Switch it up next time Sasha! FIVE FLIGHTS?!?

May 23, 2024

Digging deep for inspiration to jump back into blogging while in Canada. I’ve taken a long hiatus, adjusting to being back.

Note to self: NEXT time be reasonable, FIVE flights to get home….is ridiculous! Trivandrum-Bangalore-Delhi-Paris-Calgary-Vancouver. I book my flights online, getting the best deals I can find avoiding any stops that need transit visas, extra luggage costs, etc. This trip I had numerous “one ways” which adds up. Being a perpetual free spirit making a decision to book a return flight is beyond me! I need spontaneity. Booking one ways, without a ticket out of the country, can lead to issues with immigration authorities. I recently discovered a way around that. There is a website called onwardticket.com, digital nomads use this site as they tend to book oneways. I bought two this journey. Just book a ticket, for a small fee, it reserves your flight. If you don’t confirm the flight in 48 hours the reservation is cancelled. In the meantime you have a reserved flight, digital, to show to immigration officers so they are assured you DO plan to leave the country.

Back to the journey, no BIG suprises on the trek home, it was just LOOOOOONG!

             

I left the Mellow Ladies Hostel in Varkala on Sunday @ 7 pm. I was sad to say goodbye to the lovely young ladies who work at the hostel, after being there for the past month, it felt like home:)

The Indigo flight was at 10:50 pm, it’s a long drive to the airport. I arrived a bit early to a croweded airport, happy to find a place to sit, in the AC portion. By the time I arrived in Bengaluru it was after midnight. My next flight was on Vistara (my favourite airline) at 7 AM. I was without sleep that first night, but did enjoy the Vistara Lounge and the tasty spread of food! Kempagowda Airport in Bengaluru is one of the most beautiful I have seen.

I managed to have a tiny nap in one of the comfy chairs in the lounge.

I proceeded to the next gate for my flight. Rather sleep deprived by this time. I was looking out the window over the tarmac to the most incredible sunrise.

For a moment I thought I was in Delhi, nope not yet! Four more hours to go. The next couple of flights I managed to get a few hours of shut eye, arriving at Charles de Galle airport in Paris ready for a comfy bed!

I had a room booked at Standing Hotel Suites, close to the airport, with the airport shuttle included. The challenge was to find the shuttle. Took me about an hour. Je n’ai pas trouve de bureau d’information. So, I was left on my own to figure it out. The hotel had sent a brief layout and photos to find the transit pickup, but I was exhausted, diminishing my brain function. At one point I could have just laid down on the floor. Cold and so damn tired. Finally, I found a helpful airport employee who directed me to the right location. Thirty minutes later I was in a van to the hotel.

After a luxurious hot bath, I was finally warmed up. Paris was so chilly, about the same temperature as Vancouver (sad face). I had given away my warm jumper and sketcher runners, so was layered up with a thin wool poncho, a shawl and flip flops. I tried to buy a pair of practical, comfy shoes for the journey home but, alas, none were found. So bought a cute, comfy, completely impractical pair. Tried them out but these were NOT built for speedwalking through airports. Switched them up for my cheap flip flops and socks. Creating a whole new fashion statement!

Back to Paris, once I was warmed from my bath I jumped into a super comfy bed and slept til 7 am! Heavenly. Went downstairs and had a rather costly breakfast and headed to the airport for the next flight in 4 hours!

We reached Calgary mid afternoon on tuesday, by this time I was rather delirious hardly slept on the  8 1/2 hour flight. There was 5 1/2 hours til the final leg of the journey.

I arrived back in Vancouver at 10 pm tuesday evening…India time would be 10:30 am on wednesday. Will be NOT doing that again…3 flights is my limit!

It was SO cold when I arrived, though was very grateful it wasn’t raining! I left India at 40 degrees arrived home to 6 degrees! Huge shock. My brain asking me “what was I thinking?!?” BRRR. By 11:15 pm I got to my apartment, immediately ran a hot bath and began to unpack. Wired and Tired. My inner clock confused by all the time changes. It was 2 am before I could sleep. And I was wide awake at the usual 6 am…it was going to be a loooong day!

People often ask me “how does it feel to be home?” I always seem to go through reverse “culture shock” coming back. Adjusting to life in Canada takes me awhile. I feel I live in between two worlds, so vastly different from one another. In India my soul feels at peace. I love the pace, the people, the food, the heat (most times lol) It is an intricate part of me. Yet, Canada is so beautiful and this is where my family is.

In Canada I love the nature, the clean air and general cleanliness. I don’t feel the resonance here like I do in other locations, particularly India. This is what pulls me to travel. If one knows of Astrocartography, (location astrology) this has given me an explanation why I experience this. In my chart there are no major lines through North America, hence no connection.

For now I will focus on the beauty of nature, and my connections with family and close friends, find ways to fill my days with love and laughter. Give thanks for the blessings of both worlds, near and far. I will enjoy the coming warm months and when the cold days descend upon us, when the sky is continuously gray, the leaves fall and the rain sets in…I will follow the sun. To a place where my heart feels at peace and the world is full of colour.

India, I will be back xo