The ride over

Wednesday, 28 Feb 2007 | Journal

It was such a great night, not being able to sleep and thus without any sleep making my way to the airport at 5:30 in the morning. I got there at 6, checked in and departed right on time aboard Air Asia flight FD3501. Air Asia itself is really not that bad. Old planes, non-assigned seating and you have to pay for food and drinks, but a cute stewardess and on-time arrival makes up for all that.

Less so was I happy with the people I was flying with. I arrived at the gate and settled near the doors to the plane. I smiled and said goodmorning to Miss Air Asia. The waiting area was filled with a large Chinese tour group, loud and obnoxious and incredibly rude as it turned out. While waiting to board the plane, we were all asked to form a neat line and while doing that those Chinese squeezed me out of the line. By the time I got to the place where they take your boarding pass, I just took my trolley and stuck it in between two of them and rudely moved back in. I’m a nice guy, but I ain’t having none of that. The lady taking the boarding cards, Miss Air Asia, noticed what had happened. And I guess because I said good morning to her, she said ‘sir, when you get to the bus I advise you move to the front’. I didn’t think anything of it, until we got to the plane … where the driver opened only the front door … allowing me to pick the best seat on the plane! Thank you Miss Air Asia! Of course, the Chinese group who had (in Chinese, but you can tell when someone is talking about you) been making jokes about me was non too happy with this. But I was! har har …

I got to the Singapore Changi Airport (due for a revamp by the way) on time and had to pick a taxi. There are 3 classes of taxi’s in Singapore; the normal Toyota Crown that looks similar to the ones in Hong Kong, middle class grey cars and expensive white Mercedes cars. Typical Asia, deriving status from everything including what taxi to take. I wanted to take a normal taxi, but was forced into a middle class car by the valet on duty. I later learned that was not allowed and I should report the guy. I won’t. Anyway, here is a tip I got from someone who lives here: if you arrive during peak hours or need to go anywhere on the west side of Queenstown … the set rate of 35 Singaporean dollars for the expensive Mercedes will be a better deal than going by meter in the lower or middle class taxi.

Arrived at the hotel, the Amara in Singapore (the Gallery turned out to be full) early morning. Nice hotel, good rooms, expensive internet service, impersonal service… you know, the reason why I really wanted to get a room at a different sort of hotel.