BACK TO PP

WHEW ... we're BACK!

How wonderful to sleep on my own bed again ... bliss! Apart from jetlag and perpetual travel and many time changes, including one when the clocks went back in the States, sleeping in different beds of varying degrees of softness, using different pillows (I LURVE my shaped foam one, it's great for my neck) and being in different rooms really disorientates one - well, me, anyway, so sleep has not been great the past few weeks. So despite the fact that it was really one of the best vacations (busman's holiday really) I've ever had, it's really fantastic to be back home in good ole Penang again.

It's the first time I've ever literally gone round the world: we started from Penang to Spore, then BA to London, and after a month New York, Raleigh and Los Angeles, and back to Msia. The last stage was a killer: 14.5 hours to Taiwan with a 1.5 hr stopover in Taipei during which time we saw the AIRPORT and nothing else, then another 4.5 hour flight to KLIA, after which we caught the 2pm flight back to Penang.

During the time we travelled 5 different airlines, although the first can be discounted because it was Silkair to Spore, on a very short flight. However, British Airways could at best be described as basic and adequate, because to give them their due they did hand out little sleep packs with socks and toothbrush and toothpaste. The inflight entertainment was OK but no video games, and they did give free drinks all the way - but how much can one drink. There are just two meals now.

The US airlines were the worst, and this is recognised even by American themselves. There is no more free baggage allowance for travel within the US; each bag is charged at USD25. On board, you get a free soft drink if you're lucky; meals are only provided for flights over 5 hours long. Earphones are charged at USD2 each, and blankets USD8. Disgraceful, and don't even think of having an alcoholic drink! They cost the earth!

We flew American Eagle to Raleigh from New York; they are a branch of American Airlines, on a plane so tiny that there was only one seat on one side and two on the other, and no space for hand luggage overhead so they had to take it away and return it to you on arrival. Service, as has already been mentioned, was minimal, and no attempt was made to make the passenger feel "warm", which surprises me because considering what a good reputation American restaurants have for their service ("Hi! My name is Randy, and I'll be your host/hostess for tonight. Let me run you through the specials yada yada yada" - so much so they are quite comical in a way) this is NOT emulated in their in-flight service, believe me!

As for the Raleigh-LA leg, American Airlines was just as poor. MAS is, by comparison, pretty good, but then they should be as they are one of the most expensive airlines by comparison. You also get free booze and meals, although even these have been cut down - they no longer offer a drink at the start of the flight now, only with the meal (count your lucky stars), and then only two meals despite the 14-hour journey.

HOWEVER I was very disappointed by the service given at the MAS LA check-in desk. Despite there being two empty rows in front of us we were given the worst possible seats on the plane, where the arm rests couldn't move. On a 14-hour flight it is a killer. They don't offer online check-in for this sector either. And beware people with hand luggage bigger than the stipulated maximum - you will be charged USD100 for it!

On top of that despite double-checking with the girl that the luggage WOULD be sent on to Penang, it was NOT, so we ended up returning to the house sans baggage. Thankfully it wasn't lost, just stuck in KLIA, and they did get it back to us before the end of the day.