The first air-flight that I took remains an unforgettable memory for its thrills. How excited I had been when my father called me to Delhi and advised the air-route. So I booked my passage with the Indian Airlines and presented myself punctually at their office van.
When I reached Dum Dum I saw a vast enclosed area with shops and customs, cafes and pleasant lounges. Here our luggages were checked by the weight and tickets examined.
Soon we were told that our plane was ready to take off. We went to the spot and were shown up the stairs into the plane to take our seats. I bade adieu to my brother and sister who had come to see me off. Then the plane started. It taxied down the runway for about a mile with increasing speed and then took off gradually.
It was almost an adventure to be flying through empty space. I had a seat near the window. I looked down at the earth, with mountains here and there that looked like mounds and rivers no bigger than strips, animals in groups absurdly small. Soon we were passing through clouds which were like thick mists with occasional bumpy air pockets.
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It took us two hours to reach Delhi — 900 miles in two hours. Time passed even faster than the plane, for I was conscious of its flight. The air hostess looked after us all the way, serving snacks and drinks. It comes as a surprise when we were told that we were about to land. The plane circled over the city once or twice and then made a perfect landing at the Safdarjung airfield.