To the land of Kiwis - A frantic start

The plan was to meet at the airport and check-in together, then dinner at the airport. Unfortunately, I got tied to work on the day that I was suppose to leave Malaysia.

It was already evening when I left the office. I did a few last minutes packing and hitched a ride to KLIA. In the car, I was told that for international flight, I should checked in and get through the security checks two hours before the flight. My vehicle-operator (a.k.a. the person who drove the car), frequent traveler himself(though for business), was well aware about it. So while speeding along the deserted road, he told me to try to check-in online. His concern was real, it was 7pm, and I was still in the car! My flight was scheduled on 9.10pm.

I took out my laptop, thanks to Celcom, got connected to internet (you'll be amazed at the coverage!). I logged on the MAS website. Yes, I could check-in online. But I wasn't sure about my luggage. I think I was suppose to print the slip and paste it on the luggage. Since I didn't have any printer in the car, I had to keep my finger crossed and hope for the best.

Thanks to the hair-rising-car-ride, I reached the airport in a jif. I practically jumped out of the car, grabbed my suitecase from the trunk, and ran to the counter. I thought I was late, but there were this other bunch of caucasians ladies running to the counter too! And they had less than an hour to check-in and get pass the security to catch their flight!

The efficient service at the check-in counter was great. Checking-in was a breeze. I, along with the Caucasians ladies, made a dash to the departure gate and the immigration check. At the immigration counter, I wished the ladies good luck and ran frantically to my boarding gate, while at the same time hearing the boarding call announced over the speaker.

I reached my boarding gate around 8pm. Panting for air, I looked around and saw none of my travelling buddies! A few minutes later the gate to the waiting area opened, and still no sign of my buddies. I was baffled. Earlier in the car, they told me via the telephone, that they'd checked in. I gave them a call. They were still having dinner. They didn't hear the announcement. Now it was their turn to rush to the boarding gate.

It was a great relief when I finally saw them. They packed a burger for my dinner. Unfortunately, the soft drink had to be tossed away at the security check. I gobbled down the burger (thankfully I didn't chocked on the food). We boarded the plane soon after I finished my food.

The flight was uneventful. All the facilities was great - in-flight entertainment, the food, and the juice. The guava juice was great. I asked for refill numerous time, so often that the flight attendant knew my face!

We touched down Auckland the following morning.

To the land of Kiwis - The Preparation

The first item on my "to-do-list" was: GET WELL SOON.

I had poxes on my back, torso, arms and thighs. Gratefully, only few made they way to my face. With New Zealand trip on the horizon, I diligently took the doctor prescription. I also took heed of traditional remedies: drinking coconut water. Another traditional remedies was not to eat oily food and soy sauce to reduce scarring of the poxes. And, the hardest part, not scratching the itchy and burning poxes-covered-skin!

After two weeks of recuperating at home, I was well enough to go to the office. I hadn't fully recovered but I needed to return to work. Work had begun piling up. Still a little weak, the first week back in the office, I stayed indoors and minimized contacts with people. I had to cancel meetings and site visits, which didn't help in clearing my backlogs. Thankfully, at the end of week, to good doctor gave the long awaited all-cleared sign. By then, I only left with three weeks to clean my slate before flying off to the land of Kiwis.

In between work, thanks to the internet, Ma Hen, AD and I managed to coordinate our preparation. Ma Hen: Ground arrangements. AD: food and rations. Me: electronics and gadgets.

"Electronics and gadget? What's that?", you would ask. Among the items in our ground arrangements was a self-drive-road-trip. Even though Ma Hen managed to get directions for our destinations, safe to say, none of us are any good with directions. AD and I, both, have "direction-deficiency-syndrome". Just another way of saying we can't really differentiate the word "left or right". Ma Hen, well, from past experiences, is not the best navigator because she fall asleep in car rides. Normally for navigation, we have another travel companion which have never been mentioned in this entire blog, and shall remain so until required.

Anyway, realizing that we were a little handicapped in the navigational area, we decided to go hi-tech. My Samsung SGH-i780 is GPS enabled. So I was entrusted with the task of making navigation simpler. Thanks to the internet, I managed to get a free copy of New Zealand GPS map. Converting the map using Garmin Mapsource, I was able to load the map in Garmin XT installed in my Samseng (typo is intentional ;) ). For those intending to do this at home, please backup the original mapfile in your mobile phone to avoid future heartache in case things go wrong.

Other than the GPS, I also brought along my laptop. We all were using digital camera. Based on my Italy trip, digital camera tend to make us snapped more photos. Laptop is required just in case we ran out of storage space in our tiny memory cards. Other than laptop, I had chargers - for laptops, handphone, and dSLR. I also had car chargers for the Samseng, and a power inverter, just in case we need power point in the car. Photographics equipement packed in my bag included: 3 lens (the kit, a zoom, a fisheye), dSLR, flashgun, 2 memory cards and a tripod. Suffice to say, we were high-tech ready for the trip.

Then finally, the day came. The night of 1st May 2009, we met at the airport and began our journey to the land of Kiwis!

Material World

No, material world got nothing to do with New Zealand trip, though some material were needed for the trip. Will post another entry on the subject once I complete it.

I've this habit of dressing down, and in doing so, appearing less educated than I actually am. Most of the time it was just because I don't like to dress up. Some of the time, it was intentional. Just to give people some sort of false impression to discover how people would react. Remember how surprised the headmistress from Jakarta to hear me speaking English fluently? And then again, an Australian in one flight home?

Yesterday was different. I've only met the headmistress and the Australian once, this workshop that I went however, is where I've been sending my cheap-Malaysian-made-car for a few years now. All these while wearing slippers; track bottoms and t-shirts, or t-shirts and jeans.

It wasn't my intention to see how they react. They've always been polite. They have been calling me "Adik" - a common term for Malaysian to refer someone younger then themselves. Due to my skinny frame, I often appear younger that my actual age.

That morning, just the same as previously, the lady behind the counter called me "Adik". I handed my keys. Then I called a colleague, asking if there was anyone available to pick me from the workshop.

I couldn't wait for the car. I had an early meeting. Fifteen minutes or so, a colleague came, driving the unmistakeable company's 4WD. I saw it from the waiting area, through the glass wall. I quickly exited the glass door and walked to the car.

Later that evening, when I came to collect my car, I noticed the lady was being a little 'formal'. She dropped "Adik" and addressed my more formally. I continued with my usual easy and laid-back ways but at the same time wondered about the sudden change.

It was during the drive home that I realized what had happened. That morning, I went to the workshop wearing full suit, ready for meeting. Except for my bright orange backpack, I might have had a 'corporate look' that morning. Then, the phone call I made, requesting someone to pick me up. And some one did came, with the company car.

All that transpired that morning must have crushed any previous notions she had about me!