The Terminal

Makassar Airport
VIP Executive Lounge
Sulawesi (still!)
21.02

Yes, you read the above correctly. We're still in Sulawesi. Or specifically Makassar Airport 'VIP Executive Lounge' making use of their free wifi-fi, nice comfy chairs and free food and drink where we are the most casually dressed here and there's lots of well fed business people. 

We are waiting to check-in to our 'VIP room by the hour' next door (how dirty does that sound?!) and we can't check in till 22.00 as the maximum you are allowed to stay in the room is 6 hours. And as we need to check in for our flight at 4am tomorrow this was the latest time they would let us in for the 6 hours. Tu comprendre?! We did offer to pay for 9 hours but apparently rules are rules. Oh. My. God.  We have had SUCH a palaver this evening.  Mat and I feel a little bit like Tom Hanks did in The Terminal.

The day had started off well with a nice breakfast at Hotel Luta and as we bade farewell to Toraja land both Mat and I were really looking forward to Java. The drive up didn't seem as bad as going down although it was still bone jarring. We went via a waterfall and a butterfly farm (shut) and arrived here at the airport in loads of time, got checked in and mooched about in the shops.

Except Merpati Airlines for whatever rubbish reason decided to cancel our flight. And the next one they could put us on wasn't until 5am tomorrow. "But it's ok sir, we will put you in a nice hotel with free everything".  Yeah, whatever.  We don't want ''a nice hotel with free everything'', we wan't to be in Yogyakarta.  Unfortunately, there were no other flights available so we had no choice but to spend one more night in Sulawesi.  


Luggage retrieved and taxi called, I had a bad feeling about this 'nice hotel'. We arrived there with a load of other unhappy passengers and promptly given our room key. Sorry but I don't even remember the name of the hotel because as soon as we opened the door to our room we left straight away, back straight into the taxi and back to the airport. It was awful.  Damp, stained sheets and walls, smelly, litter outside the door and the BIGGEST spider on the wall.  It had hair on its legs for god sake!!  Mat and I can slum it with the best of them but this was a step too far. Especially when it wasn't even our fault we were there.  We made a fuss. Or rather Mat did. I was beyond making a fuss and getting a little upset.  And so here we are.

Anyway, it's one night lost in Yogyakarta and at least our 'hourly room' is nice and clean and 5 minutes above check-in.  And no airplane noise either as they don't have flights beyond 22.00.


It's never simple with us is it?! Just in case you were wondering, I'm feeling a little better after my animal sacrifice trauma yesterday although I still can't eat beef or pork or buffalo. I can hear my Dad telling me to get a grip now...


Anyway, I better go. They are cleaning around me.  Hopefully, I will be blogging from Java tomorrow!