Five Minutes

Stalkers Regular readers of this blog will know that I was supposed to be in Shanghai this afternoon to represent my university on a two-and-a-bit week cultural exchange trip. Unfortunately, I find myself sucking down some free Internet at Changi Airport in Singapore still, although I have a boarding pass in my hand for a flight leaving in a bit over an hour.

Long story short: I was sent out a paper ticket for the Malaysian Airlines legs of my trip from Singapore to Shanghai and return. For whatever reason, I never received said paper ticket, and laboured under the misapprehension that it was an e-ticket. Wackiness ensued when I came to check in this morning — although I had a confirmation number from Malaysian Airlines, they (understandably) wouldn’t let me on the flight without the expected paper ticket. It’s mostly my own fault for not re-reading the fine print on the itinerary more closely (it does say paper ticket

under the additional charges section at the end which, frankly, I ignored when I first read it, since I figured it was just taxes — that is the only place it’s mentioned, though), but it does leave a slight lingering sense of general irritation. (Certainly not at Malaysian Airlines or Expedia, though, who both pulled out the stops to make sure I got to Shanghai as quickly as possible. This isn’t like my infamous missed flight in Beijing, which I maintain was Air China’s fault to this day.)

Anyway, once the rescheduled flights were sorted out this morning, I ended up with several hours to kill in Singapore. I decided to hop down to the Hive Backpackers, which is where I’m staying on the way back, and managed to secure a single room for the afternoon to get a bit of sleep courtesy of the helpful staff there. They then excelled themselves by giving me some tips on good places to try in Little India for dinner, which resulted in my enjoying an excellent rogan josh.

Random notes before I go back towards my departure gate:

• I saw a guy on a Segway this morning here at the airport. Yes, really. He didn’t appear to be doing it for any work-related reason, either.
• Starbucks hasn’t improved.
• Bus drivers + torrential rain + overflowing stormwater drains + crosswalks = drenched jeans. I’m not sure they’ll be dry when I get to Shanghai tomorrow morning.
• I’m really dreading my next phone bill. The roaming charges are going to be enormous.
• Two nights of red-eyes in a row split by only about four or five hours of sleep isn’t going to do a lot for my ability to be coherent tomorrow for the first day of the study trip programme. It’s a full day, too — I might have to see if I can beg out of the acrobatics show tomorrow evening to catch up on my sleep.
• The free Internet access here at Changi is pretty sweet, particularly with the array of laptop stations available with Ethernet cables and power points.

Now, off to Kuala Lumpur and Shanghai! Again!

My bank balance has worn one — actually, several — for the team, but I’ve finished a very productive day arranging the various bits of travel that I have planned for this summer. In order, I shall be inflicting myself on gracing the following cities with my presence:

• Brisbane (and any parts of Queensland I can get to during the five days I’m hitting the road that aren’t infested with schoolies): November 20 to 30, ostensibly to attend OSDC. Also the Muse concert on the 21st. I’m still not sure which one I consider more important.
• Shanghai: December 5 to 20, for a university study trip. I also have about 24 hours in Singapore (which I’ve never been to — well, outside the airport, anyway) on the way back, so if the lazyweb has any suggestions for things to do there which could be fitted into, say, a morning, I’d love to hear them.
• Mel8ourne: January 27 to February 3. I note that an open day has been scheduled for my birthday. How good of the LCA organisers to give me such a nice present.

Simplistic maths suggests that I’m going to be out of Perth for ~45% of the time between November 20 and February 3. Sounds like a summer of fun to me!