Good morning? ((:

Our last day in Singapore was on March 24, 2011. Because it was our last day, we didn't sleep at all at the hostel. As soon as we arrived, we organized and packed our things up to 7:00 AM. While we were packing around 5:00 AM, the Filipina girl who sleeps in the lower bunk bed beneath me just came in. She told us they just went to Clarke Quay with most of the backpackers in the hostel. Honestly, I was disappointed at some point because I also wanted to visit Clarke Quay at night and I didn't really have a lot of fun at Zouk Club. Another reason was the DDG Nathan was definitely there. HAHA. But I also became happy at one point because she mentioned they watched these group of girls during the night. I didn't know the details so it was alright. I just thanked God deep down in my head that I was not there. ((:

Look at her outfit...

then look at my outfit. Any similarities? ((:

No happy ending. ((:

Because what I hated the most is unpacking, packing was easy for me but I needed a lot of time to do it. Anyways, when we finished packing all our stuff, Daphne and I took turns in the bathroom to prepare. When we were nearly ready, we went downstairs to have breakfast. The people we met a few days before were not up yet. Maybe because they were too busy sleeping because of their night outs. We were really waiting for Nathan to say goodbye until 8:30 AM. Our flight was 10:30 AM. It really didn't enter my head that we were supposed to be at the airport at least two hours before. All that we remembered was Lorenz saying, "Pwede na kayong 1 oras before the flight. Makakarating kayo agad." So we went out of the hostel at 9:00 AM. We didn't know taxis were too hard to find here because all was full. Luckily, we got a taxi. It was only 9:15 AM. I was really feeling secured because I know the airport is just near the hostel so it can take around 15 minutes. But when we arrived, it was already 9:50 AM. I really couldn't believe that time flew by THAT fast! We got our bags on a pulley and went straight to the terminal doors. I saw the Cebu Pacific lane empty. I thought, "Are we too early?" But then the clock was just 9:55 AM. I surveyed the whole terminal and saw a Cebu Pacific booth at the corner with a man standing in front of it. I quickly told Daphne that we should go over the booth and ask.

And so we did. Only to found out that we just missed our flight!!! By 5 minutes!!! HAHAHA. Gumuho talaga mundo ko, as in. The guy who was also frowning endlessly said he also missed the flight just one minute late. Whatda. And there was also a Filipina there who said that she also couldn't board the plane with her husband and child because it was already late for her to buy a ticket. I really couldn't believe that this happened to us! We argued with the lady over the counter, asked for her manager, and begged her to do something. She did call a manager who was a Singaporean and who didn't really look like a manager to me. She said she couldn't do anything. We really insisted to the lady that maybe she could call the plane. But she didn't! TAKE NOTE: The plane was NOT leaving yet. It's still there at the runway and the people were still waiting inside. And we still had a freakin' 35 minutes to enter and go in if she just let us!!! But she didn't! So I cried out there and Daphne also did. T_T The recommendation was to buy a ticket again which is doubled the promo flight that we just bought back in the Philippines. WOAH. It was P8,000+ for just a return ticket. I tried counting the money that I had on hand at that time. I just had P5,000+ and Daphne got less than that. Enough to buy one ticket. :( We tried thinking of the weirdest of things like staying in Singapore for a few days and waiting for a promo flight back to the Philippines. But that only meant losing the money that we have while waiting. And what if there was no promo flight for a week? It could work but we could starve. Stupid idea, really. Then Daphne thought of working in Singapore while we wait. She thought of working in tutorial centers and even suggested to me that I should become a photographer to earn money! Hahahaha. Yeah right! ((((:

Of course, we tried calling HOME. The help desks in the terminal were not really helpful, I'm telling you. All they did was refer us to someone who was not even willing to help you. We tried using my credit card to call in the phone booth but it didn't work. We had to use a Singapore phone card which we didn't buy because we will just waste money. So we went back to the guy in the Cebu Pacific booth again and asked if we could borrow his phone to call ate Sen. We did talk to ate Sen and told her about what happened. She just woke up and she said she would be there as soon as possible. I really couldn't thank her enough. :(( Then the guy was planning to buy a ticket back to the Philippines and he withdrew money from the bank. Daphne and I were both thinking hard about what to do. When the guy came back, he was talking to the Filipina again. He kept begging her to help us by using her credit card to buy a ticket. She was really willing to do it. The guy motioned us to sit down at McDonald's first and planned our strategy on how to survive this. So we followed him and sat by him at McDonald's with his laptop now open and with a wi-fi enabled phone in hand. The lady really wanted to help but she said her husband wouldn't allow her to use her credit card to help us. She gave us her number in case we got stuck in the airport. We thanked her for her kindness anyway. Then she left us.

The only thing to do is to buy a ticket through our families/friends in the Philippines. So we asked the guy if we could borrow his phone again to call my Dad. I was really scared and crying all over when I talked to him but he was really kind enough to understand me. When I hung up, I texted him our details: complete name, passport number, address, and email. This time, we got to know the guy who were helping us. His name was Thad and his friend was named Roy. They were both working in Singapore but Thad was celebrating his birthday the following day with his family in the Philippines so he really wanted to come home. Ate Sen also came by a few minutes after and we told her about what happened. Surprisingly, a Filipino guy seated at the back of our table named Aivis started talking to Roy and Thad. He was from Malaysia and he just stopped by in Singapore for his 1AM flight. We quickly noticed that we were having a mini-Filipino group session at the back of McDonald's. Honestly, the reason why all of this happened was unbelievable but we were all glad it did. Missing a flight could be the hardest thing you could ever experience if you are "alone."

LOSE A FLIGHT, WIN A FRIEND <3

The new itinerary ((:

After an hour of endless waiting, with some food sponsored by our beloved ate Sen (super thank you ate Sen <3), Dad finally emailed our itinerary. Thad, Daphne and I were boarding the same flight at 5:30 PM. We were teasing each other, "O tara, paiwan ulit tayo! Sabay tayo ng 1AM!" HAHAHA. But no, we have checked in 2 hours before the flight. We also combined our baggages so that we could save space and money as well. There was a mini shopping center inside the Budget Terminal. We roamed around while waiting, charged our phones, and then voila! We're on time. ((((: Actually, we were so tired and our eyes were already stressed out. Shades are the ultimate companion at this time. We kept complaining that we could have boarded the flight earlier at 10:30 AM if they let us because there were still a lot of wasted time inside. They just didn't want to hassle themselves I guess. It was unfair but it's Cebu Pacific Air "Promo Flight" freakin' policy. We just had to accept everything that happened. And of course, we did. ;)


Mom and Dad were there very early at NAIA Terminal 3 to pick us up. Thad went home with his family as soon as we came out at the arrival area. Daphne and I narrated the story together to my parents. We were really afraid of facing them because we know they were going to be upset. But I'm happy that they understood. Yes, Mom... lesson learned! I'll never be late for a flight again! My parents even brought us dinner and I thoughtlessly ate my food. Daphne didn't want to eat but I asked her to bring her food home. I know she's tired and hungry and all. ((:


Despite the lost time roaming around nowhere, crying scene at the train station, lost flight at the airport, debt to pay to my parents for the return plane tickets (which we have both paid already thank God), and numerous wounds and swollen feet, I could say it was hell of an adventure, a roller coaster ride which I wouldn't want to miss out on life.


I say, for every BIG blessing comes BIG responsiblity.. HAHAHA.


I'll definitely go back to Singapore one day and say, "HAH! You caught me! Now, I know you by heart!" ((: