Friday, January 16, 2015

Travel Nightmare : Sleeping at Hanoi International Airport

To Moscow With Love - Day 1 - Sleeping at Hanoi International Airport 

This is a long overdue post continuing from this post.

I was in the state of "not properly healed" but my soul was souring when I first checked-in for my flight to Moscow with an overnight transit in Hanoi. Knowing that my parents would be worried if I didn't update them before my departure, I decided to post a picture on my Instagram and Facebook instead. I think I was too bummed to reply the  good-wishers. Hehe. #maafSombong

Posted with the #sickGirlGoesTravelling hashtag on Facebook. 
Traveling alone in my state of health (at that time) was not a situation to be joking about. I brought with me all the medicine that the hospital prescribed me and also all the needed lotions to keep my skin moisturized. I was heading to a cold country and my skin was extra sensitive that time.


With all in check, I said a little prayer and off I went. Words from the movie 'The Secret Life of Walter Mitty'... Adventurous, Brave and Creative kept repeating in my mind. You only live once! I often motivated myself when faced with fear of what to come. Three hours later, I reached the small international airport of Hanoi. 

Confused.

I didn't know where to go once I stepped out of the airplane. The transit time was going to be a long while, almost 14 hours before my next flight, and I wasn't sure if the airlines would be providing food and boarding.

So I ended up at the departure waiting hall..... killing time doing ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!

No food coupon. No electric plugs to charge my dying electronic devices. My only source of entertainment at that!

And the worst part........ NO VIETNAM DONG TO BUY FOOD OR DRINKS!!!

I didn't even find any money changer!!!

The seats looked comforting, promising a laying down postilion for my sleep. hahah! 
The only comfort I had was the leather cushioned long chairs that were situated at the departure hall. I sat silently, listening to flight announcements ringing in my already confused head. Thinking of my luck. I tried asking the workers there, but they too didn't give me a straight answer.

I later found out that I can easily buy a mineral water for 1 USD or 1 Euro which I had in loose change. And there were toilets and some peaceful area (upstairs) to do my prayers. On the second floor there were some electric plugs, though colonized by equally needy passengers. 

So back to the waiting seats I went. Took out my blanket and tried to get some eye-shut after freshening up at the washroom.

Hours later.. maybe around 2 or 3 am... I woke up to this...

The departure hall was EMPTY! 
No more flight announcements.
No more 'other passengers' that were sleeping on the seats like me.
No more open stalls with workers.

It was COMPLETELY EMPTY and void of any moving object!!! 

I was down-right shocked!! Hahahah!

Thankfully they left the lights on... huh. Wasting electricity for the sake of one person. ME! LOL! I think it's best if they put me comfortably in a hotel somewhere though instead of letting me sleep all alone in the airport! 

Oh well... instead of letting fear consume me.. I did what I did best....

I continued sleeping.. :P

6 comments:

zonaku said... [Reply]

hahaha.... better alone than being accompanied by a dangerous stranger.

Jard The Great said... [Reply]

@ zonaku... true that... tapi kalau dia berniat jahat pun... rasanya kat airport ada CCTV dan sekuriti yg kerja syif malam. hahahaha!

agip roslan said... [Reply]

wah. tabah nye jard. 14hrs...sgtla tabah. btw...ni cite sudah abes kah? eheh

longest i used to stay in airport doing nothing is 8hrs..LAX.tu pun nasib baek ptg...waiting for 12am flight. zaman xde internet n belum beli smartphone..huhu

Jard The Great said... [Reply]

@ agip.. belum habis lagi.. baru nak warming up! hahahaha!

kejapnya u tinggal kat airport.. aku 14 jam tanpa makanan.. tanpa minuman! uwaaaaaaaa!!

Hanis Amanina said... [Reply]

been sleeping in many airports. hehe yg best sekali dubai la kot. sbb kalau naik emirates, dia bagi kupon makanan (or kalau cukup syarat, dia bagi hotel) :) tidur kat airport ni memang seram sikit plus sejuk.

kalau lama transit, make sure ada selimut kecil and bantal leher la ye.

sis tak bawak debit/credit card?

Jard The Great said... [Reply]

@ hanis... ada bawa.. tp tak nak guna kalau belum betul2 emergency.. kang membazir je duit dlm tu. hehehe