travelling halfway around the world

it’s been a year now…the great journey happenned last may 18,2005…we went to the land of opportunities…the U.S of A…it was hectic because i had to finish my summer classes in advance because we were leaving…i had to take my exams on all subjects in one day…

it’s luck maybe,as they call it…i took the same enumeration test in nutrition class with my classmates…after they got the quiz,the teacher made them check their papers and she revealed the precious answers out loud! did she 4got that i was at a corner of the room taking the same items as my exam?or she didn’t mind after all?i dont know really…i was not finding the reasons at that time because i was busy catching up to copy all the answers..hehe…it was an omen!it was one of the signs that imade me believe this was for real!for the first time,i was actually leaving this filthy place! i am going to the states….so,off i go to finish what i have to…i have to leave the finishing touches of our critique paper on philadelphia whith queencie….i have to ask her to pass my family tree project too…then,im flying….the next day!

i was waiting for queencie to get my project at home then im going to the airport..iv never been so excited!..so,the journey begins here…

we booked a flight to manila in the morning,then a connecting flight to L.A. at 10 pm.. as we pass the day,we went shopping for pasalubongs at duty free in manila..we thought that we could have no time to buy stuffs for friends since we will only join the "tour bus"..we cant have everything for ourselves because we might have a limited time…well,we were wrong…

so,when we were going back to the airport,our car didn’t get away with the police..we were caught because he had a wrong turn..blast! the "older ones" decided to pay off the police guy…i think they gave him a hundred…i cant believe at that time that corruption is at my very eyes…i dont know what to do..i haven’t said anything but words are rumbling in my head…i have nothing to do with it..nothing…

we were off again…at the airport,we told shoti that we were going to the states..he has no idea about it until that moment..he was thinking all the time that we will be having a vacation in manila..he didn’t thought that we were going far…and it was his first travel in a plane!lucky kid!

so,we went in…we bought bottled water at 50 pesos,i think…wow!think about noverpricing…we saw maribeth bichara…we took pictures..ha!so much of the airport experience…

at the airplane…

may 19,05–4:50 am–PR 102 flight(PAL)

i had just woken up from my great slumber in the airplane. the phantom of the opera is playing in the TV screen. how unfortunate of me that i did not catch the whole of it. the audio in my seat is not totally working.

anyways,i had a long day yesterday. we shopped at duty free and my feet hurt.totally..

well,i did not expect shoti’s reacton when the secret was revealed. i was bugging him that we have to fly back to iloilo insteadof going to LA. in the end,he just simply said,"te, te…sure na gid ni ya nga mapa states hambal ni mama." i just smiled.

at the plane going to manila,the look on his face was priceless!i found it funny. he kept on smiling!

now,we are bound to LA. finally, i can get a smell of american air. Haha! i don’t knw what’s in store for me there bit i wish it would mean as much as the omens did. i hope that it could be worth of my school efforts.

i was mostly asleep in here. i just woke up for supper(beef with rice,cold salad,chocolate/oatmeal pastry,bun w/ butter and lemonade soda). After eating,i went to sleep again. daw binaboy man ni gyapon ubra ko. what can i do? i need sleep,badly..

after this flight, another yet is to come bound to new york.

i cannot imagine what would i see when i’ll get off this plane. i guess,i should be ready for the greatest shock of my life!

may 20–6 am–delta song

still, i had just woken up from sleep. we have gone to LA yesterday and thank god,everything went fine. the immigration guy thought i was only 12 and it means i look younger than my age!hell yeah!

this plane is cool. it has a menu screen which you can watch tv and movies. i am now listening to john stevens.it’s good!

i was kinda shocked yesterday. we went out of the airport and i felt the cold breeze. feels like air-con!liked it!

right now,im watching the sun rise from my view from the top.

oh.btw, game boy was lost!omens!grrr!

i was amazed yesterday when we landed in LA that the sun still shines at & pm! shoti and i were lost in wonderland whether it is really night or day…it amazes me to experience 2 nights in 24 hours..

we had just reminisce yesterday’s hurrying and running.we were bursting with laughter and still running on the sidewalks going to terminal 5. if only it was caught on tape!

the travel continues

Friday, June 9th, 2006

cont.

may 20–10:20 am–new york

we have just arrived here yesterday at new york. it’s so cold here.we have gone to target,ate at friendly’s(the burgers are so big!) and at night, we went to manhattan,rockefeller and times square.

times square was my high yesterday. the place was just superb. men doing spray paintings,i love NY souvenir shops & the lights.

we,ve seen shooting spots of MIB, home alone and don’t say a word.

signature shops are just standing side by side. Nice! we’ve seen nbc studios, radio city, and other sites.

my low? jet lag! grrr….

now,were off to whatever place life may take us.

may 22–10:30am–NY

may 20: world trade center; ground zero

may 21: we went to Ellis island, former site of the immigration, and the statue of liberty. we were not able to come up the statue because we dont have reservation passes.

we shopped for fancy and beaded jewelries in the afternoon. later,we went to madame tussaud’s wax museum.u can hardly recognize the real from the reel. we sometimes think that the other museum guests are on wax!

we are off to washington and the empire state building this afternoon.

may24–12:30pm–delta air

may 22:we went to the empire state building. the view on the top was the whole of NY.i bought souvenirs for the peeps back home.but before that,we have to walk about 20 blocks to get there.we had fun walking in the rain.we also snackes at sbarro and the pizzas were big!later on the evening,we went to maryland and stayed at tita may’s home. we also said a short prayer at st. peter’s cathedral earlier.

may 23:we went to washington in the morning. the weather was nice.it was the first time i perspired since i got here in the states.we went to different landmarks here. first, the basilica of the national shrine of the immaculate conception. it was a huge church and the architectural design was magnificent!then we walked to the white house to take pictures.jj wasn’t able to come because he was tired.

we also took a picture on the "pencil". the view was beautiful.we also visited washington,or it was lincoln,monument and thomas jefferson monument. im so tired when we went to NASA,plus, im not so fascinated with the things there.so,i end up sitting with mama & shoti while papa & shobe are upstairs taking videos. next stop is an art museum. the art displays there are so nice and realistic. i also get to see vincent van gogh’s paintings. nice!

we are going back to LA now for our tour proper.

may 25–11:30pm–anaheim park hotel

yesterday,we checked in at hilton lax airport hotel when we arrived here. we met up w/ Zean and his family and later had dinner.

today,we moved to anheim hotel nearer to disneyland. disneyland was great! we went to scary and exciting rides. i’ll never 4get our little mishaps when we were almost lost!yikes!

i was so amazed by the disney characters signing on our autograph book!

the last stops..

Friday, June 9th, 2006

cont.

this was the end of my diary days…it was because the tour is so tiring..after disneyland,we had a universal studios adventure..it was my favorite..of course,because it involves movies!the studio tour was great!the next day,were off to disneyland california adventure w/c is situated beside disneyland park…i remember that was the day when papa was feeling sick that he feels he has to get his throat checked..he was charged 100 dollars! he doc didnt even prescribe an antibiotic!and i thot the bottled water at 50 was overpricing….while he is at the hospital,we were at disneyland watching the disney parade..we were looking for hidden mickeys at the park!hehe…we were so close to see john stamos there!

after these days,we were off to "state-hopping";…we were surprised to see a van waiting for us..and i thought we will be on a bus..turns out,we are on private tour..maybe that is the compensation we got from the agency after canging our itenerary for a number of times…its gud coz we can be free to choose where to eat or go..

i cant exactly remember the sequence of our tour…as long as we have been to vegas.san fransisco,san diego and god knows where else…im mostly asleep while travelling…

well,vegas is nice..its so hot there..kasakit sang init!p’nas like weather…we were not allowed to just even look at pipol having fun at casinos..underage! i was 17 at that time…

san diego was nice too..we went to see shamu and other talented sea creatues at sea world..

san francisco is soooo damn cold! i had my flip flops on when i got there and i can hardly feel im walking…my feet are numb! the next day,i was on my sneaks again…the place is nice..we went to their landmarks..its nice passing the golden gate bridge..we also fed squirells out in the cold..i freaked out when they were near my hand..i was afraid they would nibble them.hehe!

we went to montezuma castle in i-dont-know-where…its like an ancient place where the natives used to live..

grand canyon was magnificent!you cant simply take youe eyes off the view..its a must-see!

we also went to mann’s chinese theater and the walk of fame in hollywood. it was not supposed to be on the plan but it was a bonus from our tour guide.

and oh,the tv shows there were great! i have watched grey’s anatomy,beauty and the geek and britney and kevin:chaotic(i’ll never watch this again,i swear!) there. it has been a year before it aired here.

we also has a fun time eating.we shared everything from a full meal to a drink-all yo can soda to a burger..its funny how a lady looked at us while sharing a soda and a burger..hey!burger is snack time for filipinos…

this was the last that i can remember…hehe..hey!its been a year..

i have learned a lot from my 3-week travel. softdrinks is soda there..take out is to-go and they never say c.r…….

we got back here,june 9,i think…hehe…and i certainly want to..i have a lot of things to catch up with…and besides,im so stressed already…i finally saw iloilo again…i felt like it shrunk and its yellowy..i guess i got used to the scene there where roads are wide and its kinda bright and sunny..here,it got smaller and the light is "yellower"…call me wierd but that’s what i felt..

home at last!

maybe i can go back there if i’ll be working…but i have to finish this damn course first

its fun going halfway around the world!even if u met a few bumps on the way…the omens are definitely in!