Bisdak Babbles

From Manila to Singapore…

I haven’t purchased my plane tickets early so when I was ready to book my flights, prices were already too high. Spending Christmas in Singapore is out of the question. Three Christmases away from my family is more than enough and I couln’t bear to spend another alone. So, in desperation to minimize travel costs, I decided to take a longer way home: Singapore -> Kuala Lumpur -> Manila -> Cagayan de Oro.

December 22, 2009: I have prepared mentally for it, then Jetstar happened. The first one was my fault. I booked the SG to KL flight for December 23, not 22! So I called Jetstar to change the flight to Dec. 22. I was supposed to leave Singapore at 7:50PM, then I’ll have at least 4 hours before my flight to Manila. As I approached the check-in counter, they have rescheduled the flight to 9:50PM! I had no other choice but to act quickly before I end up missing my KL->Manila flight. I booked another flight with JAL which left Singapore at 7:50PM. I arrived at the KL International Airport (KLIA) at around 8:45PM. Still had some free time so I was able to take photos:

The KLIA is very nice but I had to hurry down to their low-cost terminal (referred to as “LCCT”) as my flight to Manila is with Cebu Pacific. The LCCT is about 15 minutes away from the KLIA. Good thing they have a bus from KLIA to LCCT because the taxi ride costs about RM42. I only spent RM2 on the bus ride but I had to personally carry my luggage into and out of the bus. Yes, nobody lent me a hand. The LCCT is bigger than the Budget Terminal here in Singapore and it has more shops and restaurants.

After checking in my luggage, I realized I only had biscuits for lunch l and I was starving, so I tried the beef lasagna at the terminal. The meal didn’t taste good but the coffee was OK.

By the time we left Kuala Lumpur at 1:30AM, I was very exhausted. I wasn’t able to sleep on the plane either because being a budget airline, the seats are not that comfortable. There was also a baby who kept on crying (poor little one). I arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport 3 but I had to transfer to NAIA2 because my flight to Cagayan de Oro was with Philippine Airlines! You could just imagine the relief I felt when I finally waited at the Centennial terminal for the last leg of my trip…

I didn’t regret taking the longer flight if not for Jetstar. But I’ve learned my lesson. Next time, I’ll take the same airline for both international and domestic flights. Rebooking fees are not cheap, after all!

When I went home to the Philippines for Shaynna’s birthday, I took advantage of the airline website’s seat selector. I love being seated next to the window but I don’t want to be seated right next to the plane’s exit signs and doors. So I chose the seats right in front of the emergency exit door. I had no idea that those seats are always in the upright position! For my trip to and fro, I got stiff neck. Paying the extra 200 Pesos was not really worth it. Next time, I’ll also make sure that I have a neck pillow in tow.

I was the only passenger left waiting for my baggage, so I decided to approach the Lost and Found section. But the guy behind the counter told me that they only entertain Tiger Airways passengers and that I have to go to the departure hall fast, before the plane I boarded on goes back to Manila! When I arrived at the departure hall, not a soul was behind the Cebu Pacific counter. I lingered for a few minutes, then went back to the arrival hall, hoping to see my shiny, red luggage. There was nothing. I headed back to the departure hall and was glad to find somebody at the counter. I was told to file a report and that it would take two days for them to recover it!  That freaked me out because all of my clothes and some important documents (college diploma, birth certificate, etc.) were there! I admit, I felt so stupid for putting those documents in my check-in luggage.

After filling up the form, I stayed in the Budget Terminal for a few hours, hoping to get updates.  I approached the guy again and I was told (rather rudely) that I was not supposed to ask for updates in the counter! How the heck should I know? I got so used to the very polite business establishment staffs in Japan that the service counter people here sounded rude to me.  Maybe because of the accent?

When I looked at the form, the number of the Lost & Found section of the whole Changi Airport was written there.  That guy could have just told me to call the number!  Anyway, I called the number and alas! The lady on the other side of the line recognized my name.  Obviously, my bag was already registered as unclaimed! I was so glad I put a name tag on it.  I assumed that the Cebu Pacific Airline took my luggage one flight ahead of me.

The Lost & Found section is located in Terminal 1, so I had to take the bus to Terminal 2, then the sky train to Terminal 1.  I had to undergo a lot of checks before I got my bag:  police clearance, airport clearance, etc.  Anyway, I was so glad to be reunited with my luggage 6 hours after my arrival in Singapore.

I am not checking in my luggage for connecting flight ever again, and I am not gonna place anything irreplaceable in my check-in luggage.

On the day I arrived here, I missed Japan already…

Being one of the Overseas Filipino Workers, I dropped by the POEA office but I was told that they were yet to review the employment contract.  It was OK for me but the process could take days and I was leaving in three days.  Contrary to what I heard from the Pre-departure Orientation Seminar (PDOS) two years ago, I was also told to join PDOS again.  That was OK for me, too. But in Cagayan de Oro, they only have it every Tuesday.   Because of all these, I decided to buy a return ticket and exit Philippines as a tourist.  I have heard of stories about some people being stopped from leaving the country because they didn’t go to the POEA.

Thanks to Cebu Pacific, my plane ticket from Cagayan de Oro to Singapore cost less than 6,500 Pesos.  I didn’t have enough  finances to buy a return ticket, so I just put my faith in God that my trip would be smooth.  I don’t have to elaborate on the pain that I’ve felt leaving Shaynna again.  But she did ask me to stay one day more, which was impossible.

An airline staff in Cagayan de Oro told me that I could check-in my baggage for connecting flight and I took advantage of it.  No excess baggage this time.  I got 5 kgs of prepaid baggage allowance, so that gave me 20kgs.  But my baggage was only 18.5kgs!

I didn’t have the e-receipt from POEA, so I had to pay about 1,600 pesos for travel tax.  Past 7PM  on March 29, I was already in NAIA Terminal 3 waiting for my flight to Singapore on March 30th.  To kill time, I met up with my brother and some friends at the airport.

To cut the story short, check-in time came.  I filled up the form for the immigration and put in “Work” as the purpose of my travel.  I handed just my passport and the immigration form to the immigration officer.  I really consider it as a miracle when she did not even bother to ask a single question.  She just looked at my passport and let me through!   The flight to Singapore was smooth and I was a little bit surprised that we were to land at the Budget Terminal, which I wasn’t aware of.  My first impressions with the Changi Airport were really high so I was a bit disappointed.  I went through the immigration check all right, then waited for my baggage to come out.  Almost an hour passed.  Many people have already gone out but my baggage was still not in sight!

Travel tours in Japan often offer low-priced travel packages. Many of my friends have availed very low round trip tickets. But I have been financially incapable of taking advantage of those. I have always wanted to visit all of the south east asian countries, as they are the most accessible for us Filipinos. Now that I am in Singapore, I do feel that my travel hopes are within reach. I have heard that travelling in Thailand is very affordable, so I do wish I could also try out one of those luxury hotel rooms, maybe in Phuket?

I visited the US Bureau of Consular Affairs’ website, and I was surprised to see that Filipinos who wish to apply for a tourist visa in the US don’t have to pay for anything! Yes, the nonimmigrant visa is free! So if you have plans to visit Las Vegas or get one of those Orlando vacations, then now is the best time to do it! Tourism has also slowed down due to recession so you could get very cheap accomodations everywhere. But then people are also wary of spending on unnecessary things, worse, people (like me) don’t have anything to spend.

I have no idea when this waiving of nonimmigrant visa fees was implemented, but the reason is: “reciprocity”. Taken from the US Bureau of Consular Affairs:
Nonimmigrant visa fees are based on “reciprocity,” (what another country charges a United States citizen for a similar-type of visa). The United States strives to eliminate visa issuance fees whenever possible; however, when a foreign government imposes such fees on U.S. citizens for certain types of visas, the United States will impose a “reciprocal” fee to nationals of that country for similar-type of visas.

Update:  I have asked a friend who has applied for a US tourist visa.  The visa is free, but the “processing fee” is not.  So sorry for jumping into conclusion.  The processing fee costs US$131.

When some colleagues and I went to Sydney for a business trip, we stayed at Meriton’s Apartment along Pitt Street. We stayed at the 45th floor and the view from there was so amazing. Here’s the view from my bedroom - the whole of Darling Harbor:

Too bad I only had a disposable camera, so the quality’s not too good. How I wish I could go back to Sydney, stay at Meriton again, and equipped with a better camera, get another photo of Darling Harbor. :)For more Sydney photos, please check out my still unfinished Sydney blog: Unforgettable Sydney.

Have a nice weekend, everyone!