Monday, July 13, 2015

(Pre) London '15 Part I

Ahhh.
I'm really one blessed girl to return to London after exactly a year.


Last year, I went on a semi-solo trip to the UK to visit Nadia. I say 'semi-solo' because I flew from KUL-LHR by myself for the first time and I saved up my 4-month salary from working as a part-time waitress to pay for the entire trip (including a week trip to Europe for myself AND Nadia!)
Mama & papa only gave us money to spend and for food. Of course, even that itself was a lot, but I felt so accomplished to actually travel with my own hard-earned money. HARD-earned ok, you do not know how hard it is to serve slow-cooked chicken breasts to working customers with 30-minute lunch breaks. Wanted to cook myself sekali with the chicken because I was too scared to face the customers.

Anyhoo
My parents haven't gone to the UK since '12, and since my dad considers London his kampung, we went over the summer to visit Nadia and Zaim.
My parents left on the 23rd of May, a week before me because I had finals.
I left on the 31st of May, travelled alone again. I don't know, but I love traveling alone.
My last paper ended on the evening of the 30th, so Uncle Aziz picked me up (and my 9 luggages) late evening and I started packing for my 2-week holiday like, 4 hours before my flight. Hehe.

Bye, dorm room!

What last minute packing looks like..

My flight was at 10am, so I had to be at KLIA by 6am, which meant I had to leave at 5am.
Right? Wrong.
I left the house at 4am. Hehe. 
6 free hours before my flight? HEAVEN.
Nadia would probably roll her eyes if she was with me, she never understood my need to be too early for everything. But I haaaaate rushing, and I always tell myself something bad will happen if I leave even a minute late.

And as usual, I was right!!!!!!!!!
Left the house at 4am. Was a pretty smooth ride to KLIA, no accidents, no lorry terbalik, nothing.
So I thought to myself, "Ah takpe lah, better what! At least can makan and take my time with it"
.................
As soon as I reached KLIA, Uncle Aziz helped me with my bags and so kindly waited with me until I was settled.
So there we were, standing in front of the huge screen with all the destinations and gate numbers.
Blank.

"Um, kalau gate number tak keluar that means I'm too early right, Uncle Aziz?"
"Ye kot, Uncle Aziz pun tak tahu because I don't travel a lot"
"Hmm. Betul lah tu, takkan dia saja tak taruk kot kan?" 

----30 minutes later----

This was a little too fishy. KLIA started to look like a pasar malam with probably the whole population of Malaysia squeezed in an airport.
Got a little nervous, so I went to the information counter.

Me: Hi, flight to London Heathrow MAS tak keluar lagi eh gate number?
Airport girl: Dik, sekarang guna system baru. Kena self check-in dekat kiosk situ
*points to a line of people as long as the wall of China*
Me: *gulp* ..TU? Yang panjang (resisting the urge to add GILA BABI) tu?
AG: Ha'ah

Things I wish I had said after that:
KALAU DAH TAHU SYSTEM BARU, KENAPA TAKDE ANNOUNCEMENT OR AT LEAST A SIGNAGE? KAU INGAT SEMUA ORANG TRAVEL SETIAP HARI KE KAU INGAT BENDA NI COMMON SENSE KE HELLO ANSWER ME WOMAN I WILL KILL YOU

What I did instead:
Oh laaa ye ke? *fake laugh* Tak tahu pulak saya..

Bangang.

But at least I left the house at 4am for something.
So by the time I queued up to check-in and queued up again to drop my bags at a separate counter (with a line just as long), I literally had to run to my gate.
Of course I stopped for Boost because I couldn't have a proper breakfast, thought that would do before I ate a proper meal on the flight. Boy, was I wrong.
Was so hungry that I think I asked the steward 5 times when my food was coming, I think I saw some of them run away when they saw me.
They probably got so fed-up that they gave me my meal the same time they distributed the pre-booked meals. Hehehe.

My flight was so smooth, alhamdulillah!
Take off and landing were seamless, practically slept through it.
I never had anxiety when I fly, anyways. In fact, I loved flying and every chance I could take a flight somewhere, I would. Even a 45-minute flight to Penang would make me happy.
Watched one (fine, three) Korean movie on the flight that starred Woo Bin. I had probably did this without realizing, but some people were giving me looks, so I might've shrieked a little. 
Whatevs, makciks.

Finally! Landed in Landahn Town after a 13-hour flight!!!
I don't know why, but those immigration officers always scare me. I know I haven't done anything wrong but whatever they ask you makes you doubt yourself.
"Is your name really Tania?"
"Holy shit holy shit is it???? I don't know!!"
That didn't happen lah, but you get it.

Came out of the arrival gate expecting a huge banner with everyone and confetti popping and balloons
...
No one was there
Texted the family group chat, "HELLOOO THE QUEEN IS IN TOWN WHERE IS EVERYONE"
Mama replied, "Ya Nadia is somewhere there"
-______- okay, then

Nadia appeared a second after that out of no where
Couldn't say I was too excited to see her..
HAHAHAHAHA jk
Bought our Costas and off we went to find a cab back to the apartment
The second I stepped out of the airport, though..
"Hellooooo Summe- WHY IS IT SO COLD!!!!!!???"
15 degrees, beb. Aircond aku paling sejuk 2 selimut pakai socks bagai pun 22 degrees.




Nadia & Zaim (ft. my annoyed I'm-bloody-freezing face)


Okay, I talk way too much and I'm too sleepy to continue.
So 'til next time, pray I don't forget about part 2. Hah.

xxxxx,
Tania





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