Member-only story
Fun Days from Mumbai to Goa with the Bollywood Girls
Our business network is organized by our accountant, and I readily took up the invitation to join them on my first trip to India. In those days we were all very successful and many of our businesses intertwined, and it was a good way to corrupt our bank manager friend when he arranged jollies like that.
I was following up on chasing a contract for one of my clients and could combine the trip with some meetings with our relevant agent in Mumbai and one of the client’s buyers. So when Prad offered to pay for my trip I jumped at the chance.
A group of us met up at Heathrow Airport and we followed Prad’s instructions when getting on the big Air India Boeing 747. Steve the corrupt bank manager and I were told to just get on with our economy tickets and see the head steward. We were told to wait at the bottom of the staircase that went up to Business Class when another steward came from above and waved us to follow. He crossed through our economy tickets and ushered us into the new seats and made sure we were plied with the customary Champagne.
After take-off and the plane was well underway, the pilot came out and it was then that we recognized him as one of the Captains of the Air India fleet that used to come out to eat and drink with us when in London. Steve and I were invited back later into the cockpit…
