Archive | Philippines RSS feed for this section

Modern flight: it just ain’t right

By on February 5, 2012 in Personal, Philippines, Travel
Delta 747-400

Delta 747-400

Our recent flight from Manila to Narita was overbooked. The offer the counter agent gave us was $600 each and hotel accommodations if we gave up our seats. Needless to say, we didn’t take the offer. This morning Delta sent me an email asking me to take a survey and report our experience.

I answered their questions truthfully: we weren’t really affected by the overbooking, we didn’t accept the offer, we would have also liked a bump up to first class on the re-booked flight, etc.

Then, in space provided for other comments and suggestions, I told them just how awful their aircraft are to fly in for long trips.

All of the Philippine Airline 747-400′s I’ve been in are equipped for international flight even though they are also used for domestic runs between islands. All of them have touch screen seat back monitor, wider seats and, most importantly for long international flights, a push-down footrest on the seat in front of you.

PAL puts Delta to shame.

The three-four-three 747-400′s Delta flies for the four-hour flight from Manila to Narita have nothing. Even the in-flight entertainment is the old video-on-the-wall type with a sight-line that is invariably blocked by the head of the person in front of you.

For the ten-hour flight from Japan to the U.S. they offer two-three-two layouts and remote-controlled seat back monitors but the lack of legroom is unbearable even for me (I’m only 5’6″). I can’t imagine the agony a taller person goes through for ten hours.

Oh sure, for $120 more per person, per flight, I could have booked the new comfortable seats they have now in limited supply in Economy Class but that would have added another $1000 dollars to the flight costs.

For what it’s worth, I gave it to Delta on that survey. I don’t know if they’ll listen but I feel a little better now.

Delta 747-400 photo by DosenPhoto used under license.


Comments { 0 }

Home again, home again, travel is done

By on February 4, 2012 in Personal, Philippines, Travel
A Gumasa Beach

A Gumasa Beach

The trip home went off with only the smallest of hitches: I had packed the spare battery for our netbook in one of our checked bags and that was a no-no. Delta personnel at Narita pulled us out of the security re-check line and hustled us up to the gate so Menchu could unlock the bag and I could remove the battery.

I joked with her that at least now we knew how to beat the crowd to the plane during boarding: leave a battery pack in the bag and we’d get moved to the front!

Speaking of security re-checks, things are getting out of hand out there, people.

On the way out from the U.S. we went through the now-routine bag x-ray, discalcing, body scan and sinus cavity search before we got on the international flight to Narita. Ten hours later we deplaned and walked through a secure area in a long conga line only to run into an unexplained bottleneck.

After mooing and pawing at the carpet for a while, we stockyarders began to move and a Japanese Edith Bunker began to half-run around in circles calling out in a fluctuating soprano what we later realized were flights some of us were going to be made late for.

After some time, with small groups of us being picked off and disappeared by Edith-san, we saw what the hold-up was: a security check point.

As I explained below in an earlier post, Japanese officials were going to make people who had just spent ten hours on a flight go through xrays and bottle dumps again.

Edith-san came screeching back at that point and peeled a few of us away from the main herd, hustling us through the empty VIP station.

Continue Reading →

Comments { 0 }

Arrival, continued.

By on January 20, 2012 in Personal, Philippines, Travel

Cob durian

Our second durian.

After a couple days of delay, here’s the rest of the arrival story:

Menchu’s sister left early the next day and Menchu’s friends stopped by a few hours later for breakfast while we were in Manila.

Roze and Lorenzo let Menchu stay with them while Menchu underwent the medical exam and immigration interview that are required for visa applicants. Living in a small place with three children, they still opened their home to Menchu and we will always remember their hospitality.
her friend Gizelle stopped by for a time as well.

The rest of the day was uneventful. We made it to the airport in plenty of time thanks to a very friendly taxi driver. We arrived pretty early and had a bite to eat. i couldn’t connect to the free WiFi at Terminal Two for some reason so the wait seemed longer with no Internet.

The flight from Manila to Davao was nice aboard fairly new Boeing 747′s. They were much more comfortable than the 747′s flown by Delta between Narita and Manila. The PAL planes were equipped with moldable headrests, seat-back touch screens and even foot rests.

We had some oddly-named Jumbo mini cookies and peanuts with choice of beverage. Nice for just a two-hour flight.

I don’t think I’ve had a sweeter landing than the one at Davao airport. It hardly felt like we touched down at all. Smooooooth!

Check-in here at Jogue’s went fine and while I still recommend Jogue’s, the maintenance has fallen off a bit. Not enough to break the deal for me, considering the good pricing and atmosphere, not to mention the location which is very near NCCC mall and the all-important transportation, but I’m noticing little things that could be kept up a bit better in my opinion.

So far while here, Menchu’s friend Robina has brought us two durian. Number two is up top in the photo. She said that it was of the Cob variety. It had only a few big seeds/stones and the fruit flesh was creamy and super-delish!

menchu is telling me that the guests are on their way for our first of two get-togethers while here on mindanao so I’ll be going. Seven women, some kids and about 3 tons of food is about to drop in!


Comments { 0 }

Don’t forget to remember!

By on January 17, 2012 in Personal, Philippines

People wonder why I’m posting here and on Facebook while on vacation. “Aren’t you enjoying yourself?” they ask.

I’m having a great time here in Davao! I’ve just noticed that in the rush of “different” things that you see and feel and even taste when visiting a place fror a short time, I tend to forget the things I really want to remember to share.

For instance: I’ve been to Hawaii several times and to Davao once before. I know what it’s like to miss the things you’re used to having in far away places. I’ve seen people lugging taped and belted boxes and coolers filled with food and gifts and I’m used to seeing them go by on the luggage belts and carousels as I wait for my checked bags.

I’ve seen a lot of odd and funny things go by on those carousels but while waiting for our bags here at the Davao airport I saw something that I’ve never seen before.

As I watched for our bags, shoulder to shoulder with a hundred other people all anxious to grab their luggage on the first try before it slipped past, a backpack went by. Then a couple of carry-on bags. Then a big bag, a big box, a really big shopping bag and…oh my God! Wrapped in newspaper and going by right side up was a stainless steel kitchen sink!

I wanted so hard to remember that hilarious sight but I’d forgotten it already, only three days into our vacation.

So that’s why I’m blogging. I don’t want to forget to remember!


Comments { 0 }

This joint was rocking’!

By on January 17, 2012 in Personal, Philippines

So I’m sitting out in front of our little apartelle here in Davao in a plastic stackable chair that has clearly been designed to seat someone a lot lighter and I’m thinking that if I shift too much, I’m liable to snap one of the legs off. Just then, the chair starts wobbling and I think, “Damn! This thing is really swaying!”

My wife suddenly blurts out, “Earthquake!”

Yep, it sure was.


Comments { 0 }

Made in the sun

By on January 16, 2012 in Personal, Philippines, Travel
Jogue;s courtyard

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…


Comments { 0 }

Victims’ kin remember, weep

By on November 23, 2011 in Crime and Punishment, Philippines

Justice delayed is justice denied.

 

Traveling long distances, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters and children on Wednesday came to the memorial service at the massacre site in Sitio Masalay, and quietly wept.

via Victims’ kin remember, weep | Inquirer News.

Comments { 0 }