Travel 101

Rule numero uno: Be on time

If you think about it, after spending so much on train/coach/flight tickets, you would think that we would be reasonable and logical enough to be on time to catch our said traveling medium. But no, asalkan namanya manusia, there will always be errors in our part.

I have had my share of running terkapus-kapus for the train (paling common), coach and (yang paling adrenaline rush) airplane. I used to spend my Easter/Christmas breaks during A level times with Shar and oh my, combining both our poor time management skills, it guarantees many running time kan membubut train/bus! Nya urang tua – inda pandai jara!

My family and I are not known for our punctuality. In fact, let me terlebih dahulu apologise to those who has been affected by my family’s tardiness!!!! So not surprisingly, we have gone through the ‘Home Alone’ scenario of the whole family running around the Airport (I cant remember where, it was almost 15 years ago when this happened) pasalnya kami lalai! Tsk! And no, there was no happy ending. We missed our flight L but I was too young to realize the financial consequences back then!

Perhaps due to my share of poor management, I am always in anxious mode whenever catching a flight. Kadang-kadang sampai termimpi-mimpi bah ketinggalan flight. (The dream always consists of me losing my passport or being stuck in a traffic jam or yang lagi parahnya – all of the above). It’s only when I’ve checked in my bag and stroll around the terminal shops that my (tense) muscles relax. Let the journey begin!

I think one of the incidents yang ‘membagi pengajaran’ is when I was fined 70 for catching on the wrong train. Wa-duh! Ceritanya … I went to Leeds to check out the university and my dear friend brought me around the university and around town. Quite a hilly place, very hip and happening – those were my initial impressions. Anyway, maybe because of the hilly terrains, I was so tired and took a little nap at my friend’s place before catching my train back. Big, big mistake! I missed my train – only by a minute! - and decided (karit kan bali tiket baru) to just catch the next train. Another big, big mistake! Caught by the train conductor (what was I thinking???) and I was fined 70.

Sigh.

Jadilah ani sebagai pengajaran!