This is the only picture I have of Chennai Airport. It doesn't look half bad in this photo and I'm not even sure if it never was, whether this is just a picture of a not bad bit, or whether I am just perceiving it that way. Arrrghh
When we first arrived at Chennai airport after a long, long flight from Melbourne, I thought “holy hell, this place is a dive, what the hell have we gotten ourselves in for?”. The airport seemed cold – in decor, not temperature – and dirty and slapped together with bits and pieces from people’s back sheds.
Which is pretty much how I see a lot of Chennai. Especially the shop fronts. Bits and pieces of stuff. Everywhere. No design or plan. No aesthetic.
But when we came through the very same airport again, four months later on our return from Sri Lanka, it looked different.
It seemed cleaner and bigger and less shocking. It’s not as if it was better in comparison because I loved Sri Lanka and it was much cleaner than anywhere I have been since January. That wasn’t it.
Maybe after four months of living in India I have seen much worse than the airport, so that first impression has been replaced by the everyday filth.
Or maybe it looks better after a one hour flight than twenty-ish hours of travel.
I remember years and years ago watching The Mask with Jim Carrey. I HATED it. But then I watched it again and thought it was hilarious. A different mood and different situation changed my perception of the movie completely.
It’s no secret that I don’t like it here. I don’t hide it at all. But walking through that airport felt like coming home.
Not in a home is where the heart is kind of way. More like a familiarity thing I guess.
It was interesting nonetheless. Interesting to see how something can go from disgusting and shocking to feeling like home with just a shift of perception.
Have you ever had a complete change of perception on a second viewing of something?
Or am I just a fickle nutbar?
I’ve had that before. I spent a couple of years living in Canberra. Boy, did I hate it. But after a couple of visits to Melbourne and then returning, yeah, it was familiar and comfortable and not quite so abominable anymore!
so glad someone else understands! I’m betting Canberra would look pretty freaking awesome to me right about now.
I remember returning from Poland some years ago and marvelling at how clean, light and bright Melbourne was. The sky was big and bright, the building were modern and clean, the streets wide and even the people seemed more “civilised”, or pehaps the word is “civil”?
I took all those things for granted before. Since then, I pretty much figured out that I would not want to live anywhere but Australia.
I agree with what Dorothy is saying also!!! Travelling the world is a wonderful way to broaden your horizons but it also gives you a different perception on where you come from. Kiwis (and Aussies too I’m sure) absolutely love our country but mostly take it for granted until we travel to places that don’t have green fields and snowy mountains and wide open spaces and people that speak English 100% of the time and that generally stay out of your personal space!!!
I absolutely know what you mean. Being familiar with something makes you see it in a totally different way.
And isn’t it funny how now you can see that they have made an effort compared to many other places in Chennai? The people who work there are probably proud that the airport is so nice!!