No check-in baggage

This time I had to rush to Delhi. Few of my friends thought that my recent illness could be indicative of typhoid -- which, fortunately, it was not. But it got me scared enough to take refuge at home sweet home. I only packed a single air-bag. Two shirts, two jeans, two jackets, one sweater, my shaving kit and medicines. Talking of medicines, I had taken a bottled syrup for my illness. I had put it in my bag, knowing that it was not allowed. I thought I would run a social experiment to my benefit. Either the security guys would catch sight of it, or they would let me pass and give me the opportunity, like many media journalists these days, to show how lax the security is despite the terror attacks. They did find the bottle. On explaining that it was medicine for my ailment, the security incharge suggested, "Yeh aap pi lijeye" (please drink it). I considered the offer and decided not to. Instead I donated the bottle to them -- they could drink all of it.

Anyway, I had packed very little into my air-bag and that was going in with me on the flight. I hate carrying bags which I need to check-in. I don't remember when I last carried any check-in baggage on a domestic flight. There are few reasons for this.

I hate waiting. On any journey I'm just looking at when the next phase will get over. When I start from home, I will be waiting to get to the airport. When I get to the airport, I will be waiting for the airline to start boarding. Once inside the flight I will be thinking when the plane is going to take-off. Once taken off, I will wait for it to land. Once landed I will be waiting for the seat-belt lights to go off -- which not many people do; they happily decide to take down their luggage while the plane is still taxiing. Now once out of the plane and in the destination terminal, the wait for the luggage is the last straw. Not only do I need to wait, I end up worrying whether my luggage got lost or damaged in transit. It never has, but I always do worry.

So here I'm with things from just one bag. I have loaned heavily from my Dad on the clothes front. I miss not having my running shoes, my garmin forerunner, my guitar -- I would never carry that on long journeys though --, my music player, my books and a lot more. They should let people carry more luggage in flight!