One Night in.... on the way to.... Bangkok.

It started with a whole bunch of hunting, yelling and accusations about people being careless and ended with running like crazy to get to the gate... everything in between, is what happened while I was in Bangkok for the week.

Going to Bangkok for the long weekend before 15th August was a very on and off plan, but it finally turned out that I was supposed to leave with my brother on the 14th night... but when how where is not the point...

Half an hour before we were supposed to leave for the airport, I asked Ma for my passport (which usually is in her cupboard)...
1st she couldn't find the passport... which is when the first bout of hunting, yelling and accusing happened. Then we found the passport, but my POI card wasn't there which is usually inside the back cover of the passport... next bout of yelling, hunting and accusing happened... Ma is yelling at me, I'm sreeching at my brother, Dad is trying to calm me and ma down, we both yell at him together... basically extemely hyper...

I got to a point where I just didn't want to go anymore, but Daddy being Daddy came to the rescue with a simple solution.. "take a print of your POI scan and take along your registration..they'll let you out of the country.. when you come back if something happens I'll handle it. "

We get to the airport, check - in, clear immigration after a very nice customs guy heard us out about how I lost my POI card etc etc etc. He even explained to us what I had to do so that I wou'dnt have problems on the way back. Trust me, it is very rare to find such n understanding guy at immigration..most of them just want to make your life diffcult.

For all those of you who are wondering what the hell a POI card is and why I need it... well POI stands for Persons of Indian Origin and since I have a German passport I need one to stay/live/come and go in India.

Also I must mention the lines at luggage screening/check-in/immigration/security screening were extremely long, not only due the near fiasco in the UK and bomb blasts in Mumbai but also because we were travelling on the eve of the Indian Independence Day. Security was EXTRA HIGH alert.

Which is why I'm surprised that nobody caught on that I was travelling on a expired passport.

I, myself, only realised it once I was outside the airport in BKK and Mike called Dad from a Thai pre-paid no. While Mike was talking to Dad, the expression on his face changed and he went a strange sort of grey... which needless to say freaked me out beyond belief coz I thought something happened to Ma. The change in expression and color was brought on by the following words
"Hi, where are you guys... Don't worry about anything. Mom found Mayas' POI card AND passport *change in expression* and she is catching the next Air India flight to BKK. *change in color* She should be there by lunch time...."

Not only had I picked up my old passport on the way out and was travelling on an expired document but my MOM was coming to BKK!!!

How we got Ma not to come is another story all together, but long story short... with all this hooha about increased security and safety measures I travelled across international borders and only on the 6th time of my passport being checked, was it noticed that my passport had expired. My passport was "checked" at the airline counter for check-in, ofcourse at immigration while leaving India and then once again when I was entering Thailand. Not to mention twice for the hotel. It doesn't say much about the security measures in either country and makes me wonder... how effective really are all these safety/security measures, that are so vehemently being implemented?

Incase you are wondering.. No they didn't deport me... I'm back in Delhi. All's good since Dad had my valid passport couriered to me the next day.

BUT on the way back because of the security measures in BKK, we did have to make a mad dash to get to the gate on time. :)