A seasoned traveler’s rant Part 2

The thing about cheap flights is that, they are cheap. Well, compared to other airlines of course. One may think that it is smart to travel the so-called no-frills flight especially to countries like Indonesia. But when you paid so little, does it mean that your comfort and time is compromised, if not jeopardized? What is it about Air Asia and delayed flights anyway? This was my first time flying Air Asia and I know that delays are expected. If you are flying say from Penang to KL and there’s delay for half an hour or so, then I think it is still acceptable because you are still in the same country and time zone. But imagine if you’re from Jakarta, which is 1 hour behind, on a Sunday night. And you have work on Monday.

That was what exactly happened to me two weekends ago. My flight to KL was supposed to be at 820pm but around 2pm in the afternoon, Air Asia sms-ed us informing that the flight was retimed to freaking 11pm. Three bloody hours. We have already checked out of our hotel and shopping can only be done until 5 as the shops close at 5pm. We were basically stranded at the hotel lobby. When we got to the airport, after checking in and whatnot, we waited in the departure lounge for more than an hour. Bloody hell. The flight wasn’t even there yet. They gave us free food as compensation. But who would want to eat it anyway as I’m sure most people would have taken their dinner earlier before checking in. The flight finally arrived from God-knows-where but we have to wait for the passengers to disembark, their luggage out, our luggage in, taxiing forever as if the runway is so damn big yada yada yada and finally we took off at 12am. That is 1am Malaysia time. The flight took 2hours and finally landed at the God-forsaken LCCT at 3am local time. By the time I reach home, it was 5-ish. And I had to go to work at 9. It does not help that it’s a Monday.

Note to self: If I ever travel by Air Asia again, I shall take the earlier flights so as not to be in the same predicament.

Note to others: If you have an urgent meeting/appointment and whatnot which require you to fly, try to take other flights. But if you have no choice but Air Asia, plan well. Take the earlier flight or better still, fly a day earlier. Don’t take chances. Seriously.

The only delayed flight.

The food they gave us

under the weather

I once read somewhere that either Capricornians or those born in January are resistant to illnesses but prone to colds. Alhamdulillah I hardly fall sick but when I do, it’s really bad. The part where one is prone to colds is very true. I don’t think that I’m allergic to dust, fur or have asthma but when the flu bug bit me, it is really bad to the extent that I wish I could take off my nose and put it in a jar for it to recover (while preventing others from getting the virus too) and then attach it back when it’s well. I would have runny nose or blocked nose and I will not stop sneezing. And I hate it when I feel like sneezing but then tak jadi. It is so depressing. I guess the weather is to blame. One minute it’s hot, the next minute it rains cats and dogs. Today I feel feverish, have runny nose and the whole works. I just couldn’t stand it so I went to the clinic to get my mc. The stupid clinic that I always go to is so damn stupid. I went in and the stupid nurse/receptionist asked me, “Nak jumpa doctor ke?” I was like, duhhhhh! Why would one go to a clinic if not to see the doctor? I don’t know if she noticed the annoyed look on my face but I sure hoped she did as I said, “Iyelah.” Then she said, “Boleh datang lepas sembahyang Jumaat tak? Sekarang ni ramai orang tengah buat medical check-up.” I was like, wtf. The sun is blazing hot and my nose couldn’t stop running so naturally my boiling points (and temperature) raised not one but a few notches. I said, “Lepas sembahyang Jumaat?? Sorang je ke doctor? Takde doctor lain??” She replied, “A’ah.” Bloody hell. Like I have nothing better to do than wait until after sembahyang Jumaat. Who would want to hunt for another clinic in such a hot weather and in such rimas condition? But I have no choice so off I went while saying to her, “Tak reliable langsung clinic!” pffft. So I had to go to another clinic and there was no one at the clinic and I was attended to instantly. Now that’s what I call a first-class service.

As of now, I think I almost finished one box of tissue paper and my eyes sore from the ‘heat’ from Vicks.

weekend project part 4

Where was I last weekend? I was in a neighboring country, about 2hours flight away from KL. It was my first time ever taking the no-frills flight so I was quite excited. We reached Soekarno-Hatta International Airport at about 7pm Jakarta time (surprisingly no delay pulak) Since this is my second time to Jakarta and since it is solely a ‘shopping trip’, I did not take a lot of pictures like before. Fortunately our hotel is very near (read: 5 minutes walk) to the shopping haven called Mangga Dua. The purpose of the trip was to shop for wedding stuffs so I did not get to buy stuffs for myself that much. Now now don’t get excited there. It is not for my wedding, mind you. It is for the sister’s wedding. I tagged along to menyibuk help sis choose whatever stuffs that she needed. The last time I was in Mangga Dua complex, we ate at this really yummy bakso stall so Mum and I decided that we must find that stall again or else kempunan. So we walked and walked and got sesat here and there. It is very easy for one to lose his/her way in such humongous shopping complex with blocks and blocks and floors and floors of shops! If you have been to Mangga Dua or Tanah Abang, you’ll know what I mean.

The thing about going on a holiday is that you tend to eat and eat and eat. And what better way to eat than to try the street food, right? So on one of the nights we went to a place called Jalan Sabang where there were stalls by the roadside. At first we were kinda skeptical and worried to eat at such place due to its condition and what not but we thought what the heck. Barulah Lonely Planet. Hahaha. Luckily we didn’t end up with stomach ache except for sis who had a slight tummy ache the next day. We assumed that her tummy is not used to such foods anymore what being in the UK and eating bread most of the time. Mana tak terkejut perut makan bakso, nasi padang segala.

Anyway, as much as I love shopping in Jakarta because of its dirt cheap price, the things that I noticed are:

• Never trust those people. The minute they see that you’re a foreigner, that’s when they will lambung the prices sky-high and you know that it’s not the actual price because when you ask them they will hesitate a while before putting the price.
• Malaysia has the potential to be just like them in terms of driving where red lights were jumped; cars change lanes without giving signals, taxis stop in the middle of the road as and when they feel like it or the minute they see a potential passenger.
• There are people (kids and adult alike) begging for money especially at traffic lights. They will come to your car/cab and will beg for money. Luckily the taxi drivers always lock their doors. As much as we pity them, we did not give any as giving to one will only invite the rest to come to you. But if you don’t give, some will just walk away with sad faces (leaving us feeling guilty) while some would curse and sumpah seranah which only God knows what it means.
• When you eat at a Nasi Padang Restaurant, they will serve you most, if not all of the lauks available. But of course they will only charge the dishes that you eat. Unlike the Nasi Padang places here in KL (Kg. Baru to be precise) you get to choose the lauks that you want. I think it’s a clever (in a cheeky way) to serve all the lauks because you get tempted to taste whatever was laid out in front of you.

Despite it all, I will not hesitate going to Jakarta again. Things are cheap, foods are nice, halal and easily available, shopping is crazy. what more can I ask for?

a seasoned traveler’s rant

it is almost 4 in the morning and here i am blogging. i am sleepy yet i couldn't sleep. i can't sleep, unless and until i have finished packing my bag. i will be leaving for Jakarta (again) later at 440pm. that means i have approximately 12 hours. as much as i love to travel, i really hate the packing part. gosh. i've started packing since 130am yet it's still not done until now. the reasons being, one minute i'm folding the clothes, the next minute i would lie down and play with my phone. one minute i'm refilling my toiletries bottles, the next minute i would try on shirts, thinking which top to wear and whatnot. one minute i'm sorting out the undies, the next minute i would add apps on Facebook lie down on my bed (again) and layan the lovey dovey songs on lite n ez. you get the picture. how hard is it to pack for a 4days3nights trip, right? i wanted to travel as light as possible as i am very sure a lot of damages shopping will be done so i have to minimize the amount of clothes. besides, i will be flying the "no-frills flight" which limits the luggage weight at 15kgs (only?). just when i thought i've finished packing, that's when i remembered the knick knacks such as earrings, tissue papers, hand sanitizer, cotton buds, facial cotton and the list goes on.

now where the hell did i put those padlocks. and my passport. and which shoes should i wear? there will be a lot of walking so i need a good pair. perhaps i should bring along a slipper just in case it rains. damn it. who says traveling is fun?

not to forget, selamat menyambut Maulidur Rasul to all Muslims. selawat ke atas junjungan Nabi Muhammad s.a.w.

mark my word!

the sister is back and look what she bought for me. =D

even though the horn is ok now, i still want to put the sticker up. only thing is, it's a sticker. it's not the kind that can be peeled on and off or one of those squarish signs with a suction cup that you see on most cars. so how the heck am i supposed to put it up? i can laminate it and then what? how am i supposed to attach the suction cup? i really need want to put it up but i have no idea how. there's no way i'm gonna stick it on my bumper. if it rains, it'll be gone in a jiffy. why don't they make one of those squarish signs with these words instead of some spoilt-brat words like "princess on board" or "shopaholic on board". now that's what i call an attitude!

finger pointing

so the 12th General Election is over. the opposition won in my area. gaaaaaahhhh! does this mean that i'm gonna have to stay at home? does this mean that i can no longer wear short skirts and revealing tight tops? does this mean that i'm gonna have to cover my head? i hope not. gosh. now i regret for not 'exercising my right to vote'. as much as i hate to point fingers, i blame the relevant organization for not reminding young people like me to register. they know that there will be a General Election this year, so why didn't they advertise it on TV or radio to remind us youngsters to register ourselves? how hard is it to put up a 1-minute ad on TV or radio and say:

"ANDA BERUMUR 21 TAHUN DAN KE ATAS? JIKA YA, ANDA SUDAH LAYAK MENGUNDI TETAPI SUDAHKAH ANDA MENDAFTAR? TENTUKAN HAK ANDA DENGAN MENGUNDI. DAFTARLAH NAMA ANDA DI SEKIAN-SEKIAN TEMPAT SEKARANG."

or was there an ad somewhere that i've missed? i may sound ignorant but to be honest, i didn't even know where the hell to register in the first place. am i to blame? no point talking now though. am just gonna wait another 5 freakin' years. let's just hope that the opposition menunaikan janji-janji manis mereka. for a start, reduce the fuel price ASAP!!

weekend project part 3

this time around, it's not a masak-masak project. but it was a project to get my car fixed. i told dad about my horn problem and he told me to go and survey at other shops. "bukan ada satu je kedai kereta kat sana kan? check a few shops and compare the price." right. bila bagitau, dia suruh buat sendiri. kalau tak bagitau, he'll go "kenapa tak bagitau dulu? pandai2 je buat blablabla." dads. he wants you to tell him so that he'll feel 'looked-up to' yet at the same time he wants you to be independent and do it by yourself. anyway, i dragged lil bro (he's been using my car anyway so it's fair that he come along) and went to several shops but only one shop has the button thingamajig. after the guy checked it, he told me that it's gonna take about 1/2 hour to order the thingamajig. told him that i'd come back later and sent my car to another shop for servicing. after a bowl of cendol each and a plate of rojak later, my car is done and off i went to the shop to get my horn fixed, only to be told that the thingamajig hasn't arrived yet. at that time, my boiling points is slowly but surely rising. i asked, 'berapa lama? tadi kata setengah jam. ini sudah lebih satu jam, xsampai lagi ke?' the guy replied, 'kejap aaa kak, sikit jam lagi.' ten minutes later, it still hasn't arrived. my boiling points have raised another notch. 'on the way la kak.' i said to him, 'dari tadi on the way. on the way dari mana? kalau dari johor pun on the way jugak kan?' i told him that i'd come back later and the thingamajig better be there when i come back and went to a nearby 1.99 shop. after a while we returned to the mechanic and finally, the thingamajig is there. the guy installed it for me and charged me a whopping 80 bux. that is, after i bargained. initially he charged me 85 bux. i told him, 'xkanla mahal sangat. bukannya button mini cooper ke, BMW ke,' and he laughed at me. hmphh.
so now, i have a horn yeay! but then again, some people are either deaf or ignorant when horned at, so the finger is still very much in use.
oh, in case you're wondering what car i'm driving, it's a *CLK. no kidding.

*Cute Little Kancil-a new name I got for my car, courtesy of Azim a.k.a Mr. Pele Pele.

pon!! pon!!

I don't know what I’ve done wrong or who I have sinned but it seems like some of my things are acting up on me. First, I have ms. cranky lappy who will come alive as and when she feels like it. Second, my hand phone is starting to 'hang' or go completely blank. I think my hand phone is now merajuk with me because I am in the midst of surveying for a new hand phone. It’s not like I’m gonna totally replace it anyway. I’m just getting it a new companion. Thirdly my car horn refuses to make that cute but annoying sound. In case you didn’t know, this car of mine has a mind of its own. tak padan dengan kecik! Actually I’ve been having problems with my horn for quite some time now and I’ve made several trips to the mechanics to see what was wrong. They checked and meddled and screwed and tested and it went ok. For a while that is. Then it started to act up again. Sometimes bunyi, sometimes tak bunyi and sometimes it depends on which side/angle that you press, and then only it'll make that sound thus the reason why I curse a lot on the road. *sigh* the last time I checked with the mechanic, he said that the buttons are faulty so I have to change the buttons, which will cost about RM100. Another alternative is to change the steering wheel, which costs about the same, unless if I choose some sportier, rempit-look steering wheel, which of course, would cost more. But the mechanic said, "kak you kalau tukar ini button pun aaa, tada jamin tau dia ok. kalau tukar steering wheel, lagi bagus la. lagi itu horn punya button di tengah. So susah la mau rosak." Right. I batted my eyelashes and gave him one of my cutest smiles asked him to give me a cheaper price considering that I’m a loyal customer, selalu datang yada yada yada but he won’t budge. Ok, so it did not work this time. Hahaha. But I think the reason why he wants me to change the steering wheel is because he wants to help his friend's business, who is the owner of the shop selling the steering wheels next door. Hmph. I told him, "takde steering wheel yang simple2 ke? Yang macam perempuan punya? itu semua macam rempit la! tak original dah. kereta I kereta perempuan tau." Then his friend chipped in, "pakai kecik sikitla, lagi sedap bawak. ok apa, matching la u ambil kaler hitam. match sama you punya air-cond." euwwww. Seriously, my car would scream Rempit with a capital R if I change the steering wheel. In the end, I told the mechanic, “Takpelah, nanti I fikir dulu mau tukar steering wheel atau itu button saja.” So he screwed whatever he unscrewed and off I went, still with no horn.

Now I regret for not buying a bumper sticker I found in London saying:

“HORN NOT WORKING. WATCH FOR FINGER.”

Sis, can you get it for me instead? Thank-you~

weekend project part 2

what would you do when you have this sudden craving for something sweet and chocolatey? you would dig your kitchen cupboard and hope that you find something that would satisfy your craving. so when i had this craving today, instead of meratah Koko Krunch or Milo, i ransacked the kitchen cupboard and found a packet of Betty Crocker Double Chocolate Chunk which i think sis bought some time ago (nope, it hasn't expired thank God). so i put on my apron, took out my baking utensils, mix the ingredients and voila, yummylicious double chocolate chunk cookies are baked. this is what i call a perfect snack (don't mind the calories) on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Betty Crocker is a super duper genius. seriously, it is so easy to have your own home-baked cookies with an invention like this. the ingredients are easily available and the instructions are so easy to follow. luckily i have all that is needed, namely vegetable oil and an egg plus 2 tablespoons of water. that's it.

GENIUS INVENTION

THE INGREDIENTS

MIX IT ALL UP

UNTIL IT FORMS A SOFT DOUGH

PLACE SMALL DOLLOPS OF THE DOUGH ON A GREASED BAKING TRAY AND BAKE FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES WHILE ENJOYING THE WONDERFUL SMELL

VOILA~

am off to the kitchen for more cookies now. i'm slowly but surely turning into this blue creature hahaha.