Manila - First Day

Our flight was at 9:45 AM from Cebu, and we arrived in Manila at around lunch time. We were so hungry because PAL just served water. We realized that those passengers who took advantage of the promo rates for Philippine Airlines were assigned to the last rows of the plane. Mom and I were assigned to the very last row. Not only that, because our tickets were cheaper (promo), we were not included in the meal.. er.. snacks on board. The attendants just passed by us when they served snacks. They only served a cup of water.

From the airport, Tito Roy decided for us to ride a one-time-one-way-rent-a-car and paid 950 pesos from the airport to Sampaloc where the apartment was. My grandfolks, tito, tita and cousins were already at the apartment when we arrived. After a few minutes of kamustahan, we walked towards SM San Lazaro, around 300 meters away from the apartment, and had lunch at Savory something. We, the younger ones, were at a different table than the seniors, and we just ate whatever they ordered for us. The food just came and came and came. Whoa! That's what I call a full meal!

After lunch, half of the group went to another mall while I went with the group who were going to the hotel. We were standing at the sidewalk waiting for my tita and waiting for a taxi to take us to Edsa Shangrila Plaza for almost two hours that my allergies struck me because of the extreme heat of the sun and the dust in the wind. Almost immediately, I got colds and sore throat.

We met up with my other cousins at the hotel including the bride-to-be and her Prince Charming. He was a little charming, yes. I went room raiding the whole afternoon. The Mindanao Suite was the best room I've seen so far. I heard it costs around 25 thousand pesos per day. I know it's kinda expensive, but it was worth it. It's like two separate rooms in that one suite, and it's fully furnished.

We ate dinner at the mall beside the hotel, and all these times, they were convincing me to sleep at the hotel because the apartment was kinda far. I told everyone that I'm going to go home to the apartment for the evening even if it's really warm there because my mom's there and she'll be alone if I don't go back. Finally, everyone understood my decision to go but wasn't sure how I'm going to do it simply because I didn't know anything about going around Manila.

After assuring them that I'm going to be okay, and that I'm not going to give away to the driver that I really don't know the way back to the apartment, they let me go. I went back to the apartment and slept with mom in one room, while Tito Roy and Tita Nanette were at another. The location of the apartment itself is exposed to the heat and dust, and they removed the aircon when they renovated the place. Yes, Tito Roy who spent the last 30 years of his life in Detroit, and I were forced to sleep with just a small electric fan.

And yes, right there and then we promised that we will be staying at a pension house at least if and when we'll be going back to Manila.