My layover in Singapore and almost taking the wrong plane (711 hits)
Category: Computers & InternetRating: 1.43 on 27 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by DonovanMD (View user info) at 2008-04-28 15:44:22 EDT
Ever have one of those moments of sheer terror? Where your knees go jello and your hand goes to your mouth like you're a Japanese school girl and you think OMGWTFBBQ!!?!
Sure you have, we all have, but I had one of the worst ones of my life today while over the Pacific ocean at thirty thousand feet. I'd boarded my plane from LA to Singapore and had already killed three hours eating the non stop food in Business class and watching Cloverfield, when I switched to the onboard flight plan built into the tv screen on the seat in front of you. We must be just about to Hawaii give or take, I thought to myself. It popped on screen and I gasped. If I hadn't been sitting down I would have fallen over, and if I hadn't already used the bathroom I would have shit myself. The little map showed we were passing Victoria Island and heading north, towards Alaska. It showed the final destination as Tokyo, Japan.
OMGWTFBBQ!!111
JAPAN?!?
I began hyperventilating and looked for my ticket. It said LA to Singapore, Gate 120, flight SQ11 departing from LAX at 240. That was all correct wasnt it? In moments of sheer terror you don't think rationally. I thought back to my original emailed itinerary and no mention of a stop in Japan. Nor did my ticket say so, nor did the nice girl at the Singapore Airlines desk say so. After blacking out I decided I would probe for info from the flight attendant without going "OMG DID I GET ON THE WRONG PLANE, IS THIS GOING TO SINGAPORE? I'M SCARED AHHH!"
Instead I asked, "So, uh, how long are we in Tokyo before continuing on to Singapore?"
She quickly replied "about an hour" and my fears were eased. Scary 5 minutes though.
How ridiculous is an Edmonton to Perth flight via LA, Tokyo and Singapore though? I flew 3 hours south to LA, then flew further north than Edmonton along a flight plan that took us around the Pacific instead of across, not sure why the route went along the coast line of Alaska and Russia instead. Then further south to Singapore where I sit now and then on to Perth in another 6 hours. All in all my flight will take 49 hours from start to finish, including layovers.
The plus side is Singapore Airlines and there business class. You won't feel too bad for me considering the amazing food, biggest seats in business class worldwide, and the free handjobs by the sexy stewardesses. Ok I made that last one up, KIDDING! MARRIED! They basically dole on your hand and foot though, and you may think its crazy to say airplane food is amazing, but the Salmon I had was ridiculous, it was like flying through the air on a world class restaurant. The menu said it was designed by Gordon Ramsay, and I kept picturing him calling people retards and donkeys in the little airplane kitchen.
Changi airport in Singapore is off the hook too. It makes LAX look like a dump. Ok, well almost any airport makes LAX look like the shit hole it is, is it ever not undergoing construction? And no offence but so many Americans can be fucking annoying as hell, espcially the window lickers working baggage and security in LA. I mean I'm Canadian and admit we're basically the same people, but when compared to the hospitality and general friendliness of anyone I met in Tokyo or Singapore, or the staff aboard the plane, they looked like complete fuckwits. Especially the baggage handlers who yelled and insulted people in line when they had a difficult time understanding broken LA Mexican and black guy English. When it comes to manners world wide you rank along with a stuck up French guy America.
So yah, back to Changi airport. Free wifi everywhere, comfortable couches and recliners in every terminal. Tons of shops and cafes serving just about everything. Free clean showers, and even an out in the open public swimming pool right in the departure area of one terminal. Can you imagine how unsanitary and disgusting a free shower/pool would be in LAX? I picture finding a fresh turd or a syringe something. It is a little weird seeing military personel carrying automatic rifles walking through the airport though, being from a western country, but it's understandable.
Anyway this is getting too long. All in all an interesting 36 hours for me and still another 12+ to go. But I like traveling so it's not so bad. I can't wait to travel more in the future, and it would be fun to actually see some of the countries I've been too and not just their airports. In the meantime though I can't wait to get back to Perth.
Here's a map of my flight with the flight plan sloppily drawn in. I'll wind up flying about 21135 kms. Or about 13132 miles. All in all, ass numbing experience and over half way around the earth at the equator, where the circumference is 40, 075 kms / 24, 901 miles.
User Reviews
Submitted by Axolotl (user info) at 2008-04-29 21:32:34 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by TheUniter (user info) at 2008-04-29 13:05:09 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
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Submitted by TheUniter (user info) at 2008-04-29 13:04:58 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by forensicgirl3 (user info) at 2008-04-29 12:20:08 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
My folks do a lot of traveling and they'll purposely go out of their way and make a completely irrational roundabout trip JUST to avoid stopping over at LAX!
Submitted by monkeyswithguns (user info) at 2008-04-29 11:21:46 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Sphagnum (user info) at 2008-04-29 06:15:28 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
LAX is fucked. Worst experience I had the whole time I was in the states.
Those filthy fucking niggers and spics should be shot in the face when they are born. Lowest form of life on the planet.
Changi is very nice. Spent alot of time going in and out of there in the past. Nothing better than flying from Sydney in the middle of winter, 7-8 hours on the plane in cold conditions, arrive air conditioned Changi, collect bags, walk outside into Singapore humidity, melt like a wax candle.
I used to love that feeling. Singapore was a wonderful place.
Submitted by HurtByTheSun (user info) at 2008-04-29 03:39:27 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
LAX really is balls.
Submitted by jasumthin (user info) at 2008-04-28 22:08:42 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
No Comment
Submitted by experima (user info) at 2008-04-28 20:31:31 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
that's so awesome you're moving there.
Submitted by joedaddy (user info) at 2008-04-28 19:09:54 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Singapore Airlines, the only way to solo in the mile-high club.
Submitted by DonovanMD (user info) at 2008-04-28 18:45:36 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by Shlongy (user info) at 2008-04-28 16:58:47 EDT (#)
Ranking: -1
Please, POST AGAIN WHEN THEY HAND OUT THE WARM WASHCLOTHS!
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THEY ALREADY DID!
Before and after every meal!
Submitted by Shlongy (user info) at 2008-04-28 17:28:29 EDT (#)
Ranking: -1
Yeah...I thought that was a good one, too.
Submitted by shadow (user info) at 2008-04-28 17:25:21 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Hehe, Shlongy.
Submitted by kaos-king (user info) at 2008-04-28 17:16:16 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Shlongy (user info) at 2008-04-28 16:58:47 EDT (#)
Ranking: -1
Please, POST AGAIN WHEN THEY HAND OUT THE WARM WASHCLOTHS!
Submitted by CaptainThorns (user info) at 2008-04-28 16:57:25 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Bundaberg (user info) at 2008-04-28 14:59:19 CDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I'm sure wifi from planes is only a couple years away. Boeing offered it for a couple years but it was scrapped in 07. An airline that offered free wifi instead of some $15 pass for the day would do great business.
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Hope and pray all you like, wifi from planes will likely NEVER be free.
Submitted by Jack_McCallum (user info) at 2008-04-28 16:45:44 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
So yah, back to Changi airport. Free wifi everywhere, comfortable couches and recliners in every terminal. Tons of shops and cafes serving just about everything. Free clean showers, and even an out in the open public swimming pool right in the departure area of one terminal. Can you imagine how unsanitary and disgusting a free shower/pool would be in LAX? I picture finding a fresh turd or a syringe something. It is a little weird seeing military personel carrying automatic rifles walking through the airport though, being from a western country, but it's understandable.
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The problem with LAX is that they let ANYBODY in there. I doubt they let ANYBODY into the airport in Singapore.
Goddamned constitutional freedoms.
Submitted by indoninja (user info) at 2008-04-28 16:13:22 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Best part about the business class in singapore airlines is the top shelf booze.
They also make special drinks and while they are fruity, they don't give them to the cabin class.
Submitted by rob_berg (user info) at 2008-04-28 16:01:09 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
-2 UBER ISNT A BLOG!!!
Submitted by ilikesteak (user info) at 2008-04-28 15:59:28 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
First paragraph.
Submitted by Bundaberg (user info) at 2008-04-28 15:59:19 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I'm sure wifi from planes is only a couple years away. Boeing offered it for a couple years but it was scrapped in 07. An airline that offered free wifi instead of some $15 pass for the day would do great business.
PS: I lived in Singapore for a year, great city, better than Auckland thats for sure.
Submitted by HotWillie (user info) at 2008-04-28 15:57:11 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
i'm so excited will you be posting from the plane?
Submitted by DonovanMD (user info) at 2008-04-28 15:57:09 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by GodChicken (user info) at 2008-04-28 15:51:27 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
The flight went north and "around" the Pacific because due to the curvature of the earth, it's a much shorter distance to get to Japan by an arc over the higher latitudes of the northern hemisphere.
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I thought of this as well, but looking on websites that show distance from city to city, its about 8800kms from LA-Tokyo as the crow flies, but nearly 10k when going from LA-Nome-Tokyo, and we almost directly over Nome as I could see it out my window. Not to mention we flew over part of the Russian mainland and didn't make a direct turn at Nome for Tokyo. Obviously this isn't mathematically accurate, but it just seemed strange to me.
Submitted by DonovanMD (user info) at 2008-04-28 15:52:07 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
Oh well, it's 4 in the morning here, my writing skills arent the greatest at the best of times.
-2 UBER ISNT A BLOG!!!
Submitted by GodChicken (user info) at 2008-04-28 15:51:27 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
The flight went north and "around" the Pacific because due to the curvature of the earth, it's a much shorter distance to get to Japan by an arc over the higher latitudes of the northern hemisphere.
Less gas, less cost.
Back to physics and geography class for you.
Good luck in Aussieland.
Submitted by corn_nugget (user info) at 2008-04-28 15:50:40 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
This IS pretty boring. :( But I know you're excited, so yay yay!
Submitted by BLITZKREIG_BOB (user info) at 2008-04-28 15:47:32 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
This is boring.
Trash your old boss some more.