Back to Ahmedabad and on the way to Kabul!!

finally i am in ahmedabad.... got the AUTO and straight to Passport office.....

wow.. so now new and bigger challenge.. how to get ECNR revoked sooner...?? i suddenly remember th at my brother-in-laws cousin is working in PP office.. i called my BIL and took his address/phone etc.. the good thing was he was living in same campus.. i just have to walk 50 mt. ..

i knocked his door.. he was obviously not there.. his father [paralytic but with good mobility] opened the door.. i introduced and explained.. i said i need to meet him soon... he was so nice to walk with me till office and handed me over to him.. i thanked old man for taining pain of climbing stair with left half of body is paralyse .. he was so kind and generous.. he smiled nad said.. it is a good exercise... anyway i have to do some more exercise..

i explained gentleman the problem and he said it can be done in one day!! wowwwwww first time the tight muscles of my face relaxed and a big smile appeared.. ..

i had all necessary doc... i submitted application.. he asked me to wait.. i waited till 5:00 PM in evening... i was the last one to get my turn..to go and see passport officer face to face.. i went in .. he was relaxed.. he asked me some questions and satisfied with my docs and answers.. he stamped my passport ECNR revoked:)

I felt "haaaasssshhh" this is like wining IInd world war :)

i was sooooooo relaxed.. had gone thru so much of ups and downs in one week that it has .. .. sucked all my energy out!!

well now only thing to do is go back to Rajkot take rest for some day and start my journey to Kabul.. the unveiling journey of hindukush mountains.. exotic terrin, iced roads.. and many more which i was unaware of!!!

so i got bus at around 6:30 and 11:00 in the night i was home... the feeling was just like coming back from a war!!

my parents too were relaxed as they too witnessed my struggle......

when i reched back i decided not to go by train :) this time i will catch the flight...

meanwhile... i came to know that Pradeep my friend who is working in Afghanistan is going to Kabul too.. so he said yeah it would be good that if i can go to his place and then we can go together.. it was so relaxing .. my parents and i was freed of tension.. as pradeep is already there..

hey by the way i have to write a separate chapter on pradeep.. so wil elaborate later on..

so pradeep helped me to book domestic flight from ah

medabad to

delhi.. he insisted me to reach to his place previous night because the flight to Delhi was morning 7:00 am

I reached to his place.. very warm welcome by his family .. and especially the figure i could never forget is his father.. his father was working with state police as Dy. commissioner of Police.

such a nice and light hearted man to talk with.

so i slept at his place and next day morning we went to airport and it was my first instance to board the aircraft.. i was so excited.. i told pradeep that this is first time i am on plane....

we landed at delhi airport.. we had to go to hotel start which is Pradeep's favourite hotel.. Our flight to Afghanistan/ kabul was next day early morning..

we took some rest and went to the city for pradeep's work, went around common markets and all.. came back and slept early as we had to wake up early.. we woke up at 4:30 got ready by 5:00 and reached airport in 10 min.

as the Hotel is just in the out skirt of airport premises..

this time i was confident .. i had pradeep with me.. which boosted my confidence and a good moral support....

we walked in the lounge.. checked-in ... no hurdle... no ECNR prob.. no emigration problem...

everything was smooth like butter... ... the flight was on time..

it was my first instance to board international flight..

pradeep was cool.. he was continuously briefing me about the services of aryana afghan... he said these flights are like local bus..

i too could see that... the aircraft was almost empty.. who will go to kabul in war time???

most of the passengers were NGO wokers...

the aircraft was huge with 320 capacity boing 747.. we were hardly 100 in it..

so it was looking specious..

we took off.. there was instruction of not taking pictures in flight or indian territory.. but some people took picts and pradeep also told me yeah ppl takes... so i too was encourages to take pict in aircraft... i didn take picture of indian territory though!!!

[Pradeep and myself in Ariana Afghan Flight]

Ariyana Afghan flight with pradeep

aha.... the journey was good.. the food was somthing very very different then i have ever tasted... a long afghani naan [a local bread] and some vegetables.. [you never get good choice as vegetarian in Afghanistan].. but it was ok.. it was just 1 hr. flight so i didnt bother much about food...

the flight was good.. we could see hindukush on our right.. a huge dignified object on earth.. woww.. amaizing ..

and 1 hr is over.. the aircraft lowering down.. woww.. i am excited to see afghanistan especially kabul from top.. i never had any imagination of kabul so with eyes wide open.. i was grabbing as much as my eye and mind could grab..... it looked.. just brown.. brown and brown.. hardly any other colour could be seen.. as most of the houses were made of mud and not painted with any other colour..

here are some pictures from air and kabul airport:

[Top View of Kabul] [Kabul Airport -car parking]

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I am refused to board the plane

I was so excited on sunday night ... i booked a taxi to pick me up from hotel at around 4:00 am..

i packed up.. called friends and relatives.. [well not much money [cash] left.. but still had enough for some emergency fund... this was another stupid mistake.. i haven't had ATM card and didnt bring travellers cheques with me.. so entirely depending on the cash i had...]...

Boarded the taxi... came on airport... this is my first instance to enter airport in my whole life... that too start with international.... bit nervous bit excited....

i was guided by policemen on gate and entered the hall.. went to scan my luggage and headed to Aryana Afghan airlines counter...... just following the procedure by watching other ppl doing... reached the counter.. the lady on counter welcomed me with smile and took my passport and VISA.. she looked some confused.. nodded her head.. i missed my heart beats.. she called a manager... manager checked the passport and asked me to come out of queue.... i followed him..

he said i cant travel.. i was shocked... i said why? i have ticket.. VISA allll.... he said but your passport says "ECNR" [Emigration Check Not Required] is deleted.. i was shocked to know that fact. . and was surprised.. one: how come i didn't check that before? and two: i already have send passport office my degree certificate so they should not delete that line from passport...

my GOD!!!!!! so i asked the manager.. what could be the solution? he said... get "ECNR" deleted - deleted.. or go to emigration bureau and get the clearance..

i was stuck.. !!! got dis hearted.. the land land below my feet was missing!!!!!!

i slowely with out energy started moving towards gate..... policeman at gate stopped me and said i cant go out!! i said why? he said you already checked-in.. i said yeah but now i have to check out as i dont have sufficient documents to fly out..... he was not ready.. asked me to bring the airline manager to the gate to ensure that i am genuine case.... i went back.. the manager accompanied me i was out on the road again!!!!! with no direction which way to head?? i took an auto [cheaper option] to go back to same hotel.... i checked in again.... set quitely.. took a cold shower....

now it was time for strategic planning..

i thought i shd go to delhi passport office/ immigration department and check..

I went there .. there was a long queue... finally my turn came..

i explained the problem to the officer in charge..

he asked me to submit documents like.. original job offer, company audited financial report, company registration copy etc.

this was again a big task to mobilise all these...

i asked the officer is there any other short cut? he said yes better you go back to passport office where you have got this PP and get ECNR activated.. you will only required your degree certificate..

I was excited and said heyy man i have it with me right now.. could you do it for me? he said no this is out of our jurisdiction!!!

fuShsSSSSSS all my air was out.. i was deflated!!

so next plan is to go back Ahmedabad [ahaaaa back to square one!!]

the best way to get back to place is by train [of curse i had no money for flight!!! neither i used any context to borrow!! as i know next flight is on Tuesday which i cannot catch at the same time.. wed look too close.. so best possible departure will be 14th june...]

so i came back with clear direction in my mind that step.1 Email my bosses and inform them the mess i am in:)

step.2 go to Aryana Afghan office and change the departure date to 14th :)

step.3 go to Ahmedabad ASAP and get my passport ECNR activated..

i followed 1. and 2.

the next challenge was to book tickets of train...ohhhhhhh GOSH!!! impossible in central railway station delhi.. mmmmmm i have to go thru hell!! i knew.. i was prepared..

by the time i reached to booking office.. it was already 5:00 PM.. all booking for nextday closes by 7:00 PM and in no case i can miss next day train which is 3:00 PM train.. and ofcourse in morning i could not get the ticket for sure....!!!

we have to fill up the form for booking.....the misery was... there was no form available,,,,, ..o hh god!!! frustrating... tooo much.... my brain was out of my head!! how come? why cant these people have forms in place??? anyways... i had to buy a form form one of "agent" standing outside.. who cares!! i had to....

i filled and went in.. biiiiiiig 4 queues.. i going tooooo slow.. i thought by 7:00 i dont think i can get the ticket...

so i started exploring out of box options.... i was seeing here and there.. who can help? who can???

my eyes sparkled the joy.. i saw a family a gentle man his 15-17 years daughter and wife.. they were in ladies queue and the line was too short... i saw gentleman stood aside and his wife went in.... i slowly creep closed to gentle man explained him i need to go to Ahmedabad in any case.. could his daughter help me to get ticket for me? his wife and daughter were listening to me..

the man dennied.. said "no" i cant help.. his wife asked him in his language "bengoli" they discussed and seems wife told his daughter to help me.. i gave her money and form.... the girl was brave.... she did buy ticket for me.. i was soooooooo thankful to the family. i greeted them and walked to hotel..

the whole day was full of happening since morning.. as such it started at 3:30 so i was drained off... no energy to keep my eyes opened!! i slept .... woke up late .. 9:30... took my tea, read news paper... talked to parents.... re leaved... good and calm day started..

ohhh yeah my tickets were confirmed but RAC [Reservation against cancellation] ... means i can get confirm birth[seat] if some one cancels the ticket.. .. my waiting number was 173... my GOD.,. it is not possible that in vacation time 172 ppl get their tkt cancelled!! oopssSSSS

i knew what i wd be up to???? wel......... i had no choice.. there were million people looming over the "waiting/ confirmation list" it was impossible for me to read and get the number which is my boggiie number? any ways i knew there will be no allocation as i m too far behind in queue....

well i gathered courage and jumped in one of the compartment.. grabbed the first seat.... train started.. a guy of my age came in.. set near me.. smiled.. i askd him is this is place? he said.. yes.... i was ok..

he was looking outside the window.. waiting for some one... train was slowley going out of platform.. he murmured something.. i said what happen? he said his boss was suppose to come but couldn't see him... i said.. ok!!!

finally after next staion it was confirmed that boss is not coming!! i was delighted.. i told him i have no confirm seat.. but have ticket.. can i grabbed his boss place?? he said no prob...

i was tooo happy i had full birth.. i stretched and slept till morning...