On October 7, 2015, I went back home to California, USA and my vacation in Philippines is over. Although my vacation days in Philippines is only 15 days, I enjoyed it in spite of heavy rains and traffic. The heavy traffic is not only in Metro Manila but also in the provinces as well. Philippines is more crowded after 6 years. I visited in Philippines in 2009.

During my vacation days, I spent my time in traveling and visiting my Alma Matter, classmates, friends, family friends, and relatives. Me and my mother arrived in Philippines last September 23, 2015. My cousin, Rodelio Magtalas and my aunts Leonila Magtalas, and Estelita Zapanta picked up us at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). We enjoyed all foods and dishes in Philippines that we didn't eat for a long time already and also the fruits and desserts there.

We left earlier from Baliuag, Bulacan at around 12:00pm because of the possible heavy traffic and rains especially in Metro Manila area. Thanks God that we arrived at NAIA in Parañaque City around 5:30pm. Not bad because my flight schedule is 10:00pm via Philippine Airlines FT 104.

Since there's no fast food chains and restaurants inside the airport at Terminal 3, we decided to have our dinner at their main canteen. The restaurants are far from the airport and it is hard also to find the parking spot in the airport as well. It is better to eat in the restaurants rather than in the airport canteen because the foods are expensive. My cousin, Rodelio Magtalas, my aunts Leonila Magtalas and Estelita Zapanta, and my mother, Rosario Balajadia send and dropped me off at the airport. My mother will stay for another 15 days and she will be back home in USA on October 21, 2015 in order for her to enjoy her vacation for exactly one month.

I noticed that there's no Terminal Fee at the airport. The Terminal Fee is already waived or abolished since February 2015. The Terminal Fee was PHP 500 for domestic flights and PHP 750 for international flights. Thanks God that everything was alright after I checked in my luggages. My aunts and cousins helped me in weighing and packing my things at my two luggages. The limit weight of a luggage is 50 pounds and 15 pounds for a handcarry bag. A laptop computer is free to carry inside the airport and plane as well.

My travel back in California, USA is a straight flight for 12 hours without a stop over. While traveling, I ate a snack and two meals. I can't sleep well inside the plane. Thanks God that I slept light for at least 4 to 6 hours. Until now, there's no wifi inside the airplanes of Philippine Airlines. I don't have a choice is to try to sleep or nap as much as I can. The other airlines have wifi but mostly they are not free and you have to pay it using your credit card.

Finally, we arrived at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) on October 7, 2015 at 7:00pm. Since we passed the International Dateline while traveling, we arrived on the same date. Philippines is 15 hours ahead from California during daylight saving time and 16 hours during winter time.

The immigration department at SFO is still very strict and thanks God that everything was alright especially to the things that I brought from Philippines. They are strict with fresh fruits with seeds from other countries as well as the living things like animals and plants. They are trying to avoid the spread of diseases especially the contagious one from other countries.

My brother, Addison Balajadia picked me up from SFO airport at 8:00pm and then we proceed to Vacaville, California at my other house. After I distributed and organized all my things that I brought, I took my rest and then sleep deeply because I have to go back to work at Morton Salt on the following day on October 8, 2015.

#MNL #NAIA #PAL #Parañaque #Rizal #SFO #Millbrae #California

On October 7, 2015, I went back home to California, USA and my vacation in Philippines is over. Although my vacation...
Posted by Armando Magtalas Balajadia on Saturday, November 14, 2015