As a child I have always dreamed of flying high. Above the buildings and the road and the fields and everything else. Yesterday, I got the chance to realize the excitement possessed in this dream.
I was sleeping when the phone rang. It was him. He said, "If you want to do flying, then come quickly to air strip." It took me a moment to get the sleep out of my head and the next moment i got ready to go. I was cycling at the highest speed i ever did. And I finally reached there after a wrong turn or two. At the gate of the airstrip I was stopped. I had forgotten my I-card in hurry. But I went in some how. Far away, I spotted him. Thanks to his unique physique. We waved to each other. I rushed towards him and filled the form and deposited the fees. Emptied my pockets and proceeded.
The glider was spotted landing and when it did I was all the way more excited. It was a small craft with long wing like projections and a fan at the nose and glass doors that opened upwards. I was told to take position inside it. A very cozy seat and even cozier way of sitting. Fastened the seat belt. I had a joystick in front of me. But the pilot(or whatever the one flying a glider is called) told me not to touch it(the worst part).
The engine started, fan rotated and we started moving on the runway. The outer things can be seen from the side glass only. In the front their was a control panel with lots of dials and switches. If i looked out it was feeling like sitting in a car. So i stared at the control panel. I identified one switch that was labelled CAGE IN. I guess it was some kind of a safety measure. There was a compass at the top of all other dials and that was the most familiar thing inside the whole craft.
By the time i was looking at the control panel the craft had already taken the lift. And when i looked outside I was already high above the campus. I felt as if the craft is not at all moving. Because the only kind of movements I have yet experienced were in terrestrial vehicles, that show the high speed of the vehicle by the speed with which the trees and other stationary objects disappeared. But I recalled that the moon moves with us and so was the campus beneath me.
I tried to locate our position. But all the things appeared so small. Also, the roofs of the buildings are not as distinct as their lateral views. But I identified the Lawn Tennis courts and the players in it were mere like ants and then i realized that i am at a very great height. I asked the Pilot( or whatever he is called) and was answered that we are at a height of 1000m right now. The highest point of our flight. He pointed to one of those many dials. I was enjoying the beauty of the scene, identified the P K Kelkar Library and the fountains. The pilot pointed to a few other spots. And then there was a silence. He might have shut the engine off (at least this is what I presume). The fan at the nose has come to a halt. After 10 secons or so, he told me that we are at a height of 700m now. Dashing over the G T Road, I spotted those toy trucks and cars on it. and beyond were beautiful fields, patches of yellow and green color.
We were at around 500m high(now I can look at that altimeter myself) and the pilot moved the rod like device between our heads. and we were again facing the G T Road. This time when we flew over the road, the trucks were larger. We crossed G T Road at a height of 100m. Then the campus and the air strip was visible. I was a little thoughtful about the excellence of the pilot as we were about to land just on the right edge of the air-strip. But by the time we landed we were right in the middle of the run-way.
And there was my brother, ready with his imported camera, clicking. I was not able to see the road in front of me. So, I asked the pilot my last question, "how do u see the runway?" And my question was proved very stupid by the answer, "through the sides". Then we were lead to the hangar by a man waving his hands probably to give directions which I failed to understand.
I unfastened the seatbelt and the pilot opened the door for me. And I came out with the broadest of my smiles. It was so delightful. One wish was accomplished.
