BHAVNEET: Are we recording? Yes, the boss lady said yes. Welcome back to Drive With Us. I’m Bhavneet.
TARANJIT: And I’m Taranjit. Tearing the G’s.
BHAVNEET: Wait, no, I’m, I’m Bhavneet. Not Bob need, not Bonnie. Not Bosley or Bosney. Bhavneet.
TARANJIT: Okay.
BHAVNEET: I was trying to see if I enunciated would it actually pick up.
TARANJIT: But doesn’t know the correct spelling of your name?
BHAVNEET: Because one time randomly in the middle it was like it spelled my name right. And I was like, but I didn’t even enunciate at that point.
TARANJIT: It’s still probably going to spell mine. Tearing G.
BHAVNEET: You’re just an enigma.
TARANJIT: Apparently, my name is too hard.
BHAVNEET: Your name is an enigma.
TARANJIT: Okay.
BHAVNEET: Alright. Today’s episode
TARANJIT: Is
BHAVNEET: About
TARANJIT: Australia. Well, not actually Australia, because it’s too much information. That’ll be next episode. But this episode is getting to Australia.
BHAVNEET: Because that was a journey in and of itself.
TARANJIT: Yeah, it will take us a whole episode of all the incidents, incident-s-es that occured. Like so much stuff happened, which you’ll hear
BHAVNEET: Right now.
TARANJIT: Not yet.
BHAVNEET: Hold that thought.
TARANJIT: Before we talk about our commute, we have another story to talk about. As you may know, if you follow us on our social media, we have a place where you can submit your own stories…
BHAVNEET: Your own *unintelligible sounds*
TARANJIT: Where you can submit your own commute stories. And we have our very first one.
BHAVNEET: And it’s a special one.
TARANJIT: From our friend at Genuine Chitchat
BHAVNEET: Podcast.
TARANJIT: Yes. If you didn’t know,
BHAVNEET: They get to do the special ribbon cutting of the Commuter Stories on air.
TARANJIT: So before we give too much away, let’s just let you listen to his story.
BHAVNEET: Because who can tell it better than him himself.
Mike: And now a story about a goose. Essentially, I where I used to work was in this area that was a bit more there a lot more farms around and I used to drive behind tractors and these sorts of things quite a lot. So this whole area had a lot of random wildlife and things as well, including a lot of pheasants as well. And essentially, I was driving around a nearby town before going to work a couple years back. And as I came into the road, essentially there was a goose in the middle of the road. And I saw another car stop before me and then kind of turn around it but I didn’t quite catch the goose initially. So I was driving on this, I drove up to the roundabout and started to kind of take my exit essentially. And this goose just stood in the way it was just honking at me. And I didn’t really know what to do. I was obviously there. I honked my horn back. So I just sat in this car having a honking goose at me while I was honking in the car. The goose wasn’t moving. I didn’t obviously didn’t want to run over the goose. I was trying to kind of edge around it but there were cars behind me and things. I tried to get out of the car and kind of shuffled the goose away. And eventually I managed to kind of go on to the sort of middle island of the roundabout. But I couldn’t get rid of this goose. I was there for about five minutes. Fortunate took a photo before I went to work and I showed my boss at the time. And he didn’t believe me. And he was “oh yeah, I’ve heard about that Bishop’s Waltham goose”. Because the place was Bishop’s Waltham. And it two or three days later actually came up in the local newspaper about a goose causing havoc at a round-about and unfortunately the sad part of the story it turns out it was a female goose and her partner had died. And so she was just quite a bit upset. So it’s a goose sort of stomping around, you know, yelling at cars, which is quite sad when you think about it almost sounds like a little Pixar movie. But yeah, that is my commuting story with a goose.
BHAVNEET: So anybody else ever have a honking war with a bird in the road?
TARANJIT: Not just any bird, a goose. Right?
BHAVNEET: Yeah. So apparently geese, cuz that’s the plural, right?
TARANJIT: Yes.
BHAVNEET: Gooses, geese. Geese in England are much more confrontational, I guess. Well I mean, I think they are here too, but…
TARANJIT: I feel like if we go to Canada, you’ll encounter it more.
BHAVNEET: We get Canadian geese. They come down here.
TARANJIT: But I don’t think we here in Maryland would encounter it as much as more North.
BHAVNEET: I mean, you see them flying and all. But yeah, I don’t think I’ve ever encountered a goose start honking at me to the point where I start honking back at it. And then we just have a honk war.
TARANJIT: I want to know do other people around…
BHAVNEET: Was anybody else there?
TARANJIT: Yeah.
BHAVNEET: To witness this honk war.
TARANJIT: Was he the only one there? Wasn’t there traffic?
BHAVNEET: You’re in England. Isn’t there always a lot of traffic?
TARANJIT: Well, then someone like if someone was there, wouldn’t they be like what is going on?
BHAVNEET: Join the honk war. Maybe if you outnumber the goose…
TARANJIT: Maybe if you become geese, against one goose. He would go away. Or she.
BHAVNEET: So we never been attacked by a goose. But…
TARANJIT: We did have a turtle come into the road. Well, not right in front of us.
BHAVNEET: But we almost hit the cars that were behind the car. No, we almost had the car that was behind the cop car that was behind the car that stopped
TARANJIT: The police officer was right in front of us. So we would have hit the police officer.
BHAVNEET: So the other way around.
TARANJIT: Yeah.
BHAVNEET: We were behind the police Yeah, I was like that didn’t make sense. Yeah, we were behind the police officer who was behind the car who was behind another truck that just randomly stopped in the middle of the road.
TARANJIT: Well, okay, we’re at this point, we’re about to go up hill. So we thought this truck just died because he was carrying stuff. And he just died at the bottom of the hill. And we’re like, what just happened?
BHAVNEET: Yeah, everyone slammed their brakes, even the cop.
TARANJIT: And he got out.
BHAVNEET: And we’re like, oh, yeah, truck’s dead. Yeah, that’s what happened, truck’s dead.
TARANJIT: And then you see him walk across…
BHAVNEET: No, he ran. He he looked over and then he ran because he was carrying a turtle.
TARANJIT: Yeah and then once he crosses in front of his truck, you see he has a Turtle.
BHAVNEET: Grabbed the turtle and runs it over to the side goes down the bank, like the hill of grass and puts it like further down so it doesn’t come back on the road. Good Samaritan.
TARANJIT: But then, because we abruptly stopped, one person went on the opposite side of the road and just passed all of us. And one person was about to pass us on the shoulder. The police officer saw the person that crossed on the wrong side of the road.
BHAVNEET: Because that was way wrong. Like if you’re about to like first off if you’re coming really fast, and you need to slam the brakes and swerve, people swerve to the right. That’s what the shoulders there for. But this person went to the left all the way to the shoulder on the opposite side of the road. And then they just kept going and then went back onto our side of the road. I don’t know if they noticed the cop.
TARANJIT: They did.
BHAVNEET: But they kept going.
TARANJIT: No, because I saw she noticed because then she’s like crap, and pulled over.
BHAVNEET: After she turned… after the cop lady turned on her lights, then she pulled over. But, like, she went flying.
TARANJIT: No but I think she noticed that there was a police officer there.
BHAVNEET: But she kept going. She committed. She’s like I’m already doing it. I’m not stopping.
TARANJIT: Well she can’t just stop.
BHAVNEET: Well if she was on the opposite side she could have stopped and been like, Oh, I was swerving to avoid that line. And I just stopped here because there’s cars on the right side. You could totally explained that off more than I just kept going around everyone.
TARANJIT: The person that was on the shoulder to our right…
BHAVNEET: They stopped because they realized the cop was there.
TARANJIT: They were like were about to keep going, but they saw the police officer
BHAVNEET: They kind of stopped next to us.
TARANJIT: Yeah.
BHAVNEET: So they realized it so they were good but because the cops attention was to the person who did the totally wrong thing. Like I don’t know how far back they were but they’re like yeah, I’m just gonna go around everyone.
TARANJIT: Yeah, they came zooming.
BHAVNEET: So much for trying to get ahead now you’re like stuck there while they give you a ticket. And you could just see as we drove by she was like, the lady, the driver. She was just like had this like super like shocked expression like, well, and she was like pointing back kind of like what was that? Like, I don’t understand what that was. It was like yeah, you broke all the laws of overtaking and driving and everything.
TARANJIT: Yep.
BHAVNEET: Just broke them all.
TARANJIT: It was kind of an abrupt stop though.
BHAVNEET: They weren’t going super super fast so…
TARANJIT: But still.
BHAVNEET: Yeah.
TARANJIT: The van’s brakes aren’t very good.
BHAVNEET: Yes it’s not good that we were behind the cop then.
TARANJIT: That would have been bad if our brakes didn’t work.
BHAVNEET: Yeah, well, they did. So, yeah. Crisis averted. Turtle saved. No, goose honk attack. So now that you heard this crazy story about a goose and a turtle. Well, this wasn’t as crazy but yes. I guess it was kind of…
TARANJIT: It’s a commute story.
BHAVNEET: Yes. So that was our first inaugural commute story. It’s official. Commuter Update is on the air.
TARANJIT: On the air?
BHAVNEET: Yeah. We’re now on the air. Our voices are on the air.
TARANJIT: Okay…
BHAVNEET: Yeah.
TARANJIT: And, your point?
BHAVNEET: It was an inaugural commuter story.
TARANJIT: Oh, that makes perfect sense because his story is like, all the way from across the water. So it came by air.
BHAVNEET: It came from across the seas.
TARANJIT: It came by air to us.
BHAVNEET: Yes. See. Commuter Update stories are now across the seas and on the air. Both, everything.
TARANJIT: They fly to us too
BHAVNEET: Yes.
TARANJIT: By air.
BHAVNEET: So this inaugural episode, ribbon has been cutted. Cut.
TARANJIT: Cutted!
BHAVNEET: Ribbon has been cut. Was told by Mike from the Genuine Chitchat podcast. What is the Genuine Chitchat Podcast you say? I heard it in your mind. Your mind.
TARANJIT: So you’re mind… Oh, you’re, my mind!
BHAVNEET: Yes. You are wondering what is Genuine Chitchat?
TARANJIT: Yeah.
BHAVNEET: I want to know what this Genuine Chitchat is. I’d like to listen to some Genuine Chitchat.
TARANJIT: So tell me.
BHAVNEET: Yes, I shall.
TARANJIT: Who is this Mike?
BHAVNEET: Actually, Mike shall tell you who Mike is.
TARANJIT: Oh, I’m intrigued with Mike.
BHAVNEET: With his awesome accent that we don’t have.
Mike: Hi, I’m Mike from the Genuine Chitchat podcast where we have honest conversations with interesting people. I speak to a wide variety of guests, including CEOs of businesses, psychologists, authors, musicians, travelers, people suffering with physical and mental illnesses and everyone in between. We speak about a large variety of topics including music and movies and pop culture, but also some more controversial topics including drug reform, political correctness, and many more. No subject is off limits. You can find us in all the usual podcast places including Spotify, Apple podcasts and Google podcast, as well as on YouTube. And you can follow us on all the usual social media places. And to be clear, I don’t expect everyone listening to enjoy every episode of my show. What I do think is that due to the wide variety of guests and topics that they’ll be at least one episode that each person listening will enjoy. So if you still appreciate the art of conversation, and want to hear honest conversations with interesting people, then be sure to check out genuine chitchat in all the usual places.
BHAVNEET: So check out Genuine Chitchat. We’ll post links and tag the show on our Instagram and social media. So do check them out. Him out. Yeah.
TARANJIT: I mean them. He has people on.
BHAVNEET: Yes, he does. He interviews lots of people.
TARANJIT: I feel like just listening to his accent makes it so much better.
BHAVNEET: To us Americans without accents.
TARANJIT: Accent-less people listening to an accent,
BHAVNEET: Which I mean, we actually got our first like, someone directly told us that we have an accent. that’s hard to understand. which you’ll hear about later. But…
TARANJIT: Wait, they said it was hard to understand?
BHAVNEET: Yeah.
TARANJIT: Oh, I know what you are talking about. I thought you’re talking about somebody commented on our page and was like oh, yeah, you have accent.
BHAVNEET: No, nobody told us we have accents. No one’s ever told me that.
TARANJIT: So we don’t.
BHAVNEET: But then one person did. So we do. So what do we sound like to…I want to know what we, the non accent people, sound like to someone from England or Australia? Or anywhere else? They would probably be like, that American accent.
TARANJIT: No, they would probably be like, look at them and they’re improper English.
BHAVNEET: So true. But still, that’d be like American accent.
TARANJIT: Not that cool.
BHAVNEET: Yeah, nope. I mean, people who have Southern accents they got a pretty interesting one. It’s better than us.
TARANJIT: We have a no Accent Accent.
BHAVNEET: Yeah, we’re neutral. And then everyone is from us.
TARANJIT: Exactly. North of us. They have like a, you know, New England-type whatever accent they got up there.
BHAVNEET: Like, you know, Boston’s got its own thing going on.
TARANJIT: Southern people have their own accent. Us Marylanders in the middle.
BHAVNEET: Westerners got their accent.
TARANJIT: What do we have?
BHAVNEET: Nothing.
TARANJIT: I know Baltimore is known to have it’s own accent. But we are not from Baltimore, either. So what do we have?
BHAVNEET: What do we have? Tengah. Nothing.
TARANJIT: We have no Accent Accent.
BHAVNEET: Yup.
TARANJIT: We made our own accent. We have a no Accent Accent.
BHAVNEET: But it’s not cool.
TARANJIT: Make it cool.
BHAVNEET: Yeah. So listen to Genuine Chitchat. For the people if not for the accent. I’m pretty sure a lot of the people he interviews has accents… have accents too. So I mean…
Yeah, but his was cooler.
BHAVNEET: If he’s listening to his he’ll be like, wow, I asked to promote my show and you’re just promoting my accent.
TARANJIT: Yeah, sorry we’re doing a bad job.
BHAVNEET: Yes. We will get you more listeners one way or another. You’re welcome. Don’t be self conscious. It’s great.
TARANJIT: Is he even going to listen to this?
BHAVNEET: No.
TARANJIT: How would we know? He could secretly and not tell us.
BHAVNEET: Web mail.
TARANJIT: Huh?
BHAVNEET: Web mail.
TARANJIT: What?
BHAVNEET: Email.
TARANJIT: Well, what if he doesn’t tell us he did?
BHAVNEET: Maybe he’s secretly making fun of our non Accent Accent.
TARANJIT: Here we are saying how cool his is and he’s making fun of ours?
BHAVNEET: I said maybe. I mean I’d probably make fun and be like, wow, no accent. What is that? I want to know how people like, British people, are like… what do we sound like to them? Do we sound uneducated and like, wow, you can’t speak English.
TARANJIT: We sound very improper. They’re, like, very proper.
BHAVNEET: There. There’s there’s English, English and then there’s American English.
TARANJIT: We downgraded it so much.
BHAVNEET: Yeah. And when I said English, English, it was up high. Okay. And American English was down low.
TARANJIT: And a lot of the rest of the world when they learn English it’s British English. So we’re the only ones…
BHAVNEET: We’re unique. I don’t know if that’s good or bad thing. But we’re different.
TARANJIT: Very different.
BHAVNEET: Yeah. So yeah, we went to Australia. And the goal was to see, hear an Australian accent. And I wanted to know what other people thought of when they heard our voices. I did get to hear a really deep Australian accent but…
TARANJIT: A strong, full-on…
BHAVNEET: I was just in awe. I’m like you guys talk. I’m just gonna listen. Wow.
TARANJIT: Yeah, I know. There’s parts were like, okay, I can kind of hear the accent. Right? And then we got to the sky deck.
BHAVNEET: Yes. In Melbourne.
TARANJIT: And that accent we heard. I was like…
BHAVNEET: The ticket guy. I was like, Oh my God. Now you, you are from Australia.
TARANJIT: But we’re not talking about what we saw there yet.
BHAVNEET: Yeah.
TARANJIT: This episode’s dedicated to our commute, the flights.
BHAVNEET: There’s no accidents on our commute.
TARANJIT: Yes, there was.
BHAVNEET: Oh, yeah.
TARANJIT: When we missed our flight and didn’t know what to do.
BHAVNEET: Yes.
TARANJIT: I couldn’t understand them.
BHAVNEET: The air hostesses, hosts and hostesses, because there was guys and gals. They had accents. One was really cool. He was awesome.
TARANJIT: Yes, we’ll get to that.
BHAVNEET: Okay.
TARANJIT: Let’s start from the beginning. Come on here. You don’t tell a story from the middle. You start from the start.
BHAVNEET: It was Thursday, April 18.
TARANJIT: Happy birthday!
BHAVNEET: Happy Birthday! Yay! And I was at work.
TARANJIT: Then your gift. 22 hour flight.
BHAVNEET: Whoo. Whoo.
TARANJIT: So much fun.
BHAVNEET: Yep. I mean, I was at work. And then I came home,
TARANJIT: No duh.
BHAVNEET: Because we had to go to the airport.
TARANJIT: Such a wonderful story.
BHAVNEET: You said…
TARANJIT: I was at work. And then I came home.
BHAVNEET: I wasn’t done. You said start from the beginning. Oh, it was April 18. 199…
TARANJIT: Not that far back. Okay. It was April 18. You’re at work. And then you came home?
BHAVNEET: Yes. I came home.
TARANJIT: So then what?
BHAVNEET: And then mommy came home? No, no, you came home first. And then she came home.
TARANJIT: No, she came home before because we made a pit stop at Walmart.
BHAVNEET: Oh, yeah. You picked our brother up.
TARANJIT: Yeah.
BHAVNEET: And then you made a pit stop.
TARANJIT: Speaking of which, this pitstop was very interesting.
BHAVNEET: Do tell.
TARANJIT: Well, we just pulled into the parking lot, I just reverse parked and I have my sunglasses on. So I had to swap them out. Right?
BHAVNEET: Because you must be able to see.
TARANJIT: So my brother already, like kind of cracked open the door, and was waiting for me. So as I was putting my glasses away this person across from us was in a van. They started pulling out and first, they like started pulling out and stopped. Because this guy was putting away a shopping cart. And then they started talking to him. At first I’m like, oh, they must know each other. You know?
BHAVNEET: Yeah. Cuz people talk to each other all the time randomly in the middle.
TARANJIT: And then in the time that it took me to switch my glasses and put it in my purse and get my you know, get the keys out and get ready to get out of the car. They were done talking. And then he started saying stuff to our brother.
BHAVNEET: Was he already out?
TARANJIT: No, he just had the door popped open a little. And then he’s like, Hey, man.
B:Hi.
TARANJIT: And he just looked like he just looked at him. And then they’re like, you want a stereo system or surround sound system? Something like that, a theatre system? Something like that.
BHAVNEET: No.
TARANJIT: And we’re like, no, and they’re like, it’s brand new. We’re just going to dump it.
BHAVNEET: So why are you dumping it? Sell it.
TARANJIT: And they’re like, it’s free. We don’t want it like we’re just literally gonna throw it away. You can have it and he’s just like no thanks. And h just kept going on and on. And we’re like, no thanks.
BHAVNEET: We don’t want it.
TARANJIT: And then I got out and then we kind of just like, shut the door and we’re like, like they’re like but seriously we’re just gonna throw it away.
BHAVNEET: Then throw it away.
TARANJIT: And then we’re like no thanks and we walked away.
BHAVNEET: And this is a kind of in a city, baby city area, so sketchy.
TARANJIT: This Walmart’s sketchy.
BHAVNEET: It is sketchy, things happen at this Walmart. Things go down.
TARANJIT: Yeah. That’s why I hate going to it. But it was on our way home.
BHAVNEET: People from the city go to our town Walmart. because that’s how bad it is.
TARANJIT: Yeah. And then as you’re walking to the store, we saw them pull around to next lane and had their window down and start talking to someone else.
BHAVNEET: So, they just spent all this timejust driving around the Walmart parking lot trying to give away air quote, brand new stereo system to someone for free. I’m pretty sure someone would have took it.
TARANJIT: But if it’s brand new, why won’t they can get some money out of it. Why are they giving away for free? There has to be something going on here.
BHAVNEET: Yeah, were they in some old ratty tatty vehicle.
TARANJIT: No, it was like a black minivan. Like a, you know, regular van that people have. It wasn’t like those white like sliding door vans.
BHAVNEET: No, I mean, like, was it old?
TARANJIT: No, it was shiny black. It looked like….
BHAVNEET: So then they could legit have a stereo system. Why are they getting rid of it? Did you buy too many?
TARANJIT: But two random guys in the Westminster sketchy Walmart parking lot just randomly ask you for this. You’re going to get suspicious.
BHAVNEET: Yeah, it’s like, what did you put in the stereo system?
TARANJIT: Something’s up.
BHAVNEET: Yeah. What did you put in there?
TARANJIT: Yeah. I don’t think anyone would take it from them.
BHAVNEET: Yeah, like, did you hide something in there? Are there drugs in there?
TARANJIT: I don’t know what can be going on. So we kept going.
BHAVNEET: Keep walking.
TARANJIT: Plus, we had to get home cuz we had a flight to catch.
BHAVNEET: Which we did not.
TARANJIT: Which we almost did not.
BHAVNEET: And there starts the true story.
TARANJIT: Now before that even starts, first sign that this trip was going to be all this bad luck, was our town water had to shut off of that day.
BHAVNEET: Yeah. So we couldn’t even like, go the bathroom. shower, brush.
TARANJIT: Nothing.
BHAVNEET: Anything.
TARANJIT: We just had to go like that.
BHAVNEET: We had to hobo it. I mean, yes, I showered that morning, but 22 hour flight?
TARANJIT: Yeah, we wanted to freshen up a little bit but we couldn’t do that. Because the town had to shut the water off that day. They couldn’t wait one more day, we wouldn’t be there.
BHAVNEET: They couldn’t have waited two more hours. That’s it. Just let us leave. They’re like, Oh, you’re leaving us to go halfway around the world. Fine. No water for you. Because they got great water over there. Just waiting until you get there.
TARANJIT: So we decided to leave the house. And the time I usually pick, I always tell my mom in advance. Because if you know Indians, we’re are always late.
BHAVNEET: It’s part of the description.
TARANJIT: It’s part of the description? It’s just who you are.
BHAVNEET: It’s part of your DNA.
TARANJIT: So I gave a half an hour earlier time hoping that that would be buffer room to actually leave at the time of one to leave. Which we kind of left close to it. The main problem was once we got to like….
BHAVNEET: Traffic.
TARANJIT: No, we got to the Gurdwara, plenty of time. Wen we went to go leave
BHAVNEET: Accidents galore.
TARANJIT: Literally, I feel like there’s like seven accidents or something.
BHAVNEET: Atleast. It was like, Oh, it’s going to take you from here to get to the airport, which should have been like 20 minutes, it’s going to take you an hour and a half.
TARANJIT: It was so bad that we got detoured down a tiny little road that looks so tiny I felt and it had literally so many red lights that all turned red and took us even longer. But we couldn’t take the main road because there’s like bajillion accidents.
BHAVNEET: Yeah, They’re just like, you cannot go to Australia. Not allowed.
TARANJIT: What I want to know is how can people like oh, you only have to be there this early, get to the airport, so close to their time, I would be freaking out.
BHAVNEET: I was freaked out because we almost missed it.
TARANJIT: But the thing was here, I was thinking we had to get there at least an hour before. Right? But then I realized it was a domestic flight first. We could get there half an hour early and still be good.
BHAVNEET: Yeah. But still, we cut it really close.
TARANJIT: I know. Because the next sign of bad luck. We couldn’t print our boarding passes online ahead of time, we had to do at the airport.
BHAVNEET: Exaclty.
TARANJIT: Because we didn’t qualify for online checking. And then we get to the kiosk because whenever we go the desk, they’re always like, oh, the kiosk.
BHAVNEET: Yeah, it’s automated, I don’t want to talk to you.
TARANJIT: So we went straight to the kiosk this time, tried to print our tickets.
BHAVNEET: And we were told, go to a person.
TARANJIT: We were like you have, you’re supposed to go the desk. And we’re like, what?
BHAVNEET: What is going on?
TARANJIT: So we went to the desk. And then I started freaking out that because like, I was able to check two of us in and then they got to my brother. And it like, pooped out.
BHAVNEET: It pooped out? Did poop come out of the machine? I don’t remember seeing that. I mean, I did go the other one to try and like speed up the process. But…
TARANJIT: But it’s like, I’m done.
BHAVNEET: Why does it even have poop in it? Is it like fueled by energy like biodegradable, like materials.
TARANJIT: It’s trying to be like Australia, recycle and environmentally friendly. Like get all this biodegradable out.
BHAVNEET: Ew.
TARANJIT: But I thought I did something wrong when I booked the flights, that I entered his passport number wrong or something or like the visa number, like something went wrong, and I was freaking out that we weren’t we’re about to go. Because one person’s thing was wrong. And it was almost time board.
BHAVNEET: Yeah.
TARANJIT: But we get to the desk and the ladies like oh, it’s just because you didn’t sign it.
BHAVNEET: Both of you didn’t sign it.
TARANJIT: But mine went through.
BHAVNEET: Yeah. Which is really weird because you didn’t sign it either.
TARANJIT: Yeah.
BHAVNEET: I don’t understand if that was really the reason. I feel like they, I don’t know or it didn’t catch it that you didn’t sign it. I don’t know,
TARANJIT: Probably because I didn’t shove mine in as far as I shoved his.
BHAVNEET: Maybe you shouldn’t have shoved it in as far.
TARANJIT: But his wasn’t scanning. So I like took it out and pushed it back in. So… but we managed to make our flight from here to Texas.
BHAVNEET: Yes. So we’ve been to Texas.
TARANJIT: No, but when we landed in Texas, we landed like just enough time to like, run and get on our next one.
BHAVNEET: Yeah, I mean we made it though, so…
TARANJIT: Yeah, but then leaving Texas we get on this plane, we’re ready to leave, ready to depart. And they’re like, oh, sorry for the delay the cabin doors not shutting. Our engineers working on it right now. So that delay that’s like an hour.
BHAVNEET: But then once we got on the air, I feel like they were just like they fell asleep or something because we were literally cruising so slow.
TARANJIT: I was looking at the speed.
BHAVNEET: Yeah, we were in the like five hundreds and usually even when we go domestic were like in the a 8’s… we’re going faster,
TARANJIT: Even for yeah, when we’re going from here across the country to the west coast.
BHAVNEET: Are they like, oh, yeah, this is 16 hour flight. Let’s just kick back and relax.
TARANJIT: Which I was like, Hello, we’re already late.
BHAVNEET: We have another flight to catch.
TARANJIT: You how like, at least domestically here when we’ve been on flights where we’re like late, they like, try to make up that time?
BHAVNEET: Yeah.
TARANJIT: And then they’re like, Oh, good news.
BHAVNEET: I guess Australians are more like, hey, it’s all right, mate.
TARANJIT: But also they probably don’t have… Have you noticed the difference between their custom time and our customs time? They’re probably like, oh, they have plenty of time.
BHAVNEET: No, you have not been to America, you do not have enough time.
TARANJIT: But we were on this flight
BHAVNEET: For way too long.
TARANJIT: Well, first of all, we’re like, we didn’t think much of it. Because we’re like, okay, we’ll make it right. Because we have buffer room, right? And then once you get closer, they’re like, oh, you’re gonna miss your connection.
BHAVNEET: They literally said they’re like, okay, everyone who’s connecting to melt, like, you’re, you’re all going to miss your connecting flights, like everyone.
TARANJIT: Except for one. Except for one flight. They’re like, we’re going to try to get you to go.
BHAVNEET: Yeah, so I think because that connecting flight didn’t have any other options to get to wherever they were going. So they’re like, you must get on this flight.
TARANJIT: So they like rushed them off first, which was good.
BHAVNEET: But then everyone else you’re like, you’re all going to miss your flights. But we’re going to connect you.
TARANJIT: Yes. But before that. This is where we heard our first accent.
BHAVNEET: Yes.
TARANJIT: Where we were so lost because we didn’t understand a single word they said, and we’re like, what’s happening?
BHAVNEET: What are you doing to us?
TARANJIT: And we are like freaking out because we’re like, we’re gonna miss our flight. We don’t know what they just said, like, what’s gonna happen?
BHAVNEET: I don’t understand your accent.
TARANJIT: But then we had a hilarious air hostess, host, air host. It was a guy host.
BHAVNEET: This old dude who was super nice.
TARANJIT: Seemed like he was Italian. But he was like joking with us, like, randomly throughout the flight. And then we like, like, we flagged him down when he came by and we’re like, what did they just say?
BHAVNEET: We specifically looked for him. We were like, oh it’s him him him! Stop him.
TARANJIT: Then his answer. Oh, you’re gonna, when you get off this, we’re gonna put you on a train.
BHAVNEET: We were just like, don’t kid with me right now,
TARANJIT: We’ll put you on the train. And that’s like a nine hour ride and you’ll get there tomorrow.
BHAVNEET: Nine hour drive? It’s like am I going to the other side? Like, am I train riding to Syndey?
TARANJIT: No, Melbourne.
BHAVNEET: So I am like train riding there. So I don’t need to get on the plane?
TARANJIT: But then he was like I’m joking. And then he explained, he explained it to us like two and he said it repeated it twice, just so like…
BHAVNEET: He explained it in a way that I would understand. Because he’s like, when you get off, you’re going to turn right here, then you’re going to go down and you got to turn right here. Like, very specific.
TARANJIT: No he was like, you’re going to clear customs
BHAVNEET: Which is right here.
TARANJIT: And then once you clear customs, you’re going to get your bags. And then when you get your bags, you’re going to turn this way and you’re going to see the transfer desk, and then you get to transfer desk and you get your new boarding pass. Then you’re going to go and you’re gonna drop your bags off and then get on your flight.
BHAVNEET: Yeah, but the funny thing was, on the… I understood this part of the captain was saying…or no he kept saying too, the air host guy. He was like, oh, don’t worry, there are planes that fly every 30 minutes. So don’t worry, we’ll get you on the next one. We waited how many hours?
TARANJIT: Four. So originally, our flight was going to be at 10. I think it was four hours from one original flight was supposed to land and then it was four hours after but we didn’t like have to stay at the airport for four hours because we were late. But like our original arrival time from that was four hours later that we got the next flight.
BHAVNEET: But it wasn’t half an hour. We waited way longer.
TARANJIT: It was at least two I think.
BHAVNEET: Yeah. And we’re like what the heck.
TARANJIT: So we’re like might as well eat something because they’re not going to get anything on this domestic flight.
BHAVNEET: Incorrect.
TARANJIT: They feed you so much.
BHAVNEET: But okay, one thing I must say, when you have an option for someone who is not a meat eater, you must have like the difference between vegetarian and vegan. Okay? Don’t make the vegetarian suffer, just because they don’t want to eat meat and be like categorize them as vegans. Because that food was disgusting. Like, I looked at their menu and I’m like, Oh, they have ravioli. And you said that it had only cheese in it. And I’m like, ooh, we get that? No. Here’s your special meal. Your bread that tastes like I don’t know what… styrofoam. And the only good thing that tasted good in that meal was the pre-packaged fruit cup from Thailand.
TARANJIT: Yeah, not the other one. The one that was from Thailand.
BHAVNEET: On the first… going there. We got it on both flights. It was a pre packaged fruit cup from Thailand. That was the only thing that tasted good on a whole meal cooked by a chef. It’s like, well, I’m not vegan. So it tasted like nothing. I’m also Indian, so there was no flavor. So please have better options. Thank you. Service was great. Thanks.
TARANJIT: But we weren’t expecting food on that other flight. Like Nacho type stuff, right? We were stuffed. We get on the flight and we’re like,
BHAVNEET: More food
TARANJIT: A sandwich?
BHAVNEET: The sandwich tasted really bad.
TARANJIT: I know. But
BHAVNEET: I’m like, I think I’d rather Vegemite. Just kidding. Just kidding. What is Vegemite? I still don’t know.
TARANJIT: Some kind of spread.
BHAVNEET: Yeah, that apparently tastes bad. Like, do Australians even enjoy it? I’m pretty sure it’s got to be some that are like, what the heck is this?
TARANJIT: But you know what sucked was when we got our connection. And I had originally paid for us sit together. So what they did was they put two of us, no, three of us together. And the whole, I think it was, because there was three and three seats on this flight. They put three of us together and they’re going to put the fourth person behind or in front. So we would all be near each other. But because where they’re putting our brother was an exit door. And they asked him if he was comfortable with the exit door.
BHAVNEET: No.
TARANJIT: And he said no. So then he got put somewhere else, away from us. Yeah, but the good thing was it was only an hour flight.
BHAVNEET: Yeah.
TARANJIT: So it was it wasn’t that bad. But still, and on the other side, another like sign of how bad this trip was going to be like all this bad stuff happening was we could not for the life of us connect to the Wi Fi.
BHAVNEET: Yeah.
TARANJIT: To inform our uncle that we are late.
BHAVNEET: Yeah.
And we’re like trying so hard. And it’s like, no, no. Welcome to Australia. No, no.
TARANJIT: But on the way back. Connected fine.
BHAVNEET: Yea it was like oh, you’re going home. Okay, great. You’re going back where you came from? Perfect. Here you go. Here’s wifi, have everything,
TARANJIT: Which made no sense because we’re at the same airports.
BHAVNEET: Yeah, I don’t know, maybe finally is like, Oh, okay. You’re leaving.
TARANJIT: Maybe the arrival terminals didn’t work. Like Wi Fi wasn’t as good as a departure terminal.
BHAVNEET: Which makes no sense. Because you think arrival is where you would want to.
TARANJIT: They want you to by their service, their cellular service.
BHAVNEET: No, like, people should still be able to connect to Wi Fi and do their thing. Like, what if you’re Australian, and you’re arriving back home?
TARANJIT: They probably have cellular service.
BHAVNEET: That’s true.
TARANJIT: If you’re in your own country,
BHAVNEET: Yeah.
TARANJIT: You don’t need Wi Fi.
BHAVNEET: They’re like, nah you’re foreigner get out.
TARANJIT: So because of that we missed the first wedding ceremony. The whole reason we went.
BHAVNEET: Yeah. But then they kind of redid.
TARANJIT: Yeah.
BHAVNEET: But not the same.
TARANJIT: Because we were delayed. We missed the first pre-wedding ceremony and which was the whole reason we went.
BHAVNEET: Not just the first one, but we went for all of it, but…
TARANJIT: We went to see the whole like a whole wedding. But because of delay, we missed the first ceremony.
BHAVNEET: And then we ended up missing like half of it anyway. So…
TARANJIT: Well, we didn’t really know about what was happening and where it was happening. So we…
BHAVNEET: Yeah, we missed half of it.
TARANJIT: So it was like, well, what was the point of going?
BHAVNEET: To see Australia, to say that we’ve been there.
TARANJIT: Yeah. But then I would just rather spent those days seeing Australia.
BHAVNEET: Yeah that’s true.
TARANJIT: Than partially attending something that we weren’t wanted for.
BHAVNEET: Yeah, that was a bummer. Leading up to it I was super excited. Because like, yay, first full Indian wedding. And we’re direct family so we’ll actually be able to see all of it. The behind the scenes, because whenever we’ve gone we’ve only attended the actual ceremony in the church. So now we get the chance to see everything that goes on. Wrong.
TARANJIT: Wrong, sir.
BHAVNEET: Ma’am.
TARANJIT: Women ma’am.
BHAVNEET: Women man? Wrong, sir, woman man. Ma’am.
TARANJIT: Not man.
BHAVNEET: Ma’am.
TARANJIT: Woman man.
BHAVNEET: I meant to say ma’am. The second time it came out man. We’re alternating. Wrong, sir woman man ma’am. Man ma’am.
TARANJIT: Girl.
BHAVNEET: Boy.
TARANJIT: The lady.
BHAVNEET: The man.
TARANJIT: What?
BHAVNEET: You said the lady so I said the man. She’s the man. That’s a movie.
TARANJIT: Lady. Sir.
BHAVNEET: Lady sir? Later, sir. Except for you’re speaking American English so you’re like Lady sir. Later, sir, later sir. Or you’re like late-e-sir. Like you’re late.
TARANJIT: E-sir?
BHAVNEET: Instead of saying, uh.
TARANJIT: You’re trying to put the Canadian, eh.
BHAVNEET: Yeah, lat-e-sir. Or you’re an e-sir.
TARANJIT: A laser?
BHAVNEET: Laser. Yeah if you can’t say laser. Lat-e-sir. I got a lat-e-sir. Watch out for my lat-e-sir. It’s gonna get you my lat-e-sir.
TARANJIT: How many times are you going to repeat it?
BHAVNEET: Because it’s funny. Every time you slow down I say lat-e-sir and then you restart your laughing. So then when I go lat-e-sir you’re like hee-hee and then you like ahhh, breathe in to slow down and then I’m like lat-e-sir and then you’re like hee-heee.
TARANJIT: You’re making this part hurt.
BHAVNEET: No, sorry your face already hurt. You can’t redo that.
TARANJIT: The headphones are making my ears hurt. But the laughing is making this part hurt.
BHAVNEET: What is this?
TARANJIT: This part.
BHAVNEET: Your cheeks?
TARANJIT: Like the top my jaw. Right here.
BHAVNEET: But you weren’t even laughing like ga-faw ga-faw.
TARANJIT: When I smile…
BHAVNEET: You were laughing like in your mouth.
TARANJIT: No, I was kind of squeaking.
BHAVNEET: I know that’s why I *squeak noises*
TARANJIT: Lat-e-sir.
BHAVNEET: Lat-e-sir.. Why are you laughing at the ground? Trying to spit?
TARANJIT: I’m trying not to laugh into this thing. Cuz then that’ll be loud and obnoxious.
BHAVNEET: As I turned my head to the side. Lat-e-sir.
TARANJIT: Pew pew.
BHAVNEET: Pew pew Pikachu.
TARANJIT: What?
BHAVNEET: I don’t know. I was gonna say Star Wars but I don’t know anything about Star Wars. So… I said Pikachu.
TARANJIT: We’re gonna have laser wers.
BHAVNEET: We’re, now we have an accent. Laser wars. I’m going to have a laser war with you.
TARANJIT: What accent is that?
BHAVNEET: Wer.
TARANJIT: The Wer accent?
BHAVNEET: Yeah, the Wer accent. I’m gonna have a laser war.
TARANJIT: Where are wers from?
BHAVNEET: We’re gonna have a laser. Lat-e-sir, lat-e-sir.war.
TARANJIT: Okay, can we move on? Are you done?
BHAVNEET: Yes. You reignited that fire. So that’s you.
TARANJIT: I ignite like this?
BHAVNEET: You ignite by give me money-ing.
TARANJIT: It’s like a poetry snapping.
BHAVNEET: Yes.
TARANJIT: That’s how ignite
BHAVNEET: Except for they clap. They snap. They don’t they don’t they don’t rub their fingers together.
TARANJIT: It’s a quiet version.
BHAVNEET: That’s the me version cuz I can’t snap.
TARANJIT: You can’t snap.
BHAVNEET: So me.
TARANJIT: Yes, the Bhavn can’t snap. No, it’s called the Bhavn snap.
BHAVNEET: Can you hear me rubbing it? I don’t think so. That’s your palms. That’s cheating. Throw the money. There. Lat-e-sir. Later sir.
TARANJIT: I don’t know what we were talking about before we lat-e-sir-ed.
BHAVNEET: You said lady sir.
TARANJIT: Why did I say lady sir?
BHAVNEET: Because you said sir man, woman man.
TARANJIT: Yeah, but why did I say that?
B:I don’t know.
TARANJIT: What was the reason?
BHAVNEET: I don’t know. Okay, what were you talking about?
BHAVNEET: I do not know.
TARANJIT: I was trying to see if you would remember, but no, you don’t even wanna listen.
BHAVNEET: I don’t know.
TARANJIT: Nope, nope. Nope.
BHAVNEET: We were talking about the Aussies. No, no.
:T We’re talking about the wedding.
BHAVNEET: We were talking about Aussie land.
TARANJIT: We were talking about not being actually part of the wedding.
BHAVNEET: So we still have to check that off. Actually knowing what a true full Indian wedding looks like. Not just any Indian wedding, but even the American weddings we’ve gone to… gone to… ones that we’ve gone to. We’ve never seen a full any wedding.
TARANJIT: We’re just not destined..
BHAVNEET: Oh yeah, I’ll see it at yours.
TARANJIT: Well duh, because you’re gonna be part of it.
BHAVNEET: I’ll actually be part of it. But like, you won’t be able to see it until then. But I will see one.
TARANJIT: Then it’s your turn.
BHAVNEET: And then you can see one.
TARANJIT: But I would technically have already seen one.
BHAVNEET: Seen one.
TARANJIT: Been in one.
BHAVNEET: Been one. I don’t know why we’re air quoting everything. Seen one, been one, been two. One. You been to one.
TARANJIT: Okay. This is crazy.
BHAVNEET: No.
TARANJIT: I keep sitting on my hair.
BHAVNEET: Then stop.
TARANJIT: I can’t help it. It just gets under me.
BHAVNEET: It’s like, Oh, this looks like a comfy place to get smushed.
TARANJIT: Then like this happens.
BHAVNEET: And then your neck goes back.
TARANJIT: Yeah, cuz when I sit on it, it pulls.
BHAVNEET: Like, oh, now’s a good time to look at the ceiling. Or now’s a good time to look at the sky.
TARANJIT: Whenever I sit down, like really fast. Like I just sit down and I’m just like uh.
BHAVNEET: That expression. Sit down and be like, oop stop. Sit down. Sky looks good. Sit down. Where’s the sun?
TARANJIT: Oh, the clouds are up there?
BHAVNEET: Sit down. Neck exercise.
TARANJIT: More like neck jolt, like that would hurt.
BHAVNEET: Yes, sit down. Whiplash.
TARANJIT: Slash
BHAVNEET: Sit down. There’s my jugular. Sit down. That’s where my Adam’s apple would be.
TARANJIT: Are you done?
BHAVNEET: Sit down. Look up my nostrils.
TARANJIT: Ew, I don’t want anyone looking up my nostrils.
BHAVNEET: Sit down.
TARANJIT: Nobody needs to see up that.
BHAVNEET: Sit down. Oh, that’s how tall a giraffe is.
TARANJIT: Are you done?
BHAVNEET: There’s many more. Sit down. Oh, those Empire State Building we walked by.
TARANJIT: Speaking of that was the Empire State Building?
BHAVNEET: Yeah, I know. That’s why I said that. Because they like they have this fancy little thing that made look like a hotel entrance. Because you know how hotels have like that little like walkway thing entrance that you go under. It’s like little ooh fancy fancy. And then when we walked past it, the people that we went with because we live in New York, they were like oh yeah that’s Empire State Building. And we saw like, all these signs and like, where is it? Turned back. Look up. And we’re like, oh, that’s the Empire State Building. Right there. We’re standing next to it.
TARANJIT: It was not what I thought it would look like.
BHAVNEET: Yeah. And I also didn’t think that it would be right there’s dab smack in the middle of the like, you know, city like that.
TARANJIT: Yeah, I thought it was like out.
BHAVNEET: I thought so too, like it will had his own little not connected to anything thing.
TARANJIT: But it’s a New York. So I guess like it makes sense.
BHAVNEET: it didn’t look like it when we like first abruptly, like, immediately, right after we walked out from underneath the hotel balcony looking thing. looked up. It didn’t look like the Empire State Building. But then when we walked further and look back, like oh, yeah, that’s where was it King Kong?
TARANJIT: No, I was like, Oh, I guess I could be the Empire State. But I’m like it’s not what I…
BHAVNEET: No, when I went further it was like, oh yeah, that looks more like it.
TARANJIT: But they were saying that they like changed the outside. So I guess it kind of makes sense.
BHAVNEET: But the building is still the same. So I could recognize the shape.
TARANJIT: Yeah.
BHAVNEET: I recognized it a little.
TARANJIT: It wasn’t what I expected it to look like.
BHAVNEET: Yeah. So sit down. Oh, that’s the Empire State building. Sit down. Oh, is that a bird? Is that a plane? That’s my neck.
TARANJIT: Which speaking of, so we went to Australia for like, we were there for three days. Four days? Three.
BHAVNEET: Yeah. So the amount of time we spend traveling, we were there for less time it seems like.
TARANJIT: We were on Australia land for less than we were in the air getting to and from there.
BHAVNEET: Yeah. But some of the views from the air were pretty nice. We went over some cool mountain ranges in America too
TARANJIT: Coming back.
BHAVNEET: Yeah.
TARANJIT: We came back through California instead of Texas.
BHAVNEET: So we went over the Sierra Nevada Mountains. We went over the Rockies. It was like we went through so many states that we’re probably never even gonna be able to go to like, North or South Dakota, Nebraska.
TARANJIT: Well, we could say, we went in their airspace.
BHAVNEET: Yes. We’ve been in your airspace.
TARANJIT: It’s like, Oh, we’ve been to Nevada. You have? Yeah, it’s air.
BHAVNEET: Exactly.
TARANJIT: We’ve been to Sierra Nevada. Above it.
BHAVNEET: Yeah.
TARANJIT: In the air.
BHAVNEET: The better view. Not down there were all the mountain lions and whatnot are.
TARANJIT: Speaking of, I want to kind of talk about their customs versus US Customs.
BHAVNEET: The custom agents.
TARANJIT: So we landed in Sydney, which we were thinking we would have customs in Melbourne. But it makes sense you would have it the first place you land.
BHAVNEET: Because that was the international flight.
TARANJIT: Yeah, but our layover was like, one hour and 45 minutes. And when we spoke to the Quantus Qantas? How do you say it?
BHAVNEET: I think it is spelled Qantas, but they say it Qantas because of their awesome accent. Qantas.
TARANJIT: Qantas.
BHAVNEET: Like weird, like, trying to put a “u” in there. But they don’t. Qantas.
TARANJIT: Anyways, we spoke to the agent before we were leaving Texas to Sydney. And she’s like, you have plenty of time.
BHAVNEET: Uh-huh.
TARANJIT: She jinxed it from there.
BHAVNEET: Yeah.It’s all your fault.
TARANJIT: But we get there and their custums were literally like, no questions asked. Hand then the card, hand them the card that we had to fill out.
BHAVNEET: And enter.
TARANJIT: That’s it.
BHAVNEET: Come to a wild. Welcome.
TARANJIT: That was it. I was like waiting. I was like, preparing to answer. Where are you coming from?
BHAVNEET: Why are you here? How long are you here? We were telling our brother okay, we’re here for this long. We’re going here. We’re doing this.
TARANJIT: And literally, she’s like, well, I went up to her first because they gave us individual customs cards, where in the US they give you one per family.
BHAVNEET: Right.
TARANJIT: So I thought they would want us to enter individually.
BHAVNEET: Like no, no, everyone.
TARANJIT: And she’s like, are you here with someone? And I’m like, yeah. She’s like, tell them to come up. And then since you know, all four of us went up and then she’s like, scan passports, make sure we had a visa.
BHAVNEET: All right, have fun. Go get your bags. We were like what? That’s it.
TARANJIT: And we are like freaking out because we wanted to get on, you know, our flightgot a delay. And the bags didn’t come out of the plane yet.
BHAVNEET: Like we made it past customs before the bags came out.
TARANJIT: That’s how fast our customs was.
BHAVNEET: Yeah.
TARANJIT: And then when we get to California.
BHAVNEET: But was it Alaska or something. They’re like, we get your bags out in under this amount of time. Or it’s like something’s free. Or like, you know,
TARANJIT: Yes but we didn’t take Alaska until domestically.
BHAVNEET: Yeah, I know. But it was Alaska that said that, right?
TARANJIT: Yeah.
BHAVNEET: And they like… I’m like, where were you on our way there like, because our bags…
TARANJIT: No, before we get to Alaska, when we landed in California. were like, first of all, we were sitting at the, pretty much the back of the plane. So that took like an hour to get off.
BHAVNEET: Yeah, off an international plane. Yeah.
TARANJIT: And then as soon as we get off, we barely make around the corner and we’re stopped because that’s how far the line is.
BHAVNEET: Yep.
TARANJIT: And luckily, we’re citizens because our line was shorter. But it was still very long.
BHAVNEET: It’s very long. I’m like, Oh my god, we’re never going to make it.
TARANJIT: And we are so close to missing our flight. And so like, we went up to the security guy, whatever his role is, and he was like, oh, get the mobile app.
BHAVNEET: Because there’s apparently there’s a third middle lane that says if you’re a US citizen, and you have a mobile app, you can just go this way for…I’m like, why does nobody else do this? It’s so fast.
TARANJIT: But like because we were so close to missing our flight my hands were shaking so much.
BHAVNEET: Yeah, took you double the time to fill out this thing.
TARANJIT: And I was just like shaking so much because I was so like, we’re gonna miss it. We’re gonna miss it. I’m trying to do it so fast. But my hands are shaking so it makes it harder.
BHAVNEET: Yeah. Well, don’t worry, we missed one.
TARANJIT: But then we get in line and we get to the customs agent. And I was like remembering when we came back from India and like how he asked a bajillion questions.
BHAVNEET: Yeah.
TARANJIT: This guy didn’t ask much either.
BHAVNEET: Is it because they’re like, oh, you came from Australia? Not you came from India.
TARANJIT: Yeah, but no, I feel like we got a nicer agent this time than we did the other time.
BHAVNEET: We did, he was totally more chill.
TARANJIT: He was also more. He wasn’t white.
BHAVNEET: Yeah.
TARANJIT: Quotation marks. He looked like he was an Asian. Like, even if he was born here, but like Asian family descent.
BHAVNEET: Somewhere. Yeah.
TARANJIT: So he was just like, oh, you, you know, I need your phone. Because you did the mobile app. But I also need your passport.
BHAVNEET: I mean, he asked the general questions he has to ask, like, where’d you go? How long? Like, you know,
TARANJIT: You know, what you’re expecting. And then it’s like, oh, you declared something? What food are you bringing? Sweets? Okay, no questions after that.
BHAVNEET: Yeah, it’s like, Okay, What evs.
TARANJIT: But we like got through customs and our bags still haven’t came out yet. Something with Qantas.
BHAVNEET: Yeah, I don’t understand.
TARANJIT: They’re slow. They’re slow in driving, They’re slow and they’re just chill.
BHAVNEET: On the way back the plane on the way back was going full speed like what you would expect.
TARANJIT: But was it them doing it? Or is the wind going this direction that…
BHAVNEET: I feel like maybe the wind back is like, you know, across the US.
TARANJIT: So they could…
BHAVNEET: The jet stream goes west to east. So it like whenever we’re coming back from the west coast it pushes us faster to get home.
TARANJIT: Yeah, so they could technically have been like, oh, we’re gonna go this speed. But the wind was helping them get faster.
BHAVNEET: Yeah. But we left from Texas. So that whole time they were doing that?
TARANJIT: Yeah. I felt like at points we were just sitting in air. Like we weren’t even going.
BHAVNEET: Yeah it seriously didn’t even feel like we’re moving. And I’m like, what is going? Are we just hovering? Like, oh, take in the view right there. Look at that sunset. Enjoy. For five hours, enjoy.
TARANJIT: But our bags finally come out. And we are like walk… we are like walking around this belt. Like which way is the bag coming out.
BHAVNEET: Okay, you stand over there. I stand over here.
TARANJIT: Halfway through they stopped and switched. It started coming out of a different…
BHAVNEET: Yeah, then we’re like, oh my god, you go over there. I’ll go over here. And once I get to the point where the bags we already saw come up, meet you over there.
TARANJIT: And finally got…first of all, I saw our first bag. My brother was in a different spot. And I had to take it off. I almost fell onto the belt.
BHAVNEET: Well see, I didn’t see that.
TARANJIT: Cuz it was so heavy. I tried to pull it. It like kinda went…
BHAVNEET: It pulled you.
TARANJIT: I like pulled it a little up above the edge, but not fast enough. And it kept going.
BHAVNEET: It took you with it. I did not see that.
TARANJIT: And there was people standing there just watching.
BHAVNEET: Nobody helps. Well we’re back in America. What do you expect?
TARANJIT: And I like, because I kept pulling me and they were standing really close. I was, like almost gonna run into their stuff.
BHAVNEET: Why didn’t they like move or help?
TARANJIT: And then I’m just like, this is embarrassing. And then like I like go for a second then grabbed it again and pulled.
BHAVNEET: Heave-ho!
TARANJIT: And then our next bag was coming, so…
BHAVNEET: Yeah. By the time I made it around you had to two of the bags. I’m like, whoa.
TARANJIT: I got all three of them down.
BHAVNEET: Well, like I was waiting. Like, what have we missed one You didn’t even indicate like they’re here.
TARANJIT: I was trying to get our brother because he was closer.
BHAVNEET: No, no, he was for all the way down there on my side.
TARANJIT: I don’t know. But like, I almost went on the bell.
BHAVNEET: Yep.
TARANJIT: And then we get our bags. So then we’re running because our flights about to board. We get to the backdrop. First of all, we went the wrong direction. We went left to say right. And the United airlines guy…
BHAVNEET: Oh yeah. Because they didn’t have a specific thing that said, for the Alaska. They didn’t have clear signs. Like I don’t understand why.
TARANJIT: But like with all the bad like rep United has this guy was super nice.
BHAVNEET: Yeah.
TARANJIT: And he was like, oh, where are you going? And then he’s like, oh, that’s that direction. And the Alaska guy we got was rude.
BHAVNEET: Very rude.
TARANJIT: Which is complete opposite for once.
BHAVNEET: Yeah. Well, I mean, this was just a baggage guy. So I feel like they do it for like a bunch of different airlines. Not just one, so…
TARANJIT: But he was at the Alaska drop off.
BHAVNEET: Yeah.
TARANJIT: So…
BHAVNEET: He’s like, no,
TARANJIT: That’s it. Like, you could at least tell us what to do next.
BHAVNEET: He’s like, no, just go re-enter.
TARANJIT: No he was just literally, I can’t do anything. And so we’re like, so then what?
BHAVNEET: Yeah, like, what do you mean, you can’t do anything?
TARANJIT: Well, bags can only go so many like after this, it closes and so and so you know, whatever. And then we’re like, okay, we’re already freaking out. My hands are already shaking, like I’m like super stressed out. And then he finally tells us to just get on the blue train. And just go on there and go to the Alaska desk.
BHAVNEET: So that we practically, we had to re-exit the airport, re-enter the airport from check in. And like, re-get new tickets and everything. Like we were just came to the airport and just coming for our flight.
TARANJIT: Speaking of, when we are waiting in the line, I was so freaking out that I didn’t notice the guy was he was…
BHAVNEET: He was waving us over for so long that the person behind us is like excuse me, he’s calling you.
TARANJIT: I was so freaked out, I didn’t know what was going on.
BHAVNEET: But he automatically, the guy, he automatically put us on the next flight. He’s like, you’re not gonna make this one. So here’s the next one. We almost missed that one to.
TARANJIT: No, but when he printed that boarding pass, he gave me some random persons.
BHAVNEET: Yeah, I don’t know where he got that name from. He gave everyone else their’s but yours said some weird name. I’m like, Who is that?
TARANJIT: I’m like this is not me.
BHAVNEET: Oh, my bad. And then once we finally got our pass, we had to re-go through customs. And because we had the sweets that we declared already wouldn’t have been a problem if we didn’t have to re-enter. But we did. So they had to go through this whole checking process of Oh, you’re bringing food. It’s like I already declared it.
TARANJIT: And we locked one the bags because coming when we are going domestic flight we are so like close to boarding that didn’t have room for a check or carry on bag. So we had to check it. So we put a lock…
BHAVNEET: It was American.
TARANJIT: Yeah, but I was my plan was to just put a lock on one zipper. Not both so it wouldn’t actually lock it. But in a rush.
BHAVNEET: You locked it.
TARANJIT: I locked it. So then he’s like, No, you know, open this up. I couldn’t find the key first and my hands were shaking so much. I couldn’t get the lock unlocked.
BHAVNEET: Yeah.
TARANJIT: And I’m like, I’m not hiding anything.
BHAVNEET: Yeah.
TARANJIT: Just so stressed out.
BHAVNEET: Yeah, it’s like, I swear, it’s not that there’s something in there. It’s just our flights about to leave.
TARANJIT: And then he took it from me and opened it. Like, you could of done that in the beginning. I would have just handed you the key, you could have opened it.
BHAVNEET: But while we were in the line, the line was so long. And we’re just like slowly going. Like we’re missing our flight. We’re missing our flight today. And then this lady behind us was like, Excuse me, can I get in front of you? My flights going to leave and I’m going to miss it. I’m like we’re gonna miss ours, too. Get back in your spot lady. I was super frustrated because I was like, No, you can’t cut in front. If we could do that we would have cut in front.
TARANJIT: Exactly. When…
BHAVNEET: Its like, you’re not the only one missing your flight. You probably missed it because you’re late. We’re missing because our thing all our planes were late.
TARANJIT: Literally everything delayed us that possibly could delay us. Yeah. But we get on Alaska, which was a much better domestic flight than American.
BHAVNEET: And they gave us a snack.
TARANJIT: They gave us two snacks. I think. Like they gave us…
BHAVNEET: Like a little biscuit thing.
TARANJIT: And they gave us candy I think, too.
BHAVNEET: Oh yeah. That’s pretty nice.
TARANJIT: And a drink, which…
BHAVNEET: I mean, everyone gives you something to drink.
TARANJIT: Speaking of a drink. We’re kind of going back and forth. But…
BHAVNEET: Ginger ale.
TARANJIT: Australia ginger ale is
BHAVNEET: Dry ginger ale. It is like dry.
TARANJIT: It’s like actual ginger. Whereas our ginger ale is artificial flavor.
BHAVNEET: Yeah, exactly. Ours is more carbonation and sugar with a hint of flavoring.
TARANJIT: Fake ginger.
BHAVNEET: Fake ginger flavoring. Their is dry ginger ale. So literally I feel like they graded and like juiced the ginger and just threw it in there with a little bit of carbonation.
TARANJIT: It was strong.
BHAVNEET: Yeah. And I’m just like blah. I can’t drink this. Here brother. Drink this
TARANJIT: Yeah, but it’s probably better for you.
BHAVNEET: Definitely.
TARANJIT: But when we were…which flight were we getting on? Was it when we were leaving Sydney that I was like, why are they taking our bag out of this chute? And putting… like, under this plane they took our bag.
BHAVNEET: Yes. They were taking are one bigger bag. And then it was like, You freaked me out. Cause, you were like they’re taking our bag. Just our bag. Was taken. We’re like…uhhhh. Just the one. We’re like, uhhh. Please give it back. What you doing?
TARANJIT: But you know what I thingk…
BHAVNEET: I felt like they were…what they were doing was like the internationals were being put in one spot. Oh, like, you know, in one part of the plan and the others they were putting in the other and they probably accidentally put that in that one. And I’m like, they’re like, Oh, no, it’s supposed to go over here. So they were taking…
TARANJIT: I know, but I couldn’t see like it looked like they were just taking.
BHAVNEET: Yea. I know. Its like, there’s nothing in there. Except for our wedding clothes. Give it back. We’re gonna not have clothes to wear at the wedding.
TARANJIT: I was like so over like, this whole like, trip was super stressful.
BHAVNEET: For three days. Yeah. Like we spent more time on a plane.
TARANJIT: I thought vacations are supposed to be relaxing. This…
BHAVNEET: No vacations with our family are…
TARANJIT: …probably aged me like five years.
BHAVNEET: Five years?
TARANJIT: That’s how much stress I had.
BHAVNEET: I don’t think honestly any vacations with our family are really stress free, they’re more stressful than they are stress free because they always end up being like very short. Like we go for one two days and so we have to cram everything in and then we’re always on the run. So you never get to actually slow down and just enjoy
TARANJIT: But the Alaska flight was nice. Going back.
BHAVNEET: It was.
TARANJIT: Like it was nice and smooth. We were just…
BHAVNEET: The inside was so fancy and futuristic looking.
TARANJIT: We were on the next flight like right next so we only like an hour late landing cuz you know…
BHAVNEET: Yeah.
TARANJIT: …like an hour difference.
BHAVNEET: They put us right away on a direct like next flight. Whereas Qantas put us on a two hour later flight.
TARANJIT: That’s because it was Easter weekend and they’re super busy. But the bags came out really fast as they said.
BHAVNEET: Yeah, cuz they said if we get it out in under this much time, and if not they either like something’s free or like discount or something. They do something.
TARANJIT: But circling back to American Airlines.
BHAVNEET: No.
TARANJIT: The landing in Texas.
BHAVNEET: I thought we were gonna die.
TARANJIT: I thought we lost a wheel.
BHAVNEET: Yeah, that’s what it sounded like. I thought we were going to like crash burn.
TARANJIT: We literally hit the ground…
BHAVNEET: All right, everyone. This is a time where that training that they show you in the beginning that nobody listens to is going to come in handy. Everyone grab your vest and get ready to jump.
TARANJIT: Literally, we hit the ground so hard. I thought we lost the tire.
BHAVNEET: Yeah. Which like I don’t think their tires, the wheels. They are not even tires. Their wheels can flatten or whatever. But it probably felt like it just came off. And we were just like, eeeeinnn, Scrape. Scrape, Scrape, Scrape. Scrape.
TARANJIT: And we came to like a full on like, quick stop. Like, you know, when you slame…
BHAVNEET: I think he almost missed the runway.
TARANJIT: Yeah. You know, like when we slam on the brakes in a car and you’re like, that’s what it felt like.
BHAVNEET: One if it like, you missed the runway. And then two, I guess you didn’t realize that the runway was right there. Because then he was like, oh, shoot. That’s a runway. Yeah, we hit it. We’re landed. At first, what was funny was you’re like, Oh, well, we landed. That moment, like you know how the plane like you get that little second of like, floating sensation where you’re like, Oh, I hit it. And then the wheels like they’re supposed to lightly touch. But then we had that second where you like well, we already landed? And i’m no I don’t think…Gaah. Nope. We didn’t.
TARANJIT: It was so bad.
BHAVNEET: Yeah.
TARANJIT: Everyone was like…
BHAVNEET: I’m like, let me off the plane. Let me off the plane. I’ll jump. I’ll jump.
TARANJIT: Yeah. This is why I don’t take American.
BHAVNEET: Yeah.
TARANJIT: But, we had no choice.
BHAVNEET: They are partnered with Qantas. So if you want to go to Australia…
TARANJIT: But it seemed like they were partnered with Qantas if you went through Texas. Because we got Alaska going through California.
BHAVNEET: That is true. Next time we need to go to California.
TARANJIT: I like Alaska way better.
BHAVNEET: Oh, yeah. Their service, their planes are awesome. They know how to land.
TARANJIT: Their planes are comfortable.
BHAVNEET: Very comfortable. And futuristic looking. Their purple lights on the inside…I’m pretty sure is the remnants of Virgin. Like the Virgin planes that they bought.
TARANJIT: Yeah. They are in the process of changing it.
BHAVNEET: Yeah. But still looks cool.
TARANJIT: Yeah. That was our 22 hour plus commute going and then 20…20 coming back, I think. I think it was a little faster.
BHAVNEET: Yeah. That was a doozy of a journey.
TARANJIT: If we ever go back to Australia again. We are going to go for longer.
BHAVNEET: So that way we can at least get rested from the one way trips, actually see something. Like we’re going to hit more cities not physically, like hit them. But…
TARANJIT: Whack. Whack. Whack.
BHAVNEET: Get on the ground and be like, smack the tarmac and be like, *Smack* Sydney. All right. Next get back on the plane. “Smack” Melbourne.
TARANJIT: There is nothing in Melbourne.
BHAVNEET: Yeah. Get on the plane again. *Smack* Perth. Darwin.
TARANJIT: Just hit it and your there.
BHAVNEET: Yeah. Hit the different cities.
TARANJIT: But we got to see the Sydney Opera House from the sky.
BHAVNEET: Yeah. As we were kind of lifting off or like, oh, Sydney Opera House. And what is that bridge? Because apparently is famous. But what is it? The name or what? What is…
TARANJIT: Hey, Google.
BHAVNEET: Hey Google. Whose phone turns on?
TARANJIT: Google doesn’t listen.
BHAVNEET: Hey, Google. No. I don’t even know where your phone is. I don’t think mine works like that. No, I had to hold the button.
TARANJIT: I don’t know if it’s, hey, Google. Or they change the word to Say Google
BHAVNEET: Say Google?
TARANJIT: Or Hi Google.
BHAVNEET: You have to say Say Google?
TARANJIT: Yeah
BHAVNEET: Say Google what’s that word…
TARANJIT: No. No. No. It’s saying say and then parentheses Google.
BHAVNEET: Just go Google.
TARANJIT: I guess.
BHAVNEET: Oh. I thought it was like you’re now very like, rich and you’re just like, say Google over this glass of wine with this pipe in my hand. Say Google. What is bird? I do the next thing.
TARANJIT: Lady sir.
BHAVNEET: Lat-e-sir. Later, sir.
TARANJIT: And that’s where we’re gonna end it.
BHAVNEET: Later, sir. Sir ma’am. SIr ma’am. Everybody kiss pocket. Don’t forget to check us out on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest at Drive with us podcast. And if you have any crazy interesting, funny, weird, any of the above all of the above none of the above commute stories. share them with us so that you can be featured on an upcoming episode, like Mike with an accent. And don’t forget to check out his podcast.
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