Finally, welcome home!

The years 2020 and 2021 will be remembered, ironically, for reasons one would like to forget. Covid upended our lives like never before. 

Among the consequences of the pandemic were the strict international border controls and travel restrictions. That meant family members were separated for months on end.

Though most nations gradually eased those curbs (China was the only one to keep them till about a few weeks ago), international travel wasn't easy. 

For some, visa clearances were getting inordinately delayed because of the huge backlog. 

Even if one had visa, air fares had gone through the roof.

For my son, all this meant, he had to wait many months to fly back home.

And that day was yesterday, January 8.

It's been almost five years! He was here last in May 2018.

We were in Sydney in Dec 2019 - Jan 2020, (weeks before Covid broke out). So, it's exactly three years since we last met him. 

Travel between Sydney and Bengaluru is easier now. There is a direct flight which Qantas started in September last year.

But, the flight left Sydney about four hours late, owing to some technical issues. 

So, he landed at Bengaluru at 8 pm, instead of 3.45 pm. 

And, we reached home from the airport around 10 pm.

But that wasn't too late in the night for his close friends, who too have been waiting for him.

Four of them dropped by within about half an hour of us reaching home!

It was so good to see them all together. 

Many years have passed by. But the bonding, the fun, the laughter -- they're all the the same!