When my children were little, every time I came home from a US visit, I had 4 to 8 balikbayan boxes full of Huggies disposable diapers, boxes of toothpastes, giant bottles of Prell, Brut and Revlon shampoo, dozens of Dove, Irish Spring, Tone soaps, crates of corned beef, Spam, frozen steaks, dozens of $1 each bath towels from JCPenny, Pringles potato chips, cheese dips, corn chips, corn on the cob, kitchen utensils such as kawali, sandok, syansi, catsup, steak gravy, Kikkoman soy sauce, etc. Pati detergents and pang-is-is ng kawali, dala-dala ko. Para akong magtatayo ng sari-sari store.
Ngayon, I travel lite. Ang tamad-tamad kong mag-shopping. Meron namang shampoo dito and Spam. Kung pwede lang, I don’t want to bring a maleta anymore. I get tired of lifting, pushing, dragging them. I also do not like to bring a carry on bag anymore. Lifting it to put in the overhead bin is a hustle because of the weight and the overhead bin is too high for my 5’10 height.
So these days, when I travel, I try my best to keep it light. I no longer go beyond the airline weight limits. But sometimes it can’t be avoided.
Limit is 23 lbs. See how light my aqua maleta is? Only 15 lbs. exacto. Alam mo ang laman lang nyan? There’s a smaller carry on luggage inside, with my heavy laptop, a few clothes to cushion the laptop, some chips for my daughter.
PAL gives free blue slippers you can use during the flight. Meron akong baon na tsinelas ko.
I was one of the lasts to board. I haven’t even sat down eto na, crash! The daughter stood up and her bag knocked off the champagne glasses, basag and the champagne spilled on her mom’s clothes.
Ayan na nga ba ang sinasabi ko, ang sikip-sikip ng lugar, dikit-dikit ang mga braso, ang hirap pag meron pang pa-wine-wine pa. Itago ang mga bags at balutin ng plastic.
The overhead bin was all mine. Itago ko na nga itong bag ko at baka mabinyagan ng wine-wine. Suede pa mandin yan, hindi na maaalis ang marka ng tubig.
Mahirap pag merong ka-share sa overhead bin. Buti na lang ako, wala.
Actually I should not eat anymore. Busog na busog pa ako sa niluto ng kapatid ko na sinigang na hipon, ginisang upo at saka yung inihaw na liempo ni Bong.
I ordered arroz caldo for my midnight snack but I never got to eat it because I was asleep and the flight attendant didn’t want to wake me up.
Akala ko ba I should not eat anymore..
If I were Lucio Tan, I will ban wines and liquors, juices, softdrinks, kasi madalas nabubuhos lang sa kalapit. Hahaha magagalait sa akin ang passengers. Bottled water na lang dapat. Wala ng pa-wine-wine and champagne glass pa. Tunggain na lang sa plastic bottles. Passengers will hate me.
I told the bread guy “hindi ba sunog yan?”
I used to like PAL’s soft garlic bread. Eto ang tigas, super. Malalagas ang ipin ko, ang sakit na nga. This reminds me of the left-over breads sold by bakeries in Binangonan. Pagnapikon ka sa asawa mo, pwede mong ibato. Tok, bukol. This is good to defend yourself from enemies and you will go to heaven. The bible said “Pagbinato ka ng bato, batuhin mo ng tinapay”. Amen.
This is the first time I had clam chowder soup on the flight. Maybe it’s a new addition in the menu.
I am trying to recall if it was good. Okay lang yata.
Prawns with lobster sauce, mashed potato, cherry tomatoes and French beans.
The chocolate mousse with fresh strawberries looked delectable but I passed.
Kasi I ate two cups of Magnolia red bean ice cream at my sister’s house before I left for the airport. Nadito pa sa tyan ko.
O, kala ko ba you will skip on the dessert because you just had two cups of red bean ice cream? Eh I couldn’t resist. I never say no to Haagen-Dazs strawberry ice cream. Never.
O dito pass. Thanks but no to cheese plate.
I complained to the purser that how come this plane is not the Boeing 777. I thought my flight is PR105, biglang naging for PR115 ang plane. Kasi daw 777 is under repair. Nasira daw that’s why the flight the day before was delayed for several hours. I don’t like this plane. It’s old, the lababo looks dirty even if it’s not. There’s no television. They offered to provide me with a mini-Ipad. Ayaw ko ng iPad. Gusto ko wide screen. The nice purser answered “the seats recline fully”. Dapat naman ano, alangan naman babayad ka ng kamahal-mahal tapos nakatukmol ka sa maliit na upuan. Oo na nga I can lay flat and stretch my legs but I still want wide screen tv.
I bring home and re-use the free toothbrush from my travels. Hayan, mahilig kasi sa libre. Kaya yata nag-uugaan ang mga ngipin ko dahil dito sa free toothbrush na ito. Matigas. Dapat kasi one use lang.
Nag-toothbrush na ako, kain na naman? Sabi ko na nga ba medyo sunog itong croissants.
Many years ago, fresh ripe mango was always included in the fruit choices. The flight attendants even offered whole mangoes, then they will slice it for you. Pati buto kasama. Wala na ngayon mangoes.
I prefer mangoes than kiwi, strawberry, etc.
I finished my breakfast of salmon, salted egg, tomato salsa, some veggies and garlic fried rice. Time to get ready.
