Thursday, July 22, 2010

Spread My Wings And Fly?

Doubt it!!!! First and foremost I am still afraid of flying. Luckily most flights that I've taken are short hauls so halfway through the in-flight magazine or newspaper it is already time for landing...

I have been neglecting my blog these last few weeks but honestly ... I am truly busy. Launching this launching that ... meeting here meeting there .... course there course here ... event here event there, settling and facing one issue after another. Guess those who have been following the news would understand what I meant. Penang is "sooooo the juicy story now".

After Bangkok, Chiengmai and Solo trips ... I truly want to prove myself worthy of the post. Despite hot issues facing my the Pearl of the Orient office ... I take it to my advantage. Which mean many trips to KL and long working hours that sometime took up my nights and weekends. For that I salute my Mem Besar ... one time she didn't sleep and I was accompanying her. Next morning she still had to leave for J.B to chair a meeting. As for me ... I had hard time standing hehehe!

Anyway, back to these flights thing ... I truly had no choice as my driver had burnt out after frequent trips to KL-Penang which mean we had to depart early in the morning (4 a.m) and return to Penang in the evening (usually between 4-5 pm). Then next day he had to sent me or sometimes other officers for meetings or enforcement. This week alone, 4 different divisions in the Ministry organised programs in Penang back to back. Pheww....

Every time I took a flight to KL or Penang I had to make sure I was given the window seat. It reduced my fear if the flight was bumpy as I could see the plane was hitting a cloud, or the weather was bad. I don't like to be taken off-guard. However, there were times when I saw the weather was clear but the plane was shaking so bad. So must be air pockets or strong wind.

There was a funny moment when the plane was shaking and coincidentally I was reading the news of 30 United Airlines passengers were hurt after the plane was hit by severe turbulence in The Star. Gulp!!!

Now that I fly too often, I could identify a good or bad landing by the sound of the plane engine ... hahaha

Then there is this problem getting a seat especially if last minute meeting notification from HQ. Like today, I couldn't get any afternoon flight back to Penang ... evening flight is BIG NO NO as that was when the plane face lots of turbulence. Anyway, had no choice but to get the last seat on 6.05 pm flight! Thank God.

However deep down I am smiling as I know Penang routes on both our local airlines are selling well. Provided that not all tourists have flight phobia like me! Imagine how I dreaded to fly back to Kuching. Even most of my trips had to be scheduled between January-June ... during the dry season! Christmas ... I rather stay in KL or Penang. Last year if not because of Niejah's wedding ... I will not fly to KK.

As I was stranded for 6 hours in KLIA today, taking my chances to catch the 1.55 pm flight on Standby ... I had the chance to tour the World Best Airport, checking out the facilities, shops and eateries. Even testing some of ground staff and operators knowledge on the airport. I was looking for a suitable place to wait and with power point for my laptop so that I can do my work. One person to another refer me to one fast food restaurant to another just because they usually see people of their lappie there. Gosh! I couldn't find any power points. My laptop battery can't last for 6 hours!

Then I saw a lounge, just like in Starbucks or Coffee Beans Cafe on a mezzanine floor between departure and arrival floor. Curiously I took the escalators and voila ... there is a restaurant with comfortable table and chairs plus power points for guests to sit, dine, do their work while waiting for the flight. How come not many airport staff know of this place!

Next time I should try the all-ladies train coach to KL. Who knows ... the ride may have something worth blogging hehehe

Monday, July 5, 2010

The Tale of Three Cities - Genesis

It is quite a challenge finding time for blogging lately. Once I am already free of my "responsibilities" and "duties" ... I found myself having writers' block (and bouts of laziness) hehehe. That's why you see me active on FB ... uploading photos, making comments on friends' photos and updating my status ...

Anyway, after my trip to Jakarta, I knew that I had to go for more vacations overseas. Europe and USA maybe too ambitious at the moment so I decided to move on to other ASEAN cities. Macam-macam laa plan ... sekejap Bali, sekejap Ho Chi Minh and Seam Reap. However, I stumbled upon the "chance" one day during a chat with Jett about his trip to Bangkok when he mentioned something about wanting to go there again because "best Bangkok Mie".

And then throughout the chat he kept mentioning a Thai lady friend named Aey ... so out of curiosity I asked him "How many times have you been to Bangkok?"

"Two."

Well, well, well .... Jethro Henry Adams, lecturer UNIMAS, single and available in early thirties and been to Bangkok twice to meet a friend name Aey .... PANAS!

And so the following weeks saw Mie being the good follower and let Jett do all the hard work of planning the Bangkok trip. Besides I was too exhausted with my "old office" works and lab discussions. But I did put some conditions though ... I want to see the Grand Palace, tried the Tuk Tuk and cruise the Menam Chao Phraya. Plus watch some "educational show" on "human anatomy" .... if boleh. Hehehe

Then Aey suggested we go to Chieng Mai, which to her is more interesting than Bangkok. Coincidentally, that time I already got the offer to join MOTOUR and my gut feeling said, I should go to Chiengmai too. Of course little did I know that supporters of Thaksin in Northern Thai, who were mostly from Chiengmai will create chaos in central Bangkok. Oh! Darn it ... I have a lot of red T-shirts. So weeks before the trip I could only hope and pray that the Red Shirt protest in Bangkok will end soon. Again as usual, I relied on Jett and Aey to update me about the situation in Bangkok ... I love playing the princess!

Though a week before the trip the Red Shirt crisis was over, I still hesitated to pack red shirts ... but other colours didn't do justice to my prosperous tummy so I packed all dark coloured t-shirts. My mum was still a bit concern about the trip , even my new boss said ... "make sure you come back in one piece". Gulp!!

Then the day arrive ....

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