Happy Eid
19-27 October
Manila
PHILIPPINES
It was a busy week for me because everyone's rushing for their projects to be finished just before going home for Eid and I felt that I was being dragged everywhere to 'help'. So at 3pm on Thursday (19Oct), I still didn't know how I'd be going home and I had no idea of the flight loads. So-not-me, I tell you.
Fortunately that morning, while getting some water from the pantry for 'my' plants, an officemate asked where I was going for the holiday and how. I just told him that I planned on going home to Manila but I still didn't know how though I had several tickets with me--direct Manila on QR, via Hong Kong on QR and Cathay Pacific, and via Dubai on Emirates. He suggested I try going via Abu Dhabi on Etihad.
As always, I got so busy that day to the point that I almost forgot to buy my Etihad ticket. Almost, but not quite. Hehe. I bought one-way DOH-AUH-MNL just before going home to pack. Eggward eli-phant picked me up at about 830pm since he was also going home to Manila that night. The crowd at the airport was so huge that it was too difficult for us to even get inside. Luckily I was 'tiny' so I got in a little bit more easily than Eggward. :))
At the Etihad counter, I was given DOH-AUH boarding pass only although my baggage was tagged DOH-AUH-MNL. At least there was a 50-50 chance that I'd be boarded. Hehe. If not, I'd just roam around Abu Dhabi. The flight was a little bit delayed and so I was already in panic upon arrival in Abu Dhabi Airport because I might miss my connecting flight to Manila. The staff at the counter must have been alerted that I was joining since she asked me if I was the staff from Doha when I showed up at the counter. (And for that, I loved Etihad!)
Etihad's service is good although I was a bit disappointed with the lack of blankets for guests. We arrived in Manila at around 230pm, got my baggage, went straight to CEB where I had to deliver some documents and then went home to Nueva Ecija.
I slept most of the time while at home and my activities only included going to SM Pampanga with my family and cute pamangkin (who now calls me Ninang Sungit), visiting SAS' new office in Equitable Bank tower along Paseo de Roxas in Makati, having lunch with my ex-Boss at Teriyaki Boy, meeting up with Anna (na napansin ko lang na maayos ang buhok at mukhang alaga sa hot oil!) and Cat (na walang sawang makinig sa kakulitan ko) at the Enterprise Bldg, having dinner with CEB friends at Good Earth (and then later on, drinking session at Masas) and spending some time with V.
Then before I left, I was able to reward myself time for vanity (haircut, hair and body spa at the Suriya) and have dinner with SAS friends at Chicken Bacolod (originally, at Razon's for Mayfie's craving of halo-halo but Razon's was already closed at 8pm!), photo-ops everywhere (and anywhere!) and lastly, coffee at CBTL. The following morning, I was off flying once again. This time, I chose to fly with QR just because there was a problem with my Emirates ticket and booking. Tsk, tsk. Otherwise, I would have stayed til midnight. Hahah!
Manila
PHILIPPINES
It was a busy week for me because everyone's rushing for their projects to be finished just before going home for Eid and I felt that I was being dragged everywhere to 'help'. So at 3pm on Thursday (19Oct), I still didn't know how I'd be going home and I had no idea of the flight loads. So-not-me, I tell you.
Fortunately that morning, while getting some water from the pantry for 'my' plants, an officemate asked where I was going for the holiday and how. I just told him that I planned on going home to Manila but I still didn't know how though I had several tickets with me--direct Manila on QR, via Hong Kong on QR and Cathay Pacific, and via Dubai on Emirates. He suggested I try going via Abu Dhabi on Etihad.
As always, I got so busy that day to the point that I almost forgot to buy my Etihad ticket. Almost, but not quite. Hehe. I bought one-way DOH-AUH-MNL just before going home to pack. Eggward eli-phant picked me up at about 830pm since he was also going home to Manila that night. The crowd at the airport was so huge that it was too difficult for us to even get inside. Luckily I was 'tiny' so I got in a little bit more easily than Eggward. :))
At the Etihad counter, I was given DOH-AUH boarding pass only although my baggage was tagged DOH-AUH-MNL. At least there was a 50-50 chance that I'd be boarded. Hehe. If not, I'd just roam around Abu Dhabi. The flight was a little bit delayed and so I was already in panic upon arrival in Abu Dhabi Airport because I might miss my connecting flight to Manila. The staff at the counter must have been alerted that I was joining since she asked me if I was the staff from Doha when I showed up at the counter. (And for that, I loved Etihad!)
Etihad's service is good although I was a bit disappointed with the lack of blankets for guests. We arrived in Manila at around 230pm, got my baggage, went straight to CEB where I had to deliver some documents and then went home to Nueva Ecija.
I slept most of the time while at home and my activities only included going to SM Pampanga with my family and cute pamangkin (who now calls me Ninang Sungit), visiting SAS' new office in Equitable Bank tower along Paseo de Roxas in Makati, having lunch with my ex-Boss at Teriyaki Boy, meeting up with Anna (na napansin ko lang na maayos ang buhok at mukhang alaga sa hot oil!) and Cat (na walang sawang makinig sa kakulitan ko) at the Enterprise Bldg, having dinner with CEB friends at Good Earth (and then later on, drinking session at Masas) and spending some time with V.
Then before I left, I was able to reward myself time for vanity (haircut, hair and body spa at the Suriya) and have dinner with SAS friends at Chicken Bacolod (originally, at Razon's for Mayfie's craving of halo-halo but Razon's was already closed at 8pm!), photo-ops everywhere (and anywhere!) and lastly, coffee at CBTL. The following morning, I was off flying once again. This time, I chose to fly with QR just because there was a problem with my Emirates ticket and booking. Tsk, tsk. Otherwise, I would have stayed til midnight. Hahah!
