Third - and final

 Yesterday, I made my third Expo journey, this time with Ash. Though we meant to go in the morning when V left for office at 9 am, there was an unexpected emergency and V left at 6 am. He however came back at 11 and dropped us at Etisalat, the first metro station on the green line route. It helped us get a seat, which couldnt be said about the return journey from Route 2020 though both are terminuses. 

We had to change trains at Union, to take the red line going towards Route 2020. Luckily I got a seat in the crowded coach filled with Expo tourists.

Ash went his way while I went mine after landing at the venue. From 2- 8 pm, we wandered on our own. The crowds are swelling this week with the Expo coming to a close on 31st. As usual, I visited some of the smaller pavilions but this time there was a long queue to get the seal in the Expo passport. Young boys were zealously collecting stamps, while an Indian man walked in from the Entrance door, submitted some 6 passports for stamping, and walked out without even bothering to see anything on offer. Seems there is a school fee discount for those who collect 100 stamps/pavilions.

 I visited the pavilions of Cuba, Malawi, Madagascar, Turkey etc apart from the Sustainability pavilion Terra. Some had immersive experiences like the undersea experience in Terra, and the forest feel in Brazil. Children were seen playing in the water body surrounding the Brazil pavilion while a singer sang popular numbers on stage. On the lanes, a festival mood reigned with performers of various hues making the celebrations truly cosmopolitan.

Before leaving, I stood in queue at the Jailbird foodtruck for half an hour to collect a Korean BBQ burger for Mira who had stayed at home. We changed trains and reached Stadium station, where Vinod waited for us. 

Wish I could make another trip to watch some more - I regret not making a trip early when the crowds were minimum. We always thought we had a lot of time at hand, and now 6 months are gone in a flash. There wont be an extension like for Global Village, but the pavilions of UAE, India and Saudi will remain apart from certain local pavilions like Terra. I hope we will be able to go there another time to see them all, while the others are dismantled to create a new District 2020 township.