The Longest Flight Ever

Like I said before, I have mixed feelings about my trip. Pappy was very supportive and encouraged me to venture out on my own while I’m in the States. I’m here for the very first time and I will be flying very long hours so he said I should really stay a bit longer and see America. Mummy on the other hand asked if it’s possible that I don’t go. HAHA. She’s always worried.

I was worried too because I knew I was travelling alone and I’ve never flew so far by myself. Flying takes about 20 hours and adding the transit and waiting time, it’s  about 30 hours altogether. That’s like one and a half day of flying without proper rest. After going through that, to me a 2- hour or 4-hour is nothing compared to what I just experienced.

Pappy and Iris sent me off at the airport. We had dinner at Eden, KLIA. It was VERY expensive that I don’t know what to order and where to begin. Anyway, I didn’t had the appetite to eat much because firstly, I was still worried and picturing the scenarios I’ll be facing throughout my flight journey from KL to the States. Secondly, I wasn’t in the mood to do anything. I was lost practically. I just forced food down my throat.

My flight route to the US has got 3 transits. That’s how things are when you fly on a budget and you are not required to pay for it, hence you have no power in choosing a preferred route with lesser transit. Anyway….my route was KL – Singapore – Tokyo – Chicago – Grand Rapids.

I flew around 10:45pm from KL with Malaysia Airlines and arrived Singapore an hour later and I checked in at the Ambasaddor Transit Hotel at Terminal 3, Changi Airport because I had a 7-hour transit before my next flight. Yea….it was a bit overwhelming to know about that but it was good experience. I was ecstatic once I reached the hotel. It’s like my adventure had begun and I’ve survived the first bit and looking forward to the second part. The hotel was clean even though it was without a window…maybe because it’s within the terminal.

The room has got WIFI, toilet, TV, a big clock, water kettle and there were 2 beds. It was 12 midnight when I reached the hotel and I had to get up by 4:30am to get ready to check in to my next flight. The check-in counters only opens at 4:30am so I came down around 5am and got myself checked in. Usually you won’t be asked questions when you check in at the counter but this one had an officer/guard as you enter the check in area and he was checking my passport and asking me questions like did I left my luggage unattended before this, how long will I be in the States, why am I there and so on. Once I passed that, only did I get to go to the check-in counter and was told that my luggage is checked through my final destination but then I will need to collect my luggage at Chicago, which is the first port of entry to US for custom clearance, and then check the luggage in again after that. (I have no idea how this works so I was worrying about it again).

I walked around the airport to kill a bit of time as I was still early. I sat at one of the sitting area with TV. The chair that I sat on had speakers on both inner arms so it was cool.

…to be continued