Tuesday, May 08, 2007

...a dramatic unforgettable experience.

i took a seat at the round table. it was a muslim restaurant. he was hungry. i presumed that he had not taken his breakfast. that's a story for another time.

i was not hungry. i was worried. something was not right. i felt uneasy about the whole thing.

i glanced up and saw the clock on the wall above me. 2.45pm. i was shocked. i didn't expect time to have passed by so quickly. i began to panic. what if we could not make it in time? the possibility was there. the possibility was real.

i questioned him. are you sure we can make it? how long does it take to reach medan? when will the bus arrive?

don't worry, he said. plenty of time.

plenty of time? that didn't seem to click with the knowledge that i had. my mind whirled into calculation. i needed four to five hours.

2.45 + 5 = 7.45

my heart started beating faster. this was not good. not good at all. we have to go now, my head screamed. the words ran through my head like a mantra.

i looked at my friend. i couldn't read her expression. but i felt her fear. for it was like mines.

i reminded him again of our need to make a move. pronto. he was eating. he was eating like there were no worries. easy for him. it wasn't him who had anything to lose. my anger grew. i raised my voice slightly, said each word slowly. what in my words do you not understand? we have to go! we have a plane to catch!!

calming myself down, i again explained to him that boarding a plane is not like boarding a bus. we have to be there early. it's not going to wait until it's full before taking off. we have to be there one hour before the departure time at 8.10pm. preferably by 7.00pm. and it's already 3.00pm now. where do we take the bus? when will it arrive?

he tried to defend himself. buses here are different. he shrugged.

i glared at him. my head screamed in silence. i paid you to be my guide. you should know. you should have taken into consideration all the factors. we already told you what time we had to be at polonia. we reminded you again and again and again. last night. this morning. before we left lake toba. while on the ferry.

something must have registered in his brain. he quickly ushered us out to the waiting point. 3.10pm. but not before he cleverly tried to split the bill unevenly. but i didn't care anymore. take the money. it was nothing compared to the cost that we may have to incur if we miss our flight.

3.15pm. we waited.

3.20pm. a bus came and gone. there were no places left.

3.25pm. several mini buses came and gone. no empty seats.

my friend and i pooled our resources together. i asked him. what other alternatives are there? what other options can we consider?

he looked at me in a daze. i don't even know if he understood me. he clearly could hear what i said. to me, he had a brain the size of a dot. no further explanation needed.

3.30pm.

3.35pm.

finally, thanks to another guy, a minibus agreed to take us in even though it was already jam packed like sardines in a can. we got in. we were beyond caring. the only thought in our mind was to get there as soon as we can.

we cannot miss our flight. we cannot miss our flight. we cannot miss our flight. we chanted the mantra every minute.

4.30pm. we cannot miss our flight. we cannot miss our flight. we cannot miss our flight.

we prayed.

5.30pm. we cannot miss our flight. we cannot miss our flight. we cannot miss our flight.

we prayed harder.

6.30pm. move it! we can't stop here! keep going! overtake the slow lorry! go! go! go! make it quick!

we prayed even harder.

7.00pm. please let us not miss the flight. please. please. please.

let's hope the plane is delayed.

7.30pm. oh, please let us board the plane. please. please. please.

we can make it. we have to make it. i do not even want to think of the posssibility of what if we could not. i prepared by holding our passports and ticket info. the amount for the airport tax snugly in my pocket.

7.45pm. finally, the bus station. jumped out of the bus. ran across the street. where's the taxi when we need it? we need a taxi to get to the airport.

7.50pm. in between cars. why did it seem that everyone is out about town today?

7.55pm. why is the car in front driving so slowly? move it. we are in a hurry.

7.56pm. is that the airport?

7.57pm. yes, it is. i can see it,

7.58pm. we are almost there.

heart beating faster. please let us board the plane.

7.59pm. go, go, go.

8.00pm. finally, the international departure entrance. practically threw the money at the guide. jumped out of the taxi. flew over the few steps. ran in. dumped our bags onto the scanner machine. grabbed our bags.

where's air asia counter? the security guard pointed.

with a sinking heart, though already expected, it was closed. there was not a single soul there.

sudah tutup, said an airport official.

my flight is at 8.10pm. we can still make it. we can run. we have no baggage.

i pleaded to the guys who showed up around us. they told us to go to air asia's ticketing office located outside. i remembered seeing it. running faster than i ever had, not even caring about the pain in my legs, i zoomed out of the departure hall to the tiny office window.

my flight is at 8.10pm. we can make it. we can run. we have no baggage. please let us board the plane. please, please, please.

no. cannot.

such cruel words. my heart sank. but i won't give up. i cannot give up at this point.

please, please, please. we can make it. we can run. we have no baggage. please let us board the plane.

no. cannot.

please, please, please.

voices over the walkie talkie.

in desperation, i pleaded, i begged.

ok. go.

i need no other words. no further prompts. we ran in again. threw our bags to be scanned. raced to the counter. this time, an air asia staff was there. the airport officials quickly set things into motion. took our passports. fill in the forms for us. took our money and paid the airport tax on our behalf.

all i could do was to say, thank you, thank you, thank you very much.

they showed us the way. with gratitude, i bid farewell and loads of thank yous to them.

passed thru the immigration.

ran up the elevator.

ran to the departure gate.

ran down the escalator.

ran onto the tarmac.

ran up the steps.

walk into the plane.

welcome. glad that you could make it.

thank God that we could make it.

i walked into the aisle. everyone else was already seated. some were looking at us. i didn't care. i was overjoyed and thankful that i was on the plane. and will soon be on my way back home. i can hardly believe it.

we turned to each other. took a deep breath. sighed a big relief. thank God and our lucky stars.

we made it.


p/s: i sincerely wish to thank the minibus driver, the other passengers in the minibus, the taxi driver, the 3 airport officials and the 2 air asia staff for going all out to help us make the flight home on may 5th. they were wonderful people who demonstrated kindness, understanding and support to strangers like us in indonesia. may they be blessed for their good deeds.

6 comments:

ev said...

what an adventure!! as i was reading the account of your trip to the airport, for a moment i forgot i was reading your blog. it felt more like 'the amazing race' :)

glad you made the flight though!

Anonymous said...

Wow...God Blessed You and your friend ! Thank goodness you came back safe and sound....

Sleepy Wabbit said...

Kwazy berry described our growing desperation on 5 May 2007 on the way from Danau Toba to Medan very accurately.

I'd just like to add one more person to thank though. A certain berry called kwazy for her tenacity, persistence and abundant energy in getting us safely home on time.

Thanks for the wonderful memories :)

Ebbs said...

did kwazyberry winked at the officers?? Stressful to read this, I am sure even more stressful to be there.

kwazy berry said...

i would like to think that i hypnotised the officers with the alluring and irresistible me so that they let us in.

but the plain fact was we were desperate, sweaty, dusty, tired and hungry.

i wouldn't want to go through the experience again (though if it's for the amazing race and the money reward, i will. hehehe...)

a memory. it will stay as that. thanks sleepy wabbit!

kwazy berry said...

sleepy wabbit, i just read yr blog entry "a wabbit's adventure with a berry".

frens, that entry is a summarised version of what went on (in case you didn't understand my ramblings).

sleepy wabbit is such a nice person. if it were kwazy berry, she may pretend that she didn't get the e-mail. hahaha... ok, in truth, she'll try to pretend until guilt eats her up and she will also e-mail a reply. but at least, she will make him wait for at least one month. (evil glint in the eye)