This trip was meant to be a simple one to see the folks in Kuching or Christmas. But as usual, waderlust, dreams and airfare sales get in the way and I end up with a detour to Goa and Harbin.
My standby ticket had firmed up in the last week or so and I was able to get a boarding pass immediately at the airport for my midnight flight to Hong Kong. This was the first day the airline had started online check-in and it declined to issue me a boarding pass, stating that a staff member needed to sight my onward/return ticket (strange considering my return flight was in the same PNR and within the maximum stay allowed by Hong Kong).
Onboard, the woman across the aisle from me kept talking on the phone (on her Wechat App) after the doors had closed and through the safety demonstration by the crew. The crew member directly in front of her was oblivious to this. Then two lockers burst open upon take off with one piece of luggage falling down, but well-intercepted by the passenger below. Another passenger got up to close one of the lockers only to be shouted at rudely by the crew “Sit down!”.
It got better after that; both meals were delicious in Premium Economy and I got plenty of rest. After the first meal, the Wechat lady mixed up a grainy grey paste in a plastic cup and applied it liberally to her face (about 1cm thick). She kept that masque on till wake-up time before landing.