| It was in the year 1977, I got my first passport | | | | end of the island to the other end, we could walk |
| after an NOC (No objection certificate) issued by | | | | within 25 to 30 minutes) and we quickly reached |
| the Government of India for issuing me a | | | | the place where we had made arrangements for |
| passport, since I was a Government employee . I | | | | our stay. It was something like a group of rooms |
| was very enthusiastic about my possible | | | | in a barrack in a Military camp. Each one had one |
| 'overseas travel' and started to make plans for a | | | | room and an attached toilet. Never mind, we |
| trip to Maldives. I had another friend of mine, who | | | | could not afford much and we were happy with |
| also got his first passport , and was desperately | | | | what we got. The owner was an elderly lady, |
| banking upon me to make the tour plan to | | | | who also stayed in one of the rooms, on the |
| accommodate him as well.Both of us bought airline | | | | opposite side of our barrack, seperated by a |
| ticket from Trivandrum to Maldives,(A group of | | | | paved verandah.We set out for 'sight-seeing' and |
| islands in the Indian ocean, southwest of India, | | | | shopping. There are no animals and there are no |
| approximately 45minutes of flying time by a | | | | birds in Maldives! Therefore , there was no 'sight |
| Boeing aircraft from Trivandrum.). Having | | | | seeing'. My friend, who was an orthodox Hindu |
| successfully arranged that, we collected the | | | | brahmin, insisted on buying an electric stove to |
| information from one of my friends, who had | | | | prepare the food for us. I did not care much for |
| been there to Maldives on several occasions on | | | | all these, but said OK. We returned back. For the |
| business trips. He informed me that Maldives | | | | dinner, we had a loaf of bread and vegetarian |
| Government has approved the residents of the | | | | sandwich.Next day, my friend 'prepared' lunch for |
| country to entertain tourists in their houses, and | | | | both of us. Though it was awful, I did not |
| could collect rent for their stay and pay a small | | | | complain. There was a small plantain tree in the |
| portion as tax to the Government. My friend had | | | | campus and my friend, without any hesitation, cut |
| also recommended me to one of his friends in | | | | two leaves to be used as plates. We threw the |
| Maldives, who could be my host. | | | | plantain leaves in the dustbin, which was near the |
| Having arranged that, we planned for the travel | | | | tree itself. We had planned to stay in Maldives for |
| and set out by train to reach Trivandrum from | | | | 3 days, and after that to fly out to Sri-lanka.In |
| where we would catch a flight to Maldives. | | | | the afternoon, my friend suggested that he would |
| Everything went off very smoothly, and on the | | | | prepare |
| scheduled day of departure, we went through the | | | | 'tea' for us. I tried to stop him. But he would not |
| formalities of immigration and customs and | | | | listen. He went ahead and prepared tea, by using |
| boarded our flight.This was, incidentally, my first | | | | the electric stove in the end of |
| experience in a transport aircraft and I was thrilled | | | | verandah. As he had finished his concoction, he |
| ! I was looking out of the window ( I had | | | | tripped the kettle and the tea spilled over on the |
| requested for a window seat) and was waiting | | | | surface ! To add to the misery, the room on the |
| impatiently for the aircraft to move ! Now, | | | | opposite side opened and the owner lady |
| suddenly , a thought struck my mind. I was an | | | | appeared ! I just pulled myself inside my room |
| obsessive believer in ' cheiromancy' and was an | | | | and watched the proceedings. The lady was |
| ardent reader of all related books. I had 'reached | | | | glaring at my friend and my friend was looking at |
| a degree of proficiency' in the related subject, in | | | | her foolishly. He ,then , gathered courage and |
| my own opinion. Now, I looked at my hand to | | | | asked the lady, ' do you have a cleaning cloth |
| verify whether I had the 'travel line' cutting across | | | | ?'The lady did not appear to have understood his |
| from the mount of Luna to touch the Line of Life | | | | idea. She might have thought that this arrogant |
| ! It was not there ! In no uncertain terms, it | | | | guy was asking her to clean the spill ! She replied |
| clearly indicated that I had no prospect of | | | | back tersely, ' You dirty , you clean'. I could not |
| 'overseas' travel ! Then, what could happen ? Will I | | | | contain my laughter any more. After my friend |
| ever land into Maldives or crash into Indian Ocean? | | | | cleaned up the area under her supervision, he |
| While I was considering all these aspects and | | | | went to throw the dirty cloth in the dust-bin. The |
| analysed for a comfortable answer, the aircraft | | | | owner lady followed him there also. She looked |
| started taxiing out. Within the next 10 minutes, | | | | with disbelief the plantain tree without any leaves |
| we were airborne, and my thoughts had faded | | | | and the used up leaves inside the bin ! She |
| away, as we started cruising. Within 40minutes, I | | | | questioned him, ' who do this ?' My friend meekly |
| could see the green coral islands, below us, and | | | | replied ' we used it' and went ahead to comfort |
| was thrilled. The aircraft made a smooth landing | | | | her, ' Do you eat plantains ?' . There was no reply. |
| at the island airport of Maldives, called 'Hulule'. 'Hell | | | | Who knows? For all you know,the lady must have |
| with this palmistry', I thought. After quickly going | | | | thought that my friend was suggesting to her to |
| through the formalities of immigration, health ( | | | | eat the plantain leaves from the dust bin !What an |
| Pricked my fingers for blood samples !) and | | | | arrogance ! She glared at him in anger, did not say |
| customs, we were outside. There were ferry | | | | a word and walked away. my friend was very |
| services to the Capital city 'Maldives', which was | | | | angry with me for my 'unfriendly' attitude of not |
| 10 minutes distance by boat travel. The weather | | | | helping him but enjoying the fun ! What could I do |
| was good and I liked everything I saw. After a | | | | ? Every one has a natural character. I could not |
| brief travel by the boat, we landed up on the | | | | change mine.After three days, we again returned |
| shores of the city ' Maldives'. It is a 100% muslim | | | | back to Hulule Airport and reached Colombo ,in Sri |
| country, has to import everything for its | | | | Lanka, across the indian Ocean, with a flying |
| sustenance and most of the male community are | | | | distance of one hour and 15 minutes. I shall share |
| employees of some shipping organisation. The | | | | my experiences of Srilanka with you in my next |
| only natural resources is the fish from the | | | | news letter. |
| sea.The city was very small, ( in fact, from one | | | | |