xmlns:og='http://ogp.me/ns#'b:version='2' class='v2' expr:dir='data:blog.languageDirection' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml' xmlns:b='http://www.google.com/2005/gml/b' xmlns:data='http://www.google.com/2005/gml/data' xmlns:expr='http://www.google.com/2005/gml/expr' xmlns:fb='http://www.facebook.com/2008/fbml'> Latagaw Series: Getting to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 1 - My Verbal Diarrhea
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Latagaw Series: Getting to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 1

Although I have always dreamed of visiting Thailand first, traveling to Kuala Lumpur was a welcome surprise. It was my first trip outside the country. My first big art exhibit. 

Now who could stop me from something when I am really driven? I spent hours scouring the internet for places to visit, maps, how to get there, routes, the rates and even plotted self-guided tours of Merdeka Square, Chinatown or Jalan Petaling, Brickfields or Little India and the Central Market complete with blow by blow instructions in case we get lost.


Here I am in my 5'3, 105 pounds myopic glory. We had 16  paintings with us which I cleverly designed to fit into each other.


We got our tickets at a discount. I carefully planned it so we do not have to get out of NAIA 3 at all! The long wait may be boring but that saved us a couple of bucks.

We flied with Cebu Pacific. Here is our itinerary:
ROUTE
DEPARTURE
ARRIVAL
Tacloban to Manila
Tuesday 17 September 2013 6:05 am, DZRA
Tuesday 17 September 2013 7:15 am, NAIA 3
Manila to Kuala Lumpur
Tuesday 17 September 2013
2:10 pm, NAIA 3
Tuesday 17 September 2013
5:50 pm, LCCT
Kuala Lumpur to Manila
Tuesday 24 September 2013
1:20 am, LCCT
Tuesday 24 September 2013
4:55 am, NAIA 3
Manila to Tacloban
Tuesday 24 September 2013 2:15 pm, NAIA 3
Tuesday 24 September 2013 3:35 pm, DZRA

Our Tacloban to Manila round trip ticket for two with 15 kilos baggage was P 4,905.52.
The Kuala Lumpur to Manila round trip ticket for two with 15 kilos baggage was P 10,901. 34.

Be sure to do a web check in. It just makes things easier.

Domestic Passenger Terminal Fee at the Daniel Z. Romualdez or Tacloban Airport has skyrocketed from P 30 to P 75 already.


Hanged out at the holding area for almost 7 hours while waiting for our flight.


 NAIA 3 was once dubbed as the world's worst airport. If these cardboard boxes used as mats to sleep on that littered the holding area is a testament then I rest my case. There are also people who are so selfish about sharing those electricity sockets that they camp out next to it for hours!


 Before we checked in, we paid our travel tax first. It is P 1620 per head. Good thing this is just a one time fee. I heard that this is an "only in the Philippines" thing. We sure were glad they didn't charge us a travel tax in Malaysia.

Here are some tips when checking in your baggage:

  • Weight them first at home. It should have at least 2 kilos allowance because the weighing scale at the airport are not accurate. Before I weighed my baggage, the empty scale was already at .5 kilos.
  • Bring an extra bag. If your check-in baggage are in excess, you can transfer some stuff to your extra bag and have them hand carried rather than paying the excess baggage fee.
  • Allowed water is just 100 ml. My drinking water escaped from the scrutiny but my facial toner did not.
  • No sharps on hand carried baggage. My cutie patootsie scissors with a blunt end got left behind. No lighters are allowed also.

 Have a pen ready at your side. You will need to fill out this Embarkation Card before you pass through the immigration. Know the address where you are staying at the country you are visiting. You would need to put in this info on the Embarkation Card.

For tourists coming from ASEAN countries like the Philippines, you do not need a visa to get into Malaysia. Since we were exhibiting, we needed to get a Professional Visitor's Pass (PVP). It is a single entry visa to Malaysia and is worth P 550. It is Issued to a foreigner who hold acceptable professional qualifications or specialist skills and enter Malaysia to take up professional work for short term period not exceeding twelve (12) month. 

However, when you have a be ready to show some documents to support your claim and more questions.
This one does not bear my real name and trust me, because of this I got palpitations while being interviewed by the immigration officer.

Thankfully, here's the seal that says I can fly away from home!

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