#lola can spam too cough

[xertasadventures]

Cebu Trip - Flight from The US to Cebu

Thought I’d start properly using tumblr more to jot down my adventures and/or do reviews of shows and movies I watch. I’m kinda pissed I didn’t do this for my past two disney trips but I hope to rectify that with any future trips I do. I’m splitting my trip to cebu into several posts so that 1) I don’t spam people with 14-15 posts and 2) I don’t give people a really really long ass post to read lol

2-16-17

Slept over my parents’ apartment the previous night so it’s easier for us to go to the airport. On waking up around 5am, took a shower and finalized what I was bringing to the Philippines. We lost the card of the cab service we usually use to go to the airport but managed to find a good cab service and took it to the airport. We barely fit the luggages we had - 6 in total - and ended up having to put two of them in the front seat but we made it work.

We had checked in online the day before so we went to the mobile/web check-in line and just had to give in our check in luggage, four in total. We then went through the security checkpoint and right afterwards I realized I forgot my headphones back in my parents’ apartment (RIP). So I coughed up the money to buy new headphones from a stand at the airport, which was a little more expensive than normal (for obvious reasons) but hey I get rewards points so it’s w/e.

After getting my headphones and using the bathroom my mom and I went to the korean airlines lounge since we had a discount, or it was free. I forget which one it was XD Regardless, it was pretty nice there. They had free sandwiches and drinks so I decided to initiate the pigging out of my vacation with those. I think I ended up eating like three sandwiches, two sodas, and a cup of instant ramen noodles, as well as a few bags of sun chips. I then brought out my laptop and did some last minute wow stuff, then packed my laptop up and just sat there watching some SAO clips until we had to go board the plane.

The first flight we took would be to korea, taking an Airbus A380 airplane. We managed to board early since my Mom is a priority member and we had an aisle seat and a middle seat in the middle section of the plane. They gave us these thin slippers so I removed my shoes and slipped them on (see what I did there = 3 =). Take off was pretty smooth and soon enough we were on our way. On a 14 hour flight x.x It wasn’t too bad because I ended up sleeping through most of it but for when I was awake I managed to watch Suicide Squad and Snowden, which I may do reviews for after recalling my entire trip to the Philippines. The food is your typical airplane food. I know for one meal they had this special “Korean” dish that involved a soup which was different than the standard stuff but I didn’t get it in fear of spilling it over my clothes XD

2-17-17

When we got to Korea, it was late afternoon. We had to go through another security checkpoint before being let into the airport. I was in awe as we were in the terminal at all the shops and food stands, some of which I knew, others that weren’t in the states. I took my mom to the gate of our next flight and then went looking around for food while she stayed behind to watch our carry on luggage. I saw a stand that was selling hot dogs covered in deep fried potatoes so I obviously got that and also got a mountain dew, which tastes different than in the states. I think it’s because it’s using real sugar since the sugar substitute they use in the states is banned in Korea and the rest of the world I think? I also got a kimbap roll from a local franchise... I think XD Figured I’d get something Korean from Korea, right?

After getting food and bringing my Mom a coke zero we waited around for our next flight. There were outlets scattered throughout the waiting area so I plugged in my laptop and did some dailies on some of my WoW characters. I told myself I’d only do dailies on my warrior and mage since they were easy and quick to do on those characters, and I figured if I did some now I wouldn’t have to do as much when I got to the Philippines. I know it’s vacation but I didn’t want to be left behind (and I had a record to keep on my warrior. Didn’t miss a single emissary on her so far).

When it came time to board our flight, which was a smaller airbus plane from Korea Airlines (don’t remember the model number) we again boarded early thanks to my mom being part of sky team. This time we got an aisle seat and a window seat since the format was 2-3/4-2 instead of 3-4-3 like our previous flight (I forgot how many were in the middle) with my mom sitting in the window seat since she got the aisle seat for the last flight. Don’t think I managed to watch anything for this flight as I was tired AF so I think I just slept for most of the flight. They served us a meal during the flight but again, your typical airplane food.

This flight was a lot shorter than the first one, only being around 3 or 4 hours. When we arrived at Mactan International Airport we went through immigration fairly quick because they let my mom and I on the Filipino citizen line since my mom was formerly a citizen of the Philippines. We didn’t even need to show proof! Got through immigration and customs with no issue and got our bags. We waited outside for a bit for my cousins to come pick us up, and while we did I took in my surroundings. The air definitely smelled different. Not only from the states, but also from the last time I was in the Philippines. It definitely smelled fresher than before, but the smell of the canals was still there, just not as strong. It was warm, but not overbearingly hot and humid like I last remember, provided we arrived around midnight.

My cousin, Carl, who picked us up brought her pickup truck since we were bringing like six luggages. Her husband, Raymon and brother, Patrick, accompanied her and it was nice to see them after not seeing them for almost six or seven years I think. Raymon was a new face since Carl got married since the last time I had seen them and he was pretty cool. Before dropping us off at our Lola’s house, we stopped by a restaurant in Cebu’s IT park that sold Filipino food. They figured we’d want a taste of Filipino food first since we were actually in the Philippines. I’m not going to be able to recall everything we got, but from what I can there was Pancit Canton (I think), Lumpia Shanghai, and... that’s all I can remember > . < But there was definitely more since we also wanted to bring some food back for the people at my Lola’s house.

When we got to my Lola’s neighborhood, I remember a few things looking different. My Tita Gemma gave up her restaurant that was downstairs from my Lola’s house and in it’s place were an eyeglass shop run by my Tito Allen and another local restaurant that’ll show up in the next blog post. The open space to the left of the door to my Lola’s House was replaced with a shop offering Korean food (I think), but the door looked the same at least. We had Patrick open the door and we brought the luggage upstairs to the living room.

Once I was upstairs, I greeted my Lola, who was the main reason why I went to the Philippines in the first place. It was good seeing her after not seeing her for many years. She had some plates brought out and we all ate the food that we bought. I was then told that I would be sleeping in the room my Dad stayed in previously (he was in Manila at the time and would be back in Cebu the following day). I remember that room being my cousin Grace’s room but she moved out and they did some remodeling and added an AC, which made the room super cold. I tried going to sleep but because I was jetlag it was a little hard. It also didn’t help that I was freezing cold because there was no cover and I didn’t want to wake up anyone to ask for one. But I guess that’s better than sweating my ass off while sleeping XD