One More Day In Vegas
Went out to the Strip last night and my Gosh...... You can just smell money in the air-- with the super-crazy hotels and their unlimited resourses. It's amazing how they can exist together on such a concentrated stretch of road.
Now in the hotel lobby waiting for the other crew so that we can go for a buffet lunch at a nearby hotel/casino called Terrible. Yah... Going for a terrible lunch..
Ok, they're here now!!
I'm In Las Vegas!!!
I'm now typing on a computer at the hotel lobby, waiting for a shuttle bus to take me to the Strip, where all the famous landmarks are. Can't wait to see them and again, as a dumb tourist, take tons of pictures with the Peace sign.
Will go out for a buffet breakfast with the other crew tomorrow and then it's Shopping!! Never had a layover that's so packed and interesting and 'not-enough-time'. Wish this is a 3-nite stay pattern... too bad.
Ok, I better stop now. The bus might be here any minute and the last thing I want to do is to close down the browser window halfway.
What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.
My Worst Flight Ever
Let's see, I had my training flights in November, started flying as an actual crew in December, and it's been rather manageable, except for a few bumps along the way. Some flights, you meet with bad crew; some flights, you meet with bad passengers. On this flight which I just came back from, everything was bad.
Part 1) I was waiting at KLIA with another crew for the Japanese crew to arrive. From the moment I see them and make the standard introductions, I knew that they're not the friendly kind that will chat and laugh with you onboard.
Part 2) After the passengers' boarding is finished and the plane's taxiing out, a passenger called me to complain that his seat reclines automatically and there's no way to keep it upright.
Excuse me... if you already know that there's NO WAY to keep it upright, then what to you expect us to do? Get you to another empty seat with a 'steady' back? We would, usually. But that was a FULL flight, and I mean that with no available spare seats.
Part 3) The drinks service went OK, just give them some muffins and snacks and dim the cabin lights for better snoring.
It's all fine until some seriously mentally disturbed guy had to ruin it for me. I was sitting on the jumpseat beside the mid-GLY in the near-pitch black cabin. He came out of the restroom and requested for some water. I asked him for his seat number so that I can bring it to him. Guess what that freak did--- He SCREAMED at me.
"YES YOU CAN HAVE MY SEAT NUMBER!!!"
... And that's not the end.
"DO YOU KNOW WHY YOUR COMPANY IS DOING SO BADLY?? IT'S LOSING BILLIONS A YEAR!! BECAUSE IT HAS BAD SERVICE!!!"
And some more crap I can't be bothered to pay attention to.
There were 3 or 4 Japanese crew in the Mid-GLY then and they 'came to my rescue'. How? By apologising to the freak. That's what they do best-- apologise whether it's their fault or not. I'll love to have an arguement with that freako if not for the fact that I'm in uniform.
Of course I know that my company is in trouble lately and we're struggling to get out of the red. No thanks there for reminding me about that. You're just another pathetic asshole, nothing more... Screaming those tabloid and gossip news on a flight is not exactly an 'achievement' to be proud of. All I know is that you can speak some English. Big deal, asshole.
Part 3) Comes breakfast service, and the last 2 hours of the flight. Can't wait to get it over and done with.
When we're serving meals and a pax is sleeping, we'll stick a piece of paper telling him/her to call for us later when he/she wants it served.
Mr. 'I'm-a-frequent-flyer-so-I'm-important' woke up and pressed the call button. I went over and asked in Japanese-- "Did you call for us?" That's the 'official' and standard phrase we're taught in training. Do you find anything wrong or unappropriate? I don't, but obviously this freako did.
He started to get pissed off and annoyed at me when I asked him. After a few tries, I gave up and told him that I'll call a Japanese crew to help. My compartment incharge took over and I went on with other tasks.
Later, the incharge went to the Aft-GLY to scold me. She said that the passenger didn't want to hear "Did you call for us?" He expected the crew who respond to the call button to say "What is it that you called us for?"
You'll think it's ridiculous to get angry over such a trivial matter. So do I. But you'll just meet with some brainless asshole who think otherwise.
This one wins it hands-down: My Worst Flight ever, so far.
It's Saturday
Thw weekend's here, and I'm not in town to laze it off again. My thoughts are all in dates and not days of the month right now. Ask me when I'm flying off and when I'm coming back, and my answer will be a specific date, not a DAY.
Will try not to buy anything 'useless' and impractical this time. Must remind myself of the card bills I receive every month and impose some kind of mental stress and restriction.
No winter coats or big jackets to bring this time. Feel like there's suddenly so much more space in my luggage case. Will be bringing some of the bath products I bought throughout these few months, and actually use them in the hotel. So far, I've yet to use the bathtub in the hotels. Usually it's a good shower to wash the gel and wax off my hair and POM! to the pillow and ZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzz.
From now onwards-- I'm going to make full use of the bath facilities and water I have in the hotel rooms. Hehehe.
Ok, got to go pack my bags now. It's an easy flight pattern, but the passengers are not easy to deal with, especially their carry-on luggage issues. So far, I've had 2 Saigon flights and on both, the Pax never fail to surprise (or rather, shock) me with how much luggage they carry onboard.
Storage is a problem (we fly with the B767, the smallest aircraft in the company); language is a problem (we're codesharing with Vietnam Airlines--and most of the Pax speak neither English nor Japanese); controlling my urge to scream at the cabin when call buttons keep on appearing for the most stupid reasons is always a problem.
Quote: Don't tekan me, and I won't sabo you. Don't forget-- it's me who's serving you your food and drinks. I can be a bitch if I really want to.
Beware. Hehehehehhehe.
I Need Serious Shopping Control
I don't know what's worse-- me overseas or me in Singapore.
I spend quite a lot whenever I'm outstation, be it in New York, LA or San Francisco. But whenever I get back to Singapore, I spend some MORE. It seems like I always have a shopping list about what I want to buy in the States, and when I'm done with those, I'll write a list of the items I need to buy here at home. The cycle keeps on repeating... and repeating... and repeating...
Here's what I came home with after 2 hours in town:
- Some moisturising products from the company doctor (FOC)
- Chanel Makeup Base
- MTM custom-blended collagen eye masks
- Clarins perfume sample vials (FOC)
- Books from Kino (I never denied the fact that I'm a book nerd)
- H20plus scrubs, shower gels and lotions
- 2 bottles of Fancl Cleansing Oil (I just ran out of makeup remover, so this is a MUST)
- 1 year's supply of contact lenses (I NEED them)
I was bumping into so many people on the train and bus with my bags that I just gave up apologising and pretend to be a spoilt brat on a shopping spree. Heck with whatever they're commenting about behind my back.
Speaking of spoilt brats-- I was watching the MTV channel in New York (I'm not a MTV fan and I very seldom watch it) and saw a program about Sweet 16 birthdays. Ouch. The girl featured in the program get Mercedes and Benz and what ever branded cars for their 16th birthdays from their parents. The parties they hold are super extravagant also... Watch it and you'll totally re-define your perception of SPOILT.
Next flight-- Ho Chi Minh City. Really hope to just stay in the super comfortable hotel room and watch Chinese Channel V (Yes, it's the only outstation with Chinese channels). But the crew I'm flying with wants to go out and explore this time. Hmm... I don't feel like shopping in Saigon this time cos I bought 5 bags and 2 pairs of sandals for myself when I went in December. Still trying to 'break them in'.
Quote: Which is easier? Accepting or rejecting? Maybe I can learn from one of the 36 stratagems--Stratagem 27: Feigning foolishness. ~At times, it is better to pretend to be foolish and do nothing than to brag about yourself and act recklessly. Be composed and plot secretly, like thunder clouds hiding themselves during winter only to bolt out when the time is right.~
I guess I'll just do the 'act blur' part and hide in the loo all the while and ignore all phone calls. Dumb plot. All the dumb stuff on flights is catching up with me...help...
Oops I Did It Again
I did it again. I went shopping in New York AGAIN. Had plans to visit the Statue of Liberty but the temperature was just too low for me to spend several hours out on the river and Liberty Island. The next thing on my list-- off to Broome Street in SoHo where the Kate Spade flagship store is.
Kept on telling myself-- "must control... control... no card-swiping..."
Here's what I ended up buying:
The price of this darling? Well, my parents are better left un-informed.
A slight achievement-- I didn't go into any Abercrombie store at all this time. (Main reason being I already bought the season's new arrivals on a previous trip.) I did, however, walk by an Old Navy store on the way to the Metro Station and Spring's goods are in!
What I checked out with:
While in SoHo, I 'bumped into' a store some of us might be familiar with-- Jurlique. Noooo. I lied. I didn't chance upon the store by luck; I copied the store locations from the company website before I started this trip. So this 2 items I bought are 'officially' on my shopping list this time.
Hehehehe. Call me the Princess of Target Shopping.
Retail therapy--sometimes it can do wonders. It does for me, every flight.
