Wednesday, May 6, 2009

The Lull.

So.. my current tasks entails me to be in Singapore for long periods of time. In between my stay in Singapore I would go back once or twice a month just to stock up my lungs with the polluted Malaysia air otherwise it'll collapse and die. Also to stock up my appetite with the food of course, otherwise *I* will collapse and die. Sorry Singaporeans, I really can't stop bitching about the city local food. I've heard that food around your hdb flats are awesome but heartland areas are like another continent to me.

Anyway, one of the worst parts of going back to Singapore after a short stay in Malaysia is the waiting period for the flight. The freaking airport is like a no moving time zone. It's like the place where time goes to take its last breathe and pass on. It's okay if you're in the airport with someone, or if you know you're off for a holiday. Not so great when you are there by your lonesome, especially after a really hectic schedule in Malaysia spending time with everyone you care about and running errands, waiting for the damn flight to take you back to the land without smiles, for work.

So you're there at the airport. You go through the motion - check in, immigration check, then move to the waiting hall. You tell yourself you'll bring a book along with you - just to pass the waiting time during the no moving time period. Sure you've got the laptop - but it's too much of a bloody hassle taking it out of your bag, waiting for it to boot, and then having the wifi function seek out a wireless connection which may or may not be working - you know lah Malaysia. Gaya ada, mutu... dipersoalkan. So fuck the laptop. You have the book. And you know you're not really concentrating on the book because you keep staring at the watch willing with every fibre of your being for time pass but it's only been 20 seconds since you last checked. Crap. Rinse and repeat another 30 times.

Then you look around and you notice there are happy shiny people with their happy shiny partners smiling talking, in their damn casual clothes and their damn screaming kids and their damn bright happy suitcases. And you picture in your mind squishing them with your bare hands because who are you kidding? You're blooding miserable and everybody else around you should feel just like you goddamnit. Argh screaming kids. I hate screaming kids. Slap the parents! Mind squish everyone!

You read another paragraph of your book. Watch check. Oh god why is it taking so long. Look up and see what's playing on the LCD above you. What's the point? It's muted anyway. Your eyes are too lazy to move anywhere else so it stays staring at the LCD. Oh good, it's almost time to go... but WAIT where is the bloody plane? Ding dong. Sorry your flight is delayed by another 30 bloody minutes. Fuck you Air Asia. Out of 10 flights I've taken with you you've been late 8 fucking times. Paragraph, watch, LCD, mindsquish. Rinse and repeat.

Plane finally comes. You go in. Sit in the miserable cramp seat. Paragraphs, watch check. Served paid in advance single serving food. Eat it without tasting anything. Touch down. Get out. Immigration. Taxi. 90 minutes later it's just you, your luggage and your dark, empty, apartment.

Then that familiar feeling creeps into you, that feeling which clutches at your stomach, squeezes your heart, clouds your head with greyness, steals away all your happiness.

Ohai, loneliness.

It usually goes away after a few days. But the first night is always the hardest to get by.

35 comments:

  1. dude. that's why mp3 players were invented. :P

    save the book for when you're actually ON the plane la. as for laptops, i've never seen the point of it, unless you're an important business person travelling for work purposes AND you're spending the night at the airport for shitty transits.

    FA: But what do you do with your eyes?

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  2. Thats WHY i TAKE the bus. :P personal seat (single seat), my own space, i can be at the lounge area 30 min before.

    :)

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  3. cipets. stop hiding ur true feelings. u love it in singapore :P

    FA: :P

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  4. you lost that loving feeling and now its gone gone gone......

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  5. Hmm. I'd fly JetStar to KL instead of Air Asia. Which I've done. JetStar flies into KLIA instead of the LCCT. The wi-fi is better as is your F&B options. You could return email AND have lunch.

    The LCCT is an embarrassment. I like Air Asia, but I can't put up with the LCCT, its distance from KLIA and it's alleged wi-fi. I've had dial up that was faster!

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  6. u angel come back here & Rot. at least we are here to see u decompose. btw, kinda agree with Suanie.. hahahha

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  7. "Then that familiar feeling creeps into you, that feeling which clutches at your stomach, squeezes your heart, clouds your head with greyness, steals away all your happiness."

    So depressingly accurate

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  8. U just need a soulmate! Go look for one ... then u have someone waiting to pick u up at the airport!

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  9. Woi! Damn dark and depressing. I think we're planning to come down end of May and crash at your place. You'll have company for the weekend. Can? Want?

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  10. But you get loads of money at the end of the month, right? I know you wouldn't go thru all this for free.

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  11. that's why we need express train service!

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  12. You remind me of my best friend who's still single.
    Based on your posts' history, your personality is almost the same as his.
    Scared of being loved and to love, and yet the pangs of loneliness gets to you.
    Learn to let go, girl.

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  13. Yesss I know how you feeeel :( Everytime I fly back and forth to Melbourne I fly alone, and the waiting alone in KLIA to go back to Melbourne is the worst, sigh.

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  14. le gasp! dost mine eyes deceiveth me? wherefore art thou title changeth? :D

    aiya, airport is a faaantastic place to people watch mah. cheer up bitch! i know you be liking the land of no smiles. if you feel ronery, there's always your alfalfa sprouts. ;P

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  15. u need some loooooooooooooooove... L O V E love la la la la la la la...

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  16. A PSP/ ds lite is really a good idea, no booting time, a real time killer too.
    Sometimes i lost myself in it until they broadcast for a final call to board :p

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  17. hey, i do the KL-SG via Airasia thing quite often too and i agree with u, their delays are getting worse. It's so annoying that u adhere to the boarding time but they only tell u after u say good bye to ur loved ones and go sit in the boarding area that flight is delayed. surely they should text us all in advance!

    i've now resorted to using the old way, before the advent of cheap flights - Bus! after all, with the flight delays, it works out about the same, minus the hassle of transfers (hate the LCCT)

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  18. get someone to accompany u... ;)

    tat d usual life in singapore...bored...

    btw jetstar n tiger airway cheaper than air asial i think...

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  19. You should get a job permenantly in Singapore. *winks*

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  20. funny lah you all. when have pictures only 6 comments. when write long ass winded emo shit 20 comments in 2 days. apahal nie? :)

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  21. *applauds* Good post. I'm got in to Spore last night and the part about airports more or less describes my feelings too.

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  22. fireangel... dunno abt the rest; you should know that I "fell in love" with u, not becoz u are cute, tho that's a bonus. When u first started I dun even know how u look like, and who cares! Its more of your brutal write-ups... brutally honest, hopelessly emo, unforgivingly rude. You can become a columnist. Nickname Rude Angel

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  23. Man you hit the nail on the head with this one
    "Then that familiar feeling creeps into you, that feeling which clutches at your stomach, squeezes your heart, clouds your head with greyness, steals away all your happiness.”
    If you think Singapore is bad, try Jakarta...

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  24. Why does FA's emo shit elicit responses left, right and centre??

    Because we all feel emo too!

    Just take a bus anywhere around the island and if you see any HDB areas with interesting stuff, get off. You can find your way home easily since the buses go everywhere.. they will eventually end up at an MRT station some place.

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  25. URGH. Airports. I HATE waiting in airports. Airports are the most impersonal, lonely and fucking BORING places. You spend HOURS just fucking WAITING around.

    And if you think KLIA/LCCT is bad, LAX is even WORSE.

    BTW, KLIA wi-fi is pretty ok. LCCT... not so sure. Never use laptop there before. LOL.

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  26. You think that's bad? Wait till the health problems creep in.

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  27. Hi there. I guess I didn't make it to your list of people in Malaysia that you care about or think about since you didn't call me:-( I can so understand what you are saying about the airport ordeal. Over the past couple of weeks I have had to endure Air Asia and all those fuckers who shouldn't be flying although now everyone can fly. RM5 for a cup of fucked up Old Town coffee out of a sachet!!! But in my business I do get some reprieve sometimes. Went to SA on MAS Business Class where I got called Mr. Tan! I guess not too many MAS cabin crew are old enough to remember Radio 4 or read blogs or buy Off The Edge or watch Afdlin Shauki movies. How have you been darling? Enjoying the booze circuit in Singapore I see. Well there are small blessings I guess. I am in Macau for an overnighter. Shooting a scene for some French movie. Fan Bing Bing is one of the actresses. I am told that she is HUGE in Asia. Of course, being the old man I am I didn't know that and ignored her on the set making me the only person to do that. Hey! These days I take whatever notoriety I can get. I will be back in Singapore slaving for MediaCorp from June 2 if not earlier. Maybe we can meet up for a couple of beers or tequilas or whiskies.

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  28. ish kesiaaaan... time for RAMEN!!!!! :P

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  29. Ramen? hah! Next time you come back we go Jame's siew yoke and chicken ok! :D

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  30. Hello, I would like to warn as many girls as i can, please beware of Poh Huai Bin, keep yourself away from him as far as you can. This fellow treats girls as his toys, he thought himself is a playboy and like to play fool on girls. One of his hobbies is to grab other guys' girlfriend, wife-to-be or wife. Once you fall into his love trap, at the beginning he will treat you very nice, of course, doing many romantic things make you happy. But, this won't be long, once he gets bored on you, he will show his true colors, treat you as cold as ice, woo other girls, dump you at home everyday and he goes out looking for happiness himself. If you quarrel with him, he will just say :" that's me, i can't change, if you are unhappy, just break up." I really never mean to spoil his name, I'm here just to tell the truth, i really don't hope other girls will fall into his trap and become his victim again. I have posted on his blog to remind other girls but he deleted it, so i choose to post this to your blogs, just wish you all beware of Poh Huai Bin.

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  31. i thought i have a fantabulous night not until my stranger playmate gave me a kiss and said thank you before she disappeared in the early morn did i realized i was "one night standed".

    fatal attractions are for my dad's generation.

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  32. you're right. carry a book that you dont bother to read, packed a laptop and hunt for wifi spots which are non-existence. but hey - at least that makes us look like an "intellectual business person - on the go".

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  33. saw a sammi cheng movie last night on TV2, she does look a bit like you :)

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  34. the more u stay in here the more impatient n bitchy u gonna get...at the end u juz rush but dunno 4 wat! tiu

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