One Picture One Story Week #102

I remember that evening when I was standing in front of the information board at Kuala Lumpur airport waiting for my connecting flight for Delhi but it was late due to technical reason.

That evening I recall my exhaustion, marked a low point in my journey back from Canberra to Delhi. Technical delays turned a simple connection into an interminable wait. That sure created frustration, fatigue, and an strange uneasiness.

The Kuala Lumpur airport is too big so one has to walk long from one gate to another and since I had already changed a flight in Sydney, it was a little more frustrating. There was no announcement but the display board showed, "Flight to New Delhi delayed due to technical issues."

I stood there amid the throng, backpack slung heavy over my shoulder, not daring to go and announce it to my wife because she was more tired than I was.

Image self taken

Staring at the departure board as the minutes stretched into hours. I felt if I could go out from the airport to Malaysian capital for a walk but I did not want to leave the air-conditioned terminal. I walked towards the nearby instant noodles stalls. My mind raced to my wife, waiting for me, and the work deadlines approaching as I was on Steemit curators' team. ​

As the delay hit nine hours, I slumped into a chair, with a kind of feeling that digs into your mind no matter how you feel. Around me, travelers paced or scrolled phones, some arguing with airline staff in requesting tones.

I felt isolated in the crowd, my body aching from the long haul from Australia, where I'd just watched my kiddo's school dance permanence which indeed was a joyful memory now soured by this limbo.

Hungry, but airport food prices deterred me, instead, I sipped overpriced coffee, watching planes taxi outside, taunting me with their freedom. After a few hours, an airport officer came to us and offered a waiting area with extra internet data.

We placed ourselves cozily in the long chairs and then I pulled out my laptop writing ideas for a travel blog on unexpected pauses and how delays force you to get the ideas of interesting contents.

My gratitude to that South African lady airport officer, at least it wasn't no more boring wait on the airport. Yet, I felt impatience, why me, always the one caught in transit snags between continents, chasing stories at the airports? I remember a similar incident at Doha airport during COVID period. Finally, after 10 long hours, the gate opened as we boarded, and settling into our seats.

Finally the ordeal transforming into a tale I'm telling you now.

I invite @josepha @senehasa and @sualeha with my special thanks to @max-pro without him I would never know about this contest by @suboohi