On the way to Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) in KLIA.
My ten-day short winter break in Malaysia finally came to an end on January 4, 2011.
We started our journey from Malacca early that morning, heading towards the north. We were on a two-in-one mission - Michelle would send me off at LCCT, and she would head to Putrajaya to settle her stuff later that day. So, there was no emotional waiting-in-the-airport-for-few-hours-and-bid-goodbye-at-the-departure-gate moment this time. The journey to KLIA took us approximately two hours.
When we we approaching the airport, the CD in the car played a song which always makes me emotional. It was Jay Chou's "Kai Bu Liao Kou" (开不了口). Aiyo, why-lar of all songs and of all time, it must be this song at such moment. I actually almost break down, but luckily I was able to cover things up without letting Michelle noticed it. I only told her about that once I was back in Japan and she was kinda surprised to hear that.
The international departure hall at LCCT.
Upon reaching the drop zone at LCCT, I took down my two luggage, said goodbye to both Michelle and her Mom, gave the girlfriend a warm hug, and that was it. A short and simple farewell. It was good that she wasn't allowed to stop too long at that area and she had to leave immediately. Otherwise, staying longer will only make the farewell harder.
Again, another farewell at the airport. That is why sometimes, as much as I love it, I hate airports too at the same time.
Was Facebook-ing at McDonald's while waiting until my boarding time arrives.
Time for lunch, which was also my last meal in Malaysia before I leave. Ironically, I had my first meal at McDonald's too upon reaching Malaysia ten days earlier.
Again, another farewell at the airport. That is why sometimes, as much as I love it, I hate airports too at the same time.
Was Facebook-ing at McDonald's while waiting until my boarding time arrives.
Time for lunch, which was also my last meal in Malaysia before I leave. Ironically, I had my first meal at McDonald's too upon reaching Malaysia ten days earlier.
It was only half-past nine in the morning and my flight was at two in the afternoon. That means I had to spend the next five hours at the airport, alone. Actually, it was not that bad because I have been through such situation before. Besides, I had my MacBook to accompany me.
The free Wifi service at KLIA was accessible from LCCT, so that was the thing that accompanied me for the next few hours.
Almost all flights in LCCT are Air Asia flights.
Check-in counters were open two hours before flight time. The young guy from Air Asia who handled my check-in was extremely friendly.
The most simple, thin and cost-effective boarding pass I have ever seen haha! It looks like it's just a piece of receipt, doesn't it?
An interesting method to advertise your service at the airport, by getting a pilot and some air-stewardess to dress in an unusual way with sunglasses put on.
That botak Japanese guy (left) was so excited to pose with them haha!
I was able to online during my waiting time, so it was not that bad.
Roughly about two hours before my flight time, I made the way into the departure gate. Going through the security check and the Immigration counter was just like usual. I realised that I was among the first to reach the boarding gate. I guess the rest probably prefer to be there in the last minute. Unlike my trip back from Japan ten days earlier, this time the passengers were mostly Japanese.
This is the furthest point you can go when you are sending your family and friends off.
Roughly about two hours before my flight time, I made the way into the departure gate. Going through the security check and the Immigration counter was just like usual. I realised that I was among the first to reach the boarding gate. I guess the rest probably prefer to be there in the last minute. Unlike my trip back from Japan ten days earlier, this time the passengers were mostly Japanese.
This is the furthest point you can go when you are sending your family and friends off.
The boarding hall may not be as futuristic and modern as KLIA, nevertheless it was still a decent place.
The waiting room after going pass the final security check.
I guess I have to make a mention here about the service from the airport staff of Air Asia. Generally, they are friendly and ready to attend to your inquiries, or whenever you need any help. During the final security check, a security staff asked for my passport and boarding pass. While flipping through the pages of my passport, he posed me a question in his Indian accent, a way that I find it quite funny.
"Bagaimana dengan visa anda?"
I only remembered about buying some drinking water to bring into the plane after I went pass the security check. So, I asked them whether or not I can go out to get some stuff and return again afterwards. I was given the green light; I just need to leave my boarding pass with them and show my passport again when I wanna get into the waiting room.
A friendly reminder here, you are allowed to bring your own drinking water into the plane, as long as it was bought from the shops there, after the main security check through x-ray machines earlier.
Time to board the plane, first by walking to the plane.
Then continue walking, and look right, left, and right again, before crossing the zebra crossing.
There are two doors, you can pick whichever one you like.
Finally, take thirty-eight steps up the ladder and give a hop on the last step.
I wonder whose hand was so itchy that they cannot even spare the cushion of the head support. Like that also wanna simply conteng =.=
Like I have mentioned earlier, the seat was quite comfortable, and amazingly, it fits my long legs!
Since there are no in-flight entertainment provided in this flight, unless you fork out some extra money for it, the flight can be really long and boring, even more so if you are travelling alone. So, here are a few of my suggestions you can try out, not only when you are taking AirAsia X flights, but also when you take other low-cost airlines.
- Sleep. That's the simplest and obvious thing to do, right?
- Read a book. Make sure it is an interesting book, or else you might end up doing #1 lol!
- Look at your watch, and count how long to go before they start to serve food.
- Take a peek at what the person sitting next to you is doing. You can try and initiate a conversation if he/she looks like a friendly person.
- Move you legs a bit or other in-flight exercises once in a while to give better blood circulation and avoid them from being numb.
- Take more liquid - plain water is the best and avoid alcoholic beverages so that you will not be dehydrated throughout the flight.
- Walk to the toilet and if there are too many people lining up, walk back to your seat and try again after five minutes.
- Listen to songs from your MP3, iPhone, iPod or whatever other devices that produce voice.
- Play games using your PSP, handphone, iPad or whatever devices that is playable haha!
- Watch a movie from your laptop. But always make sure the movie you see is not NSFW material.
- If you have finished all those things listed above, repeat the whole thing again from #1 lol!
It was an almost full-house flight. Looks like Air Asia is doing good business with this new route to Tokyo.
The air crew doing a manual head count just before the plane leaves the gate. That guy was the only Japanese on duty on that day.
This is not Hainanese chicken rice; but it was Air Asia chicken rice. Wonder how does it look like?
Okay, maybe it's not the best-looking chicken rice, but the chilly sauce was really good!
I sat beside a Malaysian couple, whom I assume on a holiday trip to Tokyo from their body language. We didn't speak a word until the final two hours of the seven-hour long journey. The guy sitting beside me was the one who initiated the conversation. He asked me if I am a student studying in Japan. From then onwards, I found out that Sam and Grace are Malaysians who has Australian PR and are currently residing in Melbourne. This Tokyo trip was their first oversea trip and they were really looking forward to it.
As they always say it, the world is really small. Both of them originated from Ipoh, a short one-hour drive from my hometown in Taiping.
It's almost time for landing in Tokyo, so they air crew walked around the aircraft to collect rubbish from the passengers.
Landed safely in Haneda International Airport thiry-minutes earlier than scheduled. That's Sam and Grace, by the way.
There was quite a distance between the plane and the arrival gate, so there was shuttle bus service for the convenience of the passengers.
The Air Asia air crews wore a thick red bath robe, as if they were going to have some jacuzzi bath haha!
Kotoshi-no Kanji, or "Kanji of the Year" at the arrival hall of the airport. The Kanji for 2010 was 暑, which means "hot".
In a nutshell, the introduction of the new route to Tokyo on a much cheaper rate has open more opportunities for people to visit Japan, and also to attract more tourists to Malaysia. I guess it is a smart and good move, a win-win deal that benefits both sides.
Thanks to AirAsia X, now everyone can fly xtra long.
The food collection that I brought to Japan from Malaysia.
Thanks to Air Asia X, I also get to bring back some cookies for Chinese New Year this time!
