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Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Tailed by a Drunkard



Day 11 (20 November 2006). Terrified.



Yes, The title says it all.


QUESTION.

What happened ? Well, after an uneventful day at Vasa Museet (nothing against the museum though - I like the R&R that day), something dreadful happened the next day (you know lar - Murphy's Law, sigh).
When did this happen ? Left Stockholm to go back to Paris for my journey back home. Everything was fine till I hit Paris. Shucks!
How did it started ? The guy noticed I was traveling alone with large suitcase.

BACKGROUNDER.


The day started as usual, woke up, pack my luggage, say bye bye to Elaine and walk to the train station (100-200 meter distance). Easy peasy.

Took the train to Central Station, I was early by 1.5 hrs ON PURPOSE so that I can walk in Gamla Stan (Old Town) to take some building pics and a little bit of souvenirs shopping (buying extra in case I might have miss some folks back home). Alone and very safe (I told you Stockholm is great, didn't I !?!).

Next, took the Flygbussarna airport coaches to the Skavsta Airport, I think it's the domestic cum Low Cost Carrier Airport (1.5 hours odd drive) to catch the flight back to Paris. Reach airport, check-in and was told my luggage is overweight and whether I wish to split some to hand-carry (how sweet I thought). I contemplate and somehow (strangely) I said I'll pay the overweight charges of RM500 (EU€100), my thoughts were at that point of time is that I wanted my hand to be free (since am also carrying my small backpack) for whatever reason. Thus I checked in all my luggage and waited for boarding time. All went smoothly.

Reached Orly Airport in Paris, took a 2 hours bus to the city (this was close to 11pm AT NIGHT - a bit worried), it stoped us far from the train station; have to walk a distance (with big luggage mind you) with NO escalator nor lift. Manage to get a train to the airport (flight was next day at 12pm, I buffered any flight delays hence I thought I should arrive 1 day prior). Still manageable so far (but a bit scared as people are getting lesser at that hour).
You tend to see train passenger coming in and out at every stop, some look friendly but some hemm.... I kept hoping to see few with suitcases thus knowing I won't be alone on the train ride to the airport; as I too did not know how to get around upon reaching the airport station (praying hard it is open, as I figure I will reach there by MIDNIGHT). Saw a few passenger with suitcase (PHEEEEEEEW!!!!!), however mine was the largest which miiiiiight be a liiiiiittle bit of a problem assuming no escalator nor lift (hemmmm....!).

HIM.

That's when I saw "HIM"; this old drunkard man (well, he looked drunkard as he kept singing loudly and talking to strangers). It was kinda of fine at first as we were seating very very very far a part (ie next coach), but then I caught a glimpse of him looking at me and my luggage, SHIT! I knew I will be in deeper shit!

Quietly and quickly I did a swap of my important documents and split all my cash AND credit cards in other pockets & places (just in case.... lone traveler must be prepared all the time!). When he wasn't looking, I too swap the seat to somewhere closer to "people" (Only god knows how I felt at that time!
). Kept looking at the time, darn! It's approaching midnight, and the people getting lesser and lesser and even lesser (well, airport was the last stop and who in the right mind would want to go there in the MIDNIGHT right!!??!). And obviously the old drunkard man DID NOT get down at any stop! OH NO!!! I begin counting all the stops to the airport (and kept noticing him glancing over) and planning my escape route (abit drama here lar).

THE "GUARD".

Finally we reach Charles de Gaulle Airport, I rush to the door making sure I am ahead of other "human" and so that there's a gap between me and "HIM", True enough he followed, but then I can't move fast as they shut down the escalator (MIDNIGHT!), I lug my super large suitcase (THANK GOODNESS I did not split my bags, else I have to manage TWO). As I reach the upper floor, I saw security guard (YES!!!!!), I walked to them and inform there's a drunkard man which I suspected following me, GUESS WHAT!??!?! They say it's ok, normal. WHAT????? Are you crazy?!?!? Does this people even understand what I was saying at the first place!!! GEEE...... Am in bigger shit then before, because there's practically no one around. I asked the direction for the airport (obviously I have to take a shuttle bus to the airport lar... just my luck [I mean, I did mention in the earlier entry that the airport is super HUGE]).

IBIS.

FINE!
I hurriedly look for the exit and saw IBIS Hotel entrance few feet away.... (YEEEESSSS!!! God still love me!), I WALKED right in... linger at the lobby (VERY SMALL lobby!), procrastinating check in or "lepak" there (hemm.....), I saw "HIM" liger outside the hotel pretending to smoke. WHAT !??!?! ARGH..... check-in! Anyway, my flight is not until at 12pm next day and I am already at the airport, I can at least (finally) get sufficient beauty sleep before I say bye-bye to Paris.
But not before ensuring my luggage is BLOCKING my room door!

What a trip. What an ordeal. What an adventure. What laaar Lily!





Hyperlink & Pic Credits : Nature Travels, Flygbussarna, Ibis, Webster Dictionary,

22 comments:

  1. ahhh! what a story! oh those drunken people...

    thanks for you comments on my blog!

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  2. scary gile weh!!! dup dap dup dap jantung i...hahahaha!

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  3. Phew my heart went a 5 & a 10..glad you are OK..

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  4. oh god...sounds like a v. stressful experience indeed! thank god ur okay!

    i have some similar memories of paris myself...long trips alone in metro, heavy luggage and perverted men...sigh good time good times! :P

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  5. the man sounds so creepy, I'm glad to hear everything went ok!!

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  6. reina,

    love your blog, thanks for dropping into mine :D

    lavender playground,

    thank you, it was an experience.

    biqque,

    masa tuh memang scary giler, luggage besau giler babi.

    bananaz,

    thank you.... am super glad too.

    persis shah,

    really, am not alone? please story mory me what happen to you.

    phuong,

    thank you and love your blog.

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  7. great blog!! just discovered it!!!
    your family name sounds arabic!! ;)

    xoxo
    lamia
    http://ginger-chocolateandhoney.blogspot.com/

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  8. you are traveling ALONE? It's one of my biggest fear... although i have 2 DAN at karate! You are so brave! Thank God you are ok.... I am not that brave... i would like to travel alone, but it is so scary... so its only a fantasy for me! But your adventure... be careful next time girl!!! many kisses!

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  9. Sorry you had trouble, glad it all worked out though. Great pictures. You're far braver than I would have been to do that alone. You also sound like a smart traveler with regard to dividing money etc.
    Sandy

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  10. yeah those budget airlines all take off from the airport which located far far away from the city >< and they make money on charging luggage >< still airasia better =p

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  11. Walau! 'Kanchiong' betul lar ... as I read, my heart goes 'bedebak bedebuk'. Glad you made it safe and sound.

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  12. Oh forgot to mention ... you are such a brave girl and control the situation very maturely. Wow!

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  13. lamia,

    thanks. am half indonesia, well i a muslim. love your blog.

    donkey and the carrot,

    thank you thank you! i was only alone from sweden to paris, the rest i was with friends hence not so bad. :D but the ordeal was very SCARY.

    sandy,

    i learnt it from a friends, you should split everything apparently.

    fufu,

    i know! btw, AA now charges for luggage, no more min 15kg lor..

    wendy,

    gee thanks! appreciate it. i also very scared at that time. i guess we need to remain calm lor.

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  14. You are the cool traveller lah,, hey, let me know if you are coming to Penang, halal food, no prob,, bet i can have loads to learn from you ,,,,,

    remember let me know ya, i take my family to meet you,,, telling them that you work for Travel and Living programme,,,hahahahah.

    take care now and great weekend

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  15. That must have been so scary! I don't think I would have handled this situation as well as you did though.

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  16. Wow! What a scary story and i can't believe the police didn't care!! I have travelled alone but each time I have been really lucky with no incidences.

    Um, what does "lar" mean? I think it must be a manner of speech but I am not familiar with it.

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  17. eugene,

    ok! great!travel & living huh! just that i paid for my travel instead of the tv station ehhehe...

    lynda,

    i guess when you are push to the corner, you mind work wonders.

    emm,

    yeah, its a manner of speech adapted from the local chinese in malaysia. other races have similar words too. according to my friend it acts to soften the sentences. weirdly its kinda true.

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  18. What a funny experience! Sometimes the guards are hopeless, so need to becareful and take care yourself!
    I always got some little problems when I travel, but luckily all my trips were alright!

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  19. rafael,

    i agree... and in france even worst - language barrier. you are ver lucky, so far 2 country i faced big prob - morocco & france ofcos.

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  20. That sure is scary, Lily! Bet you wished you were a guy sometimes, isn't it? Less likely to be stalked by drunk guys. =p

    It's times like this where I really appreciate the security and low crime rates we have in Singapore.

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  21. shingo t,

    i agree totally on that - lesser risk.

    if i have the chance, i dont mind working in spore. any vacancies? ehehhehe...

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Love to read your trotting comments.