As always I humm the melody of a John denver in my head. ‘ All my bags are packed I’m ready to go’ . I guess singing in a choir with a John Denver medley has had it’s influence. My bags actually have been packed for almost a week, and I have to say I’m proud that I all fitted in to one backpack and a smaller travel bag. 11KG of p0sessions and off I go.
This morning at the airport there was THE moment… the moment of saying goodbye to my love and being on my own. Of course tears flowed… Yes, it’s great to love someone, and it will be great when I get back.. but at that moment, it really really sucked. It feels weird that I’m travelling alone, but after half an hour I feel the relaxation flowing through me. I can do what I want how I want and when I want it!
After a luggage check I’m cleared and imediately run to the perfume shop… My traditions stands. Every time I fly out of Europ I purchase a perfume. The only perfume I will wear on the trip and so the scent will be connected to my memories.
As i walk to the gate there is a delay message… and now I’m close to landing in the ‘city of love’ and I have to stow away my technical device.
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After a cigarette and a run I arrive on time at my next departing gate and immediately can start boarding. I remember I reserved a seat for this 11 hour flight, but no idea what kind of seat. When I’m installed I get joined by an Romanian engineer. After some conversation and pictures of his wife and country we take off and soon the food is served. To bre honest, i’m really happy with my travel companion, at least I can understand him. I start my movie and eventually drift away for a couple of hours. While I curl up in my chair my new best friend makes sure the blanket covers my back.. I think it’s so genuine and kind.When I wake up everyone is still very quiet around me.
Now it’s the middle of the night in China, we’re currently flying over som e of the ‘ stan’ countries and I just got refreshed with a hot wet towel… So fay, I’m really not complaining asbout my trip… though I am preparing myself for the fact that I probably will miss my last flight due to some later arrival then orginaly was planned… oh well. I’m pretty sure I will get out of Manila and otherwise I’ll find a hotel there and fly to Cebu tomorrow.
At Ghengzou airport i find a smoking area… but apparently it is not allowed to have lighters (i Carry 3, but i’m not telling anyone that!). They have this interesting machine, you stick your sigaret in and inhale… and it lights… Obviously this doesn’t work fot me the First 4 times, but eventualy I get the hang of it. But still, it seems kinda overdoing it!
On the flight from Ghengzou to Manila I am tired. It’s 4 am back home, so the middlel over the night. My seat by the window has been taken by a nice lady and the middle by her 100 year old mother. I don’t mind and sit by the alley. We get talking, she asks wher ei’m going and is so excited about my trip. She teaches me my forst words and… how things usually are pronounced. The moment we take off I slip into a undeep sleep… But the old lady (not on purpose) keeps hitting me and the people in the alley make sure that I can’t really doze off very well.
So now I’m at Manila airport… the flight from Ghengzou was on time.. The plane was filled with mostly Philipinos and I have to say.. these people are really the nicest people I have ever met… and I’ve traveled quite a bit! I was very worried about being able to make my final domestic flight. I asked the stewardess and she found someone in the front of the plane to change Seats with me so i could get off early… and the moment we landed I started running… through the health check….. through immigration… my body really felt good moving after sitting in a plain for so long. At the bagage belt the rest of the plain caught up to me… Some of the other passengers were telling me that cebu P{acific is always late. And they make really nice polite conversations, and their English is very good.
After I got my backpack I ran to the shuttle bus.. The moment I stepped outside the heat washed over me…And i immediately felt at home. But, I had a plane to catch, so to the shuttle bus… which First went to terminal 1, then to terminal 4 and finally… terminal 3. I ran in… about 20 minutes left before my flight departure…
Everything seems to take ages… Waiting for the elevator rushing through the crowd, I’m so happy that I packed light. I need to drop off my luggage, I ask the lady in the line whedther I an cut the line, and she let’s me. My bag is checked and the lady tells me… run to the gate. So there I care… the security officials let me cut the security line and I fly through the terminal. It’s like in the movie… The moment I get close to the gate I hear a voice urging passengers for my flight to hurry up. And now? Now I’m comfortably sitting in the airconditioning of the airplane. And just now, I see my neon yellow bag being loaded on the plane, I couldn’t be more happy! But I’m pretty sure I would have misse dit i fit weren’t for the nice and helpfull people in this country.
So, the last leg before I land on the island which I want to experience.
Jezus
Pffffff, een heerlijke ervaring voor zo’n stresskip als jij! Hahaha, gelukkig is de heenreis goed verlopen. Have fun!