Not much to tell about my flight from KL to Melbourne. Well, actually I almost missed my flight to KL because some crazy things that happened at the airport. We queued for nearly 1.5 hours to check-in. I queued with a British young guy who got heavily hang over and broke! He didn’t even have money to buy water. I guess I saved his life (exaggerating, of course!) by giving my bottle water.

But I just almost missed the flight. I didn’t miss the flight. So things went well.

It was nearly 8 hours flight. Just two hours before we landed (more…)

language….
Still about language. After being ‘questioned’ in three languages (where none was mine!) in 15 minutes, I tried to guess what language would be used by Malaysian Airline crews to speak with me. I observed that the crews spoke in English to Caucasians (white) or those who looked Caucasians, Chinese to those with (East) Asian look (straight black hair, slanted eyes, yellow (?) skin), and Malay to those who were browny. It was my turn….. “What language would appear?” Malaysian Air staff looked at me. He asked, “Boarding pass?” I answered without word. Just smiled while showing my pass to him. (more…)

10:19 am, the Grand Ballroom of Hotel Nikko Kuala Lumpur

I’m sitting down quietly at the Sixth East Asia Conference held by the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia. Listening….. to what? Perhaps to the blurring bits coming from out and inside of my head.

As one of the role players (that’s the term the host used to call speakers and moderators), I am sitting down on the first row. Next to me are Mrs Malayvieng Sakonhninhom, the Acting Director General of the Institute of Foreign Affairs of the Laos Government, and HRH Prince Norodom Sirivudh, the Supreme Privy Counselor to His Majesty the King of Cambodia. Wow, powerful people…. Scary, huh?

A question is popping out my head. Why am I here? (more…)

The night before I left Pittsburgh I was contemplating on my last airport experience. I was questioning myself,”What is the possibility for someone to experience unusual airport experiences in both of her departing and returning trips?” I guess it supposed to be really small. That thought made me kinda certain that no big thing would happen in my departure back to Tempe.

Last night I packed my bag before going to bed so I could check out easily in the morning before attending the last batch of conference today, I went to bed and in the morning, while woke up a little late, I still managed to check out and ‘titip’ (store) my luggage at the receptionist desk before walking to the University of Pittsburgh where the conference was held. Things went well!
(more…)

I know that every time I make a trip some of you, the blog readers, expect to hear some typical travel stories of Lady Dayeuh. Believe it or not, because you expect unusual (or usual in my case) trip stories, I have been trying harder to be more prepared, so in the end you’ll get no crazy stories anymore! Pingin bilang rasain luu….

But weird, the more I try the harder it gets!
(more…)

Continued from part 1 and part 2

Honestly, after seeing that line on the screen, I almost gave up. I said to myself, “This time it got me! I cannot be lucky all the time, can I?” But before I started thinking too much, I heard my name was mentioned on the microphone. I looked at the source, it was the airline desk next to me and I saw Kenny was there and I heard him saying, “Ms. Lim is here.”
(more…)

Indonesian version, click here. 

continued from part 1

As promised, the driver got me at the US Airways door before 10 am. I quickly walked to the elevator-on-to-all-gates. I was contemplating about asking for an assistance. I felt that I didn’t really need a wheelchair. It’s still a bit painful to walk but I could walk fast with a cane. Also, getting an assistance could take a lot of time. At least 10 minutes to register and wait for a wheelchair. So I decided to just go by myself. Yet, I knew so well that if the queue were long, then wheelchair-journey would have saved a lot of time. I had less than 20 minutes before the gate closed! The gate would be closed by 10:08.
(more…)

Indonesian version, click here

7:30 am, the alarm rang. I woke up and glanced to it.

Arrrgh, what it is all about? Too early to wake up! I need more sleep!

I came back to sleep and more than an hour later the story of my day began…..

It’s 8:40 in the morning!!!! And where am I? Still in bed. What day is today? Tuesday! Oh, my flight is taking off at 10:23 am and is scheduled to board by 9:53 am. Should I just forget this trip? Perhaps so. Oh, perhaps not.

(more…)

continued from Part 1 and Part 2……

After putting my brain on a 30-seconds work, I decided to find what the faith of my glasses was. This decision emerged especially because I felt that I had a chance to fight for the glasses’ faith after losing about 16 pairs of glasses all over the world! Who knows, this time I had a chance?

I ran to the Gate 19 and quickly found the KLM desk, which unfortunately, was attended by a very nice English lady. (more…)

continued from here…..

I quickly got out of the alley but I hadn’t decided what I’d do. I then caught a glimmer of a bunch of people sitting down at the waiting room. I was still ignorance on what they were waiting for. Then I saw two male, teenagers, walked close to the closed gate. One of them said, “Do you think we should get in?” “No, we’re not allowed,” the other replied. The the first teenager said, “But she got in.”

I suddenly realized that they were talking about me! She was me! And quickly I also realized that these people were waiting for my flight. I then saw a big clock hung not far from where I stood. 8:01 am! (more…)