i dont know what it is but everytime someone in my family leaves to go somewhere far for more than a month, we make it a family trip to the airport. same goes especially when someone arrives from somewhere far (usually from the philippines). this time's no different. i had my whole entourage with me to see me off at the airport. my aunt, uncle and cousin also came to say their goodbyes despite the fact that they just arrived from the airport the night before.
serendipitously, i was amazed who i saw at the airport also departing from toronto on the same day/time as me. it's father carlos (our priest who will marry us in october)! he will be bringing his parents back to the philippines and will be taking a short vacation as well. i was so excited that i asked to take a picture with him to send to A with a text title, "look who i saw". this is definitely going on the next issue of our wedsite! anyway, i took this as a good sign of my journey ahead.
after six hours, i arrived at the heathrow airport in london, uk. i hate riding the plane especially long flights. i could never sleep and i can never be comfortable. my body's just not made for domestic flights! my layover at heathrow is 12 hours - yes you read that right. everything was all last minute for me before i left toronto so i didnt get to plan out a travel plan to london. i thought about winging it but i realized that i only have a light sweater on my back and london at this time of the year is 'bloody' cold. so i almost died waiting at the airport but it wasnt as long as i thought it would be for some reason. they had couches in the lounge and i was too tired to care so i just fully lied down in one of them. hey, everyone else was doing it.
note to self not to travel with a heavy hand carry, along with a laptop bag and an overpacked purse. everytime i had to go to the washroom i had to lug everything with me. it was quite a nuissance! lesson learned #1.
before i know it i was boarding my flight to cape town, south africa. i was still getting anxiety attacks as i really do not know what to expect out of everything. but i guess i was given another lucky sign. i was bumped to the business class cabin! it still wasn't first class but im happy with the upgrade. i sat beside a cape town native and he was such a chatterbox. he also smelled of alcohol so i pretended to be asleep most of the time. i only talked to him when i need his help with my luggage :)
i arrived CT after a long haul flight of 11 hours. i took a sleeping pill and i drank some wine so i slept a bit but still not the best experience. another travel lesson: do not overpack especially when travelling alone because the luggage is too heavy to be taken out of the conveyor belt. but if you must, act like a damsel in distress and most likely, someone will help you out. oh and p.s. i had a blonde moment and left my passport on the trolly *slaps forehead*. i dont know why im even writing that here. im sure i would get a slap over the head for this one.
"shai" was written on one of the boards as a local cape town-er welcomes me. home at last. (at least for the next 3 months).
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