We’re on our way. Taxi bound to LHR, now then, did someone say breakfast?
Check in was quite painless and not without entertainment as the previous flight was still checking in, we were directed to a holding queue where we watched other folk try and jump into the previous queue. It all sorted itself out in the end and we got checked in super quick, security was quick, nothing out of your bags apart from laptops, well OK.
Then we have to choose from the glittering array of food choices available in the departure lounge. Sadly no ‘Spoons’ so a WH Smith meal deal it was!
Meal Deal dealt with so now it’s just the waiting game before we get summoned to the next queue.
The flight was fine, we watched many movies but don’t ask me what and before long we land in Singapore.
Now for the story of how we get from terminal 3 where we arrived to terminal 2 where our flight to Manilla departs from. We have almost 2 hours so no drama (!).
The facts behind this story are as follows: we were in T3, we had to get to T2 and our departure gate was F60.
We head off to the Sky train which moves people between terminals but upon arrival it says that the train to T2 is non operational. So we have to take the train to T1 then walk from T1 to T2. What a trek!!!
In the mean time Jo mentioned seeing a sign to F60 on the other direction. Regardless, I knew we had to get to T2 and then find the gate.
We get to T1 and walk the length of it to get to T2. Curiously spotting no signage to T2 until we get to the very end. We are in T2 and start the long walk. Way to our gate. Disappointingly, our gate was nowhere to be seen, we get to the end of the walkway, still no gate, noone to ask. Hmmm.
We about face, walk all the way back to the other end of T2 to find T1, walk the length on T1 and her the sky train back to T3.
Closer examination of the signage reveals that there is a different train to T2. In particular, the bit of T2 where our gate F60 is located.
Our walk. Through T2 is another long one, about 10 minutes. W finally find the train we want and hop on.
Before long we find ourselves in T2, but not the T2 we found first time round. Now then, where is gate F60, oh. Just another 10 minute dash.
Curiously, at the end of this debacle, we are just in time to check in, we pass through security and collapse in a sweaty heap just before boarding commences, Phew!!!!!
The second flight was all fine and we land at Manilla though one we have landed we have to stay put on the tarmac for a while whilst a thunderstorm passes through. All to do with lightning strikes apparently (I did see some lightning as we landed) but as we are being collected by the resort transport we don’t need to worry too much about things here on in, it should all just happen.
Then again, we’ve been sat here for the next part of an hour so far…
Well then, 1hr later and we are cleared to the gate. Once at the gate there is an announcement for a long list of names to contact ground staff on arrival and guess what? Yep, we’re on the list. Jo immediately suspects missing luggage. Looking on the bright side I suggest that maybe we are lucky prize winners, a free holiday perhaps?
As it turned out, I was wide of the the mark whilst Jo had hit the nail on the head, no bags for us! We set about filling in forms and describing the missing items and are told that there is no need to worry as they will be on the next flight. When’s that we ask, actually sir, its just landed!!!!
Sure enough, the missing bags are some of the first off that plane, we can all calm south to a frenzy now.
As I write, we are headed south towards Batangas with our driver Robert in an air conditioned Toyota van.
I do most seriously hope that these things come in threes and that’s our quota done for the trip, time will tell…
We even have our dinner order placed and some Red Horse waiting in the super chiller!
