Anyways, missing a flight was a very confusing experience. Yes, confusing. Because I can't recall feeling consistently the same way throughout the whole thing. Feelings came in waves and phases, and oh, all so different and conflicting. For the benfit of anyone interested, I will chronicle this event in detail. (Warning: The following text may be disturbing to some and may cause a change in your opinion of me. Reader discretion is advised.)
Some background: My flight was at 7:40am on Monday. The previous night I had gone to sleep at 1 am in the night. I also have a new phone on which I set my morning alarm, on the fateful Sunday night.
Monday, 6:35 am: I woke up with a start and lazily reached out for my phone to check the time. I was pretty sure the alarm hadn't rung and hence the 'lazy' stretching. Upon seeing the actual time on the phone, I first went into denial. ("Ah this is bangkok time, so in singapore it's still actually 5:35am. Plenty of time. Oh wait, din I change my phone to Singapore time yesterday? Shit Shit Shit") In a record time of 5 mins, I brushed my teeth, washed my face, wore my clothes, called a cab, grabbed my bags and left home.
Primary Feelings- Disbelief, Tinge of panic
Monday, 6:45 am: I started pacing frantically near the bus stop below my home, dishevelled, sleepy and frantic, waiting for the cab to arrive. I get a call on my phone. It's the cab driver. "Where u ah? I wait long time for you here". When I informed him of my location, he dove into a tirade of complaints and whining. " U know, u give me wrong location ah. I oredi at Bus stop, u not here. Cannot this way lah!" Much against the fact that I had actually given the right location and that he was infact standing in the wrong location (well its my post, so I get to tell the story my way), I apologised and simply begged him to get to me quickly
Primary feelings- Frustration, Desperation
Monday, 7:05am-After 2 more equally-retarded phone conversations with the Taxi driver, (TD: I reach dead end, how to get to your block from here ah? Me: Huh?), checking my watch a million times, and swearing at everything repeatedly (stupid taxi driver, stupid phone, stupid flight times, stupid travelling, stupid me!), the taxi driver finally arrived. But before I could send a silent prayer to god and set off speeding towards the airport, the taxi driver launched into a tirade of complaints in a way that only singaporean taxi drivers can manage- (and I quote the conversation verbatim only coz it is so hilarious)
TD: U tell me wrong place. I got wait for you and you stand here. not right u know. Must tell right place lah!
Me: It's ok. Just take me to the airport
TD: No is not ok. Cannot do this way u know. Ur mistake!
Me: Ok fine, its my mistake, sorry. Can we now please just go to the airport really quick. I am really late for my flight!
TD: PIE very crowded you know. cannot quick. Right now when I come, was jammed. Ur flight, what time ah?
Me: 7:40
TD: U know must reach airport 1 hour before flight. Cannot do like this ah! flight close oredi mah!
Me (in my head) : Oh really? A whole one hour? I did not know that!!!
So yeah, tolerating 1st rate complaining and 3rd rate driving, I made my way to airport, thinking to myself- Shit, I'm not going to make it!
Primary feelings: Irritation, Anger, Impatience
Monday, 7:30 am- I reached the airport finally and walked upto the check-in counter, still hopeful that I could get onto the flight (how retarded can my optimism get). Of course, I ended up checking into the next available flight which was only at 12:20, a whole 4 hours away.
Primary feelings: (Blank)
Monday, 7:45am- The first thing I realised once I was no longer trying to catch a flight, was that my stomach was grumbling. So I sat at a cafe, drank orange juice and sorted the contents of my hand bag (simply coz I was bored and my hand bag was really heavy. It seemed logical at the time). And what a wide array of pointless things. 4 pens- all in working order, 3 pairs of earrings- all too big for me to wear to work, 2 samsonite keys- to god knows which lock, 1 measuring inch tape- Don't ask. What was more glaring were the things I was missing- No iPod, no passport photo, no return itinerary (last two for visa on arrival at bangkok). Anyways, over the next four hours I caught up on personal emails and calls that I had been putting off, I sorted out my personal post that I had been carrying around in a bundle (and most of it was junk), and actually got some productive work done. So by the time I made my way to the boarding gate, I was actually feeling pretty good about myself.
Primary feelings- relief, unexplicable laughter, satisfaction
PS- I realise this post seems a little incomplete. That is only coz recounting the events of monday has gotten me as tired as the events themselves did. And I think I prefer to go sleep or do something equally unproductive. Cherio!
Currently Reading: Sawasdee- Thai Airways inflight magazine
Currently Listening: Hold you in my arms- Ray lamontagne, Volcano- Damien Rice, kabhi kabhi aditi zindagi- Jaane tu ya jaane na
2 comments:
Yo Nimbu Pani Volcano is a great song beats I remember and Blower's Daughter by a mile.
Neat writing.
I couldn't agree more! But I think 9 crimes and Cheers darlin' come close seconds
Good you could drop by...
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