A Slow Start, a Dash of Chaos, and Joy’s Travel Trials: Our Journey to Sri Lanka Begins
Today was one of those travel days that started slow, took a detour into chaos, and ended with a sprinkle of humour—courtesy of our dear friend Joy. Let me take you through the rollercoaster that was our journey from Delhi to the tropical paradise of Sri Lanka.
We kicked off the day with a rare luxury: sleeping in. No crack-of-dawn alarms, just a leisurely morning that saw us rolling out of bed and onto the road by 10:30 am. A late breakfast and a slow start felt like the perfect way to ease into our travel day. But, as always, the universe had other plans.
The supposedly 15-minute drive to the airport turned into a 45-minute crawl through Delhi’s infamous traffic. The moment our bus pulled out of the driveway, it was clear we were in for a ride—literally. Horns blared, lanes merged, and time ticked away. By the time we arrived at the airport, we were already in that peculiar state of travel-induced exhaustion mixed with anticipation.
Now, let me introduce you to the star of today’s show: Joy. If there’s one thing you need to know about Joy, it’s that she has a knack for turning the simplest tasks into adventures. Case in point: getting into the airport. While the rest of us breezed through the terminal entrance with printed tickets or digital copies, Joy found herself in a 30-minute saga. No printed tickets, no saved digital copy, and no Wi-Fi to download them. Styfan and Wendy, ever the loyal travel companions, stayed back with her to help, but even their mobile data struggled against the airport’s sluggish connectivity. Note: She found her printed out ticket after check-in.
Once we finally regrouped, it was time for the usual airport rituals: immigration, bag scanning, and the inevitable security hiccups. I, of course, managed to hold up the line by forgetting to take my battery pack out of my backpack. Five minutes of rescanning later, I was convinced the security officers were just messing with me for not following protocol. Meanwhile, Joy casually mentioned she’d left her battery pack in her suitcase. “Too late now,” she shrugged.
The women’s body scanner experience was… thorough. Let’s just say the wand doesn’t miss a spot. It’s one of those moments where you remind yourself it’s all in the name of safety, but you can’t help feeling a little violated.
With security behind us, we indulged in some duty-free shopping (hello, new perfume!) and grabbed lunch at a sports bar. Glenn and I had chicken burgers while catching up with the family back home. Celeste and Magnus were particularly excited to chat (to each other) their voices bubbling with energy even through the phone.
Then came the boarding pass check. Of course, Joy was missing. Security had tracked her down and whisked her away to go through her suitcase, so she’d left her backpack with the group. Liz had to leave it the gate, and by the time Joy finally made it onto the plane, she realized her backpack was still MIA. A quick chat with the flight attendant sorted it out, but not before security confiscated her battery charger. Poor Joy—her day was shaping up to be one for the books.
The flight itself was… eventful. Turbulence kept the seatbelt sign on for most of the journey, but that didn’t seem to deter some of our fellow passengers. Despite repeated announcements and personal reminders, a few Indians insisted on wandering the aisles, much to the crew’s frustration. Glenn and I skipped the in-flight meal (thank goodness for that sports bar lunch) and tried to relax amidst the bumps and jolts.
Finally, we touched down in Sri Lanka, where we were greeted by the incredibly efficient Cham. Within minutes, our group was sorted, buses were lined up, and we were whisked away to our resort. Yes, you read that right—a resort, not just a hotel. The kind of place that makes you forget the chaos of the day and embrace the promise of paradise.
Some of us couldn’t resist unwinding with drinks at the bar, turning what was supposed to be an early night into a late one. And just when we thought the day was over, Joy knocked on our door, asking if we had a spare charging cord. Hers was nowhere to be found. Note: Cord was found the next day.
All in all, it was a day of slow starts, unexpected delays, worries and laughs. But hey, that’s what makes travel memorable, right? Here’s to smoother days ahead and more adventures in Sri Lanka!
Stay tuned for more tales from the road (and maybe a few more Joy-induced escapades).
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