit) with some black coffee and cookies. I relaxed into the luxurious bed while I explored what it is like to be watching a 40 inch LCD, or was it 60?? I am not a TV buff, so this dint last too long,a Nintendo wii was there as well, but there was so much more to do. I jus explored a few more accessories and finally decided to sleep. Felt more like a kid, but I wanted to use the phone. I called the operator, and asked them to give me a wake up call in 2 hours (not that I would have minded to miss the flight again), but in no time I felt asleep like I never wanted to get out. If it wasn’t for the incentive of the grand travel lined up, I would have definitely tried to get late, but this time too I was 1 hour before time and waiting once again at the flight gate. I heard the announcement again, “ we are looking for 4 more volunteers, we have a full flight”. It was tempting enough to cash in another 300, even with the soaring high prices, I could have managed 2 good full round trips, but well I decided to give it a pass this time. I boarded with the first call, it was hard to imagine, I was under the elite boarding category now. Slowly as passengers settled in, came in the hostess, “would you like anything to drink before we take off”? Sure I said and juice was my answer. Elite passengers eat healthy, don’t they? Few minutes into the flight and came another hostess. “we are serving breakfast and we have…………(a long list I cant even remember) and then came a grand personalized tray, just the way I ordered. It is so often I have bought those 1$ headphones being tempted to watch the movies they show, but this time, I got one for free, even before I wanted.
It was only yesterday I figured, I have lost 4 kgs in 6 months, and no I wasn’t dieting, not even a single visit to the gym. Just to remind you, I am lazy. That became my excuse to gorge on some more free food, I had everything they had to offer. Finally I decided to take a nap only to wake up minutes before landing. I asked for a drink this time a coke. Would you like a chocolate chip cookie she asked, was she thinking, I would say no?
2 hours of layover at Houston, I had 20$ to spend on meals, while I was full to the brim already with another first class flight lined up shortly. I tried looking for a veggie burger, trust me its hard to get one in this country. I had to settle at the bakery shop and ice cream in winters seemed a good idea to me. A banana split was good and the most expensive thing I could find in their list.
By the time I boarded the 2nd flight, I realized…there is a limit to have even free food. When I didn’t even take anything more than plain water in those 2 hours and just decided to sleep. I was sitting with a New Yorker though, and he went on and on about the great city. I so damn wish, he would have invited me.. I hate coming back to my old (not so sweet) village.
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