Touched down in Toronto last night. After more than 20 hours of travel, I feel kinda numb. I am just happy I got back. So many things got in the way of me trying to fly back.
First, I left Brunei on Sunday to spend a day in Miri with the family. We managed to snap some family photos.
One of the better pictures
I flew off to Singapore the next day to spend two days with Jen Hong and Alicia. Singapore can be FUN! After two days of shopping and exploring Singapore. Did not manage to take many pictures in Singapore.
MRT station in China Town
Then on Wednesday (Singapore time), I took the bus and SMRT to the Changi airport. I arrived at 8am for my 9.30am flight to Hong Kong. Hong Kong was just a transit to get to Canada. When I reached the check-in counter, they informed me that my flight has been moved to 1pm. This meant I would arrive at Hong Kong later than planned and therefore miss my connecting flight out of Hong Kong. I DO NOT want to be stranded in Hong Kong. (Actually now that I think of it, it might have been fun)
Anyways, I started to panic. If I miss this flight, I might have to buy another ticket to Canada and they do not come cheap. So then I tried to call Air Canada (the people who decided to change my flight without informing me) but no one took my calls.
When I returned to the check-in counter, they told me that they have changed my flight AGAIN!!!!!! They changed my flight to an 8.30am flight. I looked at my watch. It was 8.20am. So I miss THAT flight.
The awesome people at Singapore Airlines got me on board a 9.30am flight to Hong Kong. So everything was back to the original plan. I departed at 9.30am and arrived at Hong Kong 4 hours later. Four hours of flying and being seated on a plane is nothing compared to the next flight I was going to take.
I had no trouble with the connecting flight in Hong Kong. I even spoke Cantonese to Hong Kong people. One life achievement done. I left Hong Kong for Toronto sometime in the afternoon. Time tends to get fuzzy when you're dealing with flights that crosses time lines. After about 16 hours in the air, I landed. I think I am numb to the long hours in the air. Sort of gotten used to it by now. Not that it is something enjoyable, just necessary.
I landed in Toronto at 5.45pm. My connecting flight to Windsor was to depart at 6.45pm. I went to claim my luggage. That took a while as the luggage were late. By the time I got my luggage and passed through customs, I was told that I could not make the connecting flight to Windsor. GAH!!!
They redirected me to a counter where they gave me 11pm flight. They also gave me a 10 dollar voucher to get food at any store in the airport. While waiting for the flight at the gate, they announced that they needed two people to give up their seats on my flight to Windsor. They would offer a 200 dollar voucher for the next ticket purchase with them. It sounded good to me and I was in no rush to get back. And they would put me in a hotel for the night. A shower sounded really good to me at this point.
So I headed to the counter to ask about volunteering to give up my seat. I asked them why they needed two people to give up their seats. I was told that they overbooked the flight and two people do not have seats on the flight. They said that the two people who give up their seat would get a 200 dollar credit to their next ticket purchase. And they would also pay for a hotel stay at the Double Tree Hotel nearby. The stay came with a free breakfast. They also gave me another 10 dollar voucher for the trouble. And the shuttle to the hotel was free anyways. So at this point, I have not paid for anything.
Ten dollar voucher for food
View from my hotel room in the morning
I could see a lot of people being pissed at this point, with all the directed flights and mess up. But I was not in a rush to get home; I had nothing planned. And I like to travel at a relaxing pace. I like the rush too actually. I think I just like to travel.
:D
Anyways, I am here in the Pearson International airport in Toronto, waiting for my flight to Windsor.
Everything is good.
