My Dreamliner Flight to Melbourne Victoria, Australia

Air India Dreamliner AI-312: Delhi to Melbourne (Connecting Mumbai via AI - 806)

Seconds clocked into minutes and minutes turned into hours, hours flew by; my AI Dreamliner flight felt like home, its attendants were enthusiastic, friendly and warm, the ambiance homely. One of the flip-side about this though, was that I never felt like I was flying international! Passengers were Indian, so were the attendants and so were we. Of course, I had my boarding pass to confirm otherwise...

Air India - Flight to Melbourne (2)
AI dreamliner in-flight monitor

And, the long haul of the views outside! Those that never seemed to end: the clouds appearing, disappearing, playing the game of hide and seek and the sun brushing them with unimaginable colors and the shadows adding a magical depth to the infinities of the sky. I loved looking out of my window: still! It was a theater... the sky, a drama, I, a viewer.

Air India dreamliner - Views from the airplane window
Air India dreamliner - Views from the airplane window
Air India - Views from the flight window
Play of the clouds

I don’t exactly know when I fell asleep reading the in flight magazine, or when the ‘SRK Hits’ song list stopped playing in my ears or when the food arrived. But the last one got me up, wide and awake. The smell of food was inviting, the sight tempting - I was hungry.

Air India - Flight Food
Flight food - Air India
Sweet and salad: my picks of the lot!


Melbourne, Victoria - First cut!

The local time is 6.30 AM and the outside temperature is 12 degrees Celsius ...

... blared a voice out from the audio even as I peeped out of my flight window to relish my first views of Melbourne.

It still seemed hard to believe that I was here... yes.

I told myself,

Melbourne - First View from the flight

Look - this is Melbourne!

Yet, surprisingly, it didn't feel like Melbourne. It didn't feel new, I could see no sparks, and the place didn't look any different than what my eyes were seeing 16 hours earlier, in India!

Why?

I knew and I was prepared... to wait for the answers, to go deeper, to scratch and unscratch the city, bit by bit. For aren't the real treasures seldom on the surface, but often hidden for you to discover? I knew the city would open up once it knew me better. Once I interacted more. And something inside told me,

" ... therein would perhaps lay the real joy of this yatra, your Melbourne yatra."

With these thoughts in my mind, a hope in my heart and a smile on my face, I stepped out of my flight thinking about my next stop: Hotel Citigate in Melbourne!


Fast facts of Melbourne:

Melbourne >> the largest and capital city of the state of Victoria.

The state of Victoria >> the smallest of the mainland states in size but the second most populated in Australia.

Melbourne >> was once Australia’s largest and wealthiest city, thanks to a gold rush in the 1850’s.

Melbourne >> Also referred to as “second city” or the “cultural capital" of Australia.

Melbourne >> hosted the first Olympic Games in the Southern Hemisphere in 1956 and became the country’s sporting capital.

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42 Comments

  1. The food looks very yummy. Have a great trip. :D

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  2. We've had Dreamliners at our airport for some time now -they look amazing. Nice shots of the clouds.

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  3. Your food look yumyy, did your flight serve many food for veggie? usualy i get difficult thing for food in flight, just some flight that veggie friendly :)

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    1. The food you see in the picture is pure vegetarian, Mareta. Since the carrier is Indian (Air India), they provide for both the options - vegetarian and non vegetarian and you can select according to your preference. Indian flights are veggie friendly :) Do fly here sometime.

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  4. Air India would be delighted to read your flying experience with them !

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  5. These pics themselves look so good... Wonder how amazing the coming pics of the trip will be...

    Looking forward to them... enjoy your holiday... Cheers :)

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  6. I Was in Melbourne in October. What a fantastic city! I'm sure you enjoyed it. :)
    You are lucky to sleep on the plane. I never can.

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  7. Good start to the Australian travelogues.

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  8. After a long time I am reading good things about Air India, and I am happy about it...the food does look tempting. I am glad our national carrier is doing better.

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  9. Fascinating narration as usual, Arti. Lovely azure blue sky with puffy clouds!
    Waiting to read more....

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  10. Hello, Arti.

      Lovely your works, full of joy.

      Thank you World-wide LOVE, and your Support in this year.
      The prayer for all peace.

    Merry Christmas, and A happy New Year for you and yours.
    From Japan, ruma ❃

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  11. That's the beauty about flying your national carrier - it's like you're flying local. Can't wait to hear about your impressions of Melbourne. How long was your flight and how long will you stay? Hope you have a wonderful time, Arti!

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    1. True that, Marcia. My flight was 16 hours long without any stops. Delhi to Melbourne - Direct and this was in October. I was there for 4 days and am back now, documenting a few of my experiences. Wish you a wonderful time too!

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  12. I could feel all your enjoyment n excitement through the pictures Arti. Can't wait to see the next lot of your "Melbourne Yatra"... :)

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    1. Can't wait to share, Chondryma! :) Thanks so much! How is the weather now in Melbourne?

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  13. Interesting beginning.. Looking forward to rest of the episodes..

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  14. Arti, Just read your new post, Awesome post & pics.
    Have a nice weekend.

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  15. oh, so happy to see you were there Arti, will be waiting for more of your experiences in Melbourne, I could only wish I was there also wandering with you :)

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  16. Wow, if ever we get to visit Australia I want to take this flight as it sounds wonderful, the food yummy.

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  17. Hi Arti, Wish yo a nice trip shall wait and yes will be here to read them:)

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  18. You are fortunate to have had such a good flight experience -- that isn't always the case here. Looking forward to more of your experience!

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  19. Looks like you had a great trip. I have a friend in Australia and she said the land is just beautiful. Enjoy your vacation.

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  20. I love this first part Arti! The travel itself is also something I enjoy... Waiting for more:)

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  21. Hi, Arti
    I always admire your positive attitude.

    Have a very Merry Christmas, and I wish you all the best in the New Year, too!

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  22. Interesting.... I would love to go to Australia.

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  23. All The Best for discovering the best of Melbourne, Arti! :)

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  24. Good to see air India rocking...and thanks for the good post

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  25. Looks like such a lovely place... Mesmerizing pics!

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  26. The pictures add up to the otherwise interesting write-up. Have a great trip! :)

    Regards,
    http://impulsivecravings.wordpress.com

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  27. More than the pics(though the clouds are truly attractive) your account is the cherry on the top.

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  28. Pictures speak a lot...
    Enjoy your vacation :)

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  29. Awesome pics Arti...The food looks yummy :-)

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  30. Next time take me along with you :P .I love the way you describe places,its just awesome and so are your pics and the food.Air India international flights are great ,I dunno why the Indian ones suck.

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  31. Lovely post with awesome clicks! The fast facts at the end are really informative. Hmm, what next??? I am waiting....

    Regards,
    Sindhu
    The Arts & Me
    Tantu

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  32. Beautiful shots. It must have been an amazing journey.

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  33. I loved the pics of the clouds and the food looks delicious. Have fun exploring Melbourne.

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  34. I am late here!!!! I always enjoy how you narrate each of your journey. There is excitement in your every word and a spark in your shots. Thank you for the virtual flight. The clouds and the sky are simply marvelous :)

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  35. Dreamliner is amongst the top planes that Air India have also is one of the best that we have today in whole world.
    That meal looked absolutely mouth watering.
    I liked the facts that you provide at the end Arti.
    My journey of Melbourne through your writing has just begun :)

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