Air head
December was a month of heavy traveling, and for a preferably light traveler faced with heavy fashion demands, it was challenging to navigate airports and rail stations and taxi stands. Good thing there's Google and Uber, my two best friends when it comes to traveling.
I'm allergic to being bamboozled by con artists, so the best thing to do when trying to avoid being fleeced is to compare prices and rates on the web. That became especially true when I landed in Denpasar airport in Bali, where the sharks are swimming right outside the airport. As soon as one heads out of the duty-free exit, the throng of touts and cabbies swamp the traveler, and if one hasn't made prior arrangements, it feels very much like feeding session in a barracuda pit.
As I fended off aggressive peddlers (one who even flashed a fake idea from Blue Bird, the reputable cab company), the free wifi at the airport kicked in, and I was able to access the survival info I should have researched way ahead. Thanks Google!
Actually, make wifi the third best friend any traveler can have. Wifi was the means by which I could call an Uber car many times in Chiang Mai. And guess what, there was a 50 percent discount to the first 20 Uber rides in that small city, so guess how I navigated that charming ancient capital? Yes, I did walk many miles in that extremely walkable old town, but calling an Uber car to ferry one around to restaurants and malls is extremely addictive.
I dreaded going home, not only because it meant the vacation was over, but also because I chose Cebu Pacific as my carrier for the direct flight from Bali to Manila. The hours offered by PAL for the same route just weren’t appealing (who wants to spend four delicious sleep hours on the plane and land in Manila at 5:00 in the ungodly morning?), so it was with trepidation that I booked on CebuPac.
Surprise, surprise. The flight was on time, checking in was a breeze, and we landed a bit early. As my sarcastic friend commented, having low expectations really helps.
But really, there were a couple of noteworthy plus points to our local carrier. One was, while it does sell food on the plane instead of including the price of meals in the ticket, CebuPac doesn't prohibit passengers from carrying their own food. So if the meal selection isn't appealing, one can always opt to buy food and drinks from the airport and then consume it during the flight. (And looking at the inflight options available, they look pretty appealing, and the price points weren't mercenary.)
Not so with Air Asia, which also follows the same tack of trying to generate revenue by selling beverages and meals on the plane. While filing slowly in during the boarding process, a hawk-eyed ground crew member asks passengers to leave their coffee cups and water bottles outside the plane. And warning signs are printed all around asking passengers not to eat food purchased outside.
Spoilsports. I had to wolf down my blueberry muffin and canned cappuccino during air turbulence, while the cabin crew were safely belted into their seats, so I wouldn't be drawn into an argument about human rights violations.
CebuPac was refreshing in that sense. There wasn't any heavy-handed attempt to part me with my cash. And speaking of revenue generating, some smart executive had the bright idea of converting all that space inside into an advertising goldmine, as posters were installed all across the length of the plane, hawking an insurance product. (The idea that we would need life insurance because of a plane crash came into mind, unfortunately.)
I love PAL because it lets you check in ahead on the web and also change your pre-selected seat from window to aisle or whatever. Air Asia, however, allows a change in the pre-selected seat only if you pay extra for it. Not kosher. So yes, if you are gifted with a crummy seat, thank heavens for wifi, as one can access the airline website, and select a better seat for half a thousand pesos more. (For a five-hour flight, it can be worth it.)
The only reason I flew Air Asia to Chiang Mai was because of a wonderful article in its inflight magazine that showcased street art in that city (no, Nadech Kugimiya had nothing to do with it). And speaking of inflight magazines, both CebuPac and PAL have upgraded theirs. The new looks are impressive, and the writing has improved. I am actually looking forward to seeing their forthcoming issues.
Yes, that does mean more traveling is ahead for this new year.
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