Embarking on Part 2

March 21 at 7:30pm my amazing friend Dawne showed up to take me to the airport. I was not ready of course so she did what she could to help me as I frantically finished packing and we finally got underway at 8:15. My flight was at 10:30 so I got there in plenty of time and got checked in, going through all my paperwork: passport, vaccination card, PCR test, travel Covid insurance, and Philippines Health Pass. Traveling is certainly more complicated these days! The flight was pretty full. Philippine Airlines must take advantage of the fact that most of their passengers are not very large, because the seats were narrow and the rows were close together. It was reminiscent of the United flights from Equador. Though it is entirely possible that the flights were like that on my first trip, but since I usually had a row to myself, I never noticed. The dinner, beef with a wine reduction with pasta, sounded much better than it was. They reduced the sauce so much that there was hardly any! The breakfast, shredded pork with scrambled egg and rice on the other hand, was quite tasty and I regret not taking a picture of it. I just didn’t expect much after the dinner.

Gangway full of wheelchairs

They really respect their elders here. My first indication was as I was exiting the airplane there were 30 wheelchairs waiting. Yes that is not a typo, not 3, but 30. They were all down the gangway, back along the hallway, and spilling into the main hall as well. Then I got to the passport check and there was a separate line for senior citizens and diplomats. It must be nice to be teated so respectfully in your older years!

Corridor filled with wheelchairs spilling into main hallway

Special line for Seniors and Diplomats

30 wheelchairs looks like a nursing home convention

Kind Marilyn who taught me some words in Tagalog

The airline employees are very friendly and helpful. They had people circulating at baggage claim helping transiting passengers. One of them gave me directions to check in for my next flight and he did such a good job that two of his coworkers who were watching clapped when he finished, so thwey have a sense of humor as well. It’s not just that they are helpful, but they are really cheerful at the same time. It’s all in the delivery! Marilyn one of the very friendly airport workers taught me how to say “good Morning” and “Thank you” in Tagalig, “Magan dang maga” and “Salamat” respectively.

Krispy Kreme in Manila airport

My flight to Cebu wasn’t until 11am and we landed around 4:30. I underestimated the time it would take to clear customs and get my luggage (5:15) or else I could have taken as earlier flight. Worse yet, I desperately wanted a shower and terminal 2 (the one I was flying out of) did not have a Priority Pass lounge. Had I known that, I would definitely have booked a different airline. There are no ways of getting from one terminal to another airside (after passig security) like there are in the states so I tried catcing a taxi to terminal 1, which is less than a mile away. The guard called over a taxi driver who ushered me into his cab and said the fare would be metered. We discussed fares as he drove along the road and finally he showed me the rates on a card he had: US$40 for going to terminal 1! I immediately declined and asked to be let out so he pulled over and I got out. Another taxi saw this and pulled up after to see where I was going. He said he would take me for $3, so I got in. Apparently he knows of the other driver who has an agreement with the guard to send him confused foreigners. Sadly, once I got to terminal 1 they would not let me in since my flight was out of terminal 2 so $6 and 45 minuted later I was back in terminal 2 without a shower. They do have a Krispy Kreme here also! That makes three I’ve seen counting Bangkok, Delhi, and Manila airports.

Moochi snack from my aunt while waiting for my next flight

Cebu has cool bathrooms and even cooler water fountains (on right)

A short flight later we arrived in Cebu and it seems my luggage came on an earlier flight because a man was calling out my name in baggage claim. I found an ATM then went down to catch a taxi or tricycle to the bus station. I did not realize it was 35 minutes away so I had dawdled a bit freshening up in the bathroom and it was now 1:28pm which meant I might miss the last bus to Moalboal. At the arrivals area, a man of course approached me about a taxi and offered a “dicount” of 650 ($13) to the bus station, which should be 200-250. He also offered a taxi to Moalboal (3 hours away) for 3000 which I immdiately dismissed. He then offered 2000, which seemed reasonable considering I might miss the last bus, assuming my bus info was correct. I agreed and then he backtracked, saying he would talk to his friend and “try” to get that fare. After a bit of discussion with him loudly declaring “2000” for my benefit, he said they said no but could do 2500 but at this point I was expecting that and I walked away. The yellow taxis are the expensive ones as explained to me by the taxi guy in Manila. When I walked up to the taxi stand, they offered one for 500 but I walked over to the first white taxi and asked. He said 260 so I got in. When I said I was going to Moalboal, my driver said he could take me there for 3500, which of course was too expensive. I said one guy thought he could do it for 2000 which was resaonable, he said he could do 2000. As a bonus, I worked it out with him to take me around in two days from Moalboal to Osmena Peak, then canyoneering at Kasawan Falls, and onto my next destination, Oslob.

Motorized tricycles carry all sorts of stuff

Village traffic in Cebu

Delicious Jolly Bee peach mango pie

I was starving so we stopped at Jolly Bee on the way and I had a surprisingly satisfying fried chicken thigh with rice. I also got a fabulous mango peach pie (all crispy and fried like they used to be at McDonalds). They asked if I wanted three and I wisely said no since I knew I would scarf them all down. It did not disappoint. I will have to get another later in the trip, perhaps every time I see a Jolly Bee. Finally, we arrived at my resort. I got checked in and headed down to the beach as I wanted to check out the snorkeling. There were not a lot of cool fish around, but the sunset was amazing! It was just starting when I got out so I rushed back to my room to get my phone and take some better pics since I only had my gopro with me in the water. After that, I went back to my room and the next thing you know, I was ready for bedtime at 7:30. End of a long journey getting here!

Cute towel animals in room at Quo Vadis Dive Resort

First sunset in the Philippines