2014 KOREA - Day1

I was able to score good rates from Cebu Pacific during their May 1 sale and since nasa Korea na sina Ate Agnes and Denise we tagged along and booked tickets for the whole family. Carry lang ang visa as they were my dependents and since I have a multiple-visa to Korea, the kids and July did not have a hard time getting visas.

Day 1 - June 6, 2014, Friday

Our flight is at 3:20 pm but before we went to the airport, hinatid ko muna for her Kumon si Juliana and bought medicines for July at Mercury Drug. Of all times, ngayon pa sumakit ung likod ni July so I really trimmed down the clothes that we will be bringing to Korea kasi baka mahirapan kami pagbitbit.

Ate did her share of carrying the assigned backpack to her plus pulling the Trunki luggage. Isabel is at her usual clingy mommy mode. It was Papa Lolo who brought us to the airport right after lunch. Good thing there was no traffic so we were at the airport by 1pm.

Travel tax for minors is 50% discounted plus Php 200 processing fee. I do not know why we have to pay for the Php 200 and what really is the travel tax for pero as a good citizen, we have no choice but to pay. I actually got ready with all the payments and forms so checking-in was a breeze. I requested for a seat closest to the front but according to the Cebu Pac girl, wala na raw four seats adjacent so we were given 37a-d seats.

 

Once we were at the gate, kagulo na ung dalawa! Takbo rito, takbo roon, agawan sa trunki, unahan pagturo sa airplanes, etc. But they were super excited! When it was our turn to go inside the airplane, we were happy to know that the plane is a big one with more legroom and capacity of more than 400 passengers. I think it was the plane that they used for their Dubai flights. At least, medyo komportable naman ang seats. We are actually given exit row seats but it is a big no no to have kids there so we transferred to 38a-c. Nakakatuwa si Isabel because when Ate claimed the window seat on the 37th row, nung pinalipat kami on the 38th row, nakipagunahan sya and since she is small, nakasingit agad to claim the 38a window seat... Maabilidad ang batang ito... At naganap na ang iyakan pero after a while Ate conceded and just sat at the aisle seat. I asked Isabel why she rushed to the window seat and she told me: Gusto ko meron ako kita (ayaw nya ng walang view!).

 

The flight is okay. July ate the Nong Shim noodles na mild spicy lang daw pero super anghang na for me and since we will arrive at the airport at 8pm, I ordered Nissin noodles na din. The kids slept during the majority of the flight with Ate Hannah asking me a hundred times if we are already at Korea.

We arrived at Incheon International Airport at around 8pm but because it was a long walk from the gate to the immigration counter plus the 2 kids well being kids, we were able to exit the airport at about 9pm. Nagpapalit muna kami ng Korean won to get us through the night. I asked the help of Mr. Jang for our airport pick-up and since he cannot make it, we were assisted by his church mate who did not speak English. I only knew it was him based on the placard that he has with my name on it. Welcome Dimalanta family at Korea!

 

Mr. No Chong Ki brought a jumbo taxi with him so kasyang kasya kaming apat and the luggages. We went straight to Hotel California which is located at Yongin which is about 1.5 hours away from Incheon airport. When we reached the hotel, I had a hard time talking to the front desk because he can’t understand English! I am asking lang if ano number nung isa pang kwarto as I booked 2 rooms. But he thought I was asking about having 2 beds. Asus! Na-kakainis lang ang pabalik-balik na usapan na hindi nagkakaintindihan so I texted Mark na as to what is their room number. It turned out magkalapit lang pala. We were at Room 410 while they were at Room 411. Ayan na, tuwang-tuwa na ang magpipinsan!

 
Ate Agnes and Mark bought burger for us at Lotteria and Ate Agnes cooked adobo for the kids. Pero dahil sa sobrang excitement, konti lang ang kinain nung dalawang kiddos. Bago mag-12midnight, we retreated already to our room to rest for the big day tomorrow.