Philippine Travel Notes

I think I already said this in one of my stories (about 2,000 na btw, since 2005): that I'm not really a fan of arriving into MNL during 'rush hours'. Like many of you, I do still know what Metro Manila "trapik" is, during such times - mawawalan ka ng bait! Even if I permanently lived there for only 27 years hehehe! This time however, I had no other choice but to fly-in during such dreaded hours, because of this thing called "kumikitang kabuhayan" also known as "work"! But if it was any consolation, my destination, for a few nights' stay, was just near the airport (MOA area), and I wasn't going home to Faaarview. So, go! Okay, eto na.., I flew from Tacloban ETD:1515H, to Manila ETA:16:30H on a generally gloomy day... Just after takoff, I sensed something was unusually interesting in the sky. It was bursting with colors! So I said "aba pwede"! I may as well savor this marvelous show, before I suffer in traffic after arri

As if this is anything worth shouting to the whole world about, ano? Bear with me the probinsyano. I knew this was being built, but it's not everyday (anymore) that I hear, much less see and pass by, the traffic wonders of the metropolis! There are none of these twists at where I usually am, these days! So okay alright, I arrived at NAIA Terminal 2 and hailed Grab Car. As the ride went on, driver asked me where I wanted to pass: "sa old domestic road o NAIA-X". I exclaimed "aba, bukas na yun? sige let us pass there"! I learned, drivers need to ask this question, as there's an extra toll that you'll have to pay! It climbs a rampway after the gas station (before the corner that turns right to the domestic road) at a place I remember to be 'six eleven' (Pildera). I recall this was a flood-prone area, so goodbye baha na! Then it goes to the height of the highest level of 'Park-N-Fly' building, then there's a fork in the road (up ther

I pass by at least 2 airports a week, and I swear, this is the first time I saw this 'enterprise' racking up hefty 'pesoses' fast! Which, on the other hand, is an extra expense for many "alarmed passengers". Here's my story: Due to the number of passengers entering at the first few gates of NAIA 3, I asked my driver to let me off at the farther gates. Am not sure if I entered at the 4th or 5th gate/entrance. But it's a technique! This thing is what I saw upon entering the first x-ray area: A company, yes a business enterprise, that wraps (mummifies!) your luggage in clear industrial plastic! Maroon bag: the subject being mummified! Blue shirt guy: worker White shirt guy: passenger, owner of maroon bag - says he paid P200 for that wrapping thing, he further said "di bale nang mag-bayad ng extra, kesa naman mabiktima". Hmm, he has a point! So, this is the government's solution? To avoid passengers being victimized by THEIR employee

Whatta day! Whatta find! Whatta dog! Oh... My...Dog! He was doubly a surprise to me and the rest of the arriving passengers at the conveyor belt of NAIAT3 luggage carousel: 1) He is not the usual big German Shepherd K9 dogs that we often see, 2) He rides the conveyor belt as if it was nothing! But yes, this little cutie sniff-dog was hard (if not bored) at work! Of course I shot a vdeo, even if short! Had to capture the cuteness! Paano ba naman kasi... Checked-luggage from our Tacloban-Manila flight were just starting to flow. The rest, the bulk of them were still in there. So, Mr Little Cutie Doggie-dog Sniffer was not busy yet. There were lull occassions he was being asked to sit. Eh conveyor belt eh! When he sits down to rest, he flows away hehe! So he would come back up running towards his master when the belt brings him far and away hehehe! Aliw! Don't we wish all days are like this?!

8:33AM this morning, amidst the throng and the din at NAIA Terminal 3, a Cebu Pacific employee walked up to me and asked if I had any luggage. I said "none", and she asked me about my flight details. I asked why (thinking she would direct me to a counter but..), she said "I will check you in sir"! And I said something like "ows?!" as I looked at that thing on her left hand - a tablet! So I gave my details, showed her my ID and she tapped on that thing, voila! That strip of paper came out from that other gadget hanging on her pocket - my boarding pass! Just like that. Yeah, ganun lang! I am no gadget freak, but, this was the first time I encountered such a thing - even if I travel almost every week - and yes, I was fascinated. Nice one, Lance! Nice one! ==========================================  Click these numbers for a chronology of my notes: 01   02    03    04    05    06    07    08    09    10 11    12    13    14    15    16

Waiting for my flight boarding to Tacloban now. I just bought a can of Coke before entering this smoking room near gate 119 of NAIA T3. I noticed the girl who gave me this can had something like a "shy smile" on her face. I thought she had mistaken me for someone else and sheepishly smiling as she is not sure. That happens often. So I smiled back, even bowed to say thanks and hurriedly entered the glass door and lit up my cig. When I opened the can... I noticed this big new label... Oh ahh... now I realized! This probably was the reason she was smiling (a bit) at me! I looked back at her thru the glass wall. She was giggling with the cashier. I smiled back again, raising the can to show her that big printed word! They were teasing each other! Ayan, they're still giggling as I'm drinking this. Hah, me asim pa ako! Yes hahaha! But that is not the reason I immediately posted this pic on this blog ha?! I don't need any reassurance, gwapo lang talaga ako eh! Mata

Yes dear readers and followers, your PinoyTraveler is on the way to Tacloban, and this will be a "frequent" destination, or what might even become a 'temporary residence'. The itchy feet in me, myself and I has just agreed to help out in whatever way I can, in the recovery efforts over at the two big islands of Samar and Leyte... so here I go... Not that it's a first time for me since Yolanda. I have been visiting the region often since November. In fact, I was just there last 11 to 12 August! But this time, I have signed up for something that will need me to be at the Yolanda stricken areas of Region VIII - and I am officially expected to be in Tacloban today (I had my briefing all of yesterday). Thus.., This should be a day to remember for me... Will I still be able to roam around the country and post my stories on this blog? Not sure about that. But, in my mind, I am saying, I guess I could still post stories about the many places and activities I wil

Fantastic sunset as we landed in Manila from Naga City. But I was not home yet! Home isn't Quezon City anymore. I was just passing by NAIA 3 on my way to Cebu since there are no direct Naga-Cebu flights. In fact I was already holding my MNL-CEB boarding pass issued at naga when I checked-in for this WNP-MNL flight. And I did not want to reverse my Cebu-Legaspi-Naga-Caramoan route because I had the luxury of zero-fares! I do not get to land in Manila at such a time of day since we all avoid it, right? Yeah, the excruciating afternoon traffic. But since I was just in transit to Cebu, I liked it that this flight was arriving MNL at about 4PM. Here’s part of that story… Turboprops (propeller airplanes) do not use any of the gates at Terminal 3. And I know that. Its useless for an airline to use them anyway. Why? Because these planes are too small, they cannot be reached by the aerobridge (air tube) for a more comfortable disembarkation of passengers. And my flight from Naga was using