Day 1 - Travel from MAA to EWR

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Flight started on time ie., 1..00 am (Friday 13th morning). had window seat.


I was already getting a bit hungry even while waiting at the airport, but did not eat anything b'cos i knew they would give something in the flight. They gave a veg. roll sort of thing and juice. R ate only a quarter of his roll. I was hungry and finished mine and his. Saw half of a movie called 'We bought zoo' (Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson). Slept well through the night. After getting up in the morning had a nice view of snow capped mountains somewhere above Turkey alongside Black Sea. After, what felt like a long wait got breakfast of masala dosai, upma and sambar and of course the kutti bun. Opted for coffee. It was horrible..black and bitter! Watched a movie called 'Descendants' (George Clooney). Arrived at Brussels airport at 8am in the morning. After a short wait boarded connecting flight to New Ark. Flight was supposed to leave at 10.10am. Waited in the aircraft till 10.45 due to delay in loading cargo. Watched the remaining half of Descendants. They served juice. I had tomato juice. Was good, like soup. Also finished the other movie.' We bought a zoo'. I was not hungry at lunch time, but had my lunch of chapathi, dal with vegetable, black dal and jeera rice. R had opted for fruit platter. He ate half my chapathi and the dessert of something that was like a payasam or basundhi. R wasted some of his fruits. Played 'Hangman' for sometime and slept. After waking up we were flying over the Atlantic Ocean, but could not see the ocean b'cos of the sea of clouds. Watched 'Deiva Thirumagal'. R watched 'Dirty Picture' and The Artist. They served a second round of juice, followed by katti roll which i ate though i was not hungry. Then they gave choco bar ice-cream! Landed at New Ark airport at 1pm. There were long winding queues for immigration. Tight security. They took fingerprints and photos. My finger prints did not match in the beginning. Then he asked me to use the left..that too did not match..then he asked me to keep them close together and in the center..and it matched. To baggage claim area. The trolley costs $5. Opted to push all the baggages. Was afraid of all the snacks stuff we were carrying (which we did not declare). But, that was not a problem. Again long queue for customs check and coming out. Nandhini's husband Balaji picked us up in his car. 20 mins. drive to their house. Compact apartment on the first floor. Brushed and had lunch. It was 3.30pm. Nandhini had made rice, sambar, rasam, cabbage and sundal...of course curds. Enjoyed the lunch. V and M called. After lunch had a bath and slept. R did not sleep. In the evening went a couple of malls with Nandhini. Bought shoes, socks and bathroom slippers for both of us at a store called Payless. Buy one, the other is half price. Came back home, picked up Balaji and Sahana their daughter and went to Spice Zone for authentic chat. then went to Walmart store, where they bought some stuff and came home. Changed and had some hot milk and to bed by 1030pm...slept well.

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Photos

Chennai
Jet Airways 9W226 from MAA to BRU at 1 am

Brussels
Waiting to board 9W228 from BRU to EWR at 10.10am

Brussels
Walking around from 8 am to 9 am

Gate 6
Calling Balaji who was waiting one level below

Payless
First shopping...walking shoes, socks and slippers

Nandhini's car
Outside Payless

37 H Reading
Apt on the left side

Dinner
With Sahana

Indian place
with Indian crowd...

Chaat
Mango Lussi was superb