U.S.A: The Way There

I am not free. I have tons of work waiting for me but I'm..as usual..not in the mood. It's 9pm now and it's not time to sleep yet and I'm a bit restless coz no new episodes of my 烈火雄心III.

So let me blog about my US trip.

The trip was planned to attend my sister's graduation. She just recently gotten her MBA from Micheal G Foster, School of Business at University of Washington. Many asked me why would I still want to spend so much money to go to places I've been already. Places like Seattle, San Francisco and Vegas.

I thought about it for a very very long time. Almost 3 months. First, I don't have that kind of money. Obviously. Secondly, I've been to all those places! Third, it probably is not the wisest choice to take 3 weeks leave.

I surveyed all the airlines trying to get the cheapest deal of them all. Needless to say Singapore Airlines is the most expensive. Cathay Pacific is equally pricey. Other budget airlines like United and stuff are just a bit cheaper than SIA. Air China is the cheapest but also the most unsafe as claimed by many. In the end, I grabbed my tickets from Malaysia Airlines because they have this promotion where I could get to and fro Kuala Lumpur<->Los Angeles for RM3500 total. SIA is like RM5800. So it's really a good deal!

Why again, you ask?

It's because my parents would be going. That's why.

Maybe you think I'm dumb to be spending so much for a trip where I could easily get a company business trip to the same places with all expenses paid. But I think what's important is I would be able to spend 3 full weeks accompanying my parents to the States. I rarely get the chance to accompany them anywhere for holiday after I started working. And I rarely go back to my hometown too except for maybe National Day or Chinese New Year like maybe once every 5 months? My parents are old already lah I don't know how long I'd get to accompany them anywhere. I'm afriaid I don't have the chance to do that and I didn't want to regret in the future, looking back and thinking why I didn't want to spend that kind of money to be with my parents.

So there you go. That's why.

The plan is also to visit some of the universities. And possibly the places that I might stay there plus probably just stay there and not come back.

That plan was back in..what? January?

I'm scheduled to travel on June 6th APAC time and reach LA then SF on the same date June 6th Pacific Time. June 6 is my mum's birthday and we purposely planned it so that we can celebrate her birthday there.


#1 My flight


#2 I found out my B1/B2 visa is done on June 6 too!


#3 My security declaration form. Also June 06! okok enough of June 6th wtf.


#4 My flight was from KL in the morning. I stayed over a night in KL so that I don't have to rush down on the same day.


#5 I rarely fly from KLIA. Mostly straight from PG down to Singapore so I'm not quite familiar with KLIA. I didn't know I have to take the tram to my gate! Luckily I go earlier.


#6 My gate. C35.


#7 MAS. My MAS virgin experience to the States.


#8 My first impression is why the seats like so dirty wan. Then I realize it's the color that makes them look dirty. Other than that, everything else looks older than SIA too.


#9 The seat next to me is empty. So I get to put my laptop bag there then I have more leg spaces.


#10 Mine is a non direct flight. It transits in Taipei. 3 hours and 27 minutes of travelling time.


#11 My first in flight meal. Fried rice with chicken. I missed the bun and butter so much! That's what I enjoyed most heh.


#12 In Taipei Airport! Queuing for transit.


#13 I have 1 hour in Taipei. Was hungry and saw bubble tea + popcorn chicken. Damn yummy and I damn hungry lor! But I only have USD with me and I lazy to exchange to RM so..haih. I just went to toilet and brush teeth and freshen up.


#14 The waiting area.


#15 I chose to sit beside the window so that I can see them refuelling the plane.


#16 The boy gave me the mask. I didn't wear it at all so I simply wear a while in Taipei airport coz too free plus simply wear to take photo only. Nobody travel with me have to self entertain lah.


#17 Got back on the plane!


#18 11 more hours! Unlike the previous few times, I really did not look forward to spending SO MUCH time on board. It's mentally and physically tiring. I don't enjoy it at all. Quite torturing seriously esp when I have no one to talk to. But my parents took Singapore Airlines and I can't afford SIA so what to do ler.


#19 My 2nd meal. Rice with Chicken.


#20 My 3rd meal. Fried rice with chicken. ABIT BORING RIGHT ME. I kept choosing chicken ler. And chicken is always with rice not noodle why ah. I don't feel like eating spagetti or anything else though.

Then I didn't take any more photo of my food coz boring already lor. Plus sleepy and a bit pening plus not fully awake most of the time. I kept asking for water water and water. I felt like I'm dehydrated.


#21 AFTER WHAT SEEMS LIKE 1345830 HOURS I FINALLY SAMPAI DI LOS ANGELES! THANK GOD YAY!


#22 I changed from pyjamas into shorts coz..it's supposed to be summer. It's supposed to be very heaty. Coz I asked Candy and she say it's so damn hot almost like Malaysia she dying.


#23 OBVIOUSLY SHE'S LYING LAH Right after I got out of the plane I felt cold wind almost like Genting. I had to walk from Tom Bradley International Airport to Terminal 1 for SouthWest to San Francisco.


#24 Since I have many more hours so I decided to WALK instead of taking the shuttle bus. All the domestic airlines in US will be charging a fee for check in luggage EXCEPT Southwest. Lucky me. No. Should thank my sister coz she sponsored my Southwest flight.


#25 The first thing I bought in LA Airport. Mint with the boy's name.


#26 Sat there at the gate looking at Starbucks thinking whether I should spend the money and buy a hot chocolate coz it's DAMN COLD LAH. Candy lied to me say the weather like Malaysia haih. She forgot what Malaysia is like.


#27 I wore the new Nike. The boy's gift

#28 Finally! The view from my seat. At this time I think I already left like 5% of energy. Need to recharge battery plus really smelly already no shower for so many hours.


#29 I got window seat. The domestic flights all have free drinks + snack. But right after I stored my luggage then I fell asleep. SO NICE TO SLEEP UNTIL I DIDN'T EVEN WAKE UP FOR DRINKS AND SNACK.

I woke up when the pilot announced that they're going to land already wtf. Which is a whole 1.5 hours or so. I woke up then stretched then I heard the guy next to me told the guy next to him "Look! She finally woke up!" WTF. So I told them I've travlled for like 20 hours from Asia and they seem so amazed wtf.

Candy and my parents are already in San Francisco. She got her rental car and picked me up from airport then went back to our hotel. We got the rental car from Budget and stayed at the Travelodge near the airport. I am so glad to see them! The last time I saw Candy was back in December for her winter break. And my parents..what a differnt feeling to see them in US! Their last trip was 20 YEARS AGO!

Checked in and slept for a while. Then get changed to me and Candy's FAVORITE CHINESE RESTAURANT SAN TUNG. Yummy yum! Mei introduced us to this place like 4 years ago and everytime I go to San Francisco I would go at least once.

SUPER NICE WAN I TELL YOU NO REGRET YO.


#30 Candy dropped us to put our name first because San Tung is always full! And worse is we're there on a Sunday. Worse.


#31 San Tung Chinese Restaurant


#32 SEE I TOLD U. ALWAYS FULL. We waited for 1 hour plus that day. Dad kept persuading us to eat at the other restaurant opposite of San Tung coz it's empty haha BUT DAD AIYAH U SEE PEOPLE RATHER QUEUE FOR SAN TUNG FOR HOURS ALSO DOWAN TO GO OPPOSITE THEN U KNOW LAH!


#33 San Tung's famous diced chicken. Super nice yoh. Very crispy plus the sauce omg so good. They have a few famous dishes like this chicken, and almost every table ordered dumplings and their mushu pork and their black bean sauce noodle.

Other dishes are probably just mediocre. Our only purpose to San Tung is for the diced chicken only lah! And no regrets ! I missed it SO SO SO SO SO SO MUCH!!! Haih seriously even now I'm drooling. The chicken really damn good.

We then went to the hypermart and bought water and bread and stuff like that for breakfast the next day.

Travelodge is pretty decent. It's not like the usual Residence Inn that I stay in but I have no complaints considering the price and the condition. I don't remember taking any photos of the place but I'll try to search for it.

More of US trip up next! 2nd day around San Francisco Town.

San Tung Chinese Restaurant

1031 Irving Street,

(between 11th Ave & 12th Ave)

San Francisco,

California 94122.

(+415) 242-0828