Back to August 2012, I was flying to Manila a day after first day of Lebaran. I know the destination I pick at this time is not a favouriet destination for Indonesian so I was easy to book the Cebu Pacific flight, the famous budget airlines from Philippines. My flight departed on August 20 in the middle of the night around 12.30 midnite. I was not alone but I traveled with a friend. Taking 4 hours, 5 minutes direct flight from CGK Airportterminal 2 to NAIA, Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Terminal 3, was not so exhausted. I can sleep 'well' at the airplane, no worries hihihi...as long as I can take a deep breath and after taking the cappucino that I buy in the air, I can close my eyes, not a big problem for me, I can sleep everywhere, lol.
Shortly we arrived at 5.30am Philippine's time while Jakarta still one hour behind. Our connecting flight to Cebu was around 1pm hmmm it is still too early but not a long lay over anyway therefore we decide for not heading the Centre or escape far from the airport. We try to find some food for a quick breakfast so we go to the mart (like Seven Eleven) and I pick up one cup of instant noodle while my friend seems so picky, what happen ? ahh my friend said to me Heyy could you see the sign on the cup please ? Oh what is that ? I quickly look mine that was already opened, owh the pork cup noodle, upps my friend has been awared from the beginning that is why she look so careful in finding the one that not contain pork. Yes, this is not Indonesia, place that you can find every where certified halal food, lesson number one if you are muslim kindy be picky in deciding what you are going to eat especially the instant one (include the snack chips).
Okay let me share what the airport looks like and what about its surrounding ?
NAIA Term 3 at the time looks new, with the same concept to almost new airport in Asia with the ECO FRIENDLY concept. It is exaclty like our airport, CGK Term 3 if I can say and UPG Airport in Makassar. I can see there is signage of shopping mall there but it looks empty not a really shopping mall or shops there. Maybe now this airport must be busy for sure. Ah yes, the international and Domestic check in counter are in the same floor. Taxi are waiting outside the terminal so it is so easy once you are out then you can see them waiting for you. What we can see the surrounding ? Right across the airport is a Resort World Manila, the 3rd Resort World after Genting Highland and Singapore. For killing time we decide to visit this complex. There is a free shuttle from NAIA Term 3 (and vice versa) to Resort World Manila provided by Resort World. We take the shuttle and here we are, we are in Resort World Manila, wow, it is a cool complex, there are five star hotels around (include Marriot Hotel) and the CASSINO. Hmmm I have to tell you the secret that we are lucky at the time, there is an officer from the Cassino (He said he is a controller from government) that was greatly kind to give us a tour. He showed us what are inside the Cassino. They are not opened yet and it is consider quiet in the morning so that is alright for foreigner to take a free tour inside i guess.
We were back to the airport by taking the free shuttle again. Our flight (still by Cebu Pacificdomestic flight) is at 1 pm something, we take a quick lunch somewhere inside the terminal and go boarding. Owh I suddenly feel sleepy hmmm that the caused of the Red Eye flight we took from Jakarta to Manila but never mind I can sleep at the airplane. as I get the window seat, a very comfort place to lean on my head is near the windoe hihihi. We flown and take 1h 30 mins to arrive smoothly in Mactan Cebu International Airport. First I have to tell you that our road trip begins. By following the direction of using public transportation from the Airport to the Cebu city, we finally arrive safely at the Hotel. I think I have to underline here again that I was not taking any taxi or private car to reach the hotel but I was seriously taking public transportation from airport jeepney to downtown Jeepney, wow it is so cool. I quickly mingle with local and treat myself as a local, horrayyy this is it. I have to thanking so much to Cille Ardiente (a Cebu travel blogger) from Penfires.com that is so clear in writing the direction by using Public Transportation from airport to downtown on her blog, cool, thumbs up to Cille and her Penfires.com.
Day one in Cebu
I feel so tiring, I really need the bed and the rest. But I was so happy to arrive here and I also like to enjoy the hotel that offer a great benefit, we can have the free hot coffee / tea / drinks / cocktail / snacks or high tea for the evening until 7.30pm as I remember. We also free to take the tour in the hotel, just to have a look the hotel facility which one we can use during our stay, the gym seems okay, the staff there was kind and helpfull to explain about the hotel and Cebu city, owh he said that at the first sight he thought we are Philipinos coming from Manila so he is ready to speak Tagalog and then prepare to speak Cebuano, we are laughing and he is either when knowing in fact that we are Indonesian, so he must speak english till end then hihihi...hmm it is not bad for us to realize we look like local, since the time we arrive and do the airport transfer by ourselves, from jeepney to jeepney at least we have and effort and it sounds 'ribet' or not so simple yes but it contains something that you cannot forget, the purpose of this trip has been reached anyway, despite of act like local, we, Indonesian, honestly speaking are almost look alike with Philippines, agree ?
So after looked around at the hotel, we went out to Ayala centre, the complex of shopping mall, restaurant and the night life, to chill out ourselves there just sitting in the square and enjoy the night life around, that is so cool. It was mid night and we back to the hotel, go sleep directly with the memory of Jeepney hmmmm fly to the moon
