First Transcontinental Flight

01 July 2002
Monday, Manila

3:20 pm.
I arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. It was my first time to be here. There were hordes of people outside. Bag and trolleys were everywhere. I saw a man hugged a teary-eyed woman – they were probably saying goodbye to each other. When I went inside the terminal I saw even more people and more bags and trolleys. It was so noisy and chaotic. I had to follow a long line. The line led to the baggage and passengers security check. They x-rayed our baggage then asked us to pass through a scanner door then they frisked us.

3:35 pm.
I went to the information desk. I was told that the KLM check-in counter would not open until 4:30 pm.

4:30 pm.
The check-in counter opened punctually. I had to fall in line again. They weighed my luggage and I was told that it was overweight by 8 kilos. My mind did instant calculations – at 24 dollars per excess kilo it meant I had to pay 192 dollars (or roughly 9,600 pesos). That’s awfully lots of money. But I guess it was my lucky day because the attendant said that I did not have to worry since he would not let it appear in my ticket that I had excess weight. I don’t really know why he did it because neither did I know him nor asked him to do it. Anyway I was very thankful that he gave me my boarding pass without me paying anything. Before I left the counter he told me to proceed to gate 14 to wait for my plane.

4:55 pm.
I had to fall in line for the third time. This time the line led to the immigration officer. I had no problems with the immigration so my passport was stamped immediately.

5:10 pm.
I went to the waiting lounge near gate 14. I bought a ham sandwich and a bottle of water. After eating I went to a seat that directly faced gate 14 to wait for further instructions. The tranquility and order of the waiting lounge was in direct contrast to the chaos and disorder at the check-in counter.

6:30 pm.
Although it was such a cloudy afternoon the sunset was still splendid. It was my last Filipino sunset so I savored every second of it.

7:00 pm.
A voice through the loud speakers said that the plane was now ready for boarding. I boarded the KLM Royal Dutch Airlines 747 plane partly sad, partly excited. I was sad because I was leaving home and loved ones. Yet I was also excited because I was making a great step towards the realization of my dream.

7:40 pm.
The plane departed on the dot. My flight number was KL 0808. My seat number was 11E. The plane wasn’t full. I didn’t even have a seatmate.

8:00 pm.
The cabin attendants began serving drinks and finger foods. I settled for a small bottle of red wine (Dona Dominga Cabernet Sauvignon – Merlot) and two packs of mixed nuts.

8:30 pm.
The plane made an uncomfortably sudden drop and the fasten seatbelt light was switched on. An announcement from the cockpit said that we needed to buckle up because we were encountering turbulence due to jerky winds.

9:45 pm.
Dinner was served. There were two choices – lasagna or beef. I opted for the beef. It was very spicy and it came with rice, bread, butter, cheese, vegetable salad, fresh fruits, fruit juice, red wine, and water.

10:55 pm.
The plane touched down at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport for our first stop-over. We were allowed to roam around the airport premises only. I was amazed at the modernity of the airport and at the creativity and charm of its architecture. Not even the Centennial Airport in Manila could come close. Interestingly the Malaysian word for gate is pintu.

11:40 pm.
We checked in for the continuation of the flight.

02 July 2002
Tuesday, Kuala Lumpur

12:00 midnight
Back inside the plane. There were more passengers now. I already had a seatmate. He was a Dutch man and he was with his wife, their own daughter and their adopted daughter. The adopted daughter was about 2 years old. She cried most of the time.

12:40 am.
The cabin attendants began serving another dinner. My stomach was still full so I politely declined the offer.

1:10 am.
I finished reading James Patterson’s “Suzane’s Diary for Nicholas.” My eyelids were very heavy now. I decided to sleep.

11:15 am, Philippine time.
I just woke up. According to my watch I have slept for about ten hours. Must be the red wine. If my calculation was right, it was already 5:00 am at our present position. The flight monitor said that we were already above Germany. Through the windows I could see that the morning sun was just coming up.

11:40 am, Philippine time.
Breakfast was distributed. I had scrambled eggs, tomato, potato slices, fruits, coffee, strawberry jam, bread, butter, and water – all in one tray that perfectly fit unto my foldable table. It also came complete with sugar, salt, cream, and toothpick. When I saw the toothpick a crazy idea came to mind – I have decided right there and then that I would make it a hobby to collect airplane toothpicks. Look, nobody’s watching, I just placed the KLM toothpick in my bag.

12:05 pm, Philippine time.
The flight monitor said that we only had 56 minutes more to Amsterdam. It’s 6:01 am in that corner of the world.

12:40 pm, Philippine time.
We were now descending and we were now over Belgium.

02 July 2002
Tuesday, Amsterdam

1:20 pm, Philippine time.
It’s 7:00 am here. We just landed in Amsterdam Schiphol. There was light showers but no thunderstorms. The Amsterdam airport was so huge. In the passengers terminal were electric cars for the crew and the disabled, and conveyors for the pedestrians. There were many stores and boutiques inside. There was even a casino right at the center. I checked out the electronics shops. The exit gate for my flight to Rome was D87, so far and away from F2, my entrance gate. It was in this airport that my passport was stamped to record my entry to Europe.

3:05 pm, Philippine time.
I reset my wristwatch. It’s exactly 9:02 am, Amsterdam time. From hereon I shall use the European time.

9:10 am.
We boarded the KLM Boeing 737 plane that would take us to Rome. My flight number, KL 1601. Seat number, 10C. I looked around, I was the only Asian in that flight.

9:30 am.
My plane departed from Amsterdam Schiphol.

10:00 am.
Snacks were served. I had bread with cheese, fruits, apple juice, cup cake, ice cream, chocolates, and water.

11:05 am.
We were now descending. I could see the Italian landscape clearly as I was seated near the window. The mountains, the hills, the plains – they all looked so brown, so barren, almost like a desert. I was not impressed at all.

02 July 2002
Tuesday, Rome

11:20 am.
We have just touched down at the Leonardo da Vinci International Airport in Rome. Parts of the airport were still under construction. It’s such a big airport.

11:35 am.
I was now at the baggage claim area. I couldn’t believe it – there baggage claim area had no ready service trolleys. I went to the men’s room. I couldn’t believe it too – the men’s room had no urinals.

11:40 am.
Guess what, the baggage carousel just stopped rolling. And this was supposed to be Italy – the center of world civilization!

11:55 am.
The carousel began rolling again. When I got my baggage I went straight to the exit gate where two Italian immigration agents in plainclothes stopped me. They asked for my passport, checked it nonchalantly, then showed me the gate. At the gate was Fr. Fil Pelingon, the MSC General bursar, with the most welcoming smile in the world. His driver helped me with my
luggage and we went straight to the parking area.

12:50 pm.
We were now driving at central Rome. I saw ancient structures, cathedrals, the Coliseum, the Vatican, while Fr. Fil kept telling me bits and pieces about the wonders of this city.

1:05 pm.
Arrival at the MSC General House, where I would spend three years of my precious life. After taking lunch, I went straight to bed.