29th March
The LIMA exhibition is free from trade visitors and is officially opened to public! And that's where the LIMA bouncers come in.
Perfect for crowd control
The previous evening, all the Liaison Officers(LO) were called to gather in front of the Organisers' Office. Since our job as an LO is done, we're required to take a entirely different role for the public days. They needed 20 people for Career Day(Vern's in charge) and 70 people for Registration Hall(Mr. Suren's in charge) to help with the ticketing, crowd control and wristband checks.
I wanted the career day programme since I've done ticketing before. So, I figured it would be nice to try something different. But everyone thought the same too and it became too crowded. Vern's solution to it was to quiz us, which I was too tired for, so I left for Registration. Anyway, it'll be nice to meet the excited public!
The first preparation for the public day was to get the tickets or wristbands torn out piece by piece, making it easier and faster for the seller to hand it to the buyers. Then, when the counters open, we stand in the crowd to help with wearing the wristbands and answer questions about the exhibition, mostly for the air show's timeslot.
Ticket tearing (Credits to Maymum)
Next to the ticketing counter with Maymum and Fatin Nabila (Credits to Maymum)
After lunch time, I'd switch and stay indoors at the Registration Hall instead. My job there is to make sure every person who enters the doors are wearing the wristband. Adults who do not have the wristband should proceed to Counters 1, 2, 9 or 10 to buy it and as for the kids, we'll wear the marked(to indicate it's free) bands for them.
This year, the crowd was very much more organized than the previous LIMA. No super crowded hall, everything went smoothly...except, when the tickets were sold out. At around 3.30pm. Exhibition closes at 5.30pm, by the way. All hell broke loose hahaha
Maybe the LIMA organisers still don't realize how big and grand this exhibition is to the public, that their estimated wristbands were not enough. We quickly went behind the counters, took out the extra tags to be used as an entry pass. It was crazy. We were rushing like mad dogs, worrying if there'll be enough tags for the never ending public visitors.
Through previous experience, the public won't stop coming even if it means the exhibition is closing in half an hour. They're crazy like that. A fellow volunteer just didn't get that and got tired of preparing the tags that she stopped doing what she was doing and whined to her friends that the visitors should just stop coming already. Come on, man. Who are you to stop them from coming? It's a business we're running here and all you have to do it put the tags into the plastic casing and put on the clips.. Bad attitude, but I was just too occupied to tell her off, plus didn't want to make a scene :X
As soon as I was done, over to the exhibition hall I go!
Stumbled upon a crowd and went for a look. Guess who were they crowding around? Dr. Mahathir's son, Datuk Mokhzani! Initially, Char and I were supposed to be his LO's, but I was held up at the Registration Hall so Gup took over instead :(
About two days ago, Miss Azlin, at a very last minute appointed Char and myself to be his LO's. She quickly printed out his booth visit schedule and instructed us to RUNNNN to meet him, as he was said to have arrived in the building. We freaked as Char's walkie-talkie was very noisy and we couldn't get his whereabouts. When we met one of our volunteer leaders, Izzat who was the LO for Datuk Mokhzani's brother, Dato' Paduka Mukhriz, he informed us that Datuk Mokhzani hasn't arrived.
As soon as we got back to the office, Miss Azlin was furious about the miscommunication that caused us to run around like mad people hahaha It's all good! Some adrenaline rush was needed.
Volunteers & Datuk Mokhzani Mahathir
Fangirl Charmaine
He seems like a really nice person. I heard him asking my fellow volunteers where they study and said if they needed any recommendation letters or anything internship-related, they can just e-mail him and he'll try to help. Very nice of a busy VIP.
Before he takes flight, he took the buggy out to check out the helicopter! He's not the only one who has a buggy, though! We had ours too! Since our friends were the buggy drivers from the Operations department, we hopped on the three buggies and off we went!
A'an, one of the buggy drivers
It's my first time riding in a buggy, so it was really exciting for me! Not just sit in it, but taking the track of VIPs onto the tarmac!
Upon reaching the helicopter, we got down from the buggy and started taking photos like paparazzis.
He spent some time at the helicopter, so we changed the target of our cameras to...well, ourselves!
Soon, it was time to send him off to the airport. It was really cool! I didn't know the tarmac was connected to the airport! No wonder I keep hearing about it, but I never understood what they meant. We freaking took the buggy to the airport! I was in awe. Okay, the airport was really close by, but it didn't cross my mind that it's connected.
We passed by planes, which was really awesome. According to A'an, the US Air Force plane(below) is the only one that can reverse. Hmm..interesting.
There were a plane or two with their engines on, so it was really loud and ear deafening. As soon as we sent Datuk Mokhzani off at the airport, we went back to MIEC. Thanks to the loud sounds, I didn't hear my phone ring. Apparently, while we were having fun being followers of the VIP, the rest of the volunteers were going up the bus to leave for Resorts World Langkawi(formerly known as Awana Porto Malai)! We hurriedly took our bags from the Organiser's Office and went to the buses' parking lot.
Phew! They didn't leave without us (Credits to Char)
Heading to the port brought back memories! This time, we're heading with a bus of entirely different faces! Fine, a few old faces. Many were surprisingly sleepy and they dozed off in no time! It was as if their energy level was like 5% haha That happened after these photos, of course.
I decided to not go onto the KD Jebat, since I've been on there before..and like the first time, I was tired, didn't felt like exploring the ship. Spent my time there taking photos and chilling around, that time was perfect for photo-taking as it's bright enough for good photos, but for a limited time only since the sun was going to set.
We marched our way towards KD Jebat with the volunteers that were really excited to go up the ship.
fellow senior volunteer, Razif
I seldom experience sunset, as in go out and stay out till the sun sets. It sure is nice though! Not only do I not have to wake up extra early for a sunrise that I may not get to see haha but it's as cooling and pretty too!
PHOTOS ALERT!!! Look for your faces! Or for any faces you'd like! hahaha
(Credits to Arton)
The Photographers
Perfect way to be in a photo (Credits to Arton)
Jump shot!
While they were doing jump shots, I just sat and watch as I'm not a jump-shot person. It was cool talking to Jilian about her Event Management course! It was what I wanted to take a year or so back..so nice to listen to her talk about it :)
(Credits to Char)
(Credits to Arton)
(Credits to Syaim)
Despite being rather listless and achy-feet, I must take pictures! To me, photos are very important for memories and that's why I got my very own Sony digital camera as reward for my PMR results back in 2008. So, more photos!
(Credits to Char)
Khairul, the young-face #1 (Credits to KH)
Ravin, subtly photobombing (Credits to Syaim)
The go-to guy if your booth is having electrical problems, you want to pay up space rent or place orders for furnitures(LOL), Basyir aka Bash
Photos with the bosses are not to be missed! The cool, carefree, hilarious and just plain awesome bosses- Mr. Haswan and Mr. Fairul. We were supposed to take more pictures, but guess they're a huge hit with the rest of the volunteers too, that they went missing after a while :/
Mr. Fairul & the angels! Should've taken a much cooler-wind-blowing-hair photo :(
Do Re Mi. Mustafa on the outmost right.
Andddddd it's time to board the bus back to Cenang Beach! It was also time to say goodbye to Mustafa(which I call Mufasa) and Mezzanine as they were going back to KL, hence the farewell dinner. Exchanged contacts and the wheels of the bus go round and round, round and round, round and round.
Faiz
Aizat(left) and Aizad(middle), the best photobomber yet! hahahah!
Dinner was McDonald's again, with Ravin and Kevin. Talked a bit about Ravin's loan shark business hahah I think it's legal......*crick crick*
Moving on to our next appointment! After dinner, for digestion purposes, we walked to Cenang Mall!! Nahh...real purpose was to meet up with Muiz, who was with Khairul, Razif, Syahmi and three new female volunteers at Old Town White Coffee. Couldn't down any drinks as we were too full..so just chat away!
Muiz drunk on root beer :X
Our last appointment was supposed to be with Faris, but he came with Sarah to Old Town too. And, that sums up our day!
Last day is up ahead! Hang in there!
:') good times! I seriously felt like crying after reading this post. all the nostalgia and memories, good and great. thank you for bringing them afresh in my mind. you inspire!
ReplyDelete