After some unforgettable days on the Andaman Islands, it was time to journey further. Our next destinations were the two remaining cities of the Golden Triangle: Jaipur and Agra. (We had visited New Delhi before heading to the Andaman Islands); see earlier posts). We flew from Port Blair to Jaipur with a brief stopover in Kolkata.
Port Blair airport
There are a few important things to know when flying from the domestic airport in Port Blair. While I’m aware that there is a new airport in development, some aspects are worth mentioning. First and foremost, it’s crucial to arrive at the airport quite early. We were unprepared for this and likely would have missed our flight if the staff hadn’t been accommodating, and the plane hadn’t waited for the remaining passengers. Despite the airport’s small size, the lines were substantial, and the entire check-in process took an unusually long time—probably 1.5 hours or more! We initially arrived two hours before the scheduled departure time, thinking it might be too much time for a domestic flight from a tiny airport. In the end, we made it, but it could have been more challenging.
When we finally reached the counter to check in our luggage, that counter closed, so we had to move to another one. This meant going in front of somebody else who had been waiting just as long (and just as annoyed) in the other line—a less-than-fun experience. As we were about to check in our luggage, the lady at the counter looked at us with surprise and informed us that we hadn’t sealed our suitcases! Fortunately, she allowed us to leave the line, quickly seal our suitcases, and return to the counter, securing our place at the front of the line once again (apologies to the person we had to pass, who was equally annoyed). Sealing the luggage was a completely new process for me; it involved going to a security checkpoint where they checked my ticket and screened my suitcase, then sealed it using a plastic security seal as evidence that it had been screened. An intriguing process, so be aware of this before heading to the check-in counter.
With our luggage finally checked in, we hurried through security and made a dash to the waiting plane. During our rush, it didn’t seem like there was much to do at the airport—there was, in fact, nothing. However, don’t let that discourage you from arriving early. Once on the plane, we could finally relax. This time, we flew with another Indian airline, IndiGo, and it was just as fine
Stopover in Kolkata
On the way to Jaipur, we had a brief stopover in Kolkata. The flight time to Kolkata was around two hours, followed by another two hours or so to Jaipur. Kolkata looked quite nice from the air, and it has now made its way onto my bucket list. The airport was also pleasant, although we had very little time and barely had a moment to grab a bite to eat.
When we arrived in Jaipur, our first stop was the prepaid taxi stand. This time, we made sure to talk to the right person at the counter to avoid the same trap we encountered in New Delhi! The ride from the airport was quite lengthy, but at least we had the opportunity to glimpse the surroundings through the windows. We were pleasantly surprised by how nice and clean the city appeared, especially when compared to New Delhi. It reminded me of the Mumbai I had in mind, and I’m pleased that my perception of India took a positive turn again. There was undoubtedly something mystical about this city, and I’ll delve more into it in my next two posts.
Anyah Mroz 