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| Arrived at Owen Roberts International Airport on 30 April, 6 pm after 36 hours of actual flight duration including delays. |
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After more than 2 years of forced shutdown due to Covid pandemic, Malaysia and Singapore borders had just reopened on 1 April 2022. Globally, countries were slowly resuming travel free restrictions ie without the mandatory quarantine. While UK accepts visitors without Covid tests, Cayman requires a PCR or Antigen test no earlier than 24 hours to the departure of the person's flight to the island.
As our flight to Cayman requires several transits, we were not sure which point of departure is taken into account. No doubt, a PCR test at Heathrow airport would be the most up to date test but we were also worried the flight may be delayed and there will be no time to perform such tests.
In the end, we did a test in JB on the day of our departure and another one in Heathrow. The RTK (AG) test in JB costs RM50 while the ART test in Heathrow costs GBP39. Both tests are the same test for Antigen Coronavirus
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| We had a lot of boarding passes that day. JB to KL, KL to London, London to Grand Cayman!!! Total flight duration was supposed to be 34 hours but with flight delays, it ended up 36 hours! |
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Boarding at Senai airport. 29 April, Dep JHB 7.25 pm, Arr KUL 8.25 pm.
The airport was very busy. People were buying Gardenia Cream Buns by the baskets full. We were later informed it is very popular with passengers heading to Kuching as they are costlier in East Malaysia and not as fresh. |
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Waiting to board at 10.20 pm. 29 April, Dep KUL 11.30 pm, 30 April, Arr LHR 5.55 am.
No wonder I looked so tired...I had sent our old green Samsonite bag to a repair shop in TUTA to get the lock fixed in the morning. Thank goodness it was done within 2 hours or we will have to travel with a gigantic Lojel Vita bag. So, it was a last minute repacking once the Samsonite came home, not forgetting getting our RTK tests done.
Besides, we've been caring for VT's mum and attending to her string of visitors since her decline which started with a fall from the bed on March 19. She had no fracture as per hospital checks and X-rays on March 26.
KLIA was very quiet when we landed. Din Tai Fung and Old Town White Coffee, both located before passport controls were already closing at 9 pm. We should not have turned our nose up against McD's for we soon found out money will not solve your problems. Hoping to have Burger King, we found out they had closed down due to pandemic. In fact most of the retail shops and food outlets were closed. "Noodles" had a 40 minute waiting time, Starbucks had a long queue and O'Briens stopped serving sandwiches after 9 pm. We finally had to content ourselves with cold muffins and croissant at O'Briens.
One more thing, KLIA turned off their central aircon at 10.20 pm! It was stuffy!
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| After 2 years hiatus, I returned to flying to find MAS planes are installed with a camera! View of the clouds on April 30, 5.39 am, UK time |
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| We have descended below the clouds within 2 minutes |
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| River Thames and The Millennium Dome |
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Thumbs up! We were on time for our ART tests which were prebooked for 8.30 am, test results negative, so we were ready to go.
FYI, we did had a scare after our Cameron Highlands Loop in March. 4 of our teammates tested positive and had to observe self quarantine. Most were cleared only on Day 6.
Meanwhile, John who was first to get the sniffles tested negative. He was first to return home.
VT and CL were second to return home. They had a faint double line on the first evening but negative the next morning. |
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April 30, Dep LHR 10.20 am, Arr GCM 4.15
pm with a short stop at NAS
MAS code shares with BA, so our 3rd sector is by BA. Because MAS lands in Terminal 2 and BA operates via Terminal 5, we had a loooooooooong walk. Free train service between terminals only shortens the walk but it is still a walk that can work out a sweat!
Coincidentally, Capt Tony Chee who flies for SQ landed at Heathrow an hour after us. We could only chat via whatsapp as he was whisked off to his hotel. Tony was the middle man who helped VT and CL negotiate 2 Bromptons with Compton Cycles to be collected when they return to UK in a week's time
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Ritz Carlton, Grand Cayman
