{"id":41,"date":"2020-10-15T21:25:53","date_gmt":"2020-10-15T13:25:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nordin.kembali.net\/blog\/?p=41"},"modified":"2020-10-16T17:48:51","modified_gmt":"2020-10-16T09:48:51","slug":"an-adventure-about-to-unfold","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nordin.kembali.net\/blog\/?p=41","title":{"rendered":"An Adventure About to Unfold"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Originally posted September 17, 2009 \u00ac 10:44 AM<\/em> on previous web server <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Breathless, Unbelievable, Awesome \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEn. Nordin, your booking is confirmed. The reference number is ABCXYZ. Please quote this number when you come to our ticketing office to collect your ticket by 25 September\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I had just booked myself a Malaysia Airlines seat from Kuala Lumpur to Sydney, Australia, and a seat for the return journey from Perth to Kuala Lumpur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well..it sounded easy, but it was not as straight forward as that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I had to make two phone calls to the airline. During the first call I was informed that for the first leg of the journey, Kuala Lumpur-Sydney, all Economy seats were already sold out. Only Business and First Class were still available. Blast ! That poured very cold water to my plans. I could not afford other than Economy on the 5-star airline, could I ?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Five minutes later, I called the airline again. I got connected to another, more pleasant agent. This time I managed to inform her my whole itinerary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then she informed me, \u201cEn Nordin, for the Kuala Lumpur-Sydney sector I will put you on waiting list, and for the Perth-Kuala Lumpur sector, it can be confirmed\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hmmm. That was much better. My plans might yet be realized then ..<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor the waiting list, what is the chance of success ?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c50-50.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen would I know the outcome ?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCall us again in 3-4 days\u2019 time.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

No good. That would be in the middle of Hari Raya (Eid celebrations marking the end of Ramadan fasting month). I could not picture myself on the phone handling the suspense while others in the family were having a good time celebrating Hari Raya.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And more importantly, that would not give me confidence to make commitment for the other part of my plan. If I made the commitment now and it turned out in 3-4 days\u2019 time that my seat to Sydney was not available, then I would have lost nearly a thousand Australian dollars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat about Business Class ?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, sir. Still available.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decision. A quick one. Come on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOK. Put me on Business from Kuala Lumpur to Sydney. And Economy from Perth to Kuala Lumpur.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the phone line I heard taps of the computer keyboard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDone. For the KL-Sydney sector would you like a window seat?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019d be good.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUpper deck or lower deck ?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I had almost forgotten that this flight would be a Boeing 747-400 with a stretched upper deck. And during my company\u2019s better days several years ago I always favored one deck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUpper deck.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOK. And for the Perth-KL leg, shall I put you on a window seat as well ?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, and put me on the right side of the cabin, near the emergency exit where there’d be bigger leg room.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDone. En Nordin, here are your flight details \u2026.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And she went on the read me the dates, times and flight numbers, which I noted down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEn. Nordin, your booking is confirmed. The reference number is ABCXYZ. Please quote this number when you come to our ticketing office to collect your ticket by 26 September\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThank you..\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I put down the phone, and turned to my notebook PC. The website was still displayed on the LCD. I clicked on the Booking tab, typed in some details, and was immensely and surprisingly pleased that I would not be paying the near-thousand Australian dollars after all\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might be wondering by now, what are all the fuss about ? What are the plans that I mentioned above ?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n