Cool ba.... relax ba....

From Labuan we adjourn to Kota Kinabalu for our next meeting. As there was time to kill, we went to Filipino market. It was still the same..... and the price is higher. So we decided to find our friend. A Director in one of The Prime Minister Department in KK.

First thing he told us (he is a Sabahan) as we entered his new office, of which the furniture is not complete after more than 2 months of that department moving into their new premise. And still waiting for their departmental car. He told us, "here in KK, we have to be, cool ba and relax ba". Nothing seems to be an urgency.

So taking note on what he said, I began to look around. I was expecting the order in the stall we had for dinner will be late, but it turns out faster than normal if we compared to KL. However, food is a little bit expensive in KK, or maybe Sabah itself?

Getting back to my experience in Labuan, remember I promised to tell about the "sayap" story? Well actually nothing much, but it set me wondering and thinking, how easily a misunderstanding in communication can happen.

I was ordering dinner in Labuan. It is not for the first time, as we had dinner at the same place the previous night. This time I asked for "kepak ayam". If you go to Labuan, you will notice that most stalls and restaurants will have barbecued chicken wings on its menu.

I asked, "Kepak ayam ada?"
Waitress with blur face, "Ayam?"
I answered "Ya kepak ayam"
Waitress, "Tak tau ba?"
Me, "Saya mahu kepak ayam sebaris"
Waitress, "tidak ada ba.."
Then I pointed to the barbecued chicken wings on the grill.
Waitress laughed, "Itu sayap ayam ba!"
Me, "oh, ok saya mahu sayap ayam sebaris..."

Such a simple thing and miscommunication can happened.... I realised, most of us knows "Kepak" and "sayap" is the same... but again, I maybe wrong... maybe my bahasa is bad?

Getting back to "cool ba... relax ba". Went to the airport early at 5 am, to catch the flight at 6 am. That was for when I remembered my friend saying "cool ba... relax ba". Eventhough, I was trying my luck to be in the waiting list.... the flight was canceled! It was a MAS flight. Apparently, the plane did not arrive.... I wonder?

So I sat there watching the chaos. And true enough, all of them were "cool ba... relax ba..." attitude prevailed. The next flight was scheduled to fly at 7 20 am. On the dot, there are still people checking in.... at 7 45 am... on the departure monitor, it was flashing "last call" for that flight.....

As we were on the waiting list, I got lots of time to kill. We were seated in front of the ladies rest room... I am not a pervert ok! It is just happen that the waiting list counter is near the ladies!

Then suddenly, I saw a man coming out of the ladies..... ermm this man must have not known to read, or something..... What amazed me was, soon after, not less than 7 men went into the ladies.... even when ladies were in! At one time, there was a policewomen using the toilet! To be honest, only one of those men were actually ticked off by one of the MAB staff.... but even after that more of his colleagues were using the same ladies.....

I wondered why? I do not have the answer.... but I saw them lining up checking into a Kudat flight. The men do not even bother, when we all gave a weird look at them. I guess they are use to sharing toilets with their women....

That should be my update for today. I am still on the waiting list to KL. I have to be "cool ba.... relax ba" mode.....