Amazing (South) India Part 1

I can't believe my luck when I was asked to go to India for my first ever official trip. The trip necessitated a blue passport or a diplomatic passport. I used to have a red passport , but I never got to use it. It was a thrill to be passing through the immigration carrying a diplo passport, without the hassle. It was a breeze! 

And since I was excited, I was early at the airport  (NAIA 1) and got to see much of it. I got to admire the ceiling, which is dated but still pretty, methinks. The blonde hair in the photo below is on a very-Filipina-looking woman.

 I was fascinated with the flight information board. I enjoyed listening to sound it made as it rapidly changed details. In the airport's heyday, it must have been state-of-the art.

 Since there was no direct flight to our destination in India, we passed through Singapore. The travelator made everything accessible.

I finally reached my destination in Cochin, India. I did not take photos at the airport. I did not want to look very excited, so I was composed, saying my thank you's politely, smiling nicely and nodding my head when necessary.

 We arrived at midnight, but the hotel room seemed to have removed all the weariness of the travel and the late night as I plunged onto the soft bed that was to provide me comfort for two more nights in the southern Indian city of Cochin.

When morning came, I almost forgot that I was there for an official work. I was welcomed by a drizzling morning, and to top that, I was given a corner room. I had little rest the night before, but I was not complaining. How could I when I was greeted by a magnificent view. 

 I walked outside the grounds of the hotel, Vivanta it was called, to notice the large number of crows. I got to see them up close and admire their black sheen that would instantly dispel my negative notions of crows.

 It was nearing nine o'clock in the morning, and I went back to the room. The sight I saw from my fifth floor suite was not to be missed. It was foretelling of a good day ahead.

 On board our bus to the meeting venue, I took the picture of people outside and told myself that I really was in India...

...to work. I was the assistant of the Philippine Eminent Person to the ASEAN-India Eminent Persons Group. Their objective was to come up with a report that will be submitted to the Leaders of ASEAN and India so the Leaders could move their relations forward. Yes, my work entails doing these kinds of things, and it has been nothing but exciting.

The ASEAN Way

 But other than the place I was in, what made this trip memorable for me was that I sat behind this woman whose brilliance, I know for sure, was admired by her colleagues. It made me proud as a Filipino because the person I was assisting showed what a first-class Filipino diplomat can do.

The small flag in front of her seemed so big all of sudden.

OK sa HK!

When I saw a possible window for a vacation leave in our ever-busy office, I immediately booked a flight to a destination I had been wanting to go, Hong Kong. I bought the ticket a month before my departure. This particular trip had many firsts.

1. use vacation leave in my over  a year stay at the foreign office

2. fly Cathay Pacific

3. depart from NAIA Terminal 1

4. visit HK

I have been using budget airlines for my foreign trips, but this time, I told myself, I would splurge a bit, so Cathay Pacific it was. I am not very familiar with Terminal 1 of the airport so departing from this terminal was quite an experience. I saw for myself the complaints I had been hearing about the airport. I have only gone to few international airports; hence, I could not draw many comparisons although I could list twenty things the airport can improve on, but I could also see efforts by the government to make it a slightly better terminal. For this trip, I was a bit anxious, I have to admit. This was my first time to use the airport; I did not know anyone whom I could go to in times of emergency, and I was alone. But I always allay my fears by saying that as long as I can read and have some cash, I would be fine.

Snapshots of the Ninoy Aquino Airport:

There is still some beauty in the airport's ceiling, I think.

Boarding at the NAIA 1

Signs that I told me that I was already in Hong Kong!

This walkalator or whatever they call at the airport was one of the MANY I was to take in my stay in HK. They seemed to have 1/2 of the world's escalators spread all over the territory ( I'm exaggerating).

Welcome to Hong Kong! the banners read. I have arrived. Wow. The airport was without a doubt beautiful, and I could only sigh at the thought of the airport I came from.

I was welcomed by the buildings. I intentionally took the bus to Kowloon, where I booked my cheap accomodation, so I could see some sights on the way. I would take the train on my way back, three days after.

The sign below became my guide as I commuted around using the very efficient and convenient train system of Hong Kong.

It frustrated me a bit that I could not order at Chinese restaurants, which was one of the things I intended to do in Hong Kong. I didn't know how to read Cantonese script, and the restaurants did not have photos in them where I could just point and order. I could have starved myself to death, but, no, I would have to settle with McDonald's. I ordered, of course, meals that were not present in Philippine stores. The meal below had an egg and burger patty in a bowl of macaroni soup. I could not complain. hehe...Nom, nom.

My McDonald's breakfast, Hong Kong style

Avenue of the Stars. I could only recognize five names.

Other than Hong Kong, I took a trip to Macau. I was there for three hours.

Casinos! Yes, I am in Macau.

Macau Terminal

The Venetian

And I was mesmerized at the Venetian. I remembered watching the documentary on the making of this hotel weeks prior, and there I was, enjoying it up close. I couldn't pay the gondola ride but I walked alongside it as it made its way to through clear water canal. I could not help but notice the gondolier whose voice was beautiful and whose appearance was very familiar. One eye contact proved what I thought all along, he was a Filipino, and he nodded as if confirming my guess about his nationality. I smiled back.

After two new stamps on my passport, I took a tour of Central where all the tall buildings were.

I took a long series of escalators, it sounded like mid-level escalator, in the evening of my second day. When I finally reached the end, I was too tired and wanted to take the bus. I did not know how to take buses in that area, so I walked all the way back! Boy, I was drenched in my sweat when I reached a more familiar street. I remembered having the best sleep that night.

A well-planned series of tunnels and trains made HK a very ideal place for commuting. 

Hong Kong at night

I was lucky to have stayed near this station, where everything seemed very close.

My trip had come to an end. I waited a long time at the airport, and I got to notice the wealth this small territory had.

HK Government Travel Alert: PH on Black Alert, Severe Threat

I came across the digital board at the airport. It listed the Philippines as one of the two countries to be avoided for traveling. The Syria is the other one where there is an actual war. I felt side about this. I hope this alert be lifted soon. The people of Hong Kong deserve to see the Philippines, also. 

Good that the Hong Kong Airport was big; there was a lot to do especially for the moneyed passengers. At this time of trip, I was down to my last few dollars. 

And I am back to familiar territory.