Like they say, the destination is but the end of the journey. You’ll get there eventually, so make the most of the time it takes to do so – even if caught inside airport terminals.Read the full post. Connect with us at: Twitter- http://twitter.com/makemytripdeals Facebook- http://wwww.facebook.com/mmtdeals Website- http://www.makemytrip.com

1. Surviving Delays At Delhi’s T3
Your bags are packed, you’re ready to go on a long vacation or an official trip somewhere to the west of
where you are, several thousand miles away and you’re looking forward to getting acquainted with new
places, people and customs. If your destination is anywhere more than half a day, chances are you will
have to change flights at a mid-point destination as not all airlines that operate out of India offer direct
flights. Add to this the sun that refuses to rise and set at the same time all over the world, and you’re
looking at what a high percentage of travellers deem tedious, cumbersome and a darned waste of time –
the layover.
Or let’s say your schedule is planned right down to the last detail, and you are a stickler for time and
punctuality ranks high in your list of virtues. You arrive at the airport well in time for your flight and are
greeted with the dreaded D word – your flight is delayed by a considerable amount of time, owing to
technical glitches, the weather, disgruntled airline staff or plain fate. How do you last the hours that stand
between you and your journey?
Relax – it doesn’t have to be so gloomy. Delhi’s T3, one of India’s premier airports, sees many delays
owing to early morning fog in winters and has come up with many options to while away time while not
feeling the exhaustion that travel usually brings with it.
For one, there’s no dearth of shopping options within the terminal. Perfumes and liquor rank high on a
shopper’s duty-free agenda, and T3 stocks up on a variety of items to fulfil your specific shopping needs –
top perfume and cosmetic brands like Lanvin, Chanel, Lancome, Elizabeth Arden, to name a few, as well
as all the Johnnie Walkers and Jack Daniels you need to stock your home bar with. Next up are those
wonderful chocolatiers and confectionary shops, who thoughtfully stock up on divine chocolates that you
don’t usually get to see or buy in regular shops – truffle chocolates, liqueur chocolates, mint chocolates,
nougat or nut-filled ones, so many to choose from. For those looking forward to take home uniquely
Indian products, there’s a slew of “Discover India” souvenirs like Ayurvedic products, home-grown tea
from the hills of Assam and Darjeeling, wooden artefacts and curios, as well as a “Gandhi” range of
accessories, among others.
If you’re not looking forward to airline food, the terminal has a range of eateries to indulge your palate.
The T3 has different joints in its international and domestic terminals – cafes, quick service restaurants as
well as pastry and dessert outlets. If you’re not a chocoholic, or a shopaholic, for that matter, there are two
book stores, Odyssey and W H Smith, easily locatable inside the terminal. For the traveler slash
bibliophile, there is no greater heaven on earth than airport bookstores.

2. Airport bookstores usually stock up on current bestsellers, all time greats, magazines, travelogues, and
some rare books as well, so you can browse for hours together in a space of a couple hundred square feet
and not get bored. And if you do land your hands on a book you’ve been meaning to read for a long time,
you will not even feel the tedium of having to wait for your flight.
For passengers with special privileges, airlines will have designated lounge areas that serve plush
comfort, where you can relax and catch up on some sleep before being airborne. And for those who travel
economy, there are always those rows upon rows of semi-comfortable seats and chairs that you can rest
on, or if you’re not too tired and don’t have too much baggage to lug around, take a walk through the
aisles and observe other travellers trying to catch a few winks, have animated conversations or studiously
avoid eye contact. If you’re willing to indulge, the T3 terminal offers the Plaza premium lounge. The
lounge has many options for relaxation in between flights that include spa treatments, shower rooms and
napping rooms.
The T3 terminal recently announced the launch of the snooze cabin, labelling it a “boon for transit
passengers”. Only a handful of international airports offer this to their passengers the world over. The
snooze cabin in T3 comes with a napping bed, a working table for laptops, wi-fi connectivity, a flat screen
television and a DVD player for an overall home-away-from-home experience, at a nominal fee of Rs 315
or $7 per hour.
Most international airports have several terminals that are inter-connected by shuttles or inter-terminal
escalators, so you’ll have quite a bit of ground to cover. If you have a long layover, you could check out
what the terminal has to offer end-to-end. If the confines of the terminal are not for you, however, and
you have a good 8-10 hours to kill, you might want to consider opting for a transit visa. With this, you can
get out into the sunshine and explore a bit of the city. This will give you one more peg on the world travel
chart you dutifully update every time you travel.
Airport layovers and delays have become somewhat of a norm in today’s hectic times, and might soon
become the order of the day, (at least in Delhi). But the time between flights or before a flight doesn’t
necessary have to be time to kill. There are many ways you can enjoy these hours – all that is required is
an active imagination, an adventurer’s spirit and a never-say-never attitude.
Like they say, the destination is but the end of the journey. You’ll get there eventually, so make the most
of the time it takes to do so – even if caught inside airport terminals.
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