26/7…..Havoc in Mumbai…..Floods, offices closed, people stuck in various places!! I was on a week leave that week & my love Sonu was in office! Even she was stuck up in our TKP office from Monday!! In all this chaos, none of us ever thought that same weekend, 3 of us in NA Accounting Team, I, Chirag & Pracheer will be flying off to Delaware for managing the business contingency situation. That Friday I was returning home after watching “Sarkar” starring Amitanh Bacchan. On my way back in auto, I got a call from Pracheer & Chirag saying that they have my forex as well as air tickets which they will hand over to me at the airport. I was stunned at the speed at which all these things took place!!
On phone, my friends also gave me a astonishing news!! We all will be traveling by Business Class on Air France! Now this is what I call a windfall Gain!! This whole thing came as a surprise to me as well as to all at home. Namita, Aai & Baba all were in a state of surprise. They were also worried since many flights were cancelled due to bad
whether. We were not sure if flights were take off & if yes, whether that will be safe. But in the end all went well. In fact, later I came to know that ours was the last flight to take off from Mumbai airport that Saturday.
Business Class!!Umhhaaa…..It’s wonderful!! I never felt so much at ease in my last two visits to US. Mumbai to Paris & Paris to Philadelphia. The travels across 7 seas happen so comfortably that we never felt any tiredness. Separate Lounge at Mumbai & the best one at Paris. Free drinks & food at the lounge! Even the seats in business class has inbuilt massager. 180 degrees rollback on seats. This was an experience to remember!!
At Phili airport it was the matter as usual. Delaware shuttle was arranged to pick us up from airport. We were put up in Hilton Hotel. We checked in & settled down quickly. Myself & Pracheer got rooms next to each other. This made it easy for us to operate when in Hotel. Next day it was BD zero. Reaching office we got the whole picture. Our travel was arranged so fast b’use financial controller expressed their
inability to take care of month end stuff done by Mumbai team. This apart our working from Delaware office was considered as live contingency testing for 2005. Smart move by Anthony & Chris Punke!!
In office, it was an enriching experience working with DE guys on Month end stuff. All the things more smoothly than expected throughout the month. DE managers also arranged for a happy hours for us at a restaurant on University Street. All the managers along with their teams attended it. It was great fun with all of them. We never realized when the week went by. On Friday, we took some takeaways from all to add value to our existing processes. That night our old friend Prarthit took us to an Indian Restaurant called Chittinad. We had some nice dosas & idlies. Back to hotel, we checked out early morning & sat in the lobby till our pick up arrived at 1.30 pm. The flight was scheduled at 6 pm. The journey back home was as comfortable as the journey to US a week back.
This was the shortest stay of mine in US & a quickly arranged one also. The arrangements for travel & stay were so well as if I went to Aliabug for a week off.
United States' Flag
Map of United States