End of the trip

There is no day 14 because it was only our flight back home. However, the day itself worth a mention thanks to a bitch at the Global Blue tax refund. Honestly, we were honestly clueless how the tax refund process would be. Our previous experience was only in Changi Airport so we had no idea whether the same process is the same across the globe. In Changi Airport, there is one counter before checking in for the inspection of items which will be in check-in baggage. After immigration, there is another counter to get the actual refund. This is to make sure that only outgoing tourists are getting the refund.

It is rather different in Schiphol. There is a counter for "approval" by customs officer. Items were not being inspected, no refunds given, only "approval stamps" are given on all the receipts that we have. There is another counter just before the immigration for us to get the actual refund. Weird isn't it? You can actually get a refund without guarantee that you will be flying off!

Anyway, the bitch was here. Seriously.. is there a problem with answering questions nicely instead of being sarcastic? Jeez.. You know that people who are in airport are mostly tourists and most people ask you because we are not sure what to do. If this happens in Singapore, I will definitely send a complaint to get that bitch reprimanded. So in the end, I really don't have a good impression of the Dutch because of this bitch and the bitch at the souvenir shop at Delft. But hey, the girl at the check-in desk and the immigration officer were friendly.

Security screening before boarding the plane was something I had never seen before. I stepped into a large cylindrical machine, raised both my arms, and the scanning plates rotated around me. On the screen outside, the "suspicious" parts were highlighted and the security officers would only grope this area. Well, that was less invasive than the one I experienced in Vienna. Haha..

It was also my first time trying to use inflatable travel pillow which I just bought the day before. I didn't know whether I was using it correctly. Firstly, I had no idea how to inflate it. Blowing it was already embarassing and it was worse when the pillow failed to inflate. My dad did it for me. Secondly, I thought the pillow was making my neck more painful and uncomfortable. Sigh..

I tried a new alcoholic drink today (unfortunately I forgot what it is called). The airsteward offered to have it mixed with 7-up or orange juice as it tasted quite bad on its own. I chose orange juice. The drink was awesome and he served a generous amount which made me rather drunk and feel uncomfortable for a good 1-2 hours before my body cleared the alcohol. I hope the next time I see the menu book (in my future overseas flight with SQ which will be I don't know when..) I can remember what drink that is.

And the trip ended with a family quarrel. On the plane, I put my backpack with my dad because my leg room was rather small, thanks to the weird grey box there. My mum put a dirty spoon, dirty fork, and uneaten yoghurt, cheese, butter, etc. Of course when I opened my bag and I saw all of these things, I WAS FURIOUS! Firstly, she did not tell me that she put all of these things which potentially dirtied whatever thing inside my bag. Secondly, if she really intended to keep the utensils, why didn't she take a clean one or at least wash it in the lavatory first!! Jeez -_- When my sister and I took utensils during our flight to Amsterdam, we took clean ones even though that means we only ate with only a spoon or a fork.

I went to toilet to wash the dirty spoon and fork and when I was back, my parents were gone. Oh yea.. so they were even more furious than I? Ridiculous.. Anyway.. I did not care. I was leaving at Changi anyway.. And up to now, I still exchange no words with my dad.. Well done..