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Misadventures on taking Aeroplanes


The first time I took my airplane flight, it was back in 2004. I was then a high school student. My English teacher was in-charge of everything I needed to settle for the trip. We were bound to Surigao City but took a flight from Manila to Butuan. Prior to the flight, we took a bus from Legazpi to Manila. When everything has been organized by someone, travelling was easy but makes you dependent. I just followed my teacher and co-participants all times. Yeah, I couldn't even remember the roads we passed. I'm a total hick and travelling from province to Manila was also my first time. When we boarded the airplane, my teacher joked, "Don't be too obvious that we're first timers."

Few years passed, I've been back and forth Manila and I learned the going around mostly on my own. Thanks to Google searches and maps, people I met along the way and some "nice" people who shared a bit of information.

I mostly took bus trips to visit home in the province. The trip usually takes more or less 12 hours with 2 stopovers. Big time. Sitting is not so fun. So, I decided to fly but commuting there is equally difficult, too. Tough Luck.

Anyway, going to a place for the first time can be scary. Although sometimes like this quote, you have to get lost to find your way(also yourself) is inevitable for a travel. Anyway, whenever I go for a trip I always prepare. People losing their way and direction tend to spend more time and money.

And so for the first time, my sister and I took a trip from Manila to Legazpi through Cebu Pacific Air. I've taken the Leg-Manila route a few times before, actually most of the time alone, but taking a flight in an international airport for the first with another first-timer makes me anxious. Really anxious.

Whenever I took airplanes, I am always awed. Awe-inspired with the technology. It was awesome and an amazing discovery. Imagine shortening my 12 hour trip to 1 hour. Anyway, my anxiety is always there knowing that according to studies, airplanes are the most safe way to travel. I am not that too scared to die, it's just that I no longer have my job and don't have a life insurance.O_o I also don't book with life insurance, (expensive, eeeh). 

Until I haven't boarded on the plane, I still feel anxious with anything unexpected. (Yeah, paranoid.) We came early to make sure we don't get caught up in the check-in queue. Three hours before the flight, we left our boarding house. Web check-in would have been convenient and available 48 hrs before the trip, which lessen the 2-hour-be-there-before-flight to 1 hour. But I don't have a printer in my boarding house so we had to go through the check-in counter.

And so, these are my preparation and most important steps before we finally boarded the plane.
1. Find the shortest and cheapest route to NAIA 3.
Coming from FTI Taguig, ride a jeep to Gate 3 (aka Nichols/Bonifacio).
From there, walk going to jeepney lane and take Nichols Ikot jeep. Drop by in front of NAIA 3.
Misadventure: I am not sure if dropping off in front of Resorts World is the best way to get in the NAIA 3 building. Anyway, we made it inside the building.

2. Make sure to bring the Flight Itinerary/Receipt and an Identification Card.
Note: Bring your necessary stuff. If you are going to bring something and in doubt if it is allowed, ask or search net if your stuff is allowed.
Carry baggage limit is 7Kilos. Umbrellas not allowed for hand carry baggage.
PS. I usually travel without check-in baggage.

3. Properly find the Departure Entrance Gate.
Pass the "Entrance with baggage" if you have baggage. (Bags are baggage! Eeeh. I'm slow.)

4. Go to your designated Check-In Counter(Flight no. is listed before you proceed to the check in counter.) to get boarding pass. Read the details in the boarding pass.
Note: As of Aug. 2012, the terminal fee has been included in the flight receipt. Check your receipts.

5. Find the Boarding Gate. Be at the boarding gate 30 mins. before departure. Listen for the announcement of the flight.
Pray for a safe trip.Then, enjoy the ride and view of the sky.
Sometimes, doing out of our comfort zone is scary but doing new things are really challenging and makes it a rewarding activity.

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