#horrible flight

[mischkebusiness]

Qatar Airways, a failure.

Qatar Airways: service at its worst.

I’ve thought long and hard about how to address my recent flight with Qatar Airways from Bangkok to Edinburgh. I’m one to call out businesses for bad customer service or practice within reason, but my experience I had with Qatar Airways was of a different animal entirely. One that I hope to never encounter again.

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[fromsuitstohanbok]

BYE BYE AUSTRALIA... HELLOOOOO SOUTH KOREA!

I am extremely bad with saying goodbyes.

When the day had finally come for me to leave Sydney I was dropped off at the airport by my parents. However, it was not until I reached the “Departure Gates” that my mum suddenly became teary.

In an attempt not to prolong our sadness as realisation hit all of us that I would be away for a whole year – I gave both my parents a big fat hug and slobbery kiss before dashing through the gates.

Isn't the sunrise in the background amazing? Not sure this photo is doing it justice.

I flew with China Southern Airlines as it was a fairly reputable airline and decently priced (about $900.00). Also, in my view the flight landed in Incheon Airport at the best time.

Basically EPIK has organised bus services which run from Incheon Airport straight to KT Human Resource Development Centre in Daejeon where the orientation was being held. These services are only available from 11am to 8pm on 18 August 2014 and as such EPIK highly advises you to be at their counter in Incheon Airport on that day and between those times – otherwise you pretty much have to find your own way there.

My flight with China Southern Airlines was scheduled to land at Incheon Airport on 18 August 2014 at around 3:30pm. I figured this gave me plenty of time to find the EPIK counter, factoring in any potential delays with the flight. Unfortunately as luck would have it, the second leg of my flight was delayed by over an hour!

I am generally pretty lenient when it comes to evaluating airlines. I don’t mind the food provided by airlines and understand that my seating arrangement may be a bit cramped and whether I have a good “neighbour” is a luck of the draw.

However, I have to say China Southern is pretty crap – and that is being generous with the description. I found hair in my blanket, my headphones were broken, the airline hostess was extremely inattentive and in my view had a very apathetic attitude. I had asked for water several times before finally receiving it. And of course, the second leg from Guangzhou to Incheon was delayed. I had previously flown Korean Air and if the landing time had been more suitable I would have definitely chosen Korean Air over China Southern.

So on 18 August 2014 at around 6:00pm (due to the delay and long queue at customs) I finally wobbled out of the “arrival gates” and towards the EPIK counter. I did a detour to K Books to pick up my EG SIM, however I will talk about that in more detail in a separate post.

The EPIK counter was hard to miss as even I found it comical to spot a swarm of foreigners in one area of the airport amongst a sea of Koreans. As I approached the counter I was greeted with warm smiles from the EPIK staff and was given a piece of paper which had a number on it. I was advised that if my number was called, I was to hop on the bus which was waiting outside the airport.

It was at Incheon Airport that I met Shelby – my first EPIK friend in Korea. Unbeknownst to me, Shelby would quickly become one of my closest friends from the EPIK orientation as we created many crazy and fun memories together in the following days to come.

Shelby and I both happen to be wearing matching Converse. Maybe it is fate?

After being ushered onto the bus, I remember thinking to myself “the bus is massive, why do they only allow 10 – 15 people on the bus at one time”. That’s when I realised luggages were actually being hauled inside the bus as they could not fit them all in the compartments below. EPIK must have done this so many times to a point that they are familiar with how many people and their luggages can actually fit on one bus!

If there is one thing I learnt so far during my time in Korea is to expect the unexpected, also referred to as “KOREAN SURPRISE" (taught by one of our EPIK leaders). Many of us fellow EPIK teachers began busting out this phrase everytime something annoying, irritating or unexpected occurred. This in turn would immediately make things more light hearted.

My KOREAN SURPRISE #1 would have to be our bus driver getting lost on our way to the orientation grounds due to the fact he had never driven to Daejeon before. Did someone say NEVER?

So what was suppose to be a 2 hours trip turned into 3 hours. At around 10pm our bus full of sleepy, jetlagged English Teachers-to-be finally reached the orientation grounds. We were given an EPIK orientation pack and keys to our dorms before we called it a night.

I fell asleep exhausted yet excited about the adventure to come.

It was not until the next morning that it finally hit me – I was in South Korea.

HELLOOOOO SOUTH KOREA!!