I'm flying solo - solo.
May 29, 2016
Oh-my-Gee. I survived my very first solo airplaine travel, abroad! Hooray for that!Traveling abroad was not new to me, but traveling all by myself? Oh boy, it was an avant-garde experience! Being a dependent girl, this was such a huge step for me! Actually, everything from now on will be far-out from the usual since I will be working and living all by myself in abroad too. Anyway, back to my solo-flight experience, it was so exhilarating and at the same time, nerve-wracking. I had so much not-too-good scenarios running on my mind, which include but not limited to, me missing my flight or being held up in the immigration . So much for being a pessimist.
I had to fly from Malaysia to Bangladesh to Qatar. As what was expected, I couldn't help it but shed lots of tears before boarding. This was the first I will be going away, far away from any of my family so this was a big sepanx for me. I had to calm myself down and head towards the immigration. Fortunately, everything went smoothly. I had to wait for about an hour in the midst of stranger. Not bad, I guess, since I've got free wifi to entertain me during the waiting game.
Finally, boarding time has come! I didn't get the window seat but I was lucky to get to the left side of the isle seat but unlucky enough to be right next the lavatory. Anyway, still I'd rather be there than be seated in between of two strangers! So far, my mind and body was feeling so alive and detached from the sepanx that just happened that going to sleep was far off from happening. And so, I let myself be immersed in the horrific mysteries and murders happening in Rosewood.
I hadn't kept track of time that I didn't notice we, I mean "I", was already in Bangladesh! We landed in Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The airport was not the best one out there. And I can even say, the international airports back in the Philippines were way better. Or maybe I can say that this airport was more like a domestic airport version of ours?
Anyway,this was where the waiting game became too strong. I had to wait for 12 long hours in Bangladesh airport before boarding onto my last plane headed to Qatar. Can you believe that? 12 hours?! I, myself, could not believe it either, that I did survived waiting for that long! Waiting, for such an impatient person like me, is always an issue. But since I've got no other options, I just had to bear with it.
I looked for some comfortable place to stay for such a lengthy time which was pretty much the waiting area. Thank God for the free wifi that kept me out of the boredom-zone.
After waiting half a day, alas! I finally heard that my flight was already boarding time! Booyah! I grabbed all my things and went straight to the Departure Gate. Oh, and I just had a stressful experience when they were scanning my bag. They have to ask me to take out everything out of my bag and I was so anxious that I actually thought someone might have slipped some illegal drugs to my bag! Oh the things running through my mind back then. But I kept my cool as I was taking everything out. Turned out, they actually thought that my selfie stick was a syringe! I even have to demonstrate to them how it works. Talk about being paranoid or they were actually just doing their job -- keeping everyone safe so enough with the complains. Thankfully, they let me pass through as they saw that it really was something harmless and not some humongous syringe.
Fortunately, I get to be on the window seat this time. Lucky me! Hahahah! And as I did earlier, I spent all the flying hours watching Pretty Little Liars. I almost finished a season during this entire traveling experience! My entire body and soul was now already complaining of tiredness, that I didn't get to take a photo during my flight towards Qatar. Besides, not much to take a photo too since it was pitch-black out there.
After 5 hours of flying thousands of feet above sea level, finally, I reached my destination - Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar. They really have a very, very nice airport.
Going to the immigration, I have to queue with all the other international travelers. I think it took me about half an hour waiting in line. That much of tourists they've got. I didn't had any problem in the immigration, no questions asked actually. They just took a photo of me and that's it, I welcomed myself into the State of Qatar.
Well, my bestfriend and her boyfriend also did welcomed me. And we actually didn't see each other for 2 years, so yeah, we were a bit emotional when we saw each other again.
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After almost a whole day of traveling and waiting, I finally get to have a good night sleep. Thank God for a very safe though not so peaceful (because of the selfie-stick issue) travel I had. It really was a once in a lifetime and a memorable experience for me, as a first time legit solo-traveler. This was my first time traveling with a connecting flight, and with my experience, I think it might be the first and last. I had so much trauma with the long waiting hours I had to endure. Hahaha
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