To Winnipeg

Upon entering the boarding area, I go through the usual security checks. I find my flight's area and take a seat. Not much to do here but wait.

There are some overheads monitors and I see an ad for UFC 66. Just when I leave the Philippines, they decide to show the damn thing for free. Oh well, good for Mixed Martial Arts fans at home. It can only do good things for the sport's popularity in the country.

It's time to board. The plane's much smaller, it doesn't have seats at the center. I try to put my bag in the compartment, and as I feared, it won't fit. There are no center compartments to save me this time. I always had a feeling that bag was kinda big. I guess I'm lucky the airlines never measured it. "Uhm, I don't think it's gonna fit" says another passenger, seemingly amused. I just say: "Yeah, you're right..." I then try to fit it under my seat. Doesn't work. I have to settle with placing it at my feet. A tall, white guy in a business suit was seated beside me. Seemed nice enough, as he offered me some mints. We never talked again after. Once again, I get the window seat; and once again, I have a big fat wing obstructing my view. Though, I still was able to get a good view of Vancouver from the air.

The crew was a younger mix than the international Air Canada flight. Same good, courteous service as usual. No in-flight meals here though. All I would get is water and juice. Each seat had a monitor this time. They mentioned a list of movies we could watch but I didn't listen. It was unlikely I would finish one anyway. I was also asleep for most of the flight. I do remember seeing Miami Vice and Invincible in other monitors.

Between naps, I would peek out the window and all I would see was land and what looked like lakes. I was thinking "Gee, is this all Canada's got?" Of course I knew that wasn't true. Soon it would get dark, and I couldn't see much anymore. More sleep then.

The pilot announced that there would be light turbulence near Winnipeg. I would assume it would be more obvious with a smaller aircraft like this. And it did get a bit rough (probably just for me).

Soon, I would see the lights of what could only be Winnipeg. Other than that I couldn't see much. I just noticed the plane was banking, lining up for the landing. I can't really remember if it was a good landing. I just saw the big "Winnipeg" spelled out on the building. Or was it "Manitoba"? In any case, we had arrived. So I do my usual "let everyone out first" thing then head on out. It wasn't a long walk I recall. I just saw the escalator everybody was going getting on. As I approached the escalator, I spotted my wife, Meanmean, in the flesh. The last time I saw her in person was when she came home for our wedding in March 2006. And now there she was again. She was holding 2 jackets and a pair of gloves for me. Finally I got off the escalator and... no mush remember? :p Let's just say we were both extremely happy. A new phase in our lives had just begun. And we're going to go through it the way it's supposed to be - together as a family.





Is anyone throwing up out there?:)