What kept me company 40,000 ft above the ground
It has been almost a year now since the time I left for the United Kingdom. How else would one forget that nerve-wracking moment of embarking on a 20-hour trip alone and on board a really huge international aircraft for the first time? I was caught up in a web of emotions. I mean, what if the plane crashes and I die?
I really didn’t know what to expect on that particular journey. At the departure area of the ugliest airport in the world called NAIA Centennial Airport, I met this engineer bound for Algeria while eating midnight snacks, and then Rachel who was my companion all the way to Heathrow. In the plane, I remember being seated between the window and this guy who helped me place my luggage in the hat and configured that in-flight TV for me. I don’t typically remember names of married men I meet along the way.
Good morning, Dubai!
The plane took off for Dubai at exactly 12 midnight and we were up on air for the next 8 hours. My seatmate drifted to a good night’s sleep while I kept myself busy watching movies and checking the plane’s route until my eyeballs hurt. I asked the flight attendant for a paracetamol tablet to cure my headache. I was too tired and stressed out.
Emirates serves tasty catered airline food in small plates that look like mini-boats. We had AM and PM snacks, breakfast and lunch. Time zone adjustments started to disorient me. We arrived in Dubai International Airport at around 3:00 AM, UAE time, or around 8:00 AM, Manila time.
Busy shops at Dubai International Airport
Dubai International Airport was incredibly gorgeous with all those amazing structures you won’t expect in a desert city. It was like a mall having a midnight shopping with Pinoys manning several stores and travellers scurrying around. Gold there is really cheap, maybe crude oil, too.
View outside the airport while waiting for my next flight
On our next eight-hour flight to Heathrow, I was seated at the middle row beside a blonde Australian girl and a black guy. As usual, the black man helped me with my luggage and the Australian girl set up my TV as I didn’t know where to locate it because we were seated on the front row. I wish we had our photo taken together and I would definitely have labeled it “Benetton”.
At the arrival area of BAA London Heathrow
We arrived in London Heathrow at around 1:00PM (5:00AM, Manila time). I was held up at the British immigration for half an hour interrogation and that made the experience surreal. Being single from a third world on a visitor visa made me a potential TNT in the future so the immigration officer phoned up my cousin where she got quite a mouthful, “We own a brand new 3-bedroom house. We’re nurses. And we are British passport holders.” The officer came back to me apologizing for the delay.
An overcast English skies along M25 on our way to Chessington
Cloudy English skies and cold rains greeted me outside. That was but day one of my almost 200-day stay in a land that I fell in love with but could never really own. I love the Philippines even the ugliest bit parts of it. I no longer mind if I see people pee on the sidewalks. That’s what sets this country apart from the rest.
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