Philippines Part 1 By Mama

We are back!  This is going to be a long post because there is so much about our trip we want to share.  We left for our trip on: January 29th and luckily, our flight departed from LA at 1155pm, which meant that the girls were somewhat on a good sleep schedule.  We got to LA, my parents drove with us up in a rented minivan and there was barely any traffic.  Memmy was cute and not fussy at all, and MP was her usual adventerous self.  I kept telling her we were going on a plane and we were flying across the ocean, and she nodded in understanding.  Weeks before, she would hear or see a plane and say, "Plane? Ride?"  Anyway, we got there 5 hours early, so my mom and MP and I went to go snoop around the gift shops.  MP is at the stage where she is starting to put two words together, sometimes three... and here is the conversation I heard her and my mom having at the gift shop...

LOLA:  No baby, I don't think you can have that...put it back.

MP:  Uhhhhhh, no....

LOLA:  Can you even eat those?  I don't think you even know what they are... (holding up a bag of Jelly Bellies)

MP:  Yes!

LOLA:  really?  your mom let's you eat those?

MP: Yes!

LOLA:  Are you sure?

MP: YAH!  I LIKE IT!!

She said, "yah I like it" so clearly, and so determined all my mom and I could do was laugh.  This is the first time she has spoken a full sentence- of course, we were mean and didn't buy her the jelly bellies.  But, we suck like that.  Anyway, believe me, she got enough stuff.  

We checked in to China Airlines without any problem, except that the airlines noticed my passpoert expired in July and informed me that the Philippined immigration was going to charge me 200 USD because I wasn't traveling within six months of my passport expiring.  This pissed me off.  Anyway, it was fixed later on in the ride.  But just an FYI for those of you traveling.  Just check your passports.

So, we said goodbye to my parents who were hesitant in letting go of the kids and we assured them we were coming back in three weeks.  

We rode a shuttle bus, to get to the terminal where our plane was, and there were two monks clothed in a vibrant, bright orange.  MP was dazzled and they smiled and waved to her.  I instantly felt at ease about the flight.  I don't know why- it just felt like the passengers' chis would be in order.

We finally boarded the plane after waiting a couple hours, and Memmy was sleeping in the carrier, which we ended up checking-in along with the stroller.  MP was all over the place but we made a pen where she could run in circles, dressed her in her pajamas and she finally settled down.

People kept on asking me before we left if we were going to give the girls' bendaryl or something to make them sleep during the plane.  I am very weary of this, only because I am a very paranoid mom- as far as dosages are concerned.  Anyway, we were trying to go this ride as drug free as possible.  We packed MP a small backpack that she could carry like ours and filled it with magic pads, stickers, a fuzzy worm puppet, a disposable camera, snacks, crayons and small books.  We didn't let her look in it until we were on the plane.  Oh, and we also bought the portable DVD player when we had a good deal for it.  So, we were set.   

During take off, Memmy was asleep and didn't bat an eyelash as we took off.  MP drank a baba, and fell asleep- the ride was 14 hours from LAX-Taipei.  The girls slept about 8 of those hours, and another two by the last 6.  We barely opened the backpack, they were absolutely brilliant during the ride.  The last five minutes, while the plane was in taxi-mode, MP started to freak out.  She cried a little, but was acting more like she was clausterphobic (as we all were.)  

Taipei layover (was about 8 hours).  Everything (except the vending machines) took US Dollars, and we ended up at a cafe eating noodles.  MP enjoyed this, and the baby carrier/carseat was a hassle to lug around.  The stroller came in handy.

All the restrooms in the Taipei airport were clean and the baby rooms had nice, hot water out of a water dispenser.  This came in handy for Memmy's bottles.  The duty free stuff had tons of Scotch and it was tempting not to buy any of it.

Anyway, our layover was over and we were two hours away from landing on Philippine soil.  I was really excited and couldn't wait for my Lola & Lolo to meet the girls.  The flight from Taipei to Manila was nearly empty and they moved us to two rows of our very own.  MP ate her in flight meal and was happy.

We landed and right when we got off the plane, two guys in suits with Ninoy Aquino International Airport tags were holding up a sign that said, "Melissa & Audi Keith."

LOL!!  My husband, the middle-eastern car.  

They immediately took our stuff and our landing card and passport and we got front of the (very long line) priveleges.  I never knew what to do in this situation, only because they are so fast, I am not always sure they are people who are helping and sent by my Lolo or people stealing our stuff.  At any rate, as long as we had the girls I didn't really care.  They waited at the baggage carousel with us, bypassed the customs officials and we walked out for our ride.  One problem, we had no cell phone.  No one was there to pick us up.  I only had the house number memorized and wasn't sure really who was picking us up.  I called the house and Lola said my Uncle Raul was going to be there... and that he went to the wrong airport.  LOL!  So we waited a few extra minutes, kids tired but in control.  And we finally saw Uncle Raul with our family driver, Nelson.  And so our adventure in the Philippines began...

Next post?  Our first week as told by Mini Peaves herself with pictures!