25,000 feet altitude and I felt the plane descend quite sharply.
Breathe, I thought, for all seems fine.
But we kept descending for the next 10 seconds, which was very alarming.

Having travelled on flights for 24 yrs, with an estimated number of 50, I have never experienced such in my life.

What seems to be like 15 mins (probably they took 7), they made an announcement that we were going to have an emergency landing at Hatyai Airport in 15 mins.

I checked my watch.
I was wondering whether the Thai air crew was just dumb that they are not reading their on-flight scripts correctly.
It was another 90 mins before we were supposed to land at Changi Airport.

The cabin crew re-announced louder and instructed us to get back to our seats, no more using of the lavatories and fasten seatbelts.
The flight swayed from left to right twice and subsequently went through what it felt like turbulence, which probably wasn't.

My stomach tightened.
Heart beat faster.

I cannot fall into a state of anxiety since that would trigger asthma.
I kept telling myself to breathe and breathe in deep, hold and exhale.
Everything that I could do to make my heart stop racing.

Few more announcements were made on the PA system.
I was surrounded by China-nese passengers.
Do note, I am subtly racist by nature so I was dead irritated with the passengers.
Not because they were China-nese(not exactly actually). Just for a simple fact that they are so inconsiderate.

They, a group of China tourists heading to Singapore, were talking among themselves and communicating within 5 rows to each other and they occupied in total about 13 rows!
So can you imagine the noise that they made?

I felt like unfastening my seat belt, take a masking tape and shut them up.
If no tape was available, I would use my hands and gave them a tight slap to keep them mum.

For goodness sake, it was not any normal landing!!
It was an emergency landing and still I could not hear a single instruction from the cabin crew.
Plus these idiots are not speaking English for the rest of us to understand.

Since I was condoned to my seat, I kept hushing them up.
I wish I could tell them to shut up.
I tried though. A guy seated next to me was a China-nese and since he was among those whose mouth is really like a chicken backside, I asked if he could be quiet.

His reply?
"I don't understand. I am from China."

Honestly, would I be mean to call him a blardy idiot and give him that slap?
My temper was rising and mom held me physically back from saying more.

Flight passengers, should you be travelling and facing the same situation, please be quiet and listen to further instructions.
The cabin crew are trained personnel, in case your gut feeling fails you.

I held Mom's hands.
The only consolation if I were to die was that I would die in my Mom's arms.
I prayed and prayed hard.
Nothing (absolute zero) initially came into my mind.
I recited God's name and selawat many times, seeking help from the above.

As time passed, I realised I was not ready to die.
At least I was not ready to accept the fact that I was doing to die.
Yes death was in my head and my inacceptance made me afraid that my soul was going to linger on this earth when it has already detached from the body.
That thought scared me.

The only thing I thought about was the people I loved.
I questioned if they would know how much I truly loved them while I was alive.
I thought of 3 people.
Dad, Sis & Lovie.
I thought of the days I spent with dad(he was on a separate flight, supposed to land an hour after us) and the little time I had with Sis over the past weeks.
I thought of the times spent with Lovie and the last sms we exchanged.
I was confident they felt and knew how much they mean to me.

I was at ease.
There was nothing else I thought.

Surprisingly, I didn't think about work or colleagues.
Probably that is how emotionally detached I am with the environment.

I didn't think of Her Closet.
Probably I knew it would still survive and I already have a great partner.

I didn't think what would happen to my money in the banks.
It was ok for anyone to use or misuse since you never bring such to the grave.

I didn't think how Nyai was going to be.
Simply because I know I still have a great family (not extended) who will care much for her still.

15 mins later, I saw street lights from above.
I was grateful that we were going to land shortly.
But I was still nervous in my stomach for the fact that landing on land was more dangerous than the sea.
I stopped looking out. I focused on my prayers and kept asking mom if she was ok.
I looked calm but in actually fact, I was sick in the stomach.
I kept flapping my legs together. Something I would do when I am in thoughts.

We landed ok - as per normal.
While some clapped their hands and others were happy thinking that they get to stay over a night in Hatyai to do great shopping, I teared knowing I was alive.
I felt like God had given me a second chance to life.

I remember reading this:
"If you ever thought of someone even though it may be a long time since you last talked.
Call.
You'd never know what could or is to be.

If you have squabbled with someone over something small, rid it.
But then again even if it's over somethng major, try... really try to forgive.
You'd never know if u'd ever get to see the person or not."


The first thing I did when I landed was to sms Sis who was already waiting for us at Changi Airport.
Subsequently, I sms-ed her and Lovie that I was ok and how much I love them.
I sms-ed KakPa, the friend who stood through the test of time.
They probably will never be able to understand why but I am sure someday they would know.
I felt I was given another life. I did what I had to do and felt quite complete.
The rest is up to God to pave the next route for me.

I have not stop blogging - at least I have no plans to.
I was just out of town for a good 5 days and did not have time to blog up on my absence.

I am still getting over the trauma.
I came back, got showered and rested in my cosy bed at 5am.
It was nice to be home.

When I am over this, I will squeeze in some time and update the work vacation I had.

One thing for sure, I am never going to travel with Air Asia again.
Not only their constant miscellenous fees are irritating the hell outta me.
I get to bring back only 15kg of baggage.
I heard that emergency landings are frequent. Worse, their PA system sucks.
I could hardly hear instructions over the noise in a miserable small plane.

That was my first time, definitely the last.
Even if the ticket costed a dollar.