An explanation about the title will follow.

I am happy to report that, 16 hours of flight-time later, I have now reached India. I’m currently two hours into my 8 hour layover for my flight to Katmandu.

A few words about my flight and specifically, the awesome airline. I had never even heard of Jet Airways before booking this flight and given that it was the cheapest option by far, I was expecting the worst. However, those pessimistic expectations were completely unfounded. I’ve got to say that this was one of the best economy flight experiences I’ve ever had.

I loved the little quirks of flying and Indian airline–the cool uniforms, the Indian music played through the PA system when boarding, and even the horribly cheesy ads. But aside from that, this airline has some killer leg room, and their in-flight entertainment system offers up a ton of old and new movie choices, including the obligatory Bolliwood flicks. Then there is the food. For one, they actually fed us, which is a rarity these days, and they fed us a lot. I went with the veggie meals which meant that I got a great assortment of veggie curries, some tofu, and always some yogurt and a great little dessert. I ended up getting fed something like 4 times during the combined 16 hours of flying time. And, to top things off, at the end they even handed out ice cream bars just before landing.

And here’s where I’m a little princess. Look, I’ve been travelling since Saturday evening, and I just couldn’t stomach hanging out in an airport lounge for 8 hours killing time and guarding my stuff. So, when I saw that the international departure area has a hotel, I splurged. Frankly, I’ve been in transit for the better part of 24 hours by now, so being able to land, take shower and go to have a drink without lugging my stuff around has been absolutely awesome. And, I’ve got to say, the room is not too shabby at all:

(Bonus unintentional self-portrait)

I’m finishing up my night in a tacky little bar in the departure lounge. But sometimes, 80’s glam decor can result in aesthetically pleasing outcomes:

And, I will say this about the Delhi airport. Unlike the Toronto airport which pretty much shuts down by midnight, all of the shops are still open and I see no sign of this place slowing down. I really do love night-owl cultures. Here’s a picture of me in said tacky bar:

Turns out the hotel lounge, though desolate, was a lot classier: