Having my lunch

"ARE YOU SURE youâve got your ticket with you? Where's your passport?" my mother drilled into me as we whizzed past trees, houses and fields.

"Slow down a bit, please, " begged my brother, as he steered carelessly round the bend of the road. We were on our way from Taiping to Penang where I was to leave for Singapore, as my vacation was coming to an ead.

I really did not feel a thing now about flying back to Singapore to continue my studies.

It was a very hot afternoon and the airport was a hustle and bustle of activity. There were throngs of people everywhere, hurrying around with bags and boxes. I was seated on one of the chairs in the lounge with my parents and a few friends who had come to send me off. I was in low spirits, firstly, because I was dreading the journey that lay ahead. I had all sorts of terrorizing thoughts about air crashes and hijacking of aeroplanes which Ikept to myself.

As the ground hostess announced the departure of my plane I said a tearful goodbye to my parents and friends and walked with cold and limp legs to the awaiting plane. I boarded the plane with a cold fear clutching my heart and I hurriedly sought a window,hoping  to catch a glimpse of my parents among the dense crowd.

"Bang!" The closing of the door of the aeroplane brought me back to reality and a pleasant voice requested the passengers to fasten their seat-belts. Ifumbled nervously with mine only to attract the attention of an air-hostess standing in the passage way. She bent forwawrd and helped me with it and with a smile asked me, "Is this your first trip?" I nodded my head and tried to smile back at her.

"Take it easy. Everything will be fine," she said comfortingly and with that left me.

A minute later, a deafening sound filled the air and after a graceful movement along the runway the plane glided upwards and we were on our way. The noisy sound of the engins died away and this was replaced by the same pleasant voice saying, "You may now unfasten your seat-belts." Alow chatter joined the hum of the plane and passengers brought out newspapers which crackled noisily, and books while some women brought out their knitting.

Then only did I realise that I had a prim old English lady for my companion. She looked rather confident and went on at top speed with her Knitting. She must have sensed my gaze upon her, and looked up at me with her kindly old eyes.

"Aren't you enjoying this trip, my dear?" she queried curiously.

"Oh, come off it, " she said, when she had learnt that this was my first trip and realised that I was scared.

"Flying's nothing. Just look at me. I've been flying back and forth a good number of times. Take it easy and enjoy yourself," she said reassuringly, and with that continued with her knitting.

Having been reassured by the old lady I decided to try and enjoy my journey. I looked around in the plane and saw the air hostess serving lunch to the passengers. All the passengers seemed to have something to do; a few of them were even sleeping with thier mouths wide open. In one corner I saw two policemen keeping a close watch on a man who was handcuffed.

I then turned my head and looked out of the window and took a bird's eye view of the place above which we were flying. Fields that  were separated by rivers looked like silver threads lying unreeled on the ground. The landscape was really romantic and as I looked outside Ifelt a thrill of admiration for the great artistry of nature.

After having my lunch I lay back to have a rest and realised that a journey by aeroplane was quite an enjoyable one after all.

"Hey, wake up!" My mother nudged me. "We' re in Penang now."

"I wasn't sleeping, mum, " I answered. "I was only thinking of my first........"

"Never mind all that," my mother cut in. "Check and see if you've got your passport and ticket with you."

My brother chuckled quietly and he idiotically chimed in saying, "Yes, check and see. We've come all this way to throw you off, and we can't afford to take you back to Taiping!"