MURPHY’S LAW: “If anything can go wrong, it will go wrong”

After spending three relaxing and satisfying days with the Cuellos in Sariaya, Quezon and making new friends – Tess, Myrna and Helen, Voltaire drove us to our hotel in Makati at DUSIT THANI. We stayed there for two days before flying our for our trip to New Delhi, INDIA.

Before we left Casa de Cuello, I went online to apply for a Chinese Tourist Visa in preparation for our visit to XI’AN to see the famous terra cotta warriors. We didn’t get the letter of invitation from the tour agency (which is a requirement for the visa application) until we arrived in the Philippines. After filling up the on-line form, I got to the part where I was asked -“Have you been to China before?“. If “YES” provide the passport containing the visa issued when you visited China. WHATTTT!?!?! Trini and I went to Beijing in 2004 or 2005 and the visa issued to us was attached in our old passports that we have back in the U.S. I immediately called our travel agent in California for advice and asked us if someone can access our old passports. Our son, Charles, has the house keys but sending the passports would be a challenge since our trip will be in three weeks. After much deliberation, we decided to cancel the China trip! Whether we will get reimbursed is still up in the air, our agent is still waiting for the Chinese tour agency to respond. The airline ticket, we will bet reimbursed with $75 per passenger penalty. Lesson learned: Always find out ALL the requirements before leaving for a trip! I could have done this months ago but got so caught up with the planning details of our trips that I assumed it would be the same requirement like India.

The two days in Dusit Thani was great as it was very close to Glorietta, Landmark, and Greenbelt malls! Exploring the malls was easy since they were all inter-connected. We love Greenbelt 5 with its high-end shops and al fresco dining although a little pricey even for an American standard lunch.

Our trip to New Delhi then Agra (TAJ MAHAL) was on January 26th. We were booked with Malaysia Airlines with a short layover in Kuala Lumpur. Upon checking in we were notified of a one-hour delay of our flight to KL which means that we only had less than hour to get to our connecting flight! That would have been doable, however, our flight did not leave Manila after 2 hours! So we were resigned that we won’t make it but maybe there will be another flight even though it means we will get to Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi after midnight.

Upon disembarking, an airline staff already surrounded by passengers with inquiries was handing out vouchers and giving “instructions” as to what to do. She told us our flight will be the next day at 7:00 pm and that we are provided food and hotel room! We were so disappointed. Communication was very challenging with her and she was giving us confusing instructions. So we went to stand in line in the immigration queue and the unsmiling female officer told us “one at a time”, Trini explained our predicament and she pointed to an area so we can complete the MDAC (Malaysia Digital Arrival Card), which the lady from the airline failed to explain. So we tried to do that but the area was congested with passengers doing the same thing. Trini approached a Tourism booth with several guys “twirling their thumbs“. One of them grudgingly told me to use my cell phone and gave me the website. I’m not very good completing complicated questionnaires in my cell phone so I asked the other guy if he can help. He took our passports and asked me a few personal data and after a couple of minutes told me to open my e-mail. Voila! MDAC form completed! Again, they point you to a general area but doesn’t explain exactly what to do. We saw a uniformed young man standing near the turnstiles who finally told us to scan our passports.

The next hurdle was to retrieve our checked-in luggage since Trini’s medications (I carry mine in my backpack and a few spare clothes and underwear) are there and we were not planning to check it in. Off we went searching for the airlines baggage office. We took a number and waited. When our number was called, I explained to the lady (most of the airport employees were female!) that we wanted our luggage retrieved but she shook her head and said she can’t do that and that we will have to wait until we get to Delhi. With pleading eyes and holding my chest, I told her “It is urgent I get my medicine“. Her face softened and concern took over, she told me “please sit down and I’ll do my best to get them!” In less than an hour we were out of there.

Navigating the huge airport was another challenge as they have color-coded lifts (elevators). “When in doubt, ask” was our mantra. Blue elevator it is. By this time, the airport was chaotic and the airplanes seemed to have landed all at the same time with passengers who missed their flights running around in all directions! We squeezed in the lift and went down to the first level. But when I turned around Trini was gone! I got out but couldn’t find her so I wen back to the 3rd level where she was waiting!

Back to the first level but not knowing exactly where to meet the shuttle to take us to our hotel. It was like a game of “Door number 1 or Door number 2”? Finally, another lady (I told you this is a female-dominated airport) spotted us and waved us in the area where other passengers were waiting (how did she know?). The quest for the Holy Grail came to an end. We breathed a sigh of relief and allowed our blood pressure and adrenaline to slowly go back to normal.

Our driver, a male this time, took us outside of KL to a decent accommodation called NILAI SPRINGS RESORT HOTEL. We got there past 11:00 pm. Everything about the place is SPACIOUS but I noticed that the resort had seen better days! Paint was fading, window louvers falling apart, bathroom needing upgrades etc. But we didn’t care, we just wanted to get out of our stinky clothes and get some sleep. About 1:48 am, our travel agent in LA called me (I sent him a message about our problem) and assured us that someone will be picking us up in Delhi upon arrival.

The resort is all decked ready for the Chinese New Year! Kuala Lumpur is the capital of Malaysia with a population of more than 2 million. Home of the Petronas Twin Tower once the tallest structure in the world!