Photos Page UPDATED

From now on (as Flickr site seems to be “FULL”), i will be uploading the pictures I take in Google space with Picassa, so stay tuned:

The new uploaded photos will be available on the Photo page.

Just click on the “Photos” tab on top and check out the new updated pics.

Thx

I have a new Passport

I woke up today at 6 to line up for a spanish passport. I got there at 6h30 and was 3rd in line. Shortly after the office was open at 9 i got a brand new passport. White sheets and new picture. I hope i dont break this one and lasts till 2012 as it should be.

With the last one i had a few probs crossing borders and getting into different countries. I have a chinese looking face and the passport is a bit broken, bent and without magnetic band, so i have had to wait at the customs line more than once.

The last time was in Singapore where i had to pass a 2nd passport control, and that’s when i told myself i had to make myself a new one.

The “worst” time was in Frankfurt 3 years ago, on my way to Zürich, i had only 40 mins to change planes and the customs officers held me 35 mins checking my passport. I had to show my spanish ID card, student pass, driving license and also a signature check. I thought i was going to lose the plane.

Anyways, hopefully those stories will be over from now and i will be able to pass through the custom’s officer cabin as fast as any other citizen.

Singapore to Madrid by plane

I was in Changi Airport in Singapore, on time. 2h in advance to check in and go throught all the standard procedures. All looking good.

We started boarding on time as scheduled shortly after 23h00, but instead of taking off at 23h59, we had to wait for a take off slot in the airport. We had to wait almost 2 hours inside the plane. It didnt matter much, cos i started talking with the friendly guy next to me and it didnt really feel like “waiting”.

After the command’s second apologies for the delay, we took off. He said he would try to make it on time despite the late take off and so we did. I got to London’s airport only 40 mins late, but the was a heavy traffic to land and so we had to go in circles again with 5 other planes until the plane was given a landing slot. So, we pretty much got to Heathrow 1h late. It was already 7h50 am (instead of 6h40).

My conection flight to Madrid was at 8h20, but i couldnt make it on time because i had to go through a first line on 40 mins to get the airport shuttle to go to Terminal 1. Once in the Terminal, a first line of who knows what for that took another 15 mins. I think it was for people to get rid and throw any bottles or non allowed hand luggage before the security check.

As I was in that line, i could see the last call for my flight to Madrid. I obviously wasnt going to make it so i just stood there hoping everything would work out just fine.

The security check was another 30 mins. People getting half naked to go through a metal detector and then an airport security person would double check just in case. No shoes either. Just shirt, trousers, underware and socks. Everything else had to go through the x-ray machine.

When i made it through the last check, i had to go to a British Airways counter to get another flight ticket back to Madrid. I got one for 9h30. Great. This time, the plane took off only 1h behind schedules, because they needed some time to take off some luggage of people who were supposed to go in that flight but couldnt make it because of the neverending airport security procedures.

When i got to Barajas airport in Madrid, I waited for my backpack eventhough the woman at the British Airways counter in Heathrow airport told me it would probably not be possible to put it in the same flight. She was right.

I made a report at the airport customer service counter and went back home by metro, so hopefully i will get some sort of compensation for all i had gone through and my backpack will be home this morning.

What have i learnt from this?

Be patient, being in a hurry and worrying about the time wont make the line dissapear or make you first in line.

Always to buy direct flight tickets or keep a 3h  safety margin between planes when travelling through big airports (London, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, NY, LAX…)

Melaka

I bought a new cam this morning in the BB Center in KL. Its not great, but good enough for my pics, so i’ll try to take pictures of the rest of the trips (only 4 more to go).

I arrived to Melaka and everything is alright. The camera works, its not very hot and the food and the lodging is cheap.

Im happy.

Report at KL Police Station

That’s it boys and girls…no more pictures. My camera got stolen.

This morning as i was on the bus to visit the Temple on Batu Caves, 15km away from KL, some guy who needed a camera took mine. With all the pictures i had taken in Malaysia: Perhentian Islands, Taman Negara, Kuala Lumpur…and the transits. I had around 850 MB of photos and vids in the card…all gone with the wind.

Anyways, i made a report at the Police Station and hopefully i can get a brand new camera with the insurance money…but still. Those precious moments, those supermodels’ pictures i took, the sunrise and sunset at Perhentian Islands, Jungle landscapes and canopy walkways…and most importantly: The Petronas Towers at night.

I spent 2 hours in front of the towers last night, after going on the skybridge and took a picture every 20 mins from the very exact position…the transition would have been great.

Ill try to get in contact with the insurance company and see how i can solve this out and if everything works out ok, ill get a new camera in Singapore.

As one comedian said: “pictures are a new age thing. What ever happened with REMEMBERING things and telling after?” It would have been great to show y’all the pictures and the places…  Im not sad, im just annoyed i lost all the photos.

Kuala Lumpur

After a day in the jungle sweating like hell, i decided to head down to Melaka, but i missed the bus for a couple of minutes. The only bus running from Jerantut…so changed my planes and came to Kuala Lumpur.

Its one big messy city and it has many things to see. I already went up to the skybridge on the Petrona Towers (41st floor), the Eye of Malaysia and Chinatown, where im staying at the min.

Ill be taking a walk around lake gardens and the day after that, ill take a bus to Melaka to spend the day and probably sleep over, then Johor Bahru in the south of Malaysia before crossing into Singapore.

Ill post some impressive photos of the twin towers as soon as i can. Beautiful at night.

Perhentian Islands

I took the night bus from Phuket to Hadyai and then the train to the border (Kolok) with Malaysia. Taxi with 3 other guys to Besut and then a boat to Kecil, the smaller of the two Perhentian Islands.

Beautiful white sand beaches and turquoise water. Incredible.

I spent the days with a german guy i met and an english girl. I went snorkeling and saw many fish and a couple of turtles. Quite impressive.

Now im in Taman Negara National Park, a prime jungle in the middle of Malaysia. Very nice too but way too hot.

Ill be going to KL tomorrow probably. I checked the flights to Brunei to spend the weekend but the prices go too way out of my budget so, I guess ill re-plan and come up with something else.

Im black tanned and losing weight like a pig training for the olimpics.

6 days in Phuket

Im about to leave to Hatyai, in the south border with Malaysia.

After 4 intense days in Bangkok, i came to Phuket. Amazing time here.

I have had a great great time in this island. I’ve met wonderful people and seen breathtaking places, coral white sand beaches with crystal blue water, fish eating from my very mouth and monkeys playing in the coast.

The weather has been great (which is important considering its monson season), the food was good and the company even better.

I have taken many many pictures and videos that i will post as soon as i can. Promise.

Next stop: Hatyai. I will be leaving phuket town at 21h30 and will be arriving to destination at 4h50, so i’ll try to figure out a way down to Malaysia, where i plan to stay another 10 days or so in some islands in the east coast, the jungle and Kuala Lumpur, with the impressive Twin towers.

So far, so good.