To Hong Kong: Now Boarding

All my bags are packed I'm ready to go

I'm standin' here outside your door

I hate to wake you up to say goodbye...

I was like a creepy little freak while singing these few lines of that John Denver song. Maybe I was just so excited packing my things up for my Hong Kong family trip today! I know! You might be thinking that this is a sad song but I don’t really care. All I know is, I’m gonna be “leavin' on a jet plane” today.

It was 9am when I arrived home this morning.

10am, when I ate breakfast after checking few updates on Facebook and after posting a “is flying to Hong Kong” status.

11am, when I am done packing my things by following this reliable checklist I made for my Cebu backpacking trip last year.

Travel Checklist

And now, here I am today on a bus heading north.

I will be meeting my family at the Clark International Airport where we will be boarding to Hong Kong.

To start with, I googled and read some posts, blogs and itineraries how to get there, and for me, this would be the cheapest:

A Cheap Way to Get to Clark International Airport from Manila

Ride any bus going northbound that can drop you off at the Dau Bus Terminal. Before hopping in, you may ask the bus conductor first:

“Manong, dadaan ba kayo sa terminal ng Dau?” (Sir, are you passing by at Dau Bus Terminal?)

If it’s a yes, then you’re on the right track.

From the façade of Dau terminal, you may ask where is the Sogo Hotel (take note: do not check in! just kidding). This would be a great landmark for you to easily locate the jeepney terminal (paradahan) going to Clark Main Gate. Take a “Clark Main Gate” marked jeepney (Php8) and alight at Bayanihan Terminal (near SM City Clark). From there, you can transfer to another jeepney that goes inside the Clark Special Economic Zone with a signboard, ROUTE 1 (Php15). Don’t forget to ask the driver to drop you off at the ‘terminal’. From the unloading point, the airport entrance is now a two-minute walk away.

2pm, I have just arrived at the Clark International Airport also known as Diosdado Macapagal International Airport.

At the departure gate

My mom and my little brother have just arrived so early for our 7 PM flight.“Better to be early than late" as what they say. Yeah, I agree but what else can we do to waste four more hours before the boarding time?

I guess taking a quick shot before boarding would be the best.

Click!

7PM, Ready to board!