My luggage for the trip was only fully packed at around 4pm – about 4 hours before I was to be at KL Sentral. As the convention lasted 4 days, I had Wuan pack 4 sets of clothes and some extras for the other days. The luggage was packed to the brim. Peter, my cousin and personal assistant for this trip, dropped in to go to KL Sentral together with me.

When I checked in at KL Sentral, my request for an aisle chair inside the aircraft and low-protein meal was not in the system. I had to wait a while for the counter staff to send the instructions and confirm those details. That was one of the reasons why I contacted Malaysia Airlines‘ call centre one week before the journey to reconfirm those instructions after I received the air tickets from the travel agency that I bought my tickets through.

The staff at the call centre refused to entertain me. According to him, since my tickets were purchased through a travel agency, he could not access the information. I had to double-check with the agency again. I find this ridiculous as all he needed to do was key in those information again into the system. Nevertheless, I called the travel agency again to confirm my in-flight requests.

Peter and I took the KLIA Express to the airport. When I arrived, I went to one of the check-in counters to inform them of my presence and informed them regarding checking-in my wheelchair just outside the aircraft, the need for an aisle chair for me to transfer into the aircraft and my request for a cabin chair inside the aircraft to facilitate my passage to the toilet.

To my consternation, one of the officers retorted that the request for an aisle chair was noted and that I should check with the cabin crew if there indeed was an aisle chair inside the aircraft. To be told of this at the very last moment before boarding was very unsettling but I had no choice but to try my luck.

So much for my insistence on flying with our national airlines and one that had won international awards. There were suggestions that I fly Korean Air but having not encountered any problem since the damaged wheelchair incident, I reasoned that flying with an airline that I was most familiar with would make the journey more pleasant.

It is apparent that my body is no longer able to withstand the rigours of a hectic schedule as evident by my participation in the 7th DPI World Assembly. I am still recovering from the exhaustion of the 7 days in Seoul. It is a matter of the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. I would have loved to attend more workshops and network with the thousands of leaders of the disability movement that had congregated there. However, the long days coupled with the unsuitable meals that were provided at the convention gradually took its toll. There is so much to do following the convention but I am generally sleeping longer hours and taking it slow during the days. Hopefully I can get back to my usual routine by the end of the week.

Just got back home. Reached KLIA at 5pm. Wuan tapau-ed dinner from a food court nearby. Too tired to do anything else now. Going to get a well deserved sleep.

Everything is so expensive in Korea. Broadband at the Grand Hilton Seoul costs KW18,000 per day or KW10,000 per 30 minutes. Food is expensive. Cab fare is expensive. I can see the spending money I brought gushing out from my wallet with each purchase. Frankly, I would rather be somewhere else.

Blogged at Grand Hilton Seoul

By this time tomorrow morning, I will be in the “Land of the Morning Calm” to participate in the 7th DPI World Assembly and the IL Global Summit. I understand that 70% of the household in South Korea have broadband Internet access. The hotel that I am staying in have high-speed Internet access. Blogging from Seoul should not be a problem. It all depends on whether I have the time to go online.

My schedule at the conference is packed as I will be presenting 2 papers - The Independent Living Movement in Malaysia and Transportation and Access to Physical Environment: The Malaysian Scenario - apart from attending the other workshops at the IL Global Summit and meeting of the Asia Pacific Network on Independent Living (APNIL).

Can you believe that I am only half packed for the trip? Wuan is helping me. I have a ton of things to pack for this 1-week trip - diapers, clothes, toiletries, laptop and many other smaller items that I may need. I do not fancy having to go shopping for essential items in an unfamiliar land. Got to go now. So many things to do, so little time.