Once upon a time, there lived a kind and cheerful lady named Ambujam Mami in Mylapore, Chennai.

She loved her family, enjoyed cooking delicious treats, and read the newspaper every morning. Although many people she knew had travelled to different places, Mami had never been on an aeroplane. She believed she was too old to travel.

One day, her twin grandchildren, Srikrishna and Srikrithika, who lived in Singapore, called her with exciting news. They invited their Paati to visit them and assured her that they would help her every step of the way. Their loving words gave Mami the courage to try something new.

The next morning, she packed her suitcase with clothes, homemade goodies, and lots of love. She then reached Chennai Airport.

Everything around her was new and exciting. Unsure of where to go, she politely asked for help. The kind airport staff showed her the check-in counter, security check, and boarding gate.

While waiting for her flight, Mami enjoyed the chapati and potato curry she had packed from home. She smiled happily as she watched the big aeroplanes take off into the sky.

Soon, it was time to board. As Mami stepped onto the aeroplane, she looked around in amazement. An air hostess greeted her warmly and helped her fasten her seat belt and showed her where to keep her handbag.

During the flight, Mami watched a Tamil movie and looked out of the window at the fluffy white clouds. She could hardly believe that she was flying above them.

When the aeroplane began to land, Mami held her seat tightly and closed her eyes. A few moments later, the pilot announced that the flight had arrived in Singapore.

Mami exclaimed with joy at their arrival. Inside the airport, everything looked big and beautiful. At first, immigration made her a little nervous, but friendly officers guided her through the process.

Soon, she collected her luggage and walked through the arrival gate. Waiting there were Srikrishna, Srikrithika, and the whole family. They ran to hug her and welcomed her warmly.

Mami smiled from ear to ear. During her stay, the twins showed her beautiful gardens, sparkling buildings, and delicious food. As she looked out of the car window, she was amazed by the clean streets and bright city lights.

One day, when the twins took her to a temple, Mami looked around and joked about whether she was still in Mylapore or had really travelled all the way to Singapore. Everyone burst into laughter.

After many happy weeks, it was finally time for Mami to return home. She hugged her grandchildren tightly and reflected on how afraid she had once been to travel. She now understood that every journey begins with one brave step and felt excited about planning her next adventure.

The twins waved goodbye, knowing that Paati would soon be planning another exciting trip.

Moral: Never let fear stop anyone from trying something new.

This story has been written by A. Sahana, a Standard 7 student of Bala Vidya Mandir School, Chennai.