Nimitz Madness

Even before I say that the last 10 days was absolutely chaotically busy for me..first thing first..which brings me to...."I am going to boast about something now".!!!
Well...I was on board the US warship...USS Nimitz...there goes.Since I have blown my own trumpet now, I have decided to move onto do something better.
Three of us were taken on board the Nimitz on Jun 29 afternoon by a US Navy aircraft, the C12 Greyhound. The Greyhound is a very interesting vehicle, it has about 26 seats, the entry is from behind the aircraft, like you see on Discovery channel where paragliders do their traditional jumping routine. It has only two windows...very small ones and the photographers took both seats. It was a bit disappointing since I was taking the first ever flight in my life. But I cant even say I was disappointed since I dont think many ppl get the opportunity to travel by a war-aircraft on their first trip on a plane. Haha... I cant seem to stop boasting...after all every dog has its day!! anyway the horrible part comes a little later and all of u can have ur day...
The Greyhound is one really odd smelling, extremely noisy and dark aircraft.Plus you have to wear a helmet with goggles and some kind of a cup which covers the ears, which is extremely painful.
As the plane finally takes off after nearly two hours of waiting for the runway to be clear for us, we -almost all of us start taking pictures as the plane starts moving and the door closes.
Two hours later 5 30 p.m.- The C12 starts shaking in a very odd manner, it is about to land. It seems to me as if it is shaking in a manner that a dog gets rid of water on its body after it is bathed(hope u have seen a dog do that). We are told to tighten our seat belts and brace for the landing on the Nimitz.
The landing was well far from even being worse. I thought the flight crashed, though I dont no how it feels when a flight crashes, neither do I want to no. For a few seconds, it felt like that. A few seconds later the American sitting in front of us showed the Thumbs Up sign to tell us we landed safely and another bunch of Thumbs Up went up..that was us!! (Phew...)
Finally when the door of the aircraft was opened, we got to sounds of jets taking off from the 4.5 acre deck of the ship. Then we were taken to a room downstairs even as it was booming up on the deck. then we were made to swap our headgear for another set of t-shirts and headgear. Once again climb up a two flight of stairs or one..? I don remember. Cant imagine how ppl live on ships, especially on this one. Its so confusing. We watched the air exercises for about half hour or so and then once again taken to a different room. Our luggages arrive there and we head off for dinner. Dinner is not something I really got ready for. Finding something vegetarian was a bit difficult and once I found it, it was difficult to eat it. To top it all, I felt the ship wobbling(if its the rite word). After a terrible half hour of trying to eat something, I eat an apple. There is ice cream. I m happy. Only till I taste this and then even that goes into the bin. 'These americans are crazy,'I tell myself. Everything has the same taste.
We are then taken to meet some pilot. As we leave the place to meet him, I feel like vomiting. Everyone says I ll be alrite. We go to the pilot's room. As we are standing outside it, I insist I want to vomit. They arrange somebody to take me somewhere where I can vomit and then I throw up.. There U go...U can all be happy!! I m taken to the medical dept on the ship and given some pills.
As the others are talking to the pilot, I join in. The pilot says he has a music troupe on board. He plays the drums, three others play other instruments.They practice in a storeroom or something on the ship!!
We are informed that wee are somewhere below Sri Lanka. some 100 miles below Sri Lanka.
Then we meet the strike group(the air force)captain and the ship's captain.
The next morning we wake up at 5 30 to see the sun rise. but unfortunately the sun has already risen. We just take a look at the jets lined up on the deck, then I manage to talk to a couple of ppl. After an hour and half on the deck, we head for breakfast. This time, I m a bit prepared and head straight for corn flakes and some fruits!!
We are told that we have to return at 10 am. We just about manage to meet the only Indian american on board, a dentist, who speaks broken English.
Finally we are herded onto the Greyhound. We ask for water, they say they ll arrange for it to be sent to the aircraft.But we don get it..damn!!
This time as the aircraft takes off, we are in for a different shock. It takes off vertically almost throwing everyone off their seats. Fortunately, I have placed my leg on the seat infront of me-the gap between the seat in front and behind are very less. I don feel being thrown off. Almost after an hour and half as we land, we hold on tight to our seats, but we are fooled. It makes a proper landing like an aircraft. Back to Chennai. More work to do, following what happens around the Nimitz. Heavy work. The crew members descend on the city for some 'community work'. Many of my friends say they have some work to be done in their house and we should get some of these Americans to do it....Free labour, u see. Especially American labour.!! Finally as the ship leaves, I heave a sigh of relief. The madness has come to an end, for now!! And at the end of it all, somebody insists that I have to be called 'Nimi'. Hmmm