May Day! May Day! PR503 Emergency Landing at the... Pacific Ocean?! ...words that I would not ever "AS IN NEVER" want to hear from Mr. Pilot. I can no longer remember the reason why I woke up after unconsciously fallen asleep. Uhmmm... Maybe because of Mr. Pilot saying that we're almost at Singapore, or because of the woman beside me who is busy powdering her nose (TOO BUSY TO NOTICE THAT SHE'S INVADING MY PERSONAL SPACE), or simply because I opened my eyes! Period! Case closed! *winks* After opening my eyes, i hurriedly looked out the window... Woooaaaahhh!! After the numerous clouds awhile ago and endless body of water, EUREKA! Land! Woohhooo! Me: Uhhhmmmm... Mindanao, Ikaw na ba yan? (CHAROT) Me: Hi Singapore! My name is Orange! Finally! Finally! *all smile* SG: .......... SG -->> NR as in No Reaction! Nyahahaha! I really wanted to take pictures from up and above however my phone will just ruin the good view because of it's low resolution. **Ding! Dong!** PA Voice System: "The Seat Belt sign is Lighted." Automatically, I put on my seat belt, and looked out the window. PA Voice System: "Approaching Changi Airport any moment now" **something like that** As I've looked out the window, I was amazed how green Singapore is. It's like we are going to land in one big golf course with fully landscape surroundings. Now, I'm thorn between the scenery out of the window and fixing my stuff, I decided to go with the latter... ♥combed my hair ♥freshen up ♥passport ♥travel documents ♥fixed my stuff **Bam! Boogssh! Bam!** Touch Down Singapore! Uhhhmmm... I mean TOUCHDOWN SINGAPORE LAH! I was giddy and ready to jump out from the aircraft, imagine after 26 years of my feet on the Pearl of the Orient, I'll be setting my feet-with-gingery-toes (BOOOYYAAAH!!) in a foreign land, exciting isn't?! However with all this idea running in my head, I noticed that we are circling the Changi Airport run way for about five minutes already. I peeked again through my window only to find out that we're still far from the alighting area. UUUuurrgghhh! Are we there yet?! Are we there yet?! Are we there yet?! Batang Makulit! Makulit na Bata! :) Throwing tantrums wasn't applicable at that time since i was alone so i settled watching the airport scenery... "hhhmmm, they have grass, trees, and it's all green... Same thing with Pinas ren pala!" CHAROT! After 10 years (exxageration!!), the giddy-ready-to-jump-me became uneasy (like having butterflies in the tummy :b) when we finally alighted the aircraft. Me: Where to go?! Where to go?! (Panic Mode!) I managed to calm down myself in awhile. In order to survive on my life next challenge (CHALLENGE:TO GET OUT IN ONE PIECE FROM CHANGI AIRPORT! BOOO!), I applied what I've learned from kindergarten. Uhmmm... Aside from "Get one and Pass", and "Finish or not Finish, Pass your Papers!", the golden rule (DRUM ROLL PLEASE!!) "Follow the Leader!" or the game "SHAGIDI" (where you have to copy the movements of the people in the game) CHAROT! ... but i think you got the picture ayt?! Right after I got off the plane, I was dead worried with my checked-in luggage. I don't know where I can get them!!! I looked around but there's no bag/luggage conveyor to be seen. Most of my CO-PR503 are walking in a rush, more like running to me. Suddenly I noticed that Changi Terminal II is an empty airport (FAR DIFFERENT FROM NAIA), it seems that we're the first flight landed on their run way. Spacious, Clean, Classy Changi... Far, Far, Fire Away NAIA! CHAROT! So much for observation, time for my follow-the-leader application! Leader?! Leader?! Ms. Teresita Ang See (the founding president of Kaisa Para Sa Kaunlaran Inc., an organization of Chinese Filipinos actively promoting the integration of the ethnic Chinese into mainstream Philippine society), SPOTTED! I hurriedly followed her (Literal, leader! hahaha!). She took the escalator so i automatically hopped in after her... There you go! Singapore Immigration for my next stop... Thank you Ms. See! There are several counters in the immigration, it seems that the counter for Ms. See are for special people or VIP. It's more of an express lane And as i see it, it's like Ms See is a regular visitor of Singapore based on how the Immigration Office talked to her. uhhmm... Like long lost friend?! hehehe! I decided to get in line on a different counter. Again, I was third in line and another man-with-backpack in front me. Still anxious with my luggage, I reluctantly ask the man-with-backpack... Me: Hello Sir! Where can we get our checked-In Luggage? MB: Aaaahhh... After nitong immigration, andon ung luggage oohh! --sabay turo sa baggage conveyor-- Me: hehehe! Salamat po! --effort english pa ko! ummfft-- It's my time to shine! The Immigration Officer is a middle aged man, looking fierce and scary and without a doubt he's an Indian national. The way Indian looks and speak can't hide where they come from. They have this distinct demeanor, accent and especially... the scent! :b Going back... So I approached the officer with a big smile plastered on my face... In all fairness with the officer, I didn't smell anything at all! Or maybe i'm just to nervous to smell the area... (Canine Bomb Sniffing Dog?! CHAROT!) ME: Good Morning Sir --perkiness at its finest-- IO: Good Morning. May I please have your passport and Disembarkation card? ---it was given to us back in the plane, to fill up obviously-- IO: You are staying for five days, are you travelling alone? --with their popular accent! JAI HO!-- ME: No sir, I'm travelling with two of my colleagues who will be arriving later tonight. IO: And where will you be staying? ME: -pulled out my hotel accommodation print out-- Sir, i'll be staying with IHG hotels uhmm i mean intercontinental hotels group hotel chains. IO: aaahhh the intercontinental, the one near bugis? --looking at me, smiling this time-- ME:Actually Sir, i'll be staying to our four hotels here in Singapore for leisure and hotel familiarization as well. For tonight it's holiday in atrium, my second night at the intercontinental, third is holiday inn orchard city centre and for my last stop it's crowne plaza changi. Those hotels are under one hotel chain sir! --have you stayed with us before?! LOL-- IO: I see... (still browsing my documents) Welcome to Singapore! --then stamped my passport-- Wooohoooo!!! Thanks Bro for that one!! Chicken Feed! Hehehe! After around 5 minutes of interview, i was finally reunited with my luggage! woowooot!! After getting my luggage from the baggage conveyor, i quickly find the loo because... I need to pee! swiish! shish! Singapore Restroom we're kept clean, indeed true to it's name, it's a room where you can rest. kumot please! CHAROT! Although a friend told me that there are some loo's in SG that is intended for poop call of nature, you have this cubicle then a hole on the floor, where you poopsie! Just like the old days?! "Batalan" for our ancestors! Remember?! Weird that SG still have it... After taking a pee... I looked for the taxi stand, my fingers and toes are crossed hoping i'll get the ordinary metered cab. A friend told that cabs in Singapore are pretty new and clean unlike MNL cabs and there are some limo cab or like bmw cab that charge higher than the ordinary. It's like airport cabs in MNL. Busy with my thinking, I grab my mobile and saw my wallet in my bag.. Paaak!! I almost get in a cab without any Singapore dollars in my pocket! ahihi! I totally forgot ei! Exchange rate then was 1 SGD=34 PHP I jump in to the next cab available, the airport staff confirmed to me that the cab that I have is a metered taxi! wiih! thanks, i don't want to spend my allowance on a cab fare alone :D I forgot the good name (indian?!) of the cab driver who welcomed me in Singapore and gave me a partial tour of the city. We passed Marina Bay Sands, Singapore Flyer, The Esplanade then I asked how far Universal Studio is, he said the word "far" isn't in their dictionary. It was like 20 minutes drive from Airport to Holiday Inn Atrium, Mr. Cab Driver entertained me of different stories about Singapore, economy, festivities (especially that time was christmas season), attractions. I was soo aliw with the cab driver when i noticed that the Holiday Inn Atrium Singapore is just on the other end... Time check. It's only 1100am! Hotel standard check in time is not until 0200pm... What am I doing here so early?! Gaaah! Deads!

I didn't sleep... I'm awake for almost 24 hours. Now you can imagine the big dark circles just below my tantalizing eyes. *owl winks* Scared, Excited and a bit nervous... Time to conquer my fear ei! Let my Singapore adventure begins. BANG! I carried my luggage and stepped out from my apartment or if i may say my luggage carried me. CHAROT! First fear I have with this travel is hailing a cab LOL. Who wouldn't be?! It's 430am, as we all know that's still considered as a rape hour, and I'm effing alone with my biggie luggage. What if a bad element snatch one of my bag then run with it and took my valuables, then suddenly stopped, looked back and throw my luggage back to me?! That would hurt right?! Valuables that wouldn't meet the bad element standard! Paano naman ego ko?! Charot! Going back, I was pulling my luggage and another bag on my shoulder while praying that I can get a cab driver who wouldn't take advantage of my budgeted allowance and my youthful glowing skin. Nyahaha! I remember a cab ride a night before my flight, from bus terminal to my apartment, I hesitantly ask manong driver: ME: Manong from Sta.Ana to NAIA terminal 2, magkano abutin pag ngtaxi ako? MD: Naku depende yan, punta ka ba NAIA? ME: **sa isip ko lang** aaayy hindi, sa tondo ako punta! wooow! Kaya nga tinatanong, ummft!! The convo ended MD offering me a special trip to NAIA for Three hundred pesos (P300.00) which I indirectly decline by saying that I'm not sure if the company will provide a service for me CHAROT! Define overpricing!! Based on my research cab fare my cost around 2-250 hush brown, but WTF!!! 3 hush as far as I remember I didn't say sta.Ana to Singapore! Charot! OA, OA ako! I know! hehehe! Well, what I'm trying to say is that greed is the root of all sin! Yun na! Going back... So I was pulling my luggage, though it's creating a bit of a noise since asphalt wasn't reunited with the road yet, I didn't care! There's no way I'll carry my luggage because... it will defeat the purpose of the wheels and the pull handle! LOL It's twice heavier than me! What possibly it could be?! duh! I don't want my vacation spoiled by strained muscles! No way! Hehehe! After awhile a cab pulled over and BINGO! Yaaay! I'm on my way to the airport! TO THE AIRPORT! Vamos! In less than 30 minutes I'm at terminal 2, no traffic, no accident, no harrasment, no, none, nada! Thank you Bro! And most of all cab fare is just around 170php. Yaaay! To show gratitude to the cab driver I gave him a tip of 50php and a " thank you sooo much" line. **winks** It's time! Time to face my second fear... Fear of getting lost with the process at the airport check in. It isn't my first time at the airport, I've been here for a couple of times, it's just that it's for domestic flight only and I'm with a bunch of friends who handles the check in, not me! So I was walking this long aisle as if at the end of it awaits my execution, ECHOS! I'm just standing for a minute or two infront of the entrance area for international flights when I decided to finally get in but just when i'm about five steps away from the entrance I backed off. Hehehe! Natakot aaay! Nyahaha! Until an airport Marshall approached me... AM: Ma'am San po kayo? ME: Bound to SG po, pagpasok ko po ba dyan, San po ako pupunta? AM: Ma'am ano po ba Airline nyo? ME: PAL po. Syensya na kuya first time ko aaay! hehehe! AM: aaay Ma'am madali Lang po punta po kayo sa PAL window sa may right side bigay nyo po travel docs nyo and then they'll assist you from there! labas nyo na po travel docs nyo and passport they'll check on it sa entrance po. True with the airport Marshall statement, my documents was check upon I enter the premises, my printed airline ticket, and passport as well. Afterwards my stuff was scan with this biggie machine called the scanner... Choosss! LOL So after my luggage and me passed the metal detector thingy I hesistantly turned right, hoping that my guardian angel will appear from somewhere and lead the right path. But as they say, there are battles that you have to face alone, I guess this is one of those. (Battle, airport check in! Nyahaha!) Instantly, I found the counters for Philippine Airlines. There's no way you'll miss them in Centennial Airport. I saw several counters for PAL with their respective flight assignment. SPOTTED! PR 503 bound to Singapore! Yaaay! Having more confidence now, i hurriedly fall in line and waited for my turn to have my board pass. It was around 5am, so Centennial Airport was not that crowded yet. As matter of fact I'm third in line, actually make that fifth, since the teller was currently processing the board pass for a family. I reckon when the said PAL teller ask the-man-with-back-pack in front of me to check in through other counters, and mind you, in a rude way. The-man-with-back-pack just brush it off and transferred to the next counter, and of course I only want good vibes for that day so I automatically followed the-man-with-back-pack to avoid the irate PAL teller. No to BV! In couple of minutes the-man-with-back-pack was done talking with the PAL teller, it's my time to shine! Gooo! ME: Good Morning! **all smile** PAL: Printed Ticket, Passport **without even looking at me** ME: here! PAL: May check in bags? ME: eto po! **then they weigh it and after that put a PAL badge in it, then took it in** PAL: Ma'am you have to pay for terminal fee and travel tax. Afterwards come back here for your board pass Haay naku! PALagi irate, Everybody Irate! As i've said i don't want to ruin my day with those angst from people who doesn't love their job, chaaarrr!, or maybe just maybe they are just too sleepy. I'm just thinking it was their latter part of shift and battery was almost out! As in blinking red! hehehe! Travel Tax 1620.00php Terminal Fee 750.00php Boarding Pass Next Stop == Immigration Immigration officers deal with the control of people entering and leaving PI via its borders. Working in passport control, they are responsible for checking the right of entry to it's country of all individuals arriving at airports. As well as examining documentation, they may gather intelligence, do case work, and where necessary, use legal powers to detain or remove illegal entrants to it's country. I was a bit nervous with immigration because of a recent experience of a friend. She was detained or hold by SG immigration. Scared and nervous of it I printed all travel documents even my hotel accommodations print out and letter from our company as well. I tell you, the immigration officer was quite something. I think i'm one of his first for the day so he was quite nosy about my business.The Immigration Officer wasn't that friendly, I was asked a lot of questions and I'm thankful that I have all my travel documents printed out. After five minutes, a stamped on my passport, all cleared! Yaaay! Airport Check in! Mission Accomplished! uhhmm I'm really trying hard here to have my travel diary complete. And this is not that easy mind you, especially when I'm two months late creating this entry. Anyway so after the intensive interview with the IO another metal detector, however for this one we have to take off our shoes or slippers and put it in the scanner. That's why i decided to just wear sandals, as much as I wanted to wear my high-kneed boots! CHAROT! hehehe! Last time I checked, I don't have a boots, so donations please! CHOOSSS! It was around 0545am, and I'm immigration cleared, i was sitting on one of those chair, at the waiting area before my flight. Actually this is one of the moment i hate, when i'm in a middle of a crowd and i know nobody and i have no one to talk with. It only means i'll have my mouth shut for hours! jeezz! Unless, I totally lose my grip! LOL! After letting my eye wander for a couple of minutes, i saw OASIS, also known in popular days as smoking area! :D Tinder Box is located on the further right corner of airport waiting area. In order to have your own table you'll need to order from the counter, i grabbed a bottle of Mango Juice that cost me 80php! Woooow! Well if you've entered Tinder Box with smoking as your only reason you have to stand near the cigarette receptacle and you have to be standing all through out your smoke! Well you can't blame the store, it was really small! After 30minutes of killing time in Tinder Box, I decided to go outside and seat on those chairs facing the airport runway. I've seen different race, some with family while others, just like me, travelling alone. Some are cute, some are devastatingly handsome while some looks nice and others... hehehe! "Passengers of Philippine Airlines flight number PR 503 bound for Singapore, we are now ready for boarding. Please proceed to Gate 1" This is it! This is finally it! **cartwheel** Contrary to what everbody says (PAL means PAL always late), we actually take off on time, uhhmm... no, it's earlier than what we have on our board pass. Although I'm not sure if it has got to do with the government officials in the business class, Teresita Ang Sy and another official, a commissioner perhaps, whom i don't know the name. I was designated to seat 05F, that's just like a row away from business class and most of all i have a window seat on a morning flight! Yaaaay! Just what i've requested! That round trip airfare was like around 14-15k, thank god it's a company sponsored trip. hehehe! I had no problem with my seatbelt, hehehe! The take-off gone smoothly, i spent most of my flight with my headset on provided by PAL with your choice of movie or different genre of music. Until the food came, i was one famished passenger! FA: Good Morning Ma'am! What do you want Chicken Tocino or Chicken Curry? ME: Tocino please... FA: Coffee or Juice? ME: Juice. Thanks! Now I understand why some people says, Airplane food sucks! I'm not a fan of microwavable foodies, i hate the after taste of it. It's like you're munching a plastic. Besides tocino meat are soft ayt?! soft! this one needs a lot of effort to cut into pieces and lemme remind you i'm using a disposable utensils! great! How about the Mango Juice with "arnibal", suuhhwweeett!! "FA! FA! Water please..." But thats okay, i have fruits and bread to feed my tummy pets. After the meal... i haven't slept right?! Even I didn't want to... Match stick can't stop my eyes from closing.. zzzzzzz