In 1997, on the last Saturday of June, I flew out of Malaysia but I do not remember either through Subang Airport or KLIA but it think it was in Subang because KLIA had not opened yet in 1997.
My last memory of Subang Airport was the previous year 1996 when my late Grandma and my late Ucu sent me to Subang Airport.
But I remember very well when I arrived in Hong Kong. At that time Kai Tak Airport still existed and was still operating.
The view of the sea gradually disappearing as the flight I boarded approached Hong Kong, an island densely packed with concrete buildings.
To me, Kai Tak Airport was very unique because of its location in the heart of Hong Kong. The plane hovered in space before landing. There are a lot of skyscrapers and high-rise residential blocks.
The situation before landing was very exciting and also thrilling.
It was thrilling for me when the low-flying plane with its body position slides to the left and to the right through blocks of flats in the heart of downtown Hong Kong
From the window of the plane, I could see the occupants of the flat building. It was indeed very close between the position of the aircraft and the residential blocks.
I could clearly see there was a family watching tv in their living room,
As the plane flew in between the building blocks, in another unit, I could see the kitchen where a woman was cooking.
There was a young man hanging clothes on the back balcony, In the next unit, there was a child on the front balcony waving his hand towards the plane I was boarding. I waved back. I was not sure if the child could see my wave or not.
After a few minutes the plane hovered in the Hong Kong metropolitan space, I saw the runway at Kai Tak Airport and we were ready to land.
The handover of Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China took place on July 1, 1997. This event marked the end of British rule in Hong Kong and the surrender of Hong Kong sovereignty back to Chinese rule. After that Hong Kong became a Special Administrative Region under Chinese rule.
Very exciting experience when I went to Hong Kong and landed at Kai Tak Airport, Hong Kong.
Now, Chek Lap Kok Airport replaces Kai Tak Airport. Located in a man-made island on the outskirts of metropolitan Hong Kong.
It takes 40 minutes by express train halfway through the ocean to reach the city. The train also stops at Hong Kong Disneyland.
In those days, it only took me 5 minutes from Kai Tak Airport to the city centre with a taxi.
Today, it has been 11 years since I boarded an aeroplane.
12 years since I had ALS.
