I just had to see it for myself...

I made it to the Philippines :D and so did both my suitcases. Thanks to my dad for making them easily identifiable.





Leg 1: The 2 and half hour plane ride from MTL to JFK was short and sweet (after the de-icing process was over! Look at the shiny wing...)



Leg 2: The 14 hour JFK to Japan leg was the sweetest one of them all thanks to the ever-so-nice "Fabien Mendoza" JALguy @ the counter. He hooked me up with 3 seats all to myself on the Upper level. That meant I had a sofa to lie down on and my own personal entertainment center which came complete with a dozen different movies...



...and games to keep myself occupied with.














I also bought a book @ JFK called "What happened to my money" by Robert Kiyosaki to add to my "things-to-keep-me-occupied-on-the-plane" bag. So I didn't sleep a wink on the plane, but I'm caught up on a few movies, I'm a pro @ Connect 4 and I'm a little more inspired on what to do with my money ;)


I love this view the clouds (Somewhere over the Pacific).

Leg 3: Half a world and international date line later...connection in Narrita, Japan. Boarding for this 3rd and final flight took forever! We left 25 minutes late...but I didn't care, I was almost in the Philippines! I zonked out as soon as I sat in my seat though...I hadn't slept in over 30 hours...


Arriving in Manila was CRAYZEE! 3 jumbo jets landed one after another at Ninoy Aquino international airport. Ours was first...thank GOD. The ppl in our jet passed @ customs and at the baggage carousel first. Minutes behind us were the mobs of "Tssssut-ing" balik-bayan (translated: back-to-home) filipinos hoarding boxes of pasolubong (gifts) and over-packed suitcases through the mildewy-dollar-bill-smelling hallways...the music of a 3 piece live band echoing over us...

Almost there! I got hit with a wall of humidity as I exited through the glass doors of the airport...rolled myself down the steep "M-Z" corridor to the pick-up zone...scanned the crowd of "well-wishers" to find my cousin holding up a big "MONICA" sign...I had arrived :)