(8) FLY TO DA NANG

SECOND DAY, NOVEMBER 03^RD, 2009

Sementara Dedy masih mimpi indah, jam 5 pagi gue udah berangkat ke bandara Tan Son Nhat untuk terbang ke kota Da Nang. Untung alarm di handphone gue nggak ngambek kayak biasanya, kalo itu terjadi … bakalan bablas deh sampai siang … habis gue capek banget dan kurang tidur. Kebetulan gue dapet taxi yang sopirnya bisa bahasa Inggris. Ternyata nih sopir jam terbang ke luar negrinya cukup tinggi. Kalah gue dengan sopir taxi … he he he he … pantes aja dia jago bahasa Inggris :) Selama perjalanan dia banyak cerita tentang kota Ho Chi Minh atau Saigon dan tempat-tempat wisata yang bisa dikunjungin. Kota Saigon di pagi hari lumayan sibuk dan macet. Meskipun kota yang baru mulai membangun setelah merdeka ini kelihatan kumuh dan kotor, tapi gue cukup menikmati sightseeing selama perjalanan ke airport.

While Dedy still in the beautiful dream, at 5 am I am going to Tan Son Nhat airport to fly to Da Nang city. Fortunately the alarm on my handphone was not cranky like usual. If that happens ... I would go to sleeping beauty till noon ... I was very tired and lacking sleep. I was lucky to get a taxi that the driver can speak English. It turns out the driver flying hours out his country is quite high. I lose with taxi driver ... he he he he ... That’s why he can speak English very good :) During the way to airport he told many things about the Ho Chi Minh City or Saigon and tourist attractions that I can visit. Saigon City in the morning is quite busy and jammed. Although the new town began to build after independence it look shabby and dirty, but I quite enjoy sightseeing during the trip to the airport.

Suasana airport pagi ini ramai sekali. Ternyata kemarin semua penerbangan dibatalkan karena ada badai. Jadi semua penumpang yang seharusnya berangkat kemarin, dipindahkan ke pagi ini. Waaahhh … penuh dan panjang banget antriannya di tempat check in. Gila ini airport dah kayak terminal bus aja. Sekarang gue baru ngerti kenapa Mey bolak-balik SMS bilang kemungkinan flight-ku cancel dan aku harus ngecek ke Jet Satr. Lagi nunggu antrian, tiba-tiba ada ibu-ibu tua dateng menghampiri gue dan ngomong pake bahasa Vietnam yang kagak gue ngerti. Beberapa kali gue bilang “I am sorry, I can’t speak Vietnam language” gak ngerti-ngerti juga dia. Tapi anehnya si ibu ini tetep aja kekeuh ngajak ngomong gue, sampai-sampai saking putus asa bahasa orang bisu pun gue pake … he he he he … Alhasil gue ternyata gue jadi ngetop di sekitar check in area karena gue satu-satunya orang asing dan jadi tontonan semua orang. Perasaan udah jadi hukum karma buat gue kali ya … setiap ada di airport suatu negara selalu jadi tontonan … he he he he …

The airport atmosphere was crowded this morning. It turned out that all flights were canceled yesterday because of a storm. So, all the passengers are supposed to fly yesterday, moved into this morning. Waaahhh ... the airport so full and very long queue at the check-in counter. Crazy! This airport is like bus station. Now I understand why Mey sent me many SMS saying that my flight may be cancelled and I have to check to Jet Star. While waiting my turn, a suddenly there is the mother came over to me and talk in Vietnamese language which I don’t understand. Several times I said "I am sorry, I can't speak Vietnamese language" but couldn’t understand. She keeps talk to me in her language, I was so desperate until I tried the mute language too ….. he he he he ... As a result I found I was so popular around the check-in area because I was the only foreigner and so spectacle everyone. I think it already become laws of karma for me ... every time I was in the airport of a country, I always be a spectacle ... he he he he ...

Akhirnya cewek yang antri dibelakang gue ngejelasin ke si ibu pake bahasa Vietnam … duh leganya … ternyata nih cewek bahasa Inggris-nya lumayan bagus. Namanya Santi, kayak nama Indonesia … gak tahu bener apa gak tulisannya. Menurut Santi, si ibu itu baru pertama kali naik pesawat dan dia ternyata salah ngantri ke tempat check in yang tujuannya ke Da Nang, sedangkan dia mau ke Hanoi. Hhmmm … kasian juga ya … apalagi dia ngira gue ini orang Hanoi … menurut Santi emang mirip sih ... Walah … susah bener punya mata sipit begini :) Tapi lumayan gue dapet temen ngobrol selama penerbangan ke Da Nang yang sangat tidak nyaman karena badai. Apalagi pesawat Jet Star yang aku tumpangi adalah pesawat kecil, jadi kayak terombang-ambing di udara.

Finally, girls who line up behind the old lady explain to her use Vietnamese language that I am foreigner and can’t speak Vietnamese Language. Aaahh … I felt relief … finally found someone who can speak English, her English is quiet good. Her name is Santi, like Indonesian name ... but do not know it is right written name or not. According to Santi, the old lady was the first time travels by airplane and she was wrong queue to check in place that aim to Da Nang, while she wants to Hanoi. Hhmmm … I felt pity to her ... even she thought I was the Hanoi ... Santi also though same like the old lady ... Aaahh ... so hard have narrow eyes like mine :) But anyway I'm lucky got friend for chat during a very uncomfortable flight to Da Nang because of the storm. Moreover, I flied with small Jet Star plane, so like drifting in the air.