16/Oct/2012. Mom is standing outside a room at the end of a long corridor with 4 bags - 2 big and 2 small. There are a few people seeing her off. I walk to the other end of the corridor into a large hall, where there is an airplane check-in counter. I give them mom's ticket and ask for a boarding pass, which I get. I realize that the flight is due to depart very soon, so I rush to back to the end of the corridor to mom and tell her to hurry up. She tries to gather all of her bags, and I tell her to forget it and leave that to me. So she takes one small bag and starts to move down the corridor. By the time I am done lifting the three bags, she is already out of sight. I am panicking, since I know very little time is left. Freya is with me and we start to make our way quickly towards the check-in counter and beyond. Someone at the end of the corridor who was seeing mom off shouts out about something, but I am agitated already and loudly shout a "shut up" back. I have a clear thought that that person is being unhelpful given the limited time for the flight to depart.

There is a barricade, and it is clear that only passengers can go across that barricade. There are a lot of people on one side of the barricade, apparently waiting for their known ones to come out of the airport. I cross the barricade and the usher at almost welcomes me, even if I am not a passenger. He points out to where I should turn and somehow already knows the flight I am looking for. He also says - the flight is a 767 and since it is a large aeroplane, it is parked at the tarmac and so not accessible via the aerobridge. I remember thinking that this means further delays in reaching the aeroplane. I go further in the direction that the usher pointed and reach the security check. I see a large line there and debate whether I should join the line or try a short cut. Finally, I walk up to three employees. They are speaking in Arabic though they look like Indians. I wait for them to finish and then tell them that the flight is due shortly, and so can I skip the line. They say yes, and open the side gate for me to enter. Just then, I hear mom's voice, who is obviously in the security line - though I cannot see her. So I call her to join me quickly. Once I am inside the security area for the check, there is someone else behind me who tries to take this shortcut. But this person is told that he cannot take the shortcut. When he points that I just took the shortcut, one of the three employees tell him that this is because I am an Indian and I have a baby with me, emphasizing on the baby part of the justification.

And then there was day break...

11/Oct/2012. Freya is eating dinner. The TV is on in the background. After finishing around half her dinner, she goes to the bedroom and sleeps. Next, Mayur and I are talking about something on the bed. Next, we are in UK and I am on a train with him sitting on the last corner seat of a coach. I know that Vaibhav and Freya are also in the train, though I cannot see them. There is a man sitting in front of us whose head looks like Anthony Gonsalves. So I clutch a bunch of his hair and pull his black hair. As a reaction, this man adjusts his seat by sliding it forward, thinking that I pulled his hair because I am being inconvenienced due to lack of space. After this, he turns behind, and it is clear that his hair is now blonde and he is not Anthony Gonsalves. I hastily apologize.

Next, a train station is approaching and I think it is called “Foundation” – Mayur says so. So he and I get off the train, and start to walk towards their house. After a short walk, we enter the building and start to climb the stairs. The building has many flats on either side of the stairs; all flats connected by a long corridor. This looks just like the Walchand hostel. The last flight of stairs is wooden, and then I know that this is the level for Ritu’s house. I am climbing this last flight of stairs alone, since Mayur has disappeared. I finally reach the house and open the door to one big room. That is when I realize that Vaibhav and Freya are not with me. So various thoughts come to me around – do they know the address of the house, do they have a telephone number that they can contact, what about the luggage, etc. After some time, I can see them coming up the stairs. There is another man with them, who is carrying all the luggage and also Freya. Ritu gives 10 pounds to that man. Both Vaibhav and Freya are cool with the situation. There is no anger or animosity.

And then there was day break...