December 16, 2018 2 am Manila
After we deplaned, I walked back to the Mabuhay Lounge. I wanted to go home but I calmed myself down. I conditioned my mind that I could end up sleeping on a couch. Eh that’s better than flying on that same plane.
I was begininng to feel tired and gloomy while sitting here at the lounge at 2 am. Oyen and Edmund must be asleep at this hour and I didn’t want to bother them.
After half hour thinking about my fate, the PAL crew came and informed us that they would bring us to Century Park Hotel to spend the night. And that our flight would be at 12:40 pm that day, December 16. I thought pwede akong umuwi na lang but I would wake up our dogs, our neighbors, our maids, and Edmund. And then abala na naman to bring me back to the airport in the morning. So I just decided to go with the flow.
We rode a long shuttle to Pasay City. I felt like a first timer in Manila. We passed by Baclaran, khait pala alas tres ng madaling araw bukas pa yung mga street vendors. Roxas Blvd was still alive with the bars and night clubs.
Buti na lang I stole one piece of carrot cupcake from the lounge for my emergency food. Gutom na ako.
Nanay ko po. Madaling araw nadito ako sa Roxas Boulevard naka sakay sa bus.
Syempre the hotel was empty at 3 am.
When I was checking in, the front desk asked me if I was traveling alone, I said yes. In my mind, he would give me a smaller room. I requested for a no smoking room. I was given a key to room 826. Before I went up the elevator, I told the PAL crew that I didn’t want to ride in the same plane and I also reiterated (ang kulit ko) that the plane is old and should be replaced.
Contrary to what I was expecting, I was given a very large suite room with a full living room, a big walk-in closet, king bed, balcony, etc.
I unplugged the ref because it was so noisy. Mukhang luma na kasi.
I fell asleep at 4 am and at exactly 7 am I was awakened by the wake-up call. And another one came 10 minutes later. Having a 3-hour sleep was not my idea of a staycation even if I stayed in a suite room.
My husband called, he thought I landed already in San Francisco. Nag-landing ako sa Pasay.
View from room 826 balcony
Century Park Hotel’s grand lobby
We were given a complimentary buffet breakfast. I had no appetite, I just forced myself to eat.
I had fried danggit, fried rice, and miso soup, a perfect combination.
I met this lady at the restroom. She’s visiting her daughter who works at the Silicon Valley then she flies to Las Vegas where she will spend one month holiday at her vacation house there.
Before I boarded the bus, I asked the PAL crew if we’re taking the same plane or are they providing us with a newer one. She said it’s the same plane but had been fixed. Hay ayaw ko nyan.
Back to the bus. Tired na ako talaga and I was agitated thinking that I would be flying in that old Boeing 777.
Tired na ako talaga. It was good I brought one spare blouse and a daster because I would spend one night at my sister’s house because she asked me to go with them to attend the simbang gabi. I was to fly to Seattle the next morning.
I thought there would a special lane for us, wrong. I had an easy check-in last night and in contrast, eto, pila-pila. There was only one person in charge of checking us all in.
De ja vu
Back to the lounge, my God, ayaw ko na dito, ayaw ko na ng lugaw.
I talked to the receptionist if our flight would use the same broken plane or a new one. I’ve so far asked three people and I got three different answers.
One said we’re taking a new generation 777. Two said the same old plane.
Girl Scout, makapagbaon nga ng isa.
