1. Take note of the current number they’re serving and your own number. Hopefully, there would be about 80 people ahead of you so you’d have time to shop.
2. Go to the mall information kiosk and ask if there’s a travel agency in the building. Locate the agency and ask if they book flights with Cebu Pacific. If they answer negatively, ask if they accept bookings for Philippine Airlines or Air Philippines. If they do, request for a quotation. Brace yourself for the fare they will quote you. Thank the man for accommodating your request and resignedly walk back to the Cebu Pacific ticketing office, hoping that the queue has progressed significantly, but has not gone past your number yet.
3. Head back to the ticketing office laden with bags full of snacks and have an impromptu picnic.
4. Read the tattered remnants of Summit Publication magazines lying around. Indulge yourself with the luxury of having the time (and sufficient amount of boredom) and pore over past issues of Good Housekeeping, Smart Parenting, Preview and Smile. If you’re lucky, you just might chance upon a Cosmopolitan or two.
5. Have a chat with the person you dragged along with you to this ordeal about life, love and outhouses. Once you run out of things to talk about, rehash old stories and jokes you still laugh about. This helps you cling to the remaining threads of your sanity.
6. Once the conversation runs out, bring out the MP3 players. Lose yourself as you listen to Cher, Madonna and Kylie. Dancing optional.
7. Pull out one earphone or both, as you eavesdrop on an irate customer complaining to the manager/supervisor about the slow service. Take a good look at the service counters as he points out that while there are 11 counters, only 2 are manned.
8. Make a solemn vow to yourself to ease up on the credit card usage. If your cards aren’t maxed out all the time, you wouldn’t have to go through this experience ever again. Unless there are changes in your schedule and you’d have to have your flight re-booked. In that case, good luck and have fun going through this thing all over again.
9. Rejoice as the digital display turns to 131. Take the strip of paper marked with 134 out of your organizer and clutch it tightly in your hands. This is your cue to start praying that the people holding on to 131, 132 and 133 won’t take long or have already left.
10. Mentally kick yourself for neglecting to bring your camera so you can take snapshots of this unforgettable experience where you waited for four long hours, only to be served for less than 10 minutes. Thanks to this oversight, your only marker for the amount of time you spent in the ticketing office is your mobile phone’s call register and your ticket’s time stamp.

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The last time I went to the Cebu Pacific ticketing office to buy tickets, it was a Sunday. It was also the weekend before the payday, so there were hardly anybody around.

It was different last Friday. It was the day after payday and there were people waiting outside the office. We took a number at 4:05 pm, and it was almost 9 pm when our number was called.

I was as pissed and disappointed as the other people who waited for hours. Although unlike them, I just chose to pass the time reading, listening to music and laughing at absurd what-if situations. I know I can complain and raise my voice, but nothing would ever come out of it. Besides, I already have too many wrinkles.

Popularity: 56% [?]

In December 27, 2006, I made my first step in Australia at Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport. A year later, I’m back in Tulla, awaiting my flight back to Manila.

It’s been quite memorable, these two Australian trips. I was able to live in a different country for almost 6 months. On the first trip, I was so excited about being overseas once again. Homesickness set in about after a month after my arrival. On this trip though, the homesickness set in nearer to my departure date. It was Christmas you see, and Christmas is usually spent with family and friends. I did get to spend Christmas with family and friends in Tasmania (and had a blast, actually), but it’s still diffferent. Not that it’s bad, but Christmas in Manila is something I really missed.

I feel my heart racing with anticipation; in less than 10 hours I will be back to the city I so love. I am looking forward to seeing her again, to discovering the changes that happened while I was away. And maybe see how the Manila Peninsula looks now.

I also feel a twinge of sadness though. Melbourne has been good to me. I spent my last two days in Melbourne buying bilins and pasalubongs. Coming home from overseas without gifts is a big no-no. Though while I was in a hurry to complete my errands, I didn’t run. I want to savor every last moment that I spend walking through Melbourne’s streets.

I don’t know when I will see Melbourne again. A part of me wishes it to be soon, yet another part yearns for Manila. I would like to see more of the Philippines, so Melbourne will have to wait. But I know I will come back.

Popularity: 32% [?]

I woke up on my 27th birthday, and my first thought was “what the crap? Is that sunlight streaming through my window?!”

Not the best way to wake up, I admit, but there’s a reason for that. You see, I have something grand planned for my birthday, but due to weather concerns and scheduling conflicts, I had to re-schedule it. The weather bureau have forecasted thunderstorms for the 28th, so I cancelled my original plan.

Despite my ruined plans, my day turned out nicely. I had a great lunch with my sister and her husband (if ever you find yourself in Melbourne, head on to Kobe Jones over at Docklands. The food is simply fantastic), and got to explore parts of Melbourne that I haven’t seen before.

You see, I got lost. The plan was for me to take the ferry up the river from Williamstown to the City. However, I changed my mind and opted to check a couple of shops and ride the bus home. After shopping for some gifts, I went to the nearest bus stop and found out that it was going to a suburb that I only heard of, but don’t really know where it’s situated. I wasn’t really familiar with Williamstown’s shopping centre; all I know is that the train station is a long walk away so I opted to ride the bus and get off somewhere that looks familiar.

If there’s one thing you should know about me is that I am paranoid. I hardly ever go anywhere unfamiliar without checking the map first. And checking it again. And again. And downloading another version of the map. And studying it with fervor I never showed for my classes in college. So for me, riding a bus bound for a place I don’t know is very terrfying for me.

Surprisingly, I was calm. I actually enjoyed getting lost and finding my way home.

Over the years I’ve come to accept things as they come. I’ve come to believe that there is a reason for everything that happens. I stopped trying to blame my parents, or my schools, or the society I lived in for what I am now. Instead I am thankful because they made me into who I am now.

I have come to appreciate life more. Last Sunday, while I was sitting on the swing at the playground, I felt a sense of peace and being content. Instead of waking up and dreading another year of life, I am happy because I have another life to live.

I’d like to think that I am lucky: I have a family that supports what I like to do and friends who believe in me. No matter how corny that sounds, there’s no other words to express the gratitude I felt for being blessed with this life.

Popularity: 28% [?]

No talks about travel today, too pooped to get my brain to function properly, much less write anything coherent.

There was this thread over at the Pinky-street.com forums, about exchanging parcels for Christmas. Basically, those who wish to participate list down the things they can send from where they live, and if a member is interested, he/she must send a private message to that person.

I am always excited about exchanges, whether it’s postcards or CDs or whatever, so I eagerly clicked on the reply button. When it was time to list down the things I can send out, I stopped: what can I send from Australia? If I were in Manila, I’d know the things that I can buy and can survive the trip. But here, I’m really at a loss. What do I send? Vegemite?

I think about the balikbayan boxes my sister regularly sends: cans upon cans of chickpeas, beetroot, and salmon. Weetbix, cereal and bags of muesli. Timtams, Freddo and even more Timtams. Dried fruits and nuts, and of course, Vegemite.

If you were to receive something from Australia, what would you want?

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Last night I had my first dream involving airplanes after a long long time.

Years ago, whenever I had dreams that involved airplanes, they always end up crashing.
Read the rest of this entry »

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