Essays

My uncle lives in Mumbai. He is a big police officer there. Once he promised me to take me to Mumbai by air. But for long he could not fulfil his promise. It was because his duties were so strict that he could not visit us in Delhi for quite

some time.

Last week, he had to come to Delhi in connection with some criminal case. He had also to go back hurriedly. But he remembered his promise and took me along with him.

As we reached the airport, soon we heard the announcement asking us to board the Boeing-21 by which we had to travel. We climbed up the stairs and entered the aeroplane. We took our seats. My uncle asked me to fasten the safety belt. I did so.

Soon, the aeroplane made a deafening sound. Its wings began to rotate. At first the rotation was slow but within a few moments it became horribly fast.

The plane began to run on the tarmac. Suddenly, it moved upwards. Quickly, it reached high up in the sky and seemed to be touching the clouds. I looked downwards through the window.

The" houses seemed like small models. The men and animals looked like ants. The rivers and canals seemed to be thread-like streaks.

Within a few hours it was announced that we had reached the sky over Mumbai. Now, the aeroplane started downward movement. It was landing.

It reached the airport and began to run on the tarmac. The movement of its wings became slower and slower till finally it came to an end.

As the plane was now standing motionless on the tarmac, we came out of it as other passengers did. Our luggage was checked by the customs people and then we were allowed to go. Indeed, I can never forget this first flight by an

aeroplane.