The Trials of Travel

protestors surrounding our hotel

 

When you're traveling, sometimes things just get messed up.  It helps when everyone is flexible and good-humored as you go about fixing things.  And that usually works.

We just returned from our SE Asia trip with 13 people.  My last blog talked about bypassing Bangkok, to our great regret, due to the massive demonstrations there.  But, except for the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel, all our other service providers refunded our money since it was clear to all that going to Bangkok in the midst of huge protests (and now a state of emergency and several deaths) was folly.

The Grand Hyatt nonetheless has persisted in saying we could have reached the hotel, despite the mass of protestors surrounding the hotel and blocking access to both the hotel and the sky train, the only way to reach the center of the city given the blockaded streets.  So, be warned.  This is a hotel to avoid.

Angkor Wat just before sunrise

Our next misadventure was on our departure from Siem Reap, Cambodia, home of the magnificent temples of Angkor Wat.  We had reserved our seats on Malaysia Airlines months in advance for our onward travel to Jakarta via Kuala Lumpur.  However, Malaysia Airlines gratuitously canceled 5 of our reservations (which we found out when we tried to check in), probably because they'd overbooked the flight.  So, 8 of our group went on to Jakarta as planned while I scrambled to get the remaining 5 of us there as well.

Malaysia Air offered no assistance at all, but one of their contract agents helpfully suggested I try Bangkok Airways to see if we could get to Bangkok and then on to Jakarta.  There was a Bangkok Airways flight leaving for Bangkok in 45 minutes, a bit tight to make all our arrangements, but a wonderful Bangkok Airways manager dragged me off to her office where she booked us on the flight to Bangkok. 

Then she called her office in Bangkok to see if they could get us a connecting flight to Jakarta, which they did, on Garuda, the Indonesian national airline.  Next she held the Bangkok flight for a few extra minutes so we could get our bags aboard.  Fortunately, I had stacks of cash with me to cover all our tips, because there wasn't time to process a credit card in Cambodia.  Now, there's incredible service.  If you ever need help at the Siem Reap airport, ask for Monorom, a wonderful and very competent young woman.  Despite all the hassle, we reached Jakarta only 3 hours after our scheduled arrival.

So, now I'm trying to get both the Grand Hyatt in Bangkok and Malaysia Airlines to do the right thing and reimburse us.  I'll let you know the outcome in case you have plans to travel to SE Asia.

Meanwhile, the rest of our trip was exceptional.  More to come about that.