A long waiting game-Trip to US

It was time for me and my business partner, Gina to make another trip to US to meet with our big boss. I knew it was going to be a very long journey. And that’s how I set my mind. I want to avoid stress and no way I will get myself tense.

So, there we were , happily boarded the train from KL sentral that took us 28 minutes.

Within the 28minute of journey, my mind was still with my family. We had our simple lunch together before I boarded the train. I never like burger, and burger I had and enjoyed with my kids and my loving hubby. We took photograph and I let my kids show their father on how the photo machine is operating. They transferred the image to the machine through bluetooth facility. What a great technology, at least for now.

 

During our time there wasn’t such robot available. To my kids, the facilities were there all along. My hubby and I were amazed with the technology.

Half an hour later I was already in the train towards KLIA(Kuala Lumpur International Airport).

“The next station is Kuala Lumpur International Airport”, The train mechanical voice announced. Wow! That was fast.

As we reached the KLIA, we spent about 1 hour roaming around the shopping area at terminal C, the monorail ferrying passengers between the main terminal 1 and the satellite terminal C has started operating after a few months of upgrading work progress.

‘World Best Airport’, was written in big character. '”Oh yeah?” I sinistically whispered to my friend.

55 minutes flight is all it takes to reach Singapore.It was almost midnight. As I was registering at the counter, I heard the staff told the walk-in client, “Sorry sir, we are fully booked”.

 

The travel agency booked me a room at the Ambassador Transit Hotel T2,while my friend's was in T3.The walking distance between both terminal is as far as 2 kilometers away. Our checkin counter was at Transfer B, which located at Terminla 3.

The hotel staff suggested for me to get my boarding pass then, before the monorail stop operating . So I did, but just to find the counter was not open. I returned back to my room. Changi airport is very nice and elegant, but no free WiFi. OK..OK..I agree KLIA is the best.

The hotel staff also advised that, I should checkout from the hotel 2 hours before the departure and alerted me that monorail would not be operation at the time that I checked out on the following day and I had to walk.

True enough, I did the 2km walking on the next morning. The train operating hours is from 5am –2:30am. It was a good morning walk for me though. I started at my stroll at 3:55am from T2. I had to pass T1 before reaching T3 at 4:30am. 40 minutes of morning walk was good for me.Nice view as well.

    

The next morning, at counter Transfer B, Terminal 2..'…….

Surprisingly, the airport staff were friendly, unlike the stories that I heard told by others. We stayed in line eager to wait for our turn to collect our boarding pass. It was our turn. From 5 minutse wait to 10 minutes..then half and hour….

”why so long?. Half an hour went by. They checkin counter was still crowded. 1 hour passed…still…. I looked back to the next people in line.

“I know but it wasn't me..” I wanted to tell her that.

I patiently stood infront of the counter hearing the sound of keyboard clicking avoiding looking back to those many people awaiting for their turn. The staff was very busy looking at the computer terminal, as if he was thinking hard. I though he was trying to figure out how to pronounce my name, of probably wondering “why is this lady travelling alone?”

Suddenly the counter staff started to call back all the passengers ahead of me., asking for their boarding pass. He kept himself busy. We were there standing for more than 40 minutes and it was more than 40 minutes for him to strengthen his guts to say the word.

FLIGHT CANCELLED……??????

“oh NO..!!…but hey..relax..take a deep breath…come what may”, I was telling myself. So we all sat and watched some people shouting of anger.

Our connecting flight from Hong Kong to Chicago was cancelled, and he was then trying to get into another route out of Singapore, that would reach us to Chicago on the same date.

WHAT HAPPENNED NEXT..?

After about 4 hours of physical and mental torturing events at Changi Airport, we boarded the plane happily at last.The staff ‘was smart(ass)’ enough to get us a seat to Tokyo to catch American Airline to Chicago. Why AA, while our original flight was United Airlines? Oh why bother..off we both rushed to the terminal.

Yes, Tokyo, Narita airport, is where were ended that night. 

 

Upon arrival at Narita, we rushed to the AA counter as instructed by Mulyadi, the so-called helpful Singaporean. Not so soon ladies…

Going thru the immigration and custom checks was another havoc. Slow moving.

The USD39 Chivas bought from Singapore Duty Free, by my partner for our big boss was confiscated.

” Here’s the photo of your CHIVAS-supposed-to-be Boss.”

After passing thru the obstacles, we rushed searching for American Airline counter.

Here the good news ladies…Pull your energy .. the counter is one terminal away and the only way to go is to wait for the shuttle bus, 15 minutes walk to the bus waiting area and 30 minutes wait for the bus to arrive. It was just about 10 minutes ride to the next terminal where AA counter is.

Again… awaiting game continued. We walked up an down the staircases, waited for the bus, walked in and out of the tunnel… at last…AMERICAN AIRLINE COUNTER…YEAH..!!

For about 1 hour we both stood infront hearing to her, the staff, talking Japanese on the phone, head nodding , and whispering. It was much later, that I knew, the whispering was not on some secrecy. That was the way she talks. Japanese are mostly soft spoken people. (I’m comparing to myself).

After 45 minutes of whispering on the phone, she looked up to us.

“Sorry, we could not take you in our flights because you purchased United Airline”

“You need to go back to United Airline counter”, she added.

“WHAT?? ..!!!??”After almost an hour wait and this is the news for us??.” I almost jumped.

“‘take a deep breath..do not tense yourself..relax..enjoy your trip…come what may..” I kept on telling myself and my friend. I have been telling that to myself weeks before I started packing for this trip.

These were among my packed items.

    

Rejected at AA, we head back to the bus terminal. 30 minutes later were back lining up at the United Airline counter. From 6pm to 9 pm. Not less than 3 hours, were stayed in line to the finishing line.. While waiting in line, I took a glance at the information screen.

All Chicago flight were cancelled for that day. Yuhooooo..!! I got to rest!!! That was another side of me saying, while another half said, Oh no..!!! after all the running around all over Changi arport, then continued at Tokyo airport???

Ha..Ha..Ha…...I could only laugh.

OK, come what may, I accepted . I recalled my favorite word ‘lets dance to the music’

“ here’s your ticket,” . That was the sweetest word we ever heard for that day.

We were happy to get a seat to Chicago at last, although we will miss the first day of the important meeting. We pocketed our confirmed ticket with a wide smile.

WAIT..!!Not a good news all the way fellows…

“‘we could not trace you baggage”

“OH MY GOODNESS..’Oh No..!! ‘oh my..!!’ we both came out with many shocking expression except swearing.( behaving ourselves).

“But don’t worry, my colleague hear will continue searching for you bags” We looked at the guy he pointed at with high hope. He smiled and nodded his head. Such a respectful culture Japan has. But at that time, my mind was recalling things in my luggage. There goes my working attire, my Maggie mee(instant noodles the key chains souvenir that my hubby bought for me to bring to my colleagues in the States, the Brahim’s curry paste that I bought, my nities and all that I could not stay without them.

We waited and hope. We listened to him whispering on the phone. At last…

‘We found your baggage”

YEAHHH..!’ that was the 2^nd best news for that day. After all the nodding and many thank-you’s, we were given a hotel voucher and following the instruction, we had to walk another 3 levels searching for the bus station. Thank God , the bus was already there waiting , filled with other passengers. All were going to Chicago with us on the next morning.

We then were ferried to the 10 minutes ride to Hotel Nikko Narita. Again, we stayed in line to the checkin counter.We had been staying in line since the night before, another lining up wouldn’t kill. It wasn’t too long though.

Very nice hotel.

      

We were given a voucher costs 2000 Yen.(approx RM50).

At 10:45pm, we were already enjoying our late dinner at the cafeteria on the 2^nd floor. Not much choice, but I enjoyed it so much. I thought on Nadia and Adri. Im sure the both would love what I was eating that night. SEAWEED SALAD..!!! and Smoked Salmon.

   

OK. Thats it. Let see what would happen on the following day.