It's a new year but Air Canada is the same airline.

I've been neglecting this blog but that is because I am neglecting this trip.  But some things have happened since we last spoke. 

Air Canada never lets me down when I need a blog post!  I got an email from them that my flight itinerary had changed.  They send these all of the time but if it is anything other than minor, there is usually a red banner across the top.  So, I didn't look for a day or two.  When I did look, they had done some shenanigans to put it mildly. 

To go back a bit.  My flight out of Vancouver to Seoul, Korea leaves at 10 am.  It is high winter so the first ferry out is 7am.  Not enough time to make it to the airport for an international flight.  So, despite my better judgement and my friend Rob's sage advise to never fly out of Victoria, I booked a 5:45am flight as the first leg of my journey.  So, Air Canada, Victoria->Vancouver->Seoul->Kota Kinabalu Borneo.  

Air Canada cancelled that Victoria->Vancouver flight and 'adjusted' my itinerary.  They had me leaving at 7 pm the same day instead of 5:45 am, flying out of Vancouver the next morning (staying overnight in Vancouver on my own dime!) and into Kota Kinabalu the day after my tour starts.  Umm, no.  

So, I called them.  The company is terrible but the people are generally very nice.  The person on the phone gave me some options.  I chose to move the whole kit and caboodle to the day before which gives me an extra day in Borneo.  If I have to pay for an extra night in a hotel, Borneo is way better than Vancouver (no offence Vancouver but you know you are expensive and also kinda suck).  I sent Joe my new itinerary and I assume he has changed his flight too.  I should probably confirm that.  

Now I just have to figure out hotel for Borneo.  Just book with G into the same hotel as the starting point?  I should probably confirm that.  

a few minutes later:  Update, I booked two rooms, the last two according to booking.com, for our extra day there.  I should probably confirm that this is ok with Joe.  Hotel Shangri-la!  Fancy!  Breakfast included.  

Now we get to figure out what to do with our extra day.  Joe has requested a Jazz Bar.  Not something one would immediately think of for Borneo but Joe does love his jazz music.  I got very excited when I discovered one on google.  Until I then discovered it closed in 2020.  

Goodbye Sully's Bar.
This picture really makes me sorry to have missed you

I'm sure we can find some live music somewhere.  Depending on the level of jetlag of course.  Although Starbucks is in the top ten for live music?  That doesn't bode well.  

I bought some Malaysian Ringgits for me and Joe.  It's nice to have some cash upon arrival, just in case. 

That's it for now.  Packing will commence at least no later than 12 hours before departure.  

Welcome Joe!

Big news.  My friend Joe, husband of my friend Carolyn, is going to come on my trip with me.  He had expressed an interest in coming to a couple of the 'Stans with me but the timing, logistics and cost did not work for him. So I suggested he come to Borneo!  Cheaper, sooner, and he won't have to get from some random city in one 'stan to a different random city in a different 'stan on his own.  

He put down the deposit on the tour and booked a flight. So, this is happening.  Carolyn has no interest in going anywhere with leeches, let alone spending 30 hours on airplanes to do so, so Joe is coming without her.  

You may worry that Joe has signed on for one of my zany adventures without much forewarning.  Possibly true but Joe and Carolyn came to Oaxaca when I was there.  And I took them on a death defying car ride to see some cacti.  It was an excellent side trip and I think Joe appreciated my 'joie de vivre/voyager' vacation habits.  This time at least, there will be a professional driver. 

Joe & Carolyn is Zapotitlan Salinas, Mexico, 
safe and sound! 

Joe is the big news.  In smaller news, I got a GREAT deal on bug spray!

And my Borneo bird books have arrived and have been thoroughly perused. They do not have every bird in the area, just the interesting Borneo ones.  Do I take an Asia Bird Book and all of the added weight that implies?  Undecided.  

That's it for now.  

Weird airlines (thanks Air Canada).

So, I booked my flight using my Air Canada 'wallet' with our ticket money from our cancelled flights to Europe (due to the potentially impending strike that didn't happen).   

I fly Victoria to Vancouver to Inchon, Korea on Air Canada.  They were actually pretty decent.  One free bag and I could prebook my seats.  Well, I got cocky with all of that power so I decided to also reserve my seats on the Inchon to Kota Kinabalu and return flights.  My flight there is with Jeju Air.  Never heard of them but sure.  I downloaded their app.  They were kind of difficult to deal with (online) since I couldn't switch to English on my phone. Once I logged in on my laptop, I figured out that I can pre-book but I have to pay.  $10 so well worth it (5.5 hour flight in the middle of the night).  But not on my crazy foreign (Canadian) credit card.  I had to break out my PayPal account.  

Next up was the flight back to Inchon on Asiana Airlines.  I found their website.  I tried to find my flight. I used my booking code. The website couldn't find me.  I tried other ways to search. But I discovered that Asiana Airlines does not even list Kota Kinabalu as somewhere they go.  Hmm, I don't really want to be stranded in Kota Kinabalu with a worthless ticket so I called Air Canada.  

Despite my many grievances with Air Canada, their phone service people tend to be quite nice.  This time, the guy was as baffled as me. We searched their website.  He kept saying the things I had said when I searched.   'What is going on here?' being the main one.  

Eventually, instead of searching for 'Asiana Airlines', I searched for the airline code OZ.  And, low and behold, there are TWO Asiana Airlines.  And the OTHER one is Star Alliance and flies out of Kota Kinabalu.  Mystery solved.   

You can see how I ended up on the wrong site!

But I couldn't book my seats even on the right airline's website.  I called them.  Call back in January.  Okey dokey.  Gives me time to create a meme!

Did you know Borneo is not a country?

As usual, I am doing my due diligence after the fact.  Let me back up a few hours.

My friend Alisma dropped by for coffee and innocently asked where my next trip is.  I said I am aiming for the 5 'Stans with G-Adventures in fall 2025.  Since I don't remember the names of four of the 'Stans or where the 'Stans are exactly, we looked it up on the G website.  It turns out G Adventures is having a sale.  But not on the 5 Stans. 

I like sales.  And I have so much Air Canada credit due to the strike debacle for my Europe trip...  So, while we were in there, I had a peak at some trips that fit with my 'nothing planned' window in Jan/Feb.  Borneo!  

Borneo – East Sabah Adventure

I had some restraint.  I didn't book it while Alisma was still in the house.  I checked with my co-advisor, Robynne who will be back from her trip if I go in February.  My coordinator was conveniently working some overtime (it's Sunday today) so I was able to check with her.  Both were fine with me going between  Feb 12 - 22.  

Restraints were off.  I booked the tour.  I bought a flight (something like 28 hours for an 8 day trip - yikes).  Tour was on sale so I used the savings to book my own room.  Flight was 'free' so that's nice.  Banked credit is free right?  

I did some more overtime hours to help pay for all of this.  Then I ordered a Borneo Bird Book (or two...😏).  and now it is 4 hours later and it's all done.  Time to create the blog!  And here we are. 

Having learned my lesson (somewhat), I googled 'Borneo map", which is when I discovered Borneo is an island, not a country and I am in fact going to Malaysia.  The other two countries on Borneo are Brunei and Indonesia. 

I actually remembered to check if I might need a travel visa.  I do not according to Gov't of Canada travel page.  But they were kind enough to let me know that Malaysia requires that I 'exercise a high degree of caution' and for the Sabah region, where I will be specifically, I should 'avoid non-essential travel'.  I assume I won't be in the highest risk areas. Plus my G peeps will keep me safe. 

That's probably enough for now.  But I'm gonna see these guys!