Chet’s Chatter

At the Janis Ian Forum

Posted on 20 March 2006 @ 22:31 in Fun Stuff, Janis Ian

I just posted my 802nd post and earned myself the tagline of “Has been around waaaay too much” .

Stiffed by the national airline

Posted on 20 March 2006 @ 21:11 in Rant

Last year, when I found I’d been given a place at Rowy’s UK Living Room Concert, I told myself the only way I could attend was if I could get a promotional fare at one of those travel fairs that seem to have become an annual event here.

Later, after checking the MATTA web site, I found that the next travel fair to be held in KL would be about 3 weeks before I have to leave for the LRC. It would been a bit too close to the departure date and I might not get a ticket. I considered just going ahead and getting a regular fare, but changed my mind after checking both MAS and SIA web sites.

Then, a month ago, MAS had its own travel fair, one that you didn’t have to go to the venue to queue and get your ticket, but could book online. When the fares were published, there seemed to be something wrong with the offer. Only one-way fares were shown. No return / round-trip fares. The airline’s explanation was that it allows people to fly into one city and return from another. Fair enough. But I was flying back from the same city, would the fare be cheaper? Nope, it would be two one-way fares (KL / London and London / KL) added together. I went ahead and booked my ticket, assured that I would at least be able to attend the UK LRC, see Janis perform “live” again, as well as meet the UK Rudies (including the other two honorary UK Rudies - Anna from Dublin and Marjan from the Netherlands).

Last weekend, MATTA held its travel fair and advertised return fares. As it turned out, the KL - LON - KL fare is about RM300/- cheaper than what I paid for. I am consoling myself that at least I didn’t have to go queue for the ticket, and that who knows, if I’d waited, I might not have gotten a ticket.

But RM300/- is still RM300/- and could’ve gone into my spending money there, or into the tip jar for the Pearl Foundation.

Posted on 16 March 2006 @ 17:12 in Tech Stuff

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Chick Magnet

Posted on 15 March 2006 @ 12:03 in Stress Busters

At eight months old, Tai Shan at the National Zoo in Washington, DC is quite a handful. The last we heard, he now needs two keepers to haul … er, carry him!