The courtyard at Jogue's Apartelle in Davao
Not withsdtanding my uncharacteristic farggup of misplacing our e-tickets, we made it to Davao in two intact pieces with all of our bags and doodads in good order. Thanks go out to the helpful Delta attendant who checked us in at the kiosk and told us we could check three bags and not just two. We put Menchu’s carry-on in the hold.
We left Seattle slightly behind schedule on our Delta flight to Narita but we had over an hour to make the connecting flight from Narita to Manila so we didn’t worry none.
When we got to Narita, to my surprise, we had to clear security again. Why they feel the need to re-screen people from an American flight who have already been subject to a paranoid and anal retentive bureaucracy in the U.S., I can’t imagine.
I also can’t imagine that duty free shopping for liquor and other products is encouraged on board flights going into Narita when Narita forbids even liquids purchased on another airliner from being taken past security.
So if you fell for the Glenlivet Scotch at two for $36 dollars, you’d best be prepared to down that hooch before getting the pat down.
The security checkpoint at Narita was the bone in the throat of this trip. Literally herded down a chute like cattle at market, we were goaded forward by a Japanese Edith Bunker, constantly at a half run and calling out international destinations, who checked for those whose flights were boarding and wouldn’t make it past the too-few stations.
Toward the middle of the pack, we were pulled and allowed to go through the Delta Butt Kiss Flyer line without removing our shoes, thus defeating the whole security theater presentation.
Manila’s NAIA presented us with long, long immigration lines but fairly easy bag retrieval and customs passage.
The taxi trip to the airport with an approved airport vendor was smooth and the driver kind and talkative.
Arrival at the hotel was marked with a 1st Worlder’s shock when the armed guard at the hotel door came over to help schlep our bags inside. Menchu tells me that the guards are expected to keep busy and assist however they can. What a welcome touch and so different from the quasi-Rambo “securitythink” in the U.S.!
Check-in was smooth and the porter attentive and after a P100 tip (about $2), he was our buddy.
More to come later. I’m late for my shower…
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