We have to send a telex!

I spend a few days back in Hong Kong before returning to Jakarta. And...since a return Jakarta-Hong Kong is way cheaper than Hong Kong- Jakarta I decided to get a ticket in Jakarta last week.

No worries, went on cathaypacific.com and booked my ticket..as usual. Unfortunately I had to book the morning flight on monday as the afternoon was fully booked. Maybe due to the fact that Indonesia had a long weekend off as it was there independence day. (wikipedia) This year their 64th day.

Anyway, when rocking up at the airport express station in Hong Kong...with a big suitcase I was happy to see that there was hardly any queue.

When checking in, the attendant said: oh sorry, you will have to wait for an hour or so as we need to check your status. Uhh, sorry what do you mean? Well if you fly to Jakarta we need to verify if you will be allowed in. Hmm, well they let me in for the last few times AND as you can see there is a multiple entry business visa. So.....what is the problem. The supervisor had to send a telex to Jakarta to get approval for me to be checked in and board the plane. As per Immigration department directives.

I was already thinking on how to kill that waste of time, whilst trying to understand what was going on here. Even if I didn't have the multiple entry visa..I can get a visa on entry.

Then the light went on. As I was returning to Jakarta....I didn't have a ticket out (well that was the assumption). Funny enough...I do have a ticket and it is an eticket. So, before I was send off to Starbucks or so to kill an hour of my time..I told the gentleman that I do have a ticket to leave Jakarta. Upon which he returns if I am carrying the ticket with me.

Uhhh no, thats the point of e-tickets--- not to carry stuff like that anymore. Anyway, he was kind enough to check the system... and tadaaaa there it was....the magic word to clear the sky :)

My boarding pass was printed, suitcase taken in... and there were the words: enjoy your flight!

china conquers the world

Yesterday I was on a flight from Hong Kong to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia again.

As China is developing more and more, its citizens start traveling around as well. I remember reading that a good number of tourguides at the Eifeltower have to learn Mandarin to service this new market for them.

More and more I find those travelers take part in interesting activities when traveling. For many of them its their first trip abroad and they are not always used to the "safety" rules and regulations on board.

On this flight there was an other group on board. We left the gate without any troubles, taxied on the run way. Suddenly I hear a loudspeaker conversation beside me. When looking left I see 3 elderly mainland ladies having a good laugh via a speaker mobile phone with one of their friends. When more people are staring at them, they realize hmmm maybe not the best thing to do. So the lady ends the conversation, unlocks her seatbelt, stands up and puts her phone away into the overhead lockers, roams through her luggage to find some things...... This is all seconds before the plane takes off :)

Recently I had a similar situation, when landing though..... always interesting :). In the newspapers was an article where a gentleman occupied the toilet for a long time. When the flight attendant checkec up.....he said he was having a bath in the little toilet room........

More to come

free wireless @ Hong Kong Airport

I am now waiting at the airport for another flight to Bangkok.

Had a flawless drop off of my lugage at Hong Kong station, before boarding the Airport Express. It is not that cheap to use compared to an airport bus that leaves close to my home, however the bus goes right through the city...which can be a bit of a pain during the day.

Anyway, I was already wondering when it was going to happen, but since Friday December 1 Hong Kong Airport has FREE WiFi airport wide! The service is delivered by PCCW's netvigator.

Excellent news this is, as I can now have a pre flight coffee and get the last news in and out :)

Good job guys!