Ladakh Marathon Trip - Day 11 - Final Day - SriNagar to Hyderabad

• The last day of our trip had finally dawned, we had the plan of leaving the hotel at 11 AM, for our 3:40 PM flight.
• Since we didn't have much to look around that day, we had the plan, but we realized at the end of the day, it was quite right to board the flight, the experience continues
• Had our breakfast ordered and delivered to the lodge , nothing other than Aloo parantha, by then majority of us were already tired of aloo parantha, but quickly munched some and had some packed as well, and head out to airport on an Innova.
• We left the hotel at around 11:30 AM, couple of vans, headed to the airport, as we hear from our driver that there are some security checks which would take some time, hence it was good to start early.

 

STAGE 1

• Along our way, our driver stops at a check post, which is potentially the start of the security check, which literally means, we will have to unload our baggage, put it into a scanner, get ourselves through the security frisk and again load baggage back to our vehicle.
• We wait at the check post for the second van to arrive, spent close to half hour out there waiting, then we put our baggage onto security check and get out with our baggage and board the car again to be driven another close to a KM, we unload our baggage, and head to the entrance of the airport.
• The story begins here, with many of us having done enough international travels and enough domestic travels, didn't know what we are going to experience in there, were patiently waiting in a line to get inside the airport.

STAGE 2

• The queue for indigo was long, suddenly there were 3 branches, one of the cop comes makes it to 3 more queues, merging into 1, then you can imagine what to expect at that point.
• Enough quarrelling,  non comfy scenes, few NRI's visiting were really pissed off and speaking about rules and being diplomatic and what not, super chaos, we managed to get to the mood, into the quarrel mode and after 45 minutes of time, we get to the entrance gate, with some frisking we get in.

STAGE 3

• Now we get onto the yet another entry level Security check within the airport, that is as usual, normal, we get through and wait for our baggage on the other side
• The security guy would stamp security seal on some bags and not on some, we were arguing him to get the security seal done, but he wouldn’t.
• Gupta who was really challenged with 30 folks storming into the queue, he was way behind, we were there waiting for him to come, while the cops ask us to move on
• With gupta in, we head to the counters, to get our boarding passes,

STAGE 4

• We head to the Indigo counter and requesting for a group check in, managed to get all 9 of ours, with some confusion we get our boarding passes.
• Being confused some amarnath yatrees who had set his id cards into the check in baggage, our ticket issue was delayed, finally we get all our bags checked in and with our boarding passes we get in.
• While we walk along, one of the indigo folks stop us and say that we have to check in the baggage which are really our cabin baggage. Since it was sealed in the first security check, we again get there to check in those baggage again.
• We were really pissed off by then, I remember consistently doing a international transit at Heathrow airport in london with the whole family in 17 minutes, here it took 1.5 hours to get from outside of the airport to getting the boarding passes. Story is not over there

STAGE 5

• Now comes the real Security check which we typically have at the airports, we get through that, security guy demanding Security seal for water bottle which was in my cabin baggage, first time ever I hear such a weird rule.
• I was directed to the verification counter, I uncover the contents of my laptop bag, get the security seal done and again step into the airport, soon enough to be directed to a place where we have to identify our baggage again(So really ILLOGICAL), we did that stupid thing again, showing our baggage stickers and got it verified.
• That was another half hour job, totally for us to reach near to our gate of boarding it took 2 hours from outside the airport, the WORST every airport entry experience I have ever had.
• We were really tired and glad that all that stupid procedures are over, got something to drink for ourselves and set in for some group photos
• There was a cat running around and few birds chiping inside the airport near our seats :) people fighting for seats where there would come the so called air from the ducts, man… enough with that airport, NEVER AGAIN THERE.
• We were all wearing the Ladakh marathon t-shirt, to add fuel to our already tired souls, somebody asks which group of amarnath yatra you folks are…? , bad about the organizers to not even mention anything about the run, leave about mentioning half or full marathon.
• We board the flight, happy enough while our pilot announces that we are waiting to get the army clearance to take off, and that was another 25 minutes of wait on the runway.

 

• With our last leg of nonstop nonsense, we were mocking chatting, sharing experience in the airport and before we could realize we reach new delhi.
• Due to the delay, we were really close to get the next flight, we also wanted something to eat since most of were hungry, quickly grabbed some pizza and boarded our flights.
• After an hour and half we safely landed at hyderabad, collecting our bags, we step out of the airport, to our surprise, we had a grand welcome with a huge posted unfolded welcoming us back, all set up by Madhuri's sister and JB, sweet of you folks to welcome us with such an act.
• Waving bye to few of the folks we set on to our home, happy enough, contended about the trip.

 

• Truly a Memorable one! With the awesome Company of Hyderabad runners family, obviously with the co-operation and sacrifice from the respective families to let us out for 11 days!