Thursday 24 April 2008

Flying High

I flew from Manila back to UK on Monday and I did it with pizzaz… I flew business class! Why? Because all economy seats were taken, forcing my manager to concede the upgrade. (I better pray economy's fully booked everytime I am scheduled to fly from now on... LOL :p) It was my first time ever, so pardon me if I seem so ignorante (how do you say this in English?) and this entry will babble on and on about it. So what are the differences? Oh well loads! I finally understand why David Buenvacz & his wife Jessica insisted to fly business class even to the extent of allegedly misusing Beverly Hills 6750's funds... That's your daily dose of outdated chismis from me. For the updated chismis, you know what name to shout - Ria! :p

I already started to experience the business class treatment even before boarding the plane. At NAIA I was given entry to the lounge that had unlimited brewed coffee, sandwiches, mami, siopao, fruit bowls... etc. Boy I was so glad because I didn't have a decent breakfast that morning. And during boarding I didn't have to queue. When the ground steward noticed that my ticket's business class he immediately ushered me past the long line of passengers announcing not so discreetly, 'Padaanin nyo si ma'am, business class yan!' Well that inspired me to don my big sunglasses, fling my shoulder-length hair (kahit di sya sumunod sa galaw ko) and strut my way to the plane. I must have looked like an unknown or worse a "laos" starlet (hahahaha!).

One obvious difference of business class was the leg room, it's more than enough to stretch out my not so long legs comfortably. The seat was totally delightful. You could just press a button and voila! it would convert in a mini bed. I almost forgot I was in an airplane because the food was simply divine. Every course (yes, course - appetizer, main course... the works!) was well presented and tasted as if there was a chef on board. Once they started serving drinks, I immediately took advantage that the wine was unlimited. I already finished two glasses of champagne even before an hour of flight passed. So I must have been grinning all throughout the Bee Movie (oo tipsy na yata!). Another difference was the "quality" of the passengers. Most of the guys seemed CEOish, looking so smart tapping away on their laptops. Most of the ladies seemed donyatiks… two mature ladies sitting in front of me were even conversing in Spanish that I was tempted to butt in and say "Ola mi amigas! Como estas tu? Yo soy muy bonita!"…. It was a good thing I didn't have that much champagne :p

the leg room

course #1

course #2


Everytime I fly, I am heady with joy. Oh it doesn't have to be business class. I can survive 16 hours of flight in a cramped economy section. Well it's the flying per se. That it can either mean I am going home to my family (to spend my pounds, hahaha) or that I am going to Manila, Japan, UK, Timbuktu or to some other place where I can plant a flag with bold letters that "Georgia was here". Kapila naman tika nakit-an nga ga-impake day oi, I remember this is my Mama's comment everytime she sees me preparing for a flight. Oh I am not a super frequent traveller; my passport still has a lot of blank pages. But the fact that I have been to places (some for free!) miles away from my humble little island of birth, Cebu, is enough for me to bow my head in gratitude. Again, I feel so blessed.

The only thing that ruined my business class day was that my HP laptop broke down on me while I was waiting for my connection flight in Amsterdam. The monitor suddenly flickered like crazy that it was impossible to decipher where to input my logon user and password. Even after cleaning the inch-thick dust on my keyboard (because I thought it was its way of complaining it needed some TLC), it still wouldn't budge and behave... darn! Since I simply can't survive without a laptop (aside from I use it to download my weekly fix of American Idol, I also use it to chat to my family and friends – keeping me in touch), I had no choice but to swipe my credit card for a new one the following day. I decided no more HP even if it's relatively cheaper compared to other brands with the same set of features (may tampo na ako sa HP!). I bought a pink Sony Vaio instead. Oh it's not because it's pink, I chose it because of its impressive features. And the most impressive feature happens to be that its colour is pink…

my Sony VAIO perfectly matches my bedsheet :p

P.S. My Papa is out of the hospital. He's recovering and he needs to take things slow from now on. Thank you for all your prayers :)


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Saturday 5 April 2008

An Unexpected Journey

On Friday I received a devastating news that my Papa was rushed to Cebu Doctors' Hospital. He had difficulty breathing and was coughing non-stop. Findings were pneumonia and ischemia. Pneumonia, I know. Not really something to worry about since it was diagnosed early on. Ischemia, I don't know. To me since it sounded too scientific I immediately worried. And true enough after googling it I had a reason to be because it is a heart related ailment. In fact after a few hours of being admitted, he was rushed to the CVU/CCU (Cardiovascular Center) for 2 to 3 days observation.

I am still shocked. I had never thought, had never imagined that my Papa whom I had always known as the very active, very restless that it would be difficult to ask him to stay in one place for a long time would be having a heart problem. In my mind I had always thought that he's the healthy one among my parents. I am now having difficulty accepting, and I do cringe even when writing this, the cruel truth that my Papa's body is now frail.

Finding out that I couldn't talk to him because phones are not allowed in the CVU made me even more panicky and frustrated. I have no choice but to see him then. Besides I also want to see him with my own two eyes ASAP. So I asked my manager to grant me 2 weeks off to go home. Thankfully he gave me permission, he told me I have nothing to worry about, he understands. The first available flight I booked is this Monday morning. And darn, it will take me 24 hours to get to Manila and more excruciating hours to fly to my beloved island. If only I can apparate or borrow some floo powder... Bloody hell!

So here I am now, my room's more in disarray than usual, busy packing for things to bring along this unexpected trip. I should be excited to go home but I still don't feel that now. I need to see, to be assured that he's recovering before the excitement will sink in.

I want him to live a long, healthy and enjoyable life. There are things I want him to do, places I want him to go. He still has to walk me down an aisle 5 years from now. He still has to play with my cute, adorable kids 3 years from now ... You never know, my kids might come first before me saying I do! So please, do include him in your prayers.
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Thursday 3 April 2008

Lady Godiva

Received a package from my BFF today. Sino sya? she's the most beautiful, sexy even if she just gave birth, sweet, kind, generous girl on the planet! Next to me, of course :p

The minute I got home, I immediately ripped the box open. And I wasn't at all disappointed what's inside. Each item I pulled out made my grin bigger and bigger. So this is how it feels to receive a balikbayan box.


  • 2 blouses - 1 is made in US, the other 1 is made in China
  • a skirt -with black tights & my killer boots, I'll look fierce with it! raarrrr...
  • a dress - can't wait to show this off in the office :p)
  • a pack of Bongbong's Piaya - absolutely my favorite
  • a pack of dried mangoes - now I'm missing Cebu, sniff sniff
  • a birthday card - she just recycled a leftover invitation card from Caleb's christening to say that all these cover all coming occasions - my birthday, labor day, independence day, halloween, christmas... indeed, so sweet :|
  • a pack of mints - the giveaway from Caleb's christening
  • 2 big bottles of Aveeno lotion - the culprit why the darn box was soooo heavy that I almost threw it to the river Thames while carrying on my way home. Yey! May Aveenos na ako.. wala kasi here sa UK, kainis. Naks, imported ang lotion ko :p
  • 1 box of Godiva chocolates - I'm excited, controlling myself actually not to gobble it all. This is my first Godiva ever! Yeah, poor me.

See, Claire has outdone herself, again. Never expected she'll be galante two strikes in a row now (I'm remembering her lovely present for me last Christmas). US talaga is making her less and less kuripot. Keep it up, Claire! Thank you, thank you! By the way, Ria's birthday is in May.
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