My First Flight

This writing is taken from a very early sketch book of mine.

15th Oct 1990 Tuesday 12.10pm Hithadhoo (Addu Atoll, Southern tip of Maldives).
I woke up at 6.15am, but was quite tired. Went to the toilet to relax my stomach and had a clean shave. Went to the bathroom and had a cold bath. Came back to the room and dressed as soon as I could. But it was already 7.20. Had an omelette and a mug of milo. Tried to get a camera but couldn't. Went to the office at 7.30 and came back home at 7.45. Got my suitcase and called a taxi. Went to my dad's office, got the ticket and went to the airport at 8.00am. I was nervous because I didn't know what to do at the airport. This was my first flight. Went into the terminal and showed my ticket at the Air Maldives counter. He gave the boarding pass and asked to check in at 8.45. I walked out and sat on a bench outside terminal. I noticed that the Maldivians seated around were from this atoll and thought following them while checking in. It was a lucky guess, and I did the same. I checked in and waited at the lounge. At 9.00 a young man called for the passengers travelling in Gan flight. I walked right behind them. While walking to the plane a person from Feydhoo talked to me (Feydhoo is an Island in Addu Atoll, he said he was from that island). I climbed up the stairs and an air hostess showed me the seat. It was a narrow plane seated at both sides.
There were around fifteen people on the plane. The engine started and it was so loud that I felt headache. Slowly it moved, went straight and took a full turn and accelerated. Came along the runway and took off at 9.10. This was a new experience for me, to leave off the ground so white and the sea so blue beneath. As it rose higher through the clouds smoke entered the plane. Maybe that it's the cloud's moist. I stared through the window and saw the islands shattered in the ocean. Looks like a huge drawing of a map.
An hour went by while seeing the image-less spots of each and every atoll. And suddenly I recognized Laamu Atoll, maybe because of the recent map I was drawing. Then counted on through Gaafu Alifu and Gaafu Dhaalu and again came the blank ocean. I stared at a rough angle where Gnaviyani would be. I was lucky again to see Fuvahmulah pass before my eyes. Went a gap and came Seenu Atoll (Addu Atoll). I saw the flaps came out and the wheels too. The plane took a right turn slowed down and came parallel to the runway and it landed at 10.45. The plane stopped at the arrival building. The steps went down and everyone came out. I waited for my luggage. I felt sad to see that nobody came to fetch me. So I took a taxi and came to HIthadhoo from Gan; and to the Seenu Atoll Office. The cab driver charged Maldivian Rufiyaa hundred. It was half an hour drive from Gan through Feydhoo and some other islands and long and narrow highways. After I came here I knew that the team was at site from 11.30 till now (12.55). I'm waiting with hunger.