If only for a while…

On Wednesday last week, I flew over to Kuching for a few days to attend my ex-Kanowit student’s daughter’s wedding. Do stick around for all the subsequent posts on this trip.

I took the World’s No. 1 low-cost airline – they will not miss telling you, their captive audience, when you’re on their flights. I booked my “tickets” online and the airfare to Kuching was only over RM70.00 and the return, over RM90.00 but after clicking here and there and doing this and that, the total with some charges thrown in came up to over RM280.00. That was perfectly all right with me as I had hardly travelled anywhere for quite sometime now and besides, I had not seen my ex-student and some of the others for 40 years – I sure was looking forward to seeing them again.

I bought the value pack which would entitle me to certain privileges including insurance and a free meal…

…even though, it was going to be such a short flight and I would not need to eat anything en route. They passed me everything in a bag and I took it to the hotel with me. This was one very rare occasion when I ate anything vegetarian…

…and it was rather nice, something like sweet and sour meat. I had expected those chunks to be pumpkin and soft but the texture turned out to be something like tofu and yes, I did enjoy it when I finally got down to eating it much later.

It was a very pleasant flight – I managed to check in and drop my baggage off even though I had to do it all by myself now at the kiosk and at the counter. They no longer ask passengers to line up in groups according to their seats but boarding was all very smooth and orderly and we arrived in Kuching…

…10 minutes ahead of schedule. Ain’t that great?

I put up at this hotel that I do like a lot and I had stayed there many times before. I asked for a deluxe queen room, RM88.00 per night, and I specially requested for Room 303 because I liked the arrangement of the room plus it was near the lift, no need to walk too far…and yes, when I checked in, I was given that very room! Other than that, they still have my particulars in their record so when I called them to make the booking, it was such a breeze and it was done in no time at all.

This is new…

– it looked like they just won an award from Traveloka. and this time around, there is free wifi in the privacy of your own room, no need to go online on their PC’s in the lobby.

My flight back from Kuching was even faster – it landed in Sibu 25 minutes ahead of schedule. Unlike in Sibu, we were asked to line up in groups there but we had to use the stairs whereas that day, in Sibu, we had the convenience of using the aerobridge.

This time around, I was given this…

…and my girl loved it! It had the fragrances of all those lovely Indian spices…

…but personally, I liked the previous one more. Unfortunately, they will not let you pick your complimentary meal when you opt for their value pack but you are allowed to change if you are willing to pay for it.

I had a most delightful 4-night stay in Kuching…

…and I sure am looking forward to the next opportunity when I can hop over again even if it’s only for a while.

360 Xpress City Center Hotel (1.554731, 110.352754)  is conveniently located in the Padungan area of Kuching city centre at Wisma Phoenix, Jalan Song Thian Chiok.