Close Please enter your Username and Password
Reset Password
If you've forgotten your password, you can enter your email address below. An email will then be sent with a link to set up a new password.
Cancel
Reset Link Sent
Password reset link sent to
Check your email and enter the confirmation code:
Don't see the email?
  • Resend Confirmation Link
  • Start Over
Close
If you have any questions, please contact Customer Service

Aakash_49 75M
1521 posts
6/7/2015 1:10 pm
Do I look like a Crook ?


After six weeks of lovely stay at New Castle in UK, finally the day for return arrived on Jun 05. The Gang of Mumbai, comprising of Yours truly, mah better half and our two gran ( Babda aged 6 and Bubbly aged 2 1/2) were to return back. The fight from New Castle to Heathrow was at 6 am but enthusiastically the woke up at 03 30 am , got ready, bid good bye to the Gang of UK. Our baggage was 4 stuffed bags each weighing 20 + Kgs.; two hand bags and carried two small shoulder bags. Our luggage was booked directly for Mumbai. Sweaters , jackets were worn as it was cold in UK and more so since bags needed space to pack.

We flew on time to Heathrow - London. Absolutely no hasssels, same Terminal 5 and a good 3 hours halt. enjoyed the halt looking out of the glass at various aircrafts moving around.

Finally at around 09 40 am , we boarded the long haul Boeing 777 of British Airways. To our surprise both the Cabin Crew members of BA that we know and who reside in our neighbourhood were on board. What a delight. All thru the flight of 9 hours the Gang of Mumbai was thoroughly pampered. When we reached, our hand bags and shoulder bags were swollen with various gifts like Chocolates, crunchies , and some miniatures of single malt whiskey. Finally we landed at Mumbai at local time of mid night. All the passengers are in a hurry to disembark and we had to put on our sweaters and jackets before getting off.

Here I would like to digress a bit and tell you that my cousin is just retired Top Cop of the State. Usually we don't bother him, but knowing that the Gang of Mumbai has two and knowing the chaos at Mumbai Airport he arranged a reception for us. The Police Inspector on duty was informed of our arrival.

At the Immigration counters there were Anaconda coils of people in queue. Incidentally the Immigration at the International Airport is handled by State Police. We thanked the Cousin when we were whisked through a VVIP channel in seconds. Whew . It was a great relief as by that time the heat in Mumbai was becoming unbearable under the bloody sweaters that we were wearing.

For those who do not know, at Mumbai, they have commissioned new Terminal 2- a beautiful terminal but managed by Cops and baggage handlers and Customs. The least I say the better it is.

In spite of the V VIP reception & flash exit thru immigration, the baggage belt harassed us. Our first bag came out first and then we waited and waited near the belt waiting for our checked in baggage to arrive. The bags arrived progressively but the last bag to arrive on the conveyor happened to be our 4th bag. Good 1 1/4 hour wait. The by this time had become restless and the 2 1/2 year one had started becoming cranky. But believe me we have no control over this. At that hour a lot of International Flights land in Mumbai and there is crowd and chaos, shortage of trolleys and so on.

Coming back to the Cop arranged reception , the Police Constable who was assigned to take care of us had arranged 2 trolleys for our luggage and had asked one porter to assist us and drop us near our SUV which was waiting outside now for hours for our arrival.

The porter was a very fair , young , short guy with green eyes. He had a beard and handle bar mustache. He also had a vertical , bright red , bold Tikka on his forehead. A character that was not easy to forget. . Having got our baggage, we had to now pass thru the customs. No a days Customs are very liberal in their checking but there are 16 Red Channels , many unmanned and no body passing thru these Red Channels while the entire crowd has to pass through Green channel comprising of ONLY 2 X - Ray machines. The serpentine line of baggage trolleys waiting for their turn to pass their luggage thru the machines.

Gang of Mumbai was shattered by that time, the insisted on being picked up, refused to sit on bags on trolley, mind you we even forgot to remove our sweaters and cardigans and just dump on the trolley. Our Cop Constable spoke to someone and and navigated us and the trolleys thru one of the unmanned RED Channel counter circumventing the X Ray check. Aha that was again a relief and silently I thanked my cousin for all the help rendered. But a surprise was waiting for us.

As we moved a few meters a gang of Customs Officers intercepted us and started looking at our 4 heavy bags suspiciously. A very somber , elderly Officer wearing many stripes then came and ordered that all our baggage should be opened and thoroughly checked. I pleaded that we were not carrying any thing repeat anything other than our clothes, biscuits, chocolates etc and a Pressure Cooker of Indian origin being brought back to our country for repairs etc. He gave me an understanding look but waved to his team to proceed with the search. The Cop told the Officer that " Bade Sahab ke Rishtedaar hai " meaning these are relatives of Big Boss and with a twinkle in his eyes, he asked the Cop to tell him the name of the Big Boss. Hmmmm.

At this point I was getting irritated but humbly I asked the Senior Officer ,

" Sir do I look like a Crook to you ? "

He gave a very pleasant smile to me and replied ;

" Sir not at all , but now a days all the crooks and smugglers look like perfect Gentlemen like you . So now tell me how much Gold you HAVE BROUGHT FROM DUBAI ?"

I was stumped, I asked him from Dubai ? Sir we are coming from Heathrow- London. Almost shocked he looked at the baggage tags NCL / LHR / BOM and realised his mistake. He apologised sincerely and I accepted his apologies gracefully as the ordeal was finally over. He asked the trolleys to move forward towards exit, walked a few steps with me - after all the relative of the Top Cop, and told me that they had a tip off that a large gold consignment was being smuggled from Dubai, the carriers were a family of 4 including , the smugglers had cops in their pockets and that the bearded, fair , short porter with bright red Tikka on his forehead was to move it past the customs and was shadowed. He said they were all waiting for us and Happy that the job was done when they saw us with the porter pushing our trolleys, but now all through the night crowd they would have to keep a vigil as a flight from Dubai has arrived and few are yet to come.

All I could say is Thank You Sir and All the Best. On reaching home by about 04 am I sneaked opened my lappy on the pretext of checking if any Important mail was received thru the day but peeped into FF and WOW a Welcome Blog by Sapna JI was waiting. I forgot all the agony that we went thru that day . Thanks lady.

I am sure as PM promised - Acche Din Ayenge . Good Days will come.


Creativity is knowing how to hide your Sources


Maybella 62F
425 posts
6/7/2015 3:40 pm

Hi Akash, Sorry for the ordeal you went through at the airport, But Glad you all made it home safely,

God Bless.


SUNYBUNNY60 64M
7933 posts
6/8/2015 12:00 am

Aakash./ welcome back to India/ Mumbai and hopefully you must have enjoyed your stay in UK. good narrated blog.

LOVE IS ALWAYS BEAUTIFUL