all about my journeys in life

1-4 February
Nueva Ecija
PHILIPPINES


It actually started out as a crazy plan: Me flying on Thursday, arriving in Manila and going home straight to Nueva Ecija on Friday and leaving again on Saturday. The usual. Everybody was against my going home because...it simply was crazy.

But I had my reasons for going home.

1. Sadness - it's been a month since I haven't been home so I'm feeling depressed which probably must have been caused by an argument with my sister.
2. Shoes - I wanted to bring the shoes (remember Air Canada?) back because someone could take it back to my brother for him to return it to the owner
3. Birthday - it's my nephew's second birthday and I wanted to be there
4. Toothbrush - I had to get a transformer for my toothbrush :)
5. Withdrawal slip - I had to give to my mother the bank deposit slips that I asked my brother to sign while I was in Canada
6. And 100 reasons more...

Anyway, since I also realized how crazy that plan was, I just filed for vacation leave. One day. My first block. Haha. Bahala na. Gusto ko umuwi eh.

Initially, I was given a jumpseat but there was a last-minute no show of one passenger so I got a regular seat. Yey! We arrived in Manila at 1pm and it was the start of a busy weekend!

1. meet Agnes (wife of Rick who's the cousin of Sri Lankan Tiger) to give the $$$ padala
2. go to POEA for multiple TEC (and SSS!)
3. Photoworld exhibit in Glorietta
4. dinner with Kitty and the Engineer at Dusit Thani
5. Shopping, grocery and spa
6. Partee!

I went to Manila on Sunday at 630am. My flight was at 2pm that day. Airport was a bit congested--took me about an hour queuing at the Immigration. Anyway, I was lucky to have gotten a jumpseat because at least, I didn't have to wait for the midnight flight of Emirates. Mas nakakapagod yon because my arrival time in Doha would be 9am the following day. Yay. Me pasok na. So the jumpseat that took me straight to Doha was much, much better! I arrived at 9pm, happy and recharged.

4-5 January 2007
Calgary / London / Dubai
CANADA / UK / UAE


We actually woke up early to catch my flight at 6pm. My brother's house is 2.5 hours from the airport so to leave early and have lunch in Calgary was the best plan. We ate at a Chinese restaurant--buffet again, which my brother is so fond of (because it's relatively cheap and the food is great!). At about 4pm, my brother left me at the airport. They went to Chinook Mall to buy their 'swedish massager'.

The Air Canada staff told me that I wouldn't be accepted because I was wearing runners. Boo! So I called my brother who was then exiting from the airport and asked him to buy a pair of shoes for me. I did not bring an extra pair because I was hoping I'd find something in Canada, but unfortunately did not.

A few minutes before the counters closed, my brother was still at the mall. The staff were telling me that buying the shoes was of no use because they'd be closing the counters soon and so I had to catch the next day's flight. I was so annoyed at the Air Canada staff but said nothing because I was tired as well. They accepted an EK staff in denims but they did not want to accept me because I was wearing rubbershoes. F*ck. The only reason I wanted to get on the flight was because I did not want my brother to drive me back the following day. The airport is too damn far from where he lives.

Anyway, when the staff called my brother and my brother told her that they were still at the mall and it would take another 15 minutes for them to reach the airport, it became apparent to me that I wouldn't be flying that night. 15 minutes?! The counter would be closing in 5 minutes! Hopeless, I felt. And the staff kept repeating that the call was 'long distance'. E ano ngayon??? Di naman ganon kamahal ang tawag!

To make a very long story short, I cried, the staff had pity on me, got me a pair of shoes and checked me in. I was upgraded to Air Canada's executive first class but I did not enjoy the experience because I was too bothered to do so. I was not able to tell my brother that I got on the flight and so I worried that they would be waiting for me and by the time they realized that I was already on my way to London, it would be too late for them to go home.

I reached London at half past 9, I think, but I missed the QR flight to Doha. I originally intended to go out and tour the city but my luggage was too heavy and I haven't had sleep for 24 hours. Bottomline, I was not in the mood to go out. So...I waited for my next chance on QR and EK. Fortunately, I was accepted on Emirates.

The flight from London to Dubai was the noisiest one I've had. The children were crying. If they're not crying, they were shouting. Good thing I have a talent in sleeping. I slept my way through to Dubai.

In Dubai, I took a chance on the earliest connection. I so love Emirates for making sure that my luggage--tagged on the 830am flight--still went with me on the 230am flight, eventhough the connection time was just a little bit over an hour. I arrived in Doha at around 4am and slept the whole day that day in preparation for the next day's work.