TRAVELING ALONE

March 14th 2009.

This trip began when I earned some Enrich points from Malaysian Airlines (MAS) frequent flyer program. It was expiring at the end of last year and I was desperate to use it and was frantically searching for a holiday destination to fit my accumulated points.

December 31st is coming fast, and I have yet to decide where to go. Initially I decided to go to Beijing but I needed a companion. I have none. I wanted my eldest daughter to join me, but she had to work. All my grandchildren are also schooling.
Eventually I called Malaysian Airline about my expiring points and wanted to know more details. The person who answered my phone was very friendly and helpful. He suggested that I take advantage of the promotions that MAS is having at the moment.

"There is 50% discounts for all Enrich members, between January until May next year" he told me. When I told him about my expiring points, he said "Oh,that should be enough to take you to either America or London".

"What?, really!" I was getting really excited.
I had been missing my son for a long time. My eldest son had been studying in The United State for the last two years and he is graduating this year. His family is also with him and I missed them .

He is studying for his Masters degree programs at one of the top University in the United States, The University of Michigan. This is his second Masters Degree for him. His first was from UITM Shah Alam. He is persuing his Ph.D program this falls for another four years.
What a coincidence! I was very excited and could not not contained myself. I immediately called my son and asked him if I could visit him. He sounded happy. I told him about my excitement and the prospect of joining him in the U.S. He warned me though, that he is still in the midst of completing his exams and assignments, but sounded happy that I could join him and his family. I asked him whether his wife, Eli, would not mind having me for about three months.

"Of course , she does not mind, you are most welcome" he said from the other end of the line.

After a few more phone calls between me, my son and MAS, we eventually agreed on a suitable date, which could accommodate my son's graduation time and MAS schedules. I wanted to make sure my visit would not disturb his study plan or any other plan that they might have.

The date was 14thMarch and I was at KLIA before 8.00 am. I was really very nervous about the journey and had been visiting my family doctor, quite regularly to seek his advice. I was really unsure whether I could travel on my own and would like to ensure everything would be alright. My Doctor ensured me that it I would be alright since I had never had any health problems before. This trip is quite important for me, because I want to prove to myself that I am still strong and capable.

I have always admired foreign tourists, especially the Europeans, for a long time. Some of them,I noticed are already in their late fifties or sixties, but still enjoying themselves in faraway places. I have seen them taking long flights in wheel chairs and on crutches. I have also seen them taking buses by themselves.

I am a Malay, who has been brought up to believe that a woman is old at the age of fifty and ancient at the age of sixty. These old-age tales keeps bugging me. At these age we should be in the mosques, praying and reading the Al-Qur'an and waiting to die, especially in my home state of Kelantan.

The people in Kelantan are mostly staunch followers of Tok Guru Nik Aziz, who preached that only those who frequent the mosques and vote for PAS during elections can go to Heaven. I hate his teachings. It just make people lost interest in life.

I have always consider life precious and to make the most out of it. See the world and learn about how other people live. This will not only enrich our souls but also allows us to think differently and see thing from a different perspectives.

I always have a passion for traveling. I have stayed in America, visited Australia, England, France, Japan, China, Hong Kong,Taiwan,a few African countries and of course I have travelled many times over to Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and many more.

On the day of my flights, I was really quiet nervous and put up a brave front.

After saying farewell to my children at the Departure Hall, I made my first taste of traveling alone. I was quite confused and nervous at first.

"Oh!my Gosh!" I thought to myself. "I am already making my first blunders"when I went to the wrong immigration counter to present my passport. I felt so ashamed. How could an educated women like me make such silly mistakes. I should have read the signage.

"O.K, I'll be more careful the next time" I promised myself.

Then I make my way to the international terminals, which requires passenggers to take a shuttle-train to reach the terminals. I was again quite nervous. who knows I might get into the wrong train. So I must make sure. I read the signage before I took my cue. I have to make sure I get to the designated gate.

As I glide through the accelerators, I passed through a few shops selling perfumes, chocolates and other last minute souvenirs. I made a few stops at a fewof them for a few seconds, just to please my curiosity, before proceeding to my departure gate. After being shown to my seat on the flight, a stewardess came and asked me whether I am comfortable or not and I told her I am O.K.

The flight was pleasant and very comfortable. We had one stopover in Taipei for about forty-five minutes, where we all required to embark, and then it was smooth flights all the way. I fell asleep a couple of times. I woke up when food was being served or when I felt like watching the TV screen in front of me which give information about the progress of our flights, such the mileage we have covered, the temperatures outside, the number of hours to our destinations and mileage we have travelled.

I kept looking at he screen until I fell asleep again. Fortunately the flight did not enter into any terbulent and was really smooth. I arrived at the Los Angeles Airport (LAX) at 12.00 o'clock in the afternoon. After collecting my luggage I made my way to the connecting terminals which will take me to Detroit, where my son is waiting.

The wait at LAX was a big challenge for me. I had to wait for ten solid hours at the airport. I was restless and tired. I kept looking at my watch and the people around me that seems to be changing by the minutes. Hundreds of people have boarded their planes but here I am stuck at the airport not knowing what to do with my time. I must have fallen asleep many times and had walked into the restaurant a few times and window shops countless times before I finally boarded my flight to Detroit.

I am so happy to be able to see my son, his wife and two grandchildren again. I have been missing my son very much. It had been a very long and tedious journey. It took more than twenty three hours flight time and ten hours waiting at Los Angeles airport.

Before this trip I was quite apprehensive about it. The thought of the long journey irks me. What if I fall sick? Where do I leave my luggage if I want to go to the toilets?Which terminal do I go for my connecting flights? Who will help me lift the big bulky bags that I will carrying from the conveyor belts on arrivals? How to ensure my purse is not stolen, should I fall asleep at the terminals?and so on so forth......

To reduce my anxiety about my health I went to see my family doctor to get his advice. He assured me that I would be alright. I took a few jabs of vitamins B2,6 & 12 to give me extra energy. It really works. I did not feel tired throughout my journey.

One of my niece, who is a frequent traveller to U.S advised me to carry my bags/trolley if I need to go to the toilets. According to her the toilets at the airport are clean and spacious and could easily accommodate my baggage.

About the potential problem at the terminals, I had to rely on my traveling experience of the last forty years. I have been in and out of London Heathrow airport many times and I am sure it will help me get through this.

I refused to think about all the problems and concentrate on my trips instead. I want to make this trip and so I have to be brave and I am also looking forward to meeting with my son and his beautiful family, especially his pretty wife and two beautiful children. This thoughts make me stronger.

Another drawbacks are those remarks that our people had about age-limits that sometimes crept into my mind. Malays are not keen to travel after they have reached a certain age. My late mother was one of them. She had refused to join us in America when my husband studied for his Master's degree at the University of Pittsburgh in 1967 -1969. They are afraid of the unknown and quite unadventurous. But as for me, I was brought up to face challenges and to treat problems as opportunities.

Since I arrived here, my son and his family is making my trip well worth it. They are treating me well. In fact I felt wonderfully happy and blessed. My son has gone out of his way to make my stay wonderful and most memorable. I love you Nikai and Eli. May Allah Bless you always.