Start of my dream trip...

One more day to see one of my, very old dream coming true. And I was all excited and getting ready for the whole thing, by packing my stuffs. In this whole lot of excitement, there was something troubling me. I'm going to miss my mom who will be awake for me, any time I come from office with all her love and brother who will fight with me all the time when I'm with him and who will miss me when I'm not around. I stopped packing, and took my mobile and gave a call to my brother. He used to stay away with his friends during the semester exams.

Me: Hi daaaaa.. Prasad!!

Prasad: Hi ka!!

Me: Exam yellam epadi pannuna?

Prasad: Hmmm.. Ok va panniruken.. (Whenever you ask him about the exams, he will say the same thing, whether he scores 80 or 40.. No change in that)

Me: Dei.. enna da epdi solra? Nalla yeluthuniya illaya? (This is me usually, though I know him very well, I will always react the same way)

Prasad: Cha.. atha vidu! Packing yellam epadi poitu irukku? Dollars yellam vangitaya office la irunthu? Ticket ah print pannitaya?

Me: Yellam panniyachu.. Saturday exam ku preparations yellam mudichitaya? Chance iruka airport varakku? (He is having control systems paper on saturday, the day Im flying and we already had a discussion about it. And I know its hard for him to make it to airport by 3AM, as it would take him a long drive back and forth on the day of exam. But still we thought, if he completes his reading, he can come there to airport)

Prasad: Illa ka.. Try panren mudincha alavuku..

Me: Illa.. Illa.. varatha.. Exam than mukiyam.. so see you after 2 months da.. sunday morning nee vituku vantha vudane, namma skype la pesalam.. Nan appa philadelphia la reach aiyuduven.. aparam daily gtalk la pesuvom.. Week end mattum skype pannikalam

Prasad: Hmmm.. (His voice started breaking and he is almost crying) Miss you ka..

Me: (I was also sentimental and if I talk more, I will end up in tears.. making my mom too cry and will go to office the next day with swollen eyes. So I suddenly changed my tone) dei.. enna feelings ah.. enna aluga vekalamnu pakaraya? nee ippo phone ah vechitu aluthu mudichitu call pannu.. appa pesalam.. enaku neraya vela iruku.. nan phone ah vekaran byeee... kandippa kupudu innum konja nerathula.. bye da..

This has been same in case of my brother always.. Whenever we are in the same place, we fight a lot.. But when I'm go to stay away from him, he will start pouring from eyes, always.. And on seeing him, I will shed tears more than he do.. This is usual.. What is unusual this time is.. I hold my tears.. And I was waiting for him to get Ok and call me back again. He called back and we talked for a while.. He wished me a great journey and asked me enjoy every bit of it and told that he will pray for my stay to get extended, so that I can earn what I want to settle in the life like I wished..

After the call, I talked with my aunt.. She was another person who was more excited than me for my travel.. Lucky to have such people for you in life. She gave me almost two hour session of how the travel is going to be.. Do's and Don'ts, where to go and where not to.. Later, my uncle called me for an hour and briefed me about the trip. They ensured that I have all the information to reach there safe all alone.. I owe this opportunity, any success that comes in my life to my uncle and aunt.. I slept with a happy heart that night..

Next day came.. And the long wait is over.. Have bid bye to my chennai office, friends in office.. old team.. new team.. security.. my college friends.. neighbours.. to the road side temples pillayar.. relatives.. To as many people as I could!! But I was little worried. And the reason was yesterday nights phone conversation with my brother. It was lil heavy to know that Prasad would not be able to come to airport to send me off and see my dream coming true and share my happiness due to his semester the next day.

I took very less attempt to do packing as that was taken care by well wishers! :) Everything was neatly packed according to the baggage allowance of British Airways! Yes that the flight that is going to take me to London from Chennai and again from Chennai to Philadelphia!!

Came home from office! Freshen up.. Had some hot idlis and three different chutneys for them. You could see my mom on that day! I would say that she was the HAPPIEST WOMAN on the world that day.. :) I felt nice on seeing her so happy.. My mom was more happy for, Im going to meet my uncle, aunt and cousins in canada than the fact I somehow struggled and slogged to get this opportunity to fly to US. :) Anyhow, It was so good to see her very happy.. Then, I made call to my brother and talked to him and shared wishes and said him bye with heavy heart.

After the dinner, we did some last minute weighing of luggages and found it to have some 2kgs more. So I decided to remove some foodies from my luggage. :( Then did a quick brushing and bathing and change over and did all the prayers again and thanking ceremony to god, appa, thatha & patti. I got blessings from my mom and we started move luggages to my anna's car who came to our home for me that night to send me off. When I was about to leave home, I was about to get sentimental and shed tears, but seeing my moms happiness and dont want to spoil that, I just went to bathroom and rubbed away my tears and went down happily. We all headed to the airport. During the drive, I had a feeling that my brother would come to airport and surprise me.. I love surprises.. :) But I had very less hopes as I dont want to get disappoint when I leave India..

To our surprise, before we reached the airport, I had people to welcome me there. :) And I was so happy and excited on seeing my brother and his friends in the airport by 12 AM on that day. I jumped out of the car with all the excitement and you will be able to count my teeth.. I was that happy.. :)

All is well that ends well!! We all were in the Madras International (Meenambakkam) airport.. Very excited.. My dream travel started with a sweet surprise :)