From India to Ghana: Rahul Chakraborty (Volunteer, India)

8/2/2019 From India to Ghana: Rahul Chakraborty (Volunteer, India)

1/4

iVolunteer OverseasD-134, First Floor, East of Kailash

New Delhi-110065

Tel.: +91 11-26217459

Email : [email protected]

Website: www.ivoindia.org

Journey from India to Ghana

By Rahul Chakrabory, VSO Volunteer, India

27th

March, 1.00 a.m. in Dubai (considering Dubais local time)

Ive just landed on Dubai International Airport fewminutes before as the flight was slightly late. The time

difference between India and Dubai is just 1:30 hour. Now

I am waiting to know the gate no. for my next flight (from

Dubai to Accra) which will be displayed on a big

computerized screen. After that I will be roaming around

the Airport and will try to see the area as much as I can.

Though I have enough time for doing it, but I doubt how

long I can carry my bag which is almost 10 k.g. in weight.

Well, when I left my family and friends at Netaji SubhashInternational Airport (in Kolkata) I had experienced a mixed feeling which is a perfect blend of

sadness and excitement. Though I was not thrilled about the journey, since journey by a flight was

nothing new to me. But when I stepped into the flight it proved me wrong as I found a big

difference between a domestic and an international flight. The flight was bigger and wider as well.

It had eight seats in each row. The food was excellent. I took the menu card so that I could let you

know the items that had been served in dinner. It includes Dahi Bada, Rice, Chapati, Chana

Begoon, Chicken Stroganoff, Rasmalai, Bread and Butter (I had only butter, not the bread) and

Chocolates. I also had soft drinks twice (lemon and mango) instead of tea / coffee. But the

ultimate gain was to see Dubai while landing. Luckily I got the window seat. The view was amazing.

I cant express it in words. I wondered whether the city has ever experienced the silence of night.It was full of light spreading around every corner of the city. So many cars were being driven as it

doesnt matter to them whether its midnight or day time. The flight took a round over the sea

before landing. One can easily guess to see at a glance even from the sky that its nothing but one

of the richest peoples city. I was jealous.

The notice board is still not showing the gate no. There is no meaning to sit over here any more

and to waste the time rather than getting a sense about the beauty of the airport.

3.15 a.m.

As I started roaming around I laughed at myself. I found the same computerized board at every

corner where I could see the gate no. And for this silly thing I had wasted almost 45 minutes. I

asked an airport staff that my next connecting flight is at 7.40 in the morning and asked for a


2/4


New Delhi-110065

Tel.: +91 11-26217459



suggestion that how to spend this time. He showed me the way for duty free shopping complex.

Its on the upstairs. I came up. In the upstairs you have to pass through a gate where you have to

again put your bags into the x-ray machine and even to take off your watch, belt and shoes for

security purpose. I did it; rather I had to do it. The shopping complex obviously has a shiny look.

But I found the place a bit crowdy. And I watched the people carefully. Its not true that eve ryone

was there just for window-shopping. They were buying the costly stuff at more costly rates. I

looked at the price tags of chocolate boxes which might be the cheapest thing at this place. Butthe rates are much higher if you make a comparison with the same thing in India. So please excuse

me! I am not going to bring it for you after two years. Ha Ha Ha !!! Instead of shopping I took some

random snaps of the place. I am not describing much about this gorgeous airport, rather I will send

you some snaps. Here I missed someone (s/he could be anybody) who could place me at the focus

of the camera and I could prove that I was present here. I wish I will be back (from Ghana to India

after couple of years, halting in Dubai) with someone else who will do it.

Yes, the gate no. for Accra flight has finally come on the screen. Its 210. Now I have to find it out.

You know, most of the staff in Dubai Airport are Indian. They are talking to each other in Hindi,even some of them are speaking Bengali. It makes me feel that I am not far away from Home..

6.30 a.m.

Good Morning!! I am feeling cold now. Ive collected the boarding pass and am waiting for the

next flight. Feeling a bit sleepy after spending a sleepless night in a sleepless city. Though sunrise is

yet to happen, I can see the multi-storied buildings outside through the glasses. The passengers of

this flight are mostly from Ghana or nearby countries, I am guessing to see their features. Most of

them are at a smiling face. I thought this is because they are going back to their own country. I

have to wait one hour more to fly for Ghana

12.35 p.m. (considering Dubais local time) In the flightway to Ghana

Hey I have some Indian co-passengers here too. I am really enjoying Hindi and one of the South

Indian languages while I am thousands kilometers away from my country. At this moment it does

not matter to me whether I can follow their words, but it is more than enough that I have my own

countrys people here around. In the toilet I have also found the ins tructions written in Hindi,

Bengali, South Indian languages along with other international languages. Its simply great!

Someone rightly says that living outside the country boosts your patriotism up.

Few minutes after departing Dubai International Airport, we had our continental breakfast with

fresh seasonal fruits and croissant served with butter and jam. After that I was just surfing

channels in T.V. and Radio. Ooops! Forgot to tell you. In both the flights we have small screens

before each seat along with a head phone. In the previous flight I had searched all the channels of

T.V. and Radio but finally stuck on Ghazals. In the latter one I kept my eyes on Airshow Map where

you can see the route map of the journey, distance from the destination, speed of the flight,

altitude and lot more things. I cant exactly tell you when I closed my eyes and slept.

I woke up few minutes before and saw the air hostesses and air crews were serving hard and soft

drinks as well. I took a glass of fruit juice while most of the passengers went for red wine. Let me

share you that during my sleeping time several intervals took place with fruit juices: of mango,orange, apple. My appetite is not insisting me for being greedy, rather I would like to consider it

just as a mode of passing time.


3/4


New Delhi-110065

Tel.: +91 11-26217459



By the time we have crossed Riadh in Arab, Red Sea, Port Sudan, Nile River and Khartoum. The

names of the other places I have never heard before. Just now we are crossing a place called

Fashir. I wanted to see a smaller and rare view of the land of Africa from the flight, but this time I

dont have a window-seat.

It will take 3:15 hrs more to cover the distance of 2700 k.m. to reach Accra. Right now the ground

speed of the flight is 877 k.m. per hour. We are flying across 38000 feet above the see level. Theoutside air temperature is -49 degree Fahrenheit. If the flight would have any hole, we would be

frozen before it would crash down.

Hey. The lunch is about to be served. The first meal in Africa!!

3.30 p.m. (considering Dubais local time)

Let me tell you the menu first: Salad nicoise, Rice, Gulf style chicken curry, Rhubarb and

strawberry fool, Bread and Butter, Cheese and Biscuits and drink. This time I tried something

different as I got bored with fruit juice. I took Tomato soup. The taste of the food was good, butnot superb. I think the food had been prepared in African style and had a burning smell. I have

finished the lunch with listening to Gazals. After having lunch I took coke. Our journey will be end

within an hour only. Now we are being given an Immigration Form that has to be filled up before

landing. Ill write you from Accra. Bye

28th

March, 10.10 a.m. in Accra (considering Ghanas local time)

Hey. I am writing you from Accra. I reached Accra

yesterday around 12:40 p.m. The time difference

between India and Ghana is exactly 5:30 hrs. After

landing I immediately submitted the Immigration Form

at the Airport. The Airport is small. I didnt need to

wait much to get my luggage back. I came outside. Its

hot. The temperature was 34 degree centigrade.

Though I felt it like 50 degree as I spent last 25:30 hrs.

in the cooling air-conditioned environment. As I came

out from the airport I saw a man standing with a

placard of VSO. Later I knew that his name is Richard

and he is the driver of the organization. He put my bags in the car and we left for the Hotel Byblos.

The first difference I noticed is that the roads are much cleaner here than what I used to see i n

Kolkata. As per the traffic rules they use the right side. On the way I made a call to Rose (the Indian

volunteer who came to Ghana on 14th

Feb. I would also come with her if my date would not be

postponed for driving license) from Richards mobile. She lives in a place called Volga which is far

away from Accra and it takes 16 hrs. from here. Though the rest of the day as well as the next day I

had nothing to do, but its not possible to reach there and to come back by next day evening. It

hardly took 15 minutes to reach the hotel. The owner Mr. Henry knew my name before. He gave

me room no. 09 which is on the ground floor of the hotel. The room is furnished with a single bed,

two small desks, one chair, one mini refrigerator and a mirror. It has only one small window which

has almost no importance as most of the time its rema ined closed due to heat. The room has no

fan. Dont worry. It has more than that an air-condition machine. But the funniest thing is that it

has no separate toilet. They have covered (only half portion) one side of the room with a wall and

have installed a commode, a basin and a shower. Except the basin there is no tap.


4/4


New Delhi-110065

Tel.: +91 11-26217459



Richard gave me an envelope given by VSO Programme Office of Accra, inside of which I found 45

cedi (Ghanaian currency). They had sent it as the office would be opened only on Monday. Out of

this money, I gave Richard 10 cedi for buying a MTL sim card which costs 5 cedi and to put some

balance in my mobile by the rest. I have also bought a bottle of drinking water by 3 cedi as the

hotel doesnt provide drinking water. As I had already had my lunch in the flight, I lay down on the

bed and closed my eyes immediately after taking a bath under the shower.

In the evening I might have used my laptop, but there is no round shaped plug point in the room

which matches with the plug of my laptop or mobile. I shouldnt go outside of the hotel in the

evening as it might not be safe for me. I had nothing to do actually. I had some excess food like

bread, cheese, chocolates etc. provided by Emirates Airways. I had that and again went to sleep.

I woke up early in the morning. I checked the time. Its 4.30 only. I washed up and opened the

packet of Britannia Chocolate Cake that I brought from Kolkata. It was almost smashed, though

the taste was same. Around 6.30 I planned for a morning walk and came out from the hotel. I

found here an Indian shopping complex named Sagaar Shopping Complex, an Indian restaurant

Kohinoor and a poster on a road-side sign-board of Indian Film Festival organized in October inlast year on the occasion of Gandhi jis 140

thBirth Day. The poster is having the faces of Amir

Khan, Saif Ali Khan and many more Bollywood actors / actresses. Its nice to see their faces early in

the morning here in Accra.

The hotel provided breakfast around 9.00. I had bread (one with butter and one with jam), omelet

and coffee. The hotel provides the breakfast at free of cost, but I have to manage the lunch from

outside. Henry collected a multi-plug holder for me which fits with the Plugs of my laptop and

mobile phone; thereby I could open my laptop and finish my first letter to you from Accra.

Be Happy!!

Rahul Chakraborty

Documents

From India to Ghana: Rahul Chakraborty (Volunteer, India)