Thailand so far

I've spent the last few days in Bangkok and surrounds.

It's more like a Buddhist pilgrimage this time.

I thought it wasn't too bad. I didn't have to pray with the group if I didn't want to. I could just run around and take photos and so far I'm liking them.

Bangkok kinda reminds me of Jakarta where traffic is really bad, but that's it.

I'm now blogging from my room in Phuket. So very tired and sleepy.

Will write more when I get the time in Melbourne. Of course I'll be uploading some photos too.

that took a while

So there I was in the cab driving me to the airport.

The weather tonight was nice (meaning: not too cold). I had the window open to let the air in. I loved the smell of the air tonight. I felt a bit sleepy and was dozing off a bit from time to time. And as the cab took me along the M1, I couldn't help thinking how I miss my mom... and dad. Then there I was, Tullamarine.

Maybe it's just me but everytime I go to the airport for my flight, the queue seems to get longer and longer. I stood at the last of the baggage drop queue and it took me around thirty minutes for me to get to the counter.

I was anxious. I asked straight away if I could get my aisle seat. She said yes. She also explained that I had the aisle seat all along. Good job SIA customer service. I am, again, one happy customer. But still, please fix the mobile check-in system. Please.

Had to queue some more at customs. Probably took less time than before but felt like it was the same. Then had to queue at the Tourist Refund Scheme and through the x-ray.

All was OK. Didn't have to wait that long at Gate no.9 as we were boarding soon.

Slept most of the time on the plane. Only woke up to eat, eat and hot towels.

The flight felt like it took only about three hours. I was going to watch some movies but couldn't be bothered as I felt really really sleepy.

I'm now at Changi and writing this post while waiting for my next flight to Jakarta. I think I still have an hour or so to walk around so I'll go and see if the food shops are open. I want one of those Bee Cheng Hiang spicy pork jerky.

Till next time.

Singapore Airlines' mobile check-in sucks

So I tried to check-in to my two flights on the iPhone this morning.

Went to Singapore Airlines' mobile check-in site and punched in my KrisFlyer details into it.

Seconds later I was choosing my seat for my first segment from Melbourne to Singapore and I thought 'hey, this is pretty cool. I don't have to do this from the PC anymore'.

From there things started to go downhill.

I finished my first segment when the screen just showed me the Next button. I scanned everything else on the page... nothing... so I clicked on it.

Then it thanked me and told me that my booking was completed.

That can't be good.

I still kept my hopes up. I'd thought maybe for the next segment I'd have to wait for the 48-hour before the flight thing for it to show up.

Wrong!!!

I got at work, checked my email and there it was, the SIA check-in confirmation in my inbox. And it's telling me I'll be sitting on the window seat, my least favourite part of the seats while travelling by myself.

I thought it's OK, I can still change it by going on to the website as they always have that option of changing your seats.

Wrong again!!!

After a few attempts of changing seats I gave up. I even went all the way to try to cancel my check-in but the system didn't allow me to do it.

So my last resort was to call SIA's customer service in Sydney. Why last resort? Because to get through to an actual person, you'd have to go past through a few machine prompts which of course is always annoying.

When I finally spoke to the customer service and explained my whole situation, the only thing the told me he could do was to inform the airport that this has happened and hopefully they'd be able to reserve me an aisle seat for both segments.

I'm pretty sure even if I got to the airport early tomorrow I still won't be able to get a good aisle seat. I'd settle for ANY aisle seat.

Will continue this post tomorrow evening after checking in.

funny love

I'm still working on it (this tune I'm working on titled Funny Love, hence the title of this post).

The basic tracks are, well, basically laid out.

I've played it to a few people and the feedback is that it's a really catchy tune.

Gotta love a catchy tune.

It basically starts with a jazzy bossanova kinda beat up to the chorus then it changes to a basic 4/4 rock beat. That's basically the whole thing.

I'm still waiting for my M-Audio DMP2 to arrive and of course my Nikkor fisheye 16mm too.

And I've got my D300 on eBay too. SOLD!!!

google wave

Oh one more thing, Ronald sent me an invite for Google Wave preview.

Cool.

Keep checking my Flickr y'all.

where am i?

I've been here all along but was just too lazy to write and couldn't find anything to write about.

I've been doing quite a few of people photography lately. I'm starting to get interested in photographing people as objects and to appreciate the beauty that the human being is.

I now own a Nikon D700 and got some FX lenses, the cheap ones. I just got back from testing the high ISO performance. For me ISO6400 is not useable in the dark. Might try and keep it at 3200 max.

I'm trying to sell my D300 as of now and some lenses and accessories too.

Took mum to the tulip festival Saturday a fortnight ago. It was windy and rained really hard. Bad move. But it was quite Ok, we got there before the worst wind and rain took place.

I've been working on this piece called Funny Love. I've already recorded the basic tracks. Will be doing the vocals this coming Sunday. Hopefully all will be fine.

And an upcoming trip to Thailand early next month. I'm looking forward to it since even I've been to Bangkok before, it was a million years ago that I don't even remember what it's like. Even though it's only going to be a week, it will be fun. I can imagine already, the food, the architecture, the culture, the whole shebang not to mention lots of photos.

Have already booked my flight to Japan for March as well. Paid $907 for a return ticket from Melbourne to Tokyo with Singapore Airlines. Score!!! Will have to book accommodation though.

I got myself a ukulele. This was long overdue news. It's not that hard to play actually.

Have a few more ideas for songs. Will have to make time for them though.

UP - the scrapbook

I saw Up yesterday and I love the way they constructed the scrapbook.

There's a photo plus whatever elements of the occasion was glued on the page with plain tapes. For example, if there's a photo of them walking in the park during autumn, there'd be one or two red or yellow leaves glued on the page.

Simple yet nice, you get to live the experience all over again.

Good movie too.

goodbye dad

I'm glad we spent your last days together. Even though it's not literally your last, but I was glad we spoke on the phone yesterday. I'm glad I still had the chance to go with you on those trips to Manado and Singapore.

I wish that China trip didn't have to be cancelled.

I wish I could have been there today... this morning...

And I wish I could see you smile one last time.