finally i was able to make it to the f1 race in india, in the third year of the race!!
i am not an f1 fan. it was more like ticking an item off a mental to do list: see an f1 race in life once - check
india is not on the race calender for 2014 and it was uncertain when it would be back. so i could not miss the opportunity this year.
i had booked one ticket for the f1 race, hoping that i wold be able to make it for the race day, but somewhere at the back of my mind i had feeling that it was not going to materialize.but still i thought of giving it a shot and booked a north picnic stand for a grand and a half, the cheapest available ticket.
my cousin came to know of my plan and invited me for a stay-over at her place.logistically it was a good idea. more so, coz my camera conked off on race day and they could provide me a spare camera. her husband also decided to join me. but we were not sure about the tickets as north picnic stand was sold out. but he agreed to drop me to the track an check in case something could be done about the tickets.
we started with our journey to the race track in their new ford ecosport. beautiful car and smooth drive. there was a lot of traffic heading to the track and it took us some time. people were driving as if they were going to participate in the f1 race instead of being spectators. we tired to follow the road signs and finally made it to the unreserved parking. we parked our vehicle and walked to the ticket counter.
we checked at the counter, there were only 3-4 people in the queue to buy tickets. a poster along the ticket window showed the availability status of tickets. north picnic stand was sold out. the only other picnic stand available was south picnic stand, which left us with following options:
i was mentally working on the feasibility of the alternatives, when by stroke of luck i over heard the telephone conversation of the guy ahead of us in the ticket line. he was in the exact same situation like us. had booked a north picnic stand and now had purchased a ticket for south picnic stand. he was dejectedly explaining the situation to his friend, how they would have to see the race from different locations, over phone. without wasting a moment, i offered him my north stand ticked in exchange for his south stand ticket which he had just purchased. for him, i was a blessing in disguise and for me, he was the blessing. we happily exchanged our tickets and contact numbers just in case something went wrong.
we purchased another ticket for south picnic stand, we could not contain our joy and were giggling like crazy at how things got aligned and we could see the race together. we thanked god, clicked a celebratory pic and moved toward the track.
the track is HUGE. we took the shuttle and proceeded to our spot. the race had already started. the roar of the mighty speed monsters was good enough to give goosebumps. at times the roar of the car could easily drown out the whir of the low flying helicopter being used for the aerial shots. the helicopter was another amazing thing, the pilot was flying it like crazy.
must admit, race from the stand was like seeing only a part of a huge puzzle. followed most of the race on the giant screen. the spot we got was good, had a u-turn and we could see good part of the track.
we clicked some customary pics. photo toh bannta tha boss!
the food stuff being sold at the venue was exorbitantly priced and food from outside was not allowed as per the ticket.
the race got over in about an hour and a half. sebastian vettle won at the budh international circuit for the third consecutive time.
it was time to head back to the car. the shuttle buses were all over full and we took a long walk to the parking lot. traffic was even crazier while going back. i guess we lost our way but somehow the service lane we took helped us to avoid a lot of traffic. bhaiyya dropped me at the metro station.
was a overall a good experience. the best part being how we got the tickets ;)
i am not an f1 fan. it was more like ticking an item off a mental to do list: see an f1 race in life once - check
india is not on the race calender for 2014 and it was uncertain when it would be back. so i could not miss the opportunity this year.
i had booked one ticket for the f1 race, hoping that i wold be able to make it for the race day, but somewhere at the back of my mind i had feeling that it was not going to materialize.but still i thought of giving it a shot and booked a north picnic stand for a grand and a half, the cheapest available ticket.
my cousin came to know of my plan and invited me for a stay-over at her place.logistically it was a good idea. more so, coz my camera conked off on race day and they could provide me a spare camera. her husband also decided to join me. but we were not sure about the tickets as north picnic stand was sold out. but he agreed to drop me to the track an check in case something could be done about the tickets.
we started with our journey to the race track in their new ford ecosport. beautiful car and smooth drive. there was a lot of traffic heading to the track and it took us some time. people were driving as if they were going to participate in the f1 race instead of being spectators. we tired to follow the road signs and finally made it to the unreserved parking. we parked our vehicle and walked to the ticket counter.
we checked at the counter, there were only 3-4 people in the queue to buy tickets. a poster along the ticket window showed the availability status of tickets. north picnic stand was sold out. the only other picnic stand available was south picnic stand, which left us with following options:
- we buy a south picnic stand for bhaiyya and both of us was the race from different locations - not desirable
- bhaiyya goes back home and i stay back to watch the race - definitely not desirable, we were way beyond the point-of-no-return.
- i buy forfeit my original ticket and buy a new ticket for south picnic stand - expensive but doable and bhaiyya would surely protest at the extra expense i would have to incur.
- we buy ticket in black from the touts - 'morally' wrong, was not sure how bhaiyya would react to it.
- some miracle could happen - least possible
i was mentally working on the feasibility of the alternatives, when by stroke of luck i over heard the telephone conversation of the guy ahead of us in the ticket line. he was in the exact same situation like us. had booked a north picnic stand and now had purchased a ticket for south picnic stand. he was dejectedly explaining the situation to his friend, how they would have to see the race from different locations, over phone. without wasting a moment, i offered him my north stand ticked in exchange for his south stand ticket which he had just purchased. for him, i was a blessing in disguise and for me, he was the blessing. we happily exchanged our tickets and contact numbers just in case something went wrong.
we purchased another ticket for south picnic stand, we could not contain our joy and were giggling like crazy at how things got aligned and we could see the race together. we thanked god, clicked a celebratory pic and moved toward the track.
the track is HUGE. we took the shuttle and proceeded to our spot. the race had already started. the roar of the mighty speed monsters was good enough to give goosebumps. at times the roar of the car could easily drown out the whir of the low flying helicopter being used for the aerial shots. the helicopter was another amazing thing, the pilot was flying it like crazy.
must admit, race from the stand was like seeing only a part of a huge puzzle. followed most of the race on the giant screen. the spot we got was good, had a u-turn and we could see good part of the track.
we clicked some customary pics. photo toh bannta tha boss!
the food stuff being sold at the venue was exorbitantly priced and food from outside was not allowed as per the ticket.
the race got over in about an hour and a half. sebastian vettle won at the budh international circuit for the third consecutive time.
it was time to head back to the car. the shuttle buses were all over full and we took a long walk to the parking lot. traffic was even crazier while going back. i guess we lost our way but somehow the service lane we took helped us to avoid a lot of traffic. bhaiyya dropped me at the metro station.
was a overall a good experience. the best part being how we got the tickets ;)
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