Philippine Travel Notes

My final flight of the day, but just the 4th in my 13-flight Circle Trip . From the earlier story , it was a quick free shuttle from Noi Bai International to this Domestic airport. Let's go sago! Ample time to bum around. Three hours to be exact! This was the first thing I saw: Of course I had to tinker with them. Ako pa na curious sa lahat ng techy things! Just to see for my self, if they work fine. What did I do? Nag-print ng boarding pass hehe! Eh that was the only thing I could do, to try and use a kiosk - since I already did web check-in last night! Verdict: ayos lang, gumagana, mabilis parang sa Changi Airport! Compared to self check-in kiosks in the Philippines? Yung sa pula at sa dilaw? Mas mabagal ang computer systems sa atin. Pero, laging merong staff na naka-antabay! Is that good or bad? Ah eh, the system response sa atin is parang negligible naman. It's just that not many of us Pinoys like using the kiosks - kelangan pilitin (ni AirAsia) ! And t...

As said in the previous story, this was the first time I was using Noi Bai International Airport Terminal 2 (T2), since this wasn't yet up, last time I came into and left Hanoi. But I somehow knew where to go, aided by ample standard signage everywhere. Maybe it naturally follows when you've been to a number of airports in your lifetime. Layouts are generally the same. Hey, I even knew where the smoking area could be! Out the arrival lobby, I crossed the vehicle lane, glanced back, and it looked familiar! Looks like MNL T1 upper arrival lane, right? Ohh, just like in the Philippines, Vietnam vehicles also drive on the right lane. Let's guess, it is probably an 'American Legacy'! In case you did not know yet, five or half of ASEAN countries drive on the right lane; the other half on the left, but there are now 6 of them since Timor Leste was added. Oh, in relation to that, Philippines is not anymore the 'only' Catholic Country in Asia. Oops, this e...

This was flight leg #3 (Taipei to Hanoi) in my 'exceptionally complicated' circle trip . The first interesting point was: I shot that pic at 1138H, when almost all passengers were already aboard, but our ETD was 1200H. Ah, early departure means early arrival! Okay, tara let's go sago! Aruu! Plane did not move, even if all passengers were already seated and waiting. A feeling of déjà vu ?! Oh yes, mismo actually! Same case as my CEB to TPE departure. Boarding = Loading ! Folks down at the belly of this plane (baggage & cargo hold) were still busy loading. Yes, it's not just about us passengers. Baggage, Cargo & Mail are also being loaded. Not that I was in a hurry. Per booking, I had 3 hours of transfer time at Hanoi. Go ra! I instead watched whatever I could see of a rainy outside. It must be cold out there! My phone said it was 17°C in Taoyuan and 20°C In Hanoi. Brrr! Being Pinoy from the Visayas, 26°C is my best lowest temperature. Any degree lo...