Many of my friends know that I went to Sydney for a week training last week. But what not many know is- the struggle I had to go through just to get there.
And i lived by the motto NO PAIN, NO GAIN for that few days hekss...
The problem – missing passport.
I went back to JB for a long Chinese New Year holiday, and not forgetting, watak utama - to get my passport.
My bro n family n I were supposed to head back to KL earlier than lalat bangun on Thursday as my bro had to go to work that morning. The night before going back to KL, I packed my bag, along with my passport which I tucked in the front pocket of my yellow backpack and zipped it up. I was very sure of that and I could clearly recall my mom asked me, “Passport dah masuk dalam beg? Jangan lupa bawak.”
“Dah!” I said.
But I didn’t want to go into so much trouble of unload my bag from the trunk and get the passport out just to show it to my mom.. coz I was very confident I have packed it - which later caused me alot of trouble!
The next day, I started to pack my bag for Sydney but suddenly I realized that my passport was not in the bag! Scheisse!! (Anyway, it's shit in German). I went looking all over the house for the passport but it wasn’t there. Then I called home and asked my mother to check if I accidentally left the passport in my room, and called my brother to ask if it was dropped off in his car. Later at night, the whole family made a rescue team to search for my passport and it was nowhere in sight :-(
Saturday
Rescue squat diperkuatkan dan dipertingkatkan with the search area diperbesarkan. Searched my house, my parents’ house as well as my brother’s house. Then the family cars including my sister in-law’s. I even searched in my office! Which is I thought rather ridiculous coz it couldn’t possibly be anywhere else except for my room, bag and prolly my bro’s car. The weirdest thing was I can clearly recall that I had safely put the passport inside my backpack that night and NEVER EVER brought the passport out, not even to the living room of my parents’ house. And I did not open my bag until the time I wanted to pack for Sydney. And I still couldn’t find my passport.
I postponed my flight to the following day.
Sunday
I woke up feeling miserable.
I called my boss and I’ve got free lecture. Oh, actually she got the lecture from the big boss first.
My colleague kept smsing me telling me to carik passport sampai dapat and get my ass on the plane to Sydney coz she was terrified being alone there.
U know la the riot with Muslims and all that…
Then, I went to bank that morning with my mate. Looking at my state (mesti dah gaya cam org gile), she can't help to feel pity for me and suggested that I should go back to JB and try to look for the passport myself. Even if I couldn’t find it, it always feel good to be around the family at time like this. And without much of a thinking, I took a bus back to JB.. sehelai sepinggang like dat without even taking a bath! Reached JB at about 2pm and I walked all the way home from the bus stand on a hot sunny day. My sister was furious but just I didn’t care. I just needed time for myself.
As soon as I reached home, I started the search but couldn’t find it anywhere. Kalau dah 3,4 org carik tak jumpe. What difference can I make?
I postponed the flight again.
That night my mother suggested that we go and seek help from a “folk medicine practitioner”. Seriously, my family and I don’t actually believe in such thing but we were like “what the heck, just give it a shot”.
Since I was little, I know that there are other creatures or spirit (whatever u call it) live in my house besides us- human. Hearing footsteps and other noises when no one at home but yourself is a norm to my family. My neighbours and few people who came to my house has encountered few incidents but that didn’t really bother us..coz normal la tu… bukan kita je makhluk kat dunia ni.
So back to our story, that night we went to see this man, who we call Pak Haji. He is not a bomoh per se but he is a religious man who has the ability to transfer his soul and connect to the other world. Somewhat like Dr Harun Din camtu but he’s not as glamer as Dr Harun Din la kan. He said that my passport was at still home - in my bedroom. It was a bit creepy coz he described my house and my room perfectly. ‘Somebody’ hid it, not because of bad intention but just for fun. He even talked to the spirit.
Now, if you were me, would you want to believe that?
I don’t believe in such thing but whatever works, just play along.
He told me to perform some solat sunat and taught me some doa to recite while looking for the passport.
One of the weird things he informed me was that I have a few spirits live in my body. I forgot how many, 3 kot. And they are all pretty ladies (mesti lah, aku kan cantik hahaha). These ladies often made me feel gloomy and sad. And they live by sucking my blood on my legs… And to my awe, I actually do have bruise marks on my legs that I often wonder where it came from.
Did I fall from bed? No.
Did I accidently hit on something while walking? Don’t think so.
But if you guys could give me medical reasons of how did I get those marks on my legs, please let me know. TQ.
These ladies, according to the Pak Haji, if not removed from my body, they will some way prevent me of getting married. Wohoooo~! So he did some sort of exorcism on me (well, don’t get me wrong.. the Islamic way, using zikir and ayat Al-Quran). Pretty kewl but I cant reveal it here :-P ohh and on my mother as well.
Then we went home and did as instructed by the Pak Haji. After performing the prayer, my mother went straight to sleep while I kept on searching. Pak Haji said that if I repeatedly chant the doa, I could see the vision of the area where my passport could possibly be left. Apparently, I did – even though it was not so clear but I did. It was at the end of my bed. I went searching at the corner but still couldn’t find it.
3am, I surrendered.
Monday
I can barely sleep..
I woke up for Subuh prayer and continued with the mission.
Then my mom told me that she dreamt that my passport was at the corner of my bed, tucked under some white, or cream coloured cloth that looked like bed sheet or cushion sheet. So, her vision was like the missing pieces of mine. Then I called the Pak Haji. His wife picked up the phone and said that she has helped me with the doa recitation and described to me of her vision, which is exactly the same with my mother’s. Spooky, isn’t it? Did a massive clean up of my room but still couldn’t find the passport.
Then my mother told me not to give up on the real world (hahaa..) and try to go to Immigration to see if they could help me. After lunch, I went to report for the missing passport and rushed to the Immigration. But by the time I got a photo for the passport and cop Suruhanjaya Sumpah, the Immigration counter has already closed.
Once again, I called MAS and asked them to postpone my flight.
By this time, I have almost given up. I called the Pak Haji and told him that I’m going back to KL but he asked me to stay for another night and perform another solat while he helped me with Yassin and doa, at exactly the same time. After all that, I still couldn’t find my passport.
Then again kan, maybe because I don’t really believe in the spirit thingy kot.. that I wasn’t really into doing it or talking to that thing… Prolly that was why it didn’t work.
Tuesday
That early morning, I decided to quit all those nonsense and back to business with the Immigration. Lucky me, my sister has an inside contact. So I could cut the queue and went in the office to meet her. I told her of my problem and she was very kind to help me. Even her secretary was so helpful.
I’ve got my photos, photostatted I/C, and even Photostatted of my missing passport ready. But I don’t have my birth cert with me. It’s in KL!! Scheisse!! So I had to go to Jabatan Pendaftaran to get a new birth cert. Luckily my birth was registered there so they managed to relocate the file and print out a new cert within half an hour. Impressive!
So I ran back to the Immigration, submitted the application form and get a letter for the missing passport. The lady who helped me was kind enough to apply for a new passport and Emergency Passport for me, and even gave me double journey pass to Australia and China.
While waiting for my passport to be ready, I called my agency to get the status of my Visa. I need to reapply for a new Visa since I will travel with a new passport. The girl at the agency said she never do any online Visa application with Emergency Passport before but she will try. If that is possible, I could save me time coz I could get the visa immediately with the online application and get the despatch boy of the agency to send it to my office. I can just grab it once I reach KL and I’ll be safe.
By 12.30pm, my Emergency Passport was ready!
The girl at the agency called me back to inform that online application cant be made with the emergency passport. I had to go to Australia Embassy myself. Darn! It was already 1pm!
I called the Embassy and was asked to call again at 1.30pm as phone enquiry will only be opened from 1.30pm to 3.30pm. I called my mom and told her that I’ve got my passport and will rush straight to KL to make Visa. She asked my brother to accompany me to KL, help me with the Visa and send me to KLIA. So I rushed back home to pick my brother up but he wasn’t home. Called him, he was at the bank to withdraw some money. Apparently my mom asked him to pay all the expenses coz kesian sgt nengok anak dia yg sorang nih dah struggle sangat. But I just couldn’t wait for him. Not even a minute. Time is precious. It was almost 2 and I needed to rush to the Embassy before it close at 5pm.
I called the Embassy again at 1.30pm and all I’ve got was “Oh, we actually open for public from 8.30am to 12pm. We have closed now.” I was like WHATTTT?
“But butttt my agent said you are closing at 5pm and I’m already on the way from JB. I’ll reach there at 4. Here’s the thing, I lost my passport and I just got a new one and it is really urgent for me to go to Sydney. My flight is tonight. Could anyone help me to get the Visa?” Yeahh.. more a less like that.
“Ok, I’ll find someone. Just call again once you reach here.”
And the line got cut off.
4pm???? Arghhhhh…..
It was already 2pm when I reached the Skudai Tollgate.
My fastest record was 2 and a half hour. 2 hours?? Gile impossible!!
Just keep my fingers crossed.. and step on those paddles
…80km/h
…120km/h
…150km/h
Hmmm not so bad..
Test power
…170km/h
Ok, I’ll stick to 160km/h
All the way, bebeh!
Any car got on my way, I beamed.
Kiasu? Refuse to change lane? It’s ok, I’ll change lane.
Road works? Only one lane opened? Emergency lane.. hey, i wasn't the only one. I followed the car in front of me.. seriously
It was an adrenaline chase and I reached the Sg Besi Tollgate – 4.07pm
Wohooo~! Made a new record!!
Right after the toll, I called the Embassy. The lady I was spoken to earlier in the afternoon answered the phone and asked if I could make it to the Embassy by 4.30pm.
“I’m not too sure. But I’ll try.”
“Ermm.. I don’t think that’s possible. It’s a bad traffic at Jln Tun Abdul Razak at times like this.”
“It’s ok.. I’ll make sure I reach there on time.”
Clik.
Suddenly a Chinese driver of a white Hyundai car with Singapore plat no repeatedly honk me. He winded down his window and waved his thumb up.
And he shouted, “Wahhh, gooood!!! Good la you! Good!!”
I waved my hand and was like.. errr… yeah, thanks!
Man, was my driving THAT crazy? Coz I noticed the white Hyundai car went 160km/h along the Seremban highway but I was concentrating on my driving and cilok-mencilok game, I didn’t give much attention to the car after that.
Anyway, I parked my car and reached the entrance of the Australia Embassy at exactly 4.26pm. Made it on time, kewl! The name of the officer that I was supposed to meet is Stephanie. She personally greeted me at the entrance, let me in the staff office and opened the counter for me. Let me recall you guys that the counter closed at 12pm and she waited for me until 4.30pm. Remind me to ring her and blanja her coz she was so the very helpful and friendly. She even hugged me when she sent me off the entrance gate. Like dah kenal lama gitu! And she is just one day older than me (“,)
Quarter pass 5, I had my visa done.
But new problem has arised, my battery went dead!
I drove out, but I didn’t really sure what to do next. I stopped at Saloma and searched for a public phone and called some numbers I could recall. Luckly, a friend was having and appointment at Pelita KLCC and was about to go to KL Central to send his friend off. So, I left my car at Pelita and borrowed his phone to call MAS and inform them that I’m on the way and will be a bit late. I asked the operator to check in for me. I got in my fren's car and enjoyed the sensation of the air conditions. Letih sangat, kehhh!
I reached KLIA at almost 8pm. My flight was at 9pm. Good thing that they have checked in for me. I changed my ticket at MAS office, paid penalty fees and additional airport tax and checked in, only to find out that my Visa was not updated in the system yet. Arghh… Logic la kot coz baru je buat tadi.. itu pon after office hour. So I had to wait for another half a hour before I could board the plane.
Ouh, and another problem… No one knows that I managed to get everything settled, not even my family or colleague in Sydney coz I can’t find a plug to recharge my phone. Then I saw a plug near the boarding gate and I begged the security officer to let me recharge my mobile for 5 minutes coz I needed to inform somebody to pick me up at Sydney Airport.
I managed to sms my housemates – to help me bring my car home, and colleague in Sydney – to pick me up coz I don’t know the address of the office.
I called my mother and said that I managed to settle everything and I was already on board. I thanked her for all her help and said I love her (something that I rarely do).
I boarded on the plane, and rest in peace.. literally :-P
That was a whole lot of story for a day, wasn’t it?
