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Fortunately, the boarding staff wanted to take an other shot, and bless him, this one is even better! Two thumbs up for the friendliness of MAS Wings staff! (Sandakan, Sabah, East Malaysia, Nov.2013)
I was delighted to get a rare opportunity to fly a turbo prop for a change. This is my MAS Wings bird to Kota Kinabalu,a nd she is a French built ATR-72. So small that my duffle wouldn't fit in the over head luggage stowage. Fortunately, the row behind me was totally empty and the kind steward allowed me to push it under the seat there. I was happier still to note taht the airport security was pretty relaxed about photography and readily allowed me to photograph my bird from the ramp. Of course, I used my Canon SX 100 point and shoot as I did not want to hold up the passengers following behind me. (Sandakan, Sabah, East Malaysia, Nov.2013)
I thought I'd bought enough gifts and momentoes from the oh so friendly sales girl in the gift shop I'd visited the previous day. (see previous picture-- not applicable to those viewing this on facebook). But this well stocked gift shop reminded me I still have much to buy. Though most of the displays seen here were plush toys, there were a lot of ethnic gifts all round. The two friendly ladies were only too happy to let me photograph them afterwards, and didn't flinch when I pulled out my D90. (I generally take pictures of locals with a small point and shoot). Despite their traditional attire, I noticed a lot more local ladies willing to be photographed on my current visit as compared to my previous visit to Malaysia in 2002. (Sandakan, Sabah, East Malaysia, Nov.2013)
So here I am folks, in the Sandakan International Airport. It was difficult to realize that the runway of this facility had had such a painful history, as I'd seen at the Sandkan Memorial Park just the previous day. The tiny airport had no exchange counter, and I desperately needed to exchange USD to local Malaysian Ringgit as I was dangerously low on local currency. Oh well, I surviied and reached my rather flea pit like dreadful hotel in Kota Kinabalu in one piece. Here are passengers awaiting the departure call next to the cafe, where I shot this picture from munching on a sandwich. (Sandakan, Sabah, East Malaysia, Nov.2013)
A slightly longer view of the ATR-72. I loved the way the aircraft door folds down to double up as steps to climb onto the plane. (Sandakan, Sabah, East Malaysia, Nov.2013)
As my Canon SX100 point and shoot was in my had anyway, I decided to push my luck just a bit more and requested the boarding attendant at the apron if he could take a picture of me against the aircraft. And he did. And this is the result. It was a fairly light flight, and almost everyone else had already boarded, we were some 20 minutes ahead of schedule anyway, so there was no rush, and happily, no intrusive security breathing down your neck asking you why you want to take a picture. Love the way the aircraft door folds down to double up as steps to climb onto the plane! (Sandakan, Sabah, East Malaysia, Nov.2013)
The male steward handed out a few electronic passenger survey tablets to select passengers, and I was pleased to note that I was one of them! No reason to complain: the staf had been super friendly, and co-operative, right from taking shots of me at the time of boarding right upto stowing my duffle under the seats behind me, the aircraft was relatively new and spotless, and we'd take off a good 20min early and arrived bang on time! I'm not sure if the Asian couple in front of me would have reacted similarly as they were arguing with the cabin crew about moving their two small kids from their seats in the exit row (the row ahead of me on the left side), which the cabin crew were pleading was against the regs to put children in the exit row, and the father was very loud insisting that he had not been informed earlier etc. The cabin crew won eventually when a lady cabin crew stopped by to plead with them after the man among them was unsuccessful. I was fascinated t note that the survey was based on an ipod mini platform. (Sandakan, Sabah, East Malaysia, Nov.2013)