I heard about Malaysia Airlines' new mobile website - MH Mobile, and I got super excited about it because I'm trying to plan a trip during CNY now, so I decided to give it a shot.
First impressions:
- Light and clean interface - super easy for my Opera Mobile 10 Beta to handle, and without any unnecessary clutter. Even the language buttons are light and unobtrusive.
- Quick scrolling makes it really easy to run through the dropdown boxes and select your From and Destination locations and dates.
- Fast - the response was really quick, and because the interface is so light and easy, it loads really quickly too. Great for the person on the go.
- Added functions - I was really surprised that they had a 'Baggage Tracer' function and a 'Flight Status' function, both of which are ridiculously useful. Can't wait to use them when I'm on the go. It really is as easy as 1, 2, 3!
Other considerations:
- It doesn't seem to allow me to select anything beyond 15 January 2010, which is a downside because CNY holidays are in Feb 2010. Maybe it's just Opera Mobile 10?
- It doesn't provide a list of alternatives if there are no flights on the days you chose, meaning you have to keep going 'Next Day' or 'Previous Day' and try your luck.
- Not all routes are available on MH Mobile. More services will probably be included in the future, though.
As a bonus, I also noticed MAS' new booking interface on their main website, which after a few clicks I found to be an awesome upgrade. It's really easy to use, much lighter and quicker to load than their previous, and has added functionality, like providing useful information so that the customer can make quick decisions.
When I searched for a flight to Argentina, it provided a 7-day breakdown of the flights and prices, and after choosing one, it provided a suggestion to upgrade along with the added cost, making it easier to see how much it was for me if I wanted to upgrade.
All in, I'm quite impressed by the thought and consideration that went into the website designs for both. Now if only MAS would put in my dream function - a search engine that lets me ask, "Where can I fly to for RMxxx.xx?"
So I'm blogging in full view and full screen awesomeness in the office due to the fact that the whole office has gone for a 1.5 day offsite Business Review & Brainstorming Meeting. I'm not invited because I've already resigned and there are "confidentiality issues". Awesome!
Anyway, I took the opportunity to start moving today over an extended lunch period. Of course, the cats went nuts because there were strange men making lots of noise, and in the chaos, I couldn't find Speedy, the 1-year-old male. I almost freaked out. I thought it was going to be another Pinky: The Case of the Missing Bengal Kitten. And then the movers started to pick up a chunky bedframe and then BAM! he came running out of nowhere. He'd scratched a hole underneath the bedframe and had been hiding in there.
I related the story to my department secretary, a fellow cat lover, and she told me about her friend's cat who's a kleptomaniac. For serious. The cat collects anything - scrunchies, pieces of foil, bracelets, anklets - that's shiny, and squirrels them away in a tiny little hole. No shit. It's incredible. I'd heard of such behaviour from rats, but not cats. I'd love to see it for myself.
So that's that. Another entry will probably follow tomorrow, due to the lack of work and lack of people. Enjoying it while it lasts.
For those who are not in the know, whoren and I went to Koh Lipe, Thailand over Hari Raya Haji weekend and, dear god, was that an escapade.
It went like this. We didn't book ferry tickets for Langkawi - Koh Lipe in advance, so we shouldn't have been surprised when we got there and they were fully booked for the whole weekend. Deciding to wing it, we ran over to Kuah Jetty where we got tickets for Satun. From there, we hopped on a tuk-tuk which took us the 1 hour to reach Pak Barra, and then hopped on another ferry to get to Koh Lipe. It was about a 4 hour journey, I think.
By that time we felt pretty adventurous, winging it and all and figured that the worst was over. We chilled and illed by the beach, I went diving and got sick and got waited on hand and foot by men on the boat (I love being a girl), and had crazy awesome Thai food. We don't know what it is about Thai food but it's like they put something in it that makes it awesome. Also, we got super tanned. Basically it was just what both of us needed, despite the inherent Phuketness of the beach.
And then on Sunday, we left Koh Lipe on the 1.30pm boat back to Pak Barra hoping to catch the 5.00pm ferry from Satun to Langkawi. Unfortunately, we got the times wrong. The last ferry from Satun to Langkawi was 4.00pm, which we missed by 30 minutes.
Panic.
No buses out of Satun until the next morning, nearest airport was Had Yai to which taking a taxi would have been too expensive.
We begged and chartered a longtail (think sampan) to take us the 1 hour over to Kuala Perlis like illegal immigrants. From there, we ran to get tickets to the last ferry out to Langkawi leaving at 8.00pm which would have gotten us to Langkawi by 9.00pm in time to see if we could catch the last 10.40pm flight back to KL, all the while calling Air Asia's hotline (who refused to pick up, by the way). They told us the flight was fully booked.
Panic.
Pray.
Hope.
Ferry delayed by 45 minutes. Docked in Langkawi at 10pm. Reached airport at 10.20pm. Ran to counter. Begged guy to let us on the flight. He gave. Again, awesome being a girl :) Also, we were allowed to board because flight was delayed and the plane wasn't even there yet, and 4 people didn't show up, leaving 4 free seats.
We finally reached KL at 1 a.m. and home at 2 a.m. after 12 hours of travel and taking 3 different modes of transportation. What an escapade. Guess it just goes to show that good things aren't always easy, and things that you really need are worth fighting for. I wish more people realised that.
Just for fun, here's a post on my pet peeves:
1) When people think I'm going out with a guy just because I happen to be out with a friend.
2) People who cut lines.
3) People who insist that I'll change my mind about getting married. Maybe it's not about marriage. Ever think of that?
4) People who don't look in their rearview mirrors.
5) People who think that there's only 1 correct way of doing things.
6) When people ask the obvious, like "so your pizza is here?" when I'm walking around with a box of pizza in my hand.
7) People who assume things about me.
