2008 In Retrospect

In a matter of minutes 2008 will leave us behind. No doubt many would rant about the economic meltdown in late 2008, it had been a great year for many. My traveling and one-month stint in France had definitely opened up new horizons, and following that our home-grown badminton star almost made it gold in the Beijing Olympics.
Many would agree to remain pessimistic about the tough times ahead - as international corporates slash jobs, freeze new recruits and force employees to unpaid leaves; banks slash interest rates to encourage spending in hope of stimulating the economy - sounds contradictory is it not?
Nevertheless, the optimists would point out that the previous year had unravel several beacons of light in the dark - Barack Obama's successful election as the first African-American president was aptly summarized by the president elect himself:

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

Malaysian citizens had also done proud upon itself by voting against further racial manipulation and inequality through the March 8 political tsunami. It once again revitalizes the power of the people. However, all Malaysians must bear in mind that with democracy comes respect for all forms of views and responsibility of action - one's personal dissatisfaction must never jeopardize the entire well-being of society and freedom of the public.
Later this year the global economic meltdown witnessed how fragile and wrong the Americans are in business and finance. While the rest of the world had gone forward with open policies without government intervention, allowing for the survival of the fittest; Americans are still stuck in post-WWII policies seeing dozens of struggling companies hiding under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

The fireworks are just being released. I could see a clear view of the most part of Hualien city tonight. It'll be a harsh and cold year coming ahead, but the beacons of light and words of wisdom from all over the world will guide us out of the woods. Very soon we should be able to savor a market with more freedom, more liberal governments and experience greater adventures.
Happy 2009 to all!

Nearly There

A very recent commercial from Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) - Så godt som hjemme (nearly home).

My Rickshaw Story

Escaping anatomy this weekend, I'd like to share my reminiscences on the Penang rickshaw.
As many historians note, the Penang rickshaw is distinctive in its style as the driver (or rickshaw puller) pushes from behind - as compared to the Malaccan cousin from beside or the Chinese version in front.
It was during my Standard One and Two years when I took the rickshaw to school everyday. I was under the care of a babysitter a stone's throw away from school then. Everyday the rickshaw man (or lancia pek by affection) will show up very early (12.30 I think). And I would scramble with all my possessions up the rickshaw. The rickshaw is meant for 2, but 4 of us schoolchildren would sqeeze in and patiently rode the 10-minute ride without complaints.
Back in 1995/6, traffic in Penang was already something to avoid, especially at lunch hour and between the interchanging of morning / afternoon sessions in secular schools. Our rickshaw would weave through the stifling traffic along Jalan Burma, inching slowly to the front gates of Union Institution. The afternoon sun did not help to soothe the traffic heat - by the end of the 10-minute ride my neatly starched uniform would be soaking wet with sweat (and imagine having to wear it all day until 6.30pm).
Our lancia pek was the typical lancia pek of Penang - an old man with no intimate family members, jobless and rugged in a Chinese coolie way. My babysitter always took pity in him and would pack him lunch when he's here to pick me up - nothing luxurious but he would be so grateful to her. I would be the one holding his lunch all the way to school (mind you, the Penang rickshaw has no storage compartments for the driver).
I can vaguely recall my seatmates during the rides - most were schoolchildren of my age living nearby. As downtown children their parents are mostly blue collars or hawkers with no luxury to spare, and that accounts for their distinctive individuality and independence, as well as a youngish toughness. Nevertheless there were also some spoilt brats - I recall one of my seatmate who once tried to snatch the lancia pek's lunch I was holding, thinking it was mine. The lancia pek, on knowing, stopped the rickshaw beside the road, strode up front and smacked his thigh with such force I doubt a skinny man like him could ever produce.
An accident ended my affair with the rickshaw. Lancia pek did not show up for a week (causing me to being late for school for the week). Subsequently by word of mouth we got to know he was involved in a hit-and-run. With no intimate relations, he was unceremoniously cremated and his ashes put to rest in a rather distant temple.
Dad, my babysitter and I went there one day. But I have no memory of him anyhow, just that we prayed and left. After 20 years of my life, lancia pek silently returned to my memories these few days, probably to remind me how humbly we all started from the very beginning, and how our every effort contributes to the greater good.
My babysitter had since moved away from the historic part of Georgetown, and Union Institution has now become so unfamiliar that it just became a passing scene. Jalan Burma remains more or less the same, but I hardly see any rickshaw anymore nowadays.

My 20th Birthday

Trivial Nothings December

Finally, the December edition:

• A lot of interesting news from the aviation industry recently. Amongest them, the most crucial to our wau is the possibility that they merge with British Airways (BA) and Qantas (QF) in the very near future. This would be the 'divine intervention' CEO Idris Jala has been talking about since the very beginning.
• First of all, Malaysia Airlines (MAS) would benefit from both airlines flying into Kuala Lumpur. As BA and QF seriously lacks connections to China and India, MAS would see tremendous growth based on its strategic location and frequent flights to the two rising nations.
• On a passenger point of view, this merger foresees better schedule flexibility and competitiveness on kangaroo routes (Australia - Europe flights), as well as Australiasia / Europe - Asia / Middle East travelors.
• Last but not least, the merger will definitely strike aviation giants like Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Thai Airways (who all have been bullying [controversial] MAS). With a lower cost base (via sharing of costs) and a larger market prescence (home airlines to 3 countries combined), all of them will emerge more competitive compared to all the aforementioned.
• However, whether the merger gets its green light depends on the intelligence of politicians from all these countries. Malaysian politicians, who can be overly patriotic at times, will be the stumbling block in the process.
• If you think aviation is just all about passengers, aircrafts and stewardesses, here's for the layman:
  
Photo taken during along with CEO Tony Fernendez when presented the Brand Icon award by Najib Razak.

• If I were to nominate one 'best joke of 2008' - it would be the above picture (rolling on floor laughing). First of all, the uniform is just...hilarious. And to have the blond goose on a baby aeroplane (the A320s flown by AirAsia), is just like having Arnold Schwarzenegger wearing a skirt (or worse, a kebaya).
  

• Jumping off aviation for the moment: sent 3 Christmas cards to France and Italy (2 and 1 respectively) for my laboratory friends, the Nocart family and the Gallo family. I think the sincerity embedded in a greeting card counts so much more compared with an e-mail.
• My bank thinks I'm saving too little. So they sent me a card requesting me to redeem a gift from them. And in it the gift package they attach a note "save more with us!"
• If you're still wondering what the fat blond goose wrote back in reply:

• Mr. Sim, SQ greatly values your patronage as our loyal customer, and we would certainly appreciate your kind understanding. Please do let us know should you have any further queries and we look forward to seeing you onboard our flights soon.

• And I think this month's edition is already too much.
  

The Wild Ride With The Fat Blond Goose

I can be harsh at times, especially when under pressure. So the following interesting hiccup occurred:

I made a booking on August 29 for a Taipei (TPE) to Penang (PEN) flight with Singapore Airlines, transiting in Singapore (SIN) Changi International.
At the time of my booking, Singapore Airlines confirmed my travel arrangement as follows:

January 20 Taipei - Singapore 0755 - 1230
January 20 Singapore - Penang 1545 - 1710
-----Happy Chinese New Year at home -----
February 13 Penang - Singapore 2115 - 2240
February 14 Singapore - Taipei 0125 - 0555

On October 10, Singapore Airlines SMS-ed me telling me that my Singapore - Penang flight is 'rescheduled' - a better way of saying you're kicked out of that flight - to a later flight. SQ198 will depart SIN at the evening and arrive in PEN at 8pm. The brief and indifferent SMS also asked me to 'reply with Yes1' if I'm okay with the change.
Deciding this is not another SMS rally (to win a prize, reply 1), I called Singapore Airlines in Taipei demanding an explaination. It seems that they have canceled Penang-bound SQ196 (the original flight) on Mondays and Tuesdays. The agent indifferently asked if I'm okay with the change and promptly kicked me onto the much later flight. And thank you for calling Singapore Airlines (in a Singaporean slang).
Then I figured - I'll have 6 hours to hang out in SIN. While many have claimed SIN to be the best airport in the world, I wouldn't want to be stuck in there on the way home. I wrote an e-mail to Singapore Airlines demanding 'any form of refreshment during my prolonged transfer at SIN'. They replied, promptly and indifferently 'based on goodwill gesture, you are invited to our (windowless) lounge at Terminal 2'.

The golden goose (that couldn't fly) - Singapore Airlines

The nightmare recurred yesterday, on the eve of neurobiology mid-terms, when the indifferent SMS once again invaded my mobile: your flight, SQ880 SIN-TPE is being rescheduled to SQXXX 0835 - 1305 14 Feb.
Calling again to Taipei, the same indifferent agent went through the process with me. She was about to hang up when I realized - heck, I'll have to spend a night in SIN!
I asked promptly if there will be any form of compensation for this, she said "hold on, I'm checking...you mind waiting a few minutes for me?" I made her call back. This is not customer service.

A great way to fly?

15 minutes later she called and informed me that a booking had been made in SIN for a transit hotel. I would indeed have to spend a lonely night in SIN (before going to HELL). Perhaps neurobiology was taking up too much of my mind at that moment, I realized it would be a hellish experience with the airline other airlines talked about. This is not what I expected when I clicked 'purchase' on the page with a kebaya-clad lady (probably Malaysian somemore) smiling at me.
'The customer is always right' I say. So, I wrote a feedback to Singapore Airlines:

So, as you might have noticed, a short flight of several hours have stretched to a day-long affair due to Singapore Airlines' inconsistent scheduling and poor management. Is this "the airline other airlines talk about"? It would be a disappointment to note the indifferent attitude many of your staff shown during my encounters with them through the telephone. If I had had not asked on my own on rescheduling compensations I reckon the indifferent Singapore Airlines would leave passengers hanging around in SIN for 10 hours or more. I do not think this is "a great way to fly", sir.
I believe as a premium airline Singapore Airlines could do more than the aforementioned in face of rescheduing and poor management by showing a little more sincerity, graciousness and problem-solving skills. I look forward to my first trip with Singapore Airlines and I hope it would not be my last.

They have yet to reply to my (sort of) hate mail. Let's see if they would, and that will tell us how much the fat blond goose values its passengers. I am a firm believer in delivering what you promised - if you aren't on par with what you've advertised, don't boast. And stop the indifferent attitude - like I'm only one of the many others who called for a flight change or seat selection too-free housewife. I believe Asian airlines do better than that.

What To Write?

Oh dear, writer's block.
First of all we pray and mourn for the victims of the Mumbai five-star district bombings several days ago. As written by Anderson Cooper of CNN "the largest city on the world's second most populated continent will never yield to few bombings by a group of 10 or so terrorists." India has one of the world's most diverse democracy and population. While the true nature of Islam as a religion is one of peace, understanding and tolerance, the shattered glass of the Taj Mahal and debris of the Oberoi will once again induce the endless cycle of revenge: attacks and counter-attacks. Where will this lead to in the end?
The 171 people killed will be remembered, and the group held liable for the attacks will be punished accordingly. However, the key to reestablishing harmony would be to forgive and forget. And we commonly have faith in India, a country who has shown the world examplery values of tolerance and forgiveness.
Secondly, the protestors in Bangkok have reasons to rejoice and to grief. For the first time in South-East Asian history, the power of the people successfully oused a government, commonly regarded as dictatorial. The reason to grief? The shutting down of Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport will leave chain effects in the nation's already crumbling economy. Thailand, heavily dependent on tourism, will not recover 3 years down the track, and Thais will see through a lonely Christmas this year.
Nevertheless, it is both inspiring and exciting to witness democracy work its way through S E Asia for once. Thailand had been a nation of brave and intelligent people - as witnessed during the Second World War and also the British Indian era earlier. It will recover and function once again as a strong nation. Its neighbouring countries (ahem, Malaysia...) should learn from the Thais that dissatisfaction in governence should never be kept in coffee-shop talks. One should have freedom of expression and equility in a nation where all our ancestors took part in fighting for Merdeka.
That's all for now. Good night and good luck, Bangkok and Mumbai.