zaBigFatTravel: Flying Home...

It's the journey of a lifetime! Alas, I bid farewell to my beloved city, London, and flew back home to the tropics. When I told my sister to fetch me at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on the 1st April, she thought it was a joke. An April Fool's joke. It's because I told her just 2 days before I'm about to land at the airport. But it turned out to be a real thing in the end. Not a joke.

I love traveling, but the agony of having to pack things up is what I hate the most. I wish all airlines would increase their luggage limit to at least 30 kg, coz these days people had to pack a lot of thing with them for the sake of looking good while in the other city (at least, I am). It's been days that I have to figure out what need to be brought home with me in that 'limited edition' luggage clause since I have to be sensible on what to put in. And it's been days too that I had to throw things up from the bags - 3 bags to be exact... but small ones - coz I think it's becoming very heavy every time I lift it. I don't wanna end up paying for excess baggage.

A day before my flight, me and my mate, Riz are talking about the hassle of new regulation at Heathrow - the body scan thing. I was quite anxious should I have to go through that as well coz it's as if people are observing other people naked. Not really naked naked, but still naked. Coz they officers can see everything about you. I said to Riz, You know what, if they can see everything on me, might as well I go without underpants. Then, it'll be much more ogling they can do. We laughed. And Riz added, you know what you can do. You go without underpants, and at the same time you wear a bra. Then, they'll be ABSOLUTELY confused. We went totally hysterical!

So, what's happening that day? Riz, sent me all the way from Central London to Heathrow Terminal 4. It was an awful long journey, coz taking Piccadilly Line means that there're many stops right before you reach the Terminal of choice (more than 20 stops!). It's more than an hour trip. Last year when I went to Heathrow, I took Heathrow Connect from Paddington Station, cutting the journey time to only 20 min. But this time, I want to endure the 'beauty' of South West London from the train, especially to reminisce the 'traveling days' during my stay at South Ealing. So, more than an hour journey is not a problem anyway. Ahaks!

At the check-in, there's a lot of people. Upon waiting, I spotted someone at the Business Class counter - someone that I've seen on TV so many times. Someone with white hair, a pair of glasses and apparently quite petite. Ii told Riz, hey, that's Bernie Eccleston - the F1 guy. Yes, it's Mr. Eccleston - the F1 supremo, checking in with his... ehem... new squeeze in the Business Class. It as not them that I'm interested to look at, but the Louis Vuitton luggage that they're carrying. And that's my friend, is what I call 'travel in style'!

Oh, yadda, yadda, yadda... when my turn to check-in at the Economy Class (hey, I don't pay much for my own travel okay..ahaks!), it took almost 15 min for them to settle mine. I was quite nervous, dunno why it took so long. Do my passport is in some 'list'? Do I look like terrorist? (Probably a couture terrorist, lol!) Why it took so frickin' long time?

I as the guy behind the counter, is there any problem. And he replied, we don't have problems here - we have solutions. Solutions? What solutions? We went back and forth from two, three counters to solve someting which i dunno and can't understand.

After quite some times, he returned and said we have good news for you. We put you in Business Class. Whaaaat? I am quite gobsmacked when he said the word 'Business Class'. Whoa.. me pay for economy class, end up in a Business Class seat... that's pretty awesome. What is more awesome, I've gotta sit with the same class as Bernie Eccleston! Holla!

I then told Riz, there's now way I'm gonna wear my Adidas trainers in that Business Class. Thankfully i packed with me my Gucci boots... so, off my Adidas into my luggage... in with me wearing those Gucci. Hey, I've gotta travel in style too, okay! :)

Oh, btw... there is no body scan. It's just that normal 'walk through the gate' thing. And the security check is as swift as you can't imagine. My great gratitude to them all! :)

So, what's happening in Business Class stays in Business Class (it's Golden Club Class in Malaysia Airlines). They got different seat which is larger and be put flat as a bed. The seat 'control panel' is not the same coz it got more going on there. The pillow is larger, so as the blanket which is more 'summer duvet' than a 'Charlie Brown' blanket. Oh, the food... awesome!! Everything in proper diningware - no plastic cutleries. There's starter with so many choices, and a variety of bread from all over the world... and there's chicken and beef satay for another starter.. and the main dish which is splendid. And then come the dessert which is too sweet to be finished... and alas, a cup of my own coffee before I'm dozing off. Oh, they call me by name - Mr Abdullah! Lovely. :)

Oh, another thing, they gave me the vanity pack too. What's in it? just scroll to the last set of pix! And earlier before entering the Business Class door, i picked up a copy of SHORTLIST and Wallpaper mag by the trolley. (I can't leave without a dose of London style, am I?)