Reunion after 44 years

Reunion of the three musketeers

                      1969-72 was a vivacious period which laid a strong foundation for our career growth, love and admiration for English language and literature and lifelong friendship. The last is a matter of our pride and many others’ envy. The passing  period – about 44 long years witnessed unemployment, youthful cheer and revelry, marriage, occasional short meetings, children, their bringing up, their education, employment and marriage, grand children, grey hair and philosophical ruminations. It was then we seriously thought of reviving the fellowship. A stray ad that accidentally appeared on my small screen did the rest. We three met on the long corridor that connected you to the rest of the world. My previous experience in flying reassured me that we would be pampered adequately. But the matter-of-fact crew had nothing to offer except a small cup of water and that too on persuasion. Half starved, we arrived after three and half hours on the land of elephants. Sleepless, foodless and restless, we roamed all over the Suvarnabhumi airport for a visa on arrival. We thought the visa would be served on a platter, but the long queues and incomprehensible signboards took away another three hours. Well, finally we four- a nondescript stranger was included in our company by the travel agent- were ushered into a 10 seater van. Broad, clean tree lined highway did little to compensate our night long journey. A driver that spoke Thai English barely opened his mouth. Finally after two hours we stepped down on the famous Tiger park.