Last week change of mind

Due to the earlier departure from KL, I estimated that we had to wake up latest by 5am to prepare to leave the hotel to reach airport by 5.50am. I was worried about this because Ban and I do not usually wake up this early.

I tried practising sleeping earlier to eventually waking up at 5am but it was so difficult. Think the earliest I woke up was 7.30am but on a more consistent basic, it was around 8.30am. My sister then suggested that I aimed for a more achievable time i.e. 7am. Sleeping 2 hours less (7am -> 5am) is manageable. I tried right up to a week before flight but still failed :(

I told my sisters that if I kept dreading to wake up that early, didn't that mean I regret picking that choice? I then had an idea and fortunately both Ban and my mum agreed to it: change flight. Unfortunately, there is simply no other day flight i.e. left only night flights. Hence I wanted business class so that I could sleep for at least a few hours since its seat can be reclined fully flat. Otherwise, I can't sleep at all.

Possibly due to the  special circumstance I managed to get the MAS KL-SG flight, I couldn't change the flight using Singapore Airlines app (nor could I cancel it there). Moreover, their business class is significantly more expensive than MAS's and its of longer travel duration. Normally I prefer SIA mainly because of superior entertainment system but it's not applicable in this case since I will be trying to sleep as much as possible.

So, I bought MAS tickets and completed a form to cancel the SIA's tickets (and get a refund less cancellation fee). Upon query, I told SIA that we had a change of heart about taking the early flight and so had arranged for alternative flight. I haven't heard from them since then. Hopefully that means there they'll proceed to do as I requested.

Then I discovered that the rooms reserved at Holiday Inn Sepang and Melbourne are non-cancellable: have to pay for one night if cancelled. I then try to think of how to make use of it. The new international flight from KL to Melbourne reached on the 18th Dec morning whereas the Melbourne hotel rooms were booked for the night of 17th. So, I called them to ask whether I could check in on 18th Dec morning just stay there for only 4 hours with a late check-out. I was certain I could check out late because it's one of the privileges of being an IHG Club member but I wasn't sure about checking in that late.

The hotel staff suggested that I use the platform, Dayuse.com, to book a room just for 10am - 4pm use and, if I heard him correctly, I can ask for early check in (since I wanted 9am) when I'm there. When I pointed out that my current reservation was non-cancellable, he offered to cancel it at his end provided I book a room for day use. I agreed. Said my goodbye (expensive phone call, I would say) but before I could register and book a room on Dayuse.com, I noticed that the reserved room was already cancelled. Wow. That was helpful of him.

Next was Holiday Inn Sepang. I know that checking out at 1pm shouldn't be a problem for a member but 3pm? Staff said that that was too late but she asked me whether I was a member or not, which I affirmed so. Then, she checked and told me that there were many rooms still available. She suggested that when I check in, I asked for her manager and request for a late check ou at 3pm as it requires a manager's approval for such late check-out. I agreed but a few minutes she called to inform that she had asked her manager and he approved the late check-out. Wow, another helpful IHG staff. I'm impressed.