One stormy ride (Trip to Beijing)

On 16^th June, just as the Return of the Condor Heroes was about to start at the local TV channel, the taxi which about to fetch my dad and I to the airport had arrived. We waved goodbyes to my mum and brother then step into the taxi and began our journey to KLIA.

Unlike what people say about Malaysian people have their own Malaysian time (which means that being half an hour late), we were almost one hour plus early compared to the time we should gather at the airport which was 10.30pm. So, we lingered around counter 14 (the place we should gather), snapped a few photos, find TV which broadcast live football (we couldn’t find any) and lastly we sat down and wait.

Thank god, the tour guide arrived early! We check in our luggage and received our passports with several documents that we need to fill (mostly written there was what you going to bring to China, if you didn’t bring so much cash and any expensive items and you should ok to tick “no” in all the checkboxes). Happy to see the tour guide arrived early but sad to hear that we need to wait for another one hour then only we could get in the platform. Sigh.

Finally, we can set off to the mystery borders where only passengers with international ticket are allowed to pass. (Ok, I admit that I’m a bit too excited because it was my first time.) We traveled to the international terminal using the shuttle train. The train is designed so that 99% of the passengers are standing. There are only a few seats for the elders. Out of the train and into the custom department. Using the “auto-gate”, we slotted our passport for the gate to scan, and we pressed (very hard) our thumb at the scanner for verification. Once done, the gate opened. Most our tour group members found that “gate” strange and new. It’s like UFO. The first few were clueless. Then last few with helpful tips and plenty of example to follow, passed through the gate successfully. (I was fortunately lining up at back.)

After all the chaos the custom gate, we arrived just in time to get into the plane after we have our body scan and hand luggage checked. All I could remember is endless walking and I wondered those who had few minutes left managed to rush for their plane. Our seat number is 40 which was nearly end of the plane. The good news was I have window seat and the view was not blocked by the plane’s wing; the bad news was my seat is nearly at the end which means that the seat is the shakiest and the food and water come to you lastly.

Once I sat down on my seat, I had a sudden surge of fear of the plane take off. As the captain announce for take off, I obediently put on the seat belt and grab the pillow for comfort. The plane accelerated and at last we were on the air. On the plane, the stewards served us hot napkins and late night supper. Then, we have our two hour nap. Inside the plane, the temperature seems to be about 20 degree Celsius. I kept on sneezing. I barely could sleep. Blame those turbulences and the lightning flashing beside my window. The seat belt signal hardly switched off at all. Not to mention that my seat vibrating like a massaging chair.

To make my trip more enjoyable, I fully utilized my window seat – to look down below (of course when there was no lightning around). The night view below was beautiful. When sky was clear, you can see the stars and moon so close to you. You will feel that you were surrounded by stars (stars plus city lights).

And soon, it was the breakfast hour. They switch on the lights (I was about to sleep). Then the usual procedure, hot napkins distributed and then the food. In my entire life, it was the first time I had my breakfast so early. Lack of sleep and a terrible motion sickness drained off all my appetite. I force a few spoonful of fried rice with chicken into my mouth and chew the food slowly (thank goodness I did that because they do not provide breakfast at Beijing which we have wait till lunch). Only thing I enjoyed while taking my 4am breakfast was the sunrise view. It was beautiful. It was my first time to set eyes on the sunrise by the horizon. I stayed at the place where you can find amazing sunsets view but never able to enjoy sunrise by horizon. So, I happily take a few snapshots of the sunrise. Around 5am, the sun light was so bright till I need to pull the curtain because it irritates the eyes.

Around 5.45am, the plane started to descend. We could feel the pressure difference (it was ear-blocking time). My seat vibrates as usual and plane was not stable enough. My motion sickness was at its peak. Once the plane landed, I was so anxious to get off the plane immediately. Unfortunately for back seat passengers, we had to wait. Then finally we can slowly throng off the plane. Yeah, finally I was on hard solid land!

Hello, Beijing! I had arrived!

Extra note: Later, we were told that those midnight flight passengers were nick-named as the passengers who come from the red-eye plane. With only two hours sleep, we could not think properly and did not get what our tour guide meant. Later, facing at the mirror, we were fully understood what she meant. Our eyes were bloody-red!