Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Atlanta, Georgia, USA

The night before christmas, well, my flight that is, I had nothing packed, I had an MBA meeting, more reminder that I'm so not ready, everyone had pages and pages of written work, I brought along my laughter. It'll be done, by Monday, I'll do it sure.

I was thinking, how should I plan my night? I could go home, or I could go and hang out, something that I had planned earlier. So, hesitantly I had decided to make a stopover. I had this weird feeling that I shouldnt, and I had asked myself why I wanted put myself in such risk, right before an important event the next day. As I thoguht about it again, I figured, well, nothing really ever happens we just worry too much sometimes.

And so it was, that I made a stop over, the night before my flight, with nothing packed, and work in the morning.

And who could have known? Who could have anticipated? That my car, now of all times, would cease to operate. Leaving me stranded, with a 5grand notebook in one hand and 5 grand dough in my pocket. Lets just say "I told you so" goes pretty good with the instance.

So I crash at Kn's and in the morning, just so happens my car works again, now isnt that strange? Guess I was meant to get on the flight. Sometimes things work in weird ways.
I summarize the days before my flight as crazily busy, confusing, and definitely not organised. I suppose that sometimes there are priorities that you set before others that causes you to mis-forsee your objective.

I took alot of time to think up what I was missing, what I knew I would tell myself to bring and then would definitely forget about when I board my flight, but I couldnt think of anything, it was simple this time, pack some clothes, not too many, and...well, that's it.

So I'm off to work, and the MD gives me his last instructions and his last farewells, as I wish everyone the same.

Boarding the flight, MH094Q, I walk into the plane, it was stuffy and humidly warm, is the whole flight going to be like this? I so so hope not! It was, well at least for the first half an hour or so, and it smelled!! Horrendous smell, remind me not to reserve seats in the rear, coz that's exactly what it's going to smell like...rear.

I didnt have alot of time in the M'sian airport. So I couldnt really go duty free shopping. As we landed in Taipei for the transit, it was cold, so I pulled my jacket from my bag...BTW that jacket, went into the bag at home, came out of the bag on the way to the airport, went back into the bag in the airport, came out of the bag in the plane, went back inside the bag and then...you get the point.heh.

Anyways I was hoping to have a cig when I got out of the plane during transit, but, alas, the custom bag checker guys set up right in front of the "smoking room" and closed out all the other areas with velvet ropes except the ropes werent velvet, and I dont think they were ropes either, they were these red elastic things. Anyways I went down to the transit waiting area, got some weird paper cups, had a "cup" refer to figure, of water, called home. Went back upstairs argued with the uniformed lady, and got my cig.

So back on the plane, this time for 11 friggin hours!! There weren't that many people on the flight, I actually share 4 seats with a 4 year old kid, meaning two for him and two for him! AND THEN!! It all started, it was the little boy's bedtime, he took three of the seats to sleep!!! And me, poor me, had to try and stretch my legs under the seat in front of me. I was watchning movies and then went to sleep, next thing I know it was time to eat, and then I'm here.

I cant wait for the day I can afford First Class!!

Anyways immigration was fine, getting myself to Terminal 5, Delta, was fine too, so now, I just wait. For my flight. I had a brief encounter with the weather outside, I think that jacket is going to vacation in the bag. It's not that cold, it's just like an air conditioned room. 16C, something like that. I remember once asking someone to air condition the world for me coz Malaysia is way way too hot!! This is a good alternative. It's winter, it's Christmas, and it's not really that cold. Perhaps it's too early.

Oh BTW, I was outside just now at like 530PM, it was dark!! Like no sunlight. It's 5pm, sheish I could really get use to this, so much night, so little day. It's no wonder people work only till 5pm, coz that's when it gets dark. In Malaysia it gets dark at 7something PM, and guess what I have to work till 7something...how ironic.

Calling cards are really really expensive, 10 DOLLARS, 9 minutes, and most of the 9 minutes is used for people'voice messages!!!

Nobody answers their phone!!! They say, call me when you get there, so that I know that you have arrived, so that I wont be worried. Chyeaaa right. No more calling for me, if you wanna contact me, email me!!

Oh and BTW there isnt wireless here in the Delta portion of the airport. There was last time, but I think it was somewhere else. Who cares, this place is too big to wander around, especially when I'm sweaty, dirty and gross. I really need to take a shower. I really need to get there quick!! I think I'm only getting into Atlanta at 5am, that's way too much time spent travelling.No time, no productivity, no nothing, just idle...*sigh*...Low batts, gtta go for now, Decemeber 15, 2006; 11am Malaysian time, 6pm LA time, 11pm Atlanta Time.

4 hour flight to Altanta and if feels longer than the 11hour one I had from Taipei!! Coz there was nothing to do on this plane except entertain yourself by trying not to squish the person next to you coz the seats are so small!!I finally reach the airport in Atlanta, and guess what, noone is going to pick me up!

I figure, that's okay, I'm sure it couldnt be that hard to get some form of transportation to the hotel. Boy was I wrong!!!There are these shuttle things, those are great, it's like a van that takes you right to the hotel, costs $30. But guess what! My hotel isnt on the list!!! How much better can this get??

So I ask the lady at the INFORMATION counter and she says "I have no idea"...okay then, thanks missus INFORMATION counter!!! YOu're REALLY helpful!!!

I'd call the hotel but I dont have the number...wait I do have the number, it's in the notebook! Okay so turn it on and get the number! Oh Frigg! Remember the low batts from above...yeah, no bats at all now!!! I have to look for a friggin power point now!! Oh Frigg again!! POwer, remember the engineer who forgot the voltage difference and whadaya know the adapter too! YyyEAH, I forgot the little plug thing.

Thank God, for being there for me in times of need, the notebook that was purchased, came with both types of plugs, thank goodness for the smart people at Compaq, who took into account the dumb people whi fly from Malaysia to Atlanta and forget to bring the adapter...

The friggin bags are friggin heavy!! I realised that I dont have three arms!!! Why? Why did I not remember that before?????!!!

So I'm lugging three stroller bags around trying to find the non-existant plug holes in the wall, there are none!!!Wait...! There are some on the floor!!! That they plugged the inceneratir trash cans into! Shite, they're locked!!

I walk around lugging a hundred pounds of luggage, and YESSSsss! I find a trolley! Why didnt I think of that before?? Oh yeah coz it costs THREE DOLLARS!!! 11.1 friggin ringgit!! I could eat lunch, three times!!!But I found one unattended, I'm going to count to three then leap and bound and hopefully no one will see me taking over an unattended trolley!!

Run!! Yessss I got it, and oh LOOK!! Plug holes right next to the escalator, on near the floor, I dont care this is it, I squat on the floor remove the notebook from the bag, plug it in and viola, I got the hotel phone number!!

Yippie! God is watching over me.

I stroll lightly to the payphone drop half a dollar into the phone and ring the hotel...I'm at the airport, I need to know how to get to the hotel, what town is it in, what is near it so I can take a shuttle near the place and then a taxi...

Urmm...oh you take the 400, exit at 10, drive about 20 blocks to east and it's on the left.....
Urmm...Huh? I dont have a car!!
Urrrmmmm, oh okay, then ummmm...wait...you can take Marta, and get off at North Point...it's near there...

MARTA is the train. Oh okay, that's great, I figure like KLIA express! Brilliant, all my problems are solved!!

So I stroll with my trolley thinking see, that wasnt so bad, buy a ticket, and the lady says you cant bring that trolley up there.(to the train)

I was like no problem, I'm good, I could lugg the luggage up the elevator, then get on the train then take a cab and no prob....

I get up the elevator, gonna find a seat to wait for the train, check for my passport - right pocket, check for the money - left pocket, check for the...SHIT!!! Where's my HAND BAG??!?!?!?!?!?

Wholly OH Fugg!! Shit Fugg, fuck!?!?!?!

Slam on the elevator button, the train has arrived, fifty people get off and slam on the elevator button too. Look I know you're in a rush, but I've lost my friggin IDENTITY, card, wallet, amongst other things, my boyfriend is going to KILL me and disown me, and....COME ON!!!! WHere is the friggin LIFT?!!??!?!

Lugging three overweight stroller bags again, I ask the nice uniform lady, can I leave my bags here with you because i lost my bag and I really NEED to find it QUICK!!!
You cant leave you bags here. Nah uh....

SHIT SHIT SHIT, cant argue with her need to go find my hand bag!!!
I run as fast as I can lugging three HEAVY HEAVY bags, and go back to the, I have no idea where!!!

I know the ground, near the escalator where, I sat on the floor checking the notebook for the phone number!!! It must be there, shit, where is there????

Fucking hell!!!! Just walk, my arms are getting tired, my hands blistering, keep going.....
And then I see it, 5 people, with security tags, one in green, one in dark blue, one with specs and white uniform, a lady, surrounding my hand bag, staring, pointing, leaning over to see what it was. Was it a bomb????

I run over drop the three bags with a thud on the floor, as people crowd around. I found my handbag...they thought it was a bomb!!!

I left it on the chair I was sitting in right before I pounced at the trolley...Dear Lord Heavenly Father, thank You for looking after me. Thank You!!!!In Jesus's Name I pray, Amen.

I have no trolley, I have all my bags and I slowly, now I'm really lugging, back to MARTA, the ladies in uniform, bring me a trolley so that I can go up the elevator, they sympathise with me, saying that I was really lucky, saying that there is a God.

She pressed the elevator for me and accompanied me to it. AND the elevator doors open, I want to walk in and I hear a "GET OUT" "GET OUT OF THE ELEVATOR NOW"!!! Two black....wait...african american people dressed in almost rags, smoking in the lift.

Shit I aint doin nothin wrong!! GET OUT NOW, SECUIRTY!!!Comeon lady, the train is gonna leave. GET OUT OF THE ELEVATOR NOW!!! I hear the shouting, it freaked the shit outta me....

WHAT the hale am I doing? I shoulda just paid the friggin hundred and fifty dollars, I'm never doing this again!!!!

As I wait for the train the two African American homeless people stare at me, which makes the other twenty african american people stare at me too. There were no white people, just alot of gangster looking black people. I'm shittin my pants now!!!

SHIT!!!!

just look down, and wait for your stop. That's what I told myself...My bags were in the aisle, the aisle was small, I couldnt protect all three bags, I thought someone was gonna take one and run on one of the stops!!!

I sat there, and tried not to look at anyone, in fear that they'd ask me something like"whatcha lookin at?"!!!

I finally reach my stop and this nice black guy with a tag comes and offers his help, he's kinda an old guy so after hesitating for 10 minutes he takes the bag and helps me, and tells me about taking a cab or the bus or something. He brings me to the cab, I thought what a nice man. Maybe he works here.

One the way to the cab, he asks, so do you think you can buy me something to eat???!?!?!?!?!
WTF!!??!?!

I give him 3 dollars, he leaves I meet the egyptian taxi guy, he drives me to the hotel which is like three highway exits and $25 away!!!

I finally get here, there's no bell boy to help me with my bags, the smoking room smells, and now I have a headache.