Flying to the Philippines for bird watching

OK, it has come to my knowledge that we have senior citizens visiting my web page. How hard can it be? So it's not very easy for them to see the blue coloured links to the next page.

Jiffy (also jiff)

noun [in SING.] informal a moment: we'll be back in a jiffy.

ORIGIN late 18th cent.: of unknown origin.

So as you understand, in a jiff pretty much depends on your internet.

So I put a “Next” button here and I hope that there isn't any problem to understand how to use that one. So just CLICK the “Next” button on your left hand side and you will be on the next page in a jiff!

Marunong ka mag-tagalog? Walang problema! Magpunta sa kabilang pahina pindutin ang “NEXT” button sa itaas

Faites vous parlez le français? Pas de problème! Pour arriver à la page suivante faites s'il vous plaît un déclic le bouton “Next” ci-dessus!

Haga usted dice el español? No hay problema! Ver la siguiente página sólo hacer clic el botón “Next” encima!

Farla parla l'italiano? Non problemi! Per vedere la prossima pagina lo scatto per favore giusto Il bottone “Next” sopra

Sprechen sie Deutsch! Kein problem! Wenn Sie die folgende Seite sehen wollen gerade klicken der Knopf “Next” oben!

คุณพูดภาษาไทยได้ไหม ไม่มีปัญหา ถ้าคุณต้องการไปหน้าถัดไป ให้กดปุ่ม “Next” ข้างบนนี้

Вы говорите по-русски? Просто нажмите синюю кнопку "Next" с левой стороны и Вы моментально переместитесь на следующую страницу!

E ni Svenskar och inte förstår Engelska så ska ni skämmas. J och Björn, med det menar jag inte att alla mina stavfel ska ältas varje gång vi träffas.

Well, the flag of Skåne, just a BONUS flag.

Aladdin's adventure on board Thai Airways flight TG 620

Sunday 8 ^th of September 2024 and I have booked a GRAB car that will come to pick me up at 5 thirty. I expect around 30 minutes to get to Suvarnabhumi International and Thai Airways flight TG620 to Ninoy Aquino International in Manila.

I am booked at Belmont Hotel Manila, located at the airport so it is just a couple of minutes’ walking from the luggage claim. My Guide will pick me up at 3 o'clock tomorrow morning.

We will reach Subic at 6 o'clock in the morning and we will start to look for birds. We will stay overnight for 2 nights before returning to Manila. I wanted to see the Philippine Eagle, but then we need to go to Del Monte Kitanglad on Mindanao.

Hiking on the mountain and camping, I am 60! No way I am spending a couple of days in the junglecamping during the rainy season. So this time I will stay on Luzon the check out the birds of Luzon. I will discuss the Philippine Eagle with my Guide in Manila.

Maybe I come back in the winter to go to Del Monte Kitanglad on Mindanao.

But there are several endemic Philippine birds on Luzon and I hope that we will see some of them

We are on the way to Suvarnabhumi International

I came down at 05:29 and my GRAB car had arrived. There was a taxi waiting and at first I thought it was my car. But the taxi came to deliver someone and my GRAB car came around the corner.

My driver took my bag and he managed to destroy the handle before I got it in to the trunk, a little bit of early morning “PEP” Just what I needed.

We arrived to Suvarnabhumi just after 6 o'clock and I went to get my boarding pass. They told me that they had moved me to the window seat as my choice in the aisle did not working as it should.
- So no one is sitting there?
- We have blocked this seat
- Perfect!

Security was quite quick and immigration did not take long and I was soon on my way to the train station. Thai Airways flight TG 620 is leaving from the new terminal.

Escalators to the underground train station

Escalators to the underground train station

The train arrives when I come down

Not so many people on the train

On the way to the new terminal

I arrive at my gate

The train arrives when I come down to the underground train station so no need to wait. There was alot of people arriving with the train but no many passengers at the departure.

Taking my seat in front of the train and as there is no driver I get a full view of the excitement while going to the new terminal.

Getting up to the departure gates via the escalators. And from there it was a long way to trot toreach gate #124. Of course, my gate was almost as far away as you could get in the terminal. More good morning “PEP” to drag around my carry on

It was nice to take a seat at the gate. And it looks like the flight will be almost empty as there are not many people waiting.

But biz is almost fully booked.

I don't know, it took maybe 10 minutes before the boarding could start. PA messages, notice boards and signs all over the place. And still, full pandemonium when boarding starts.

Personal from Thai Airways checked peoples boarding pass and they sent them back in the line if they were not boarding in group 1

Boarding Thai Airways flight TG 620

Finally in my seat

Finally in my seat

Enjoying a glass of water before take-off

It came as no surprise that departure was delayed by 30 minutes. Happy when we were finally pulled out from the jet gate as I need to get to Manila ASAP. I have planned to visit a few eBird hotspots in the afternoon.

Airbourne and they brought two cups of tea to my seat and I was soon served breakfast. The breakfast was OK and they brought two more cups of tea.

Six cups in total and I spent the remaining 2 hours trying to kill the boredom. Flipping through the in- flight magazine for a few seconds. Open the window blind and staring out the window for a few seconds.

Closing the window blind again and another few seconds was killed. Reading the safety instructions and suddenly there was a Steward coming running from forwards with first aid kit, Defibrillator and stuff.

A moment later and I could hear that they were asking if there was any Medical Doctor on board.

I know of a guy that reported himself to the Stewards when they had asked for a Doctore. He is no Doctor and I asked how he dared to report as a Doctor. He just went to have a look and gavesome pointless pointers and he received gratitude from the airline.

Well, I sat quiet in my seat, gratitude or not, this is not a drama I wish for.

We approached Ninoy Aquino International and they came with a notice with a QR code. We need to fill up an online custom form. Of course, this is something I should have checked before leaving for Manila.

It went pretty quick to fill up the form as soon as I was connected to internet.

Coming off the plane and this is the first time I arrive to this terminal. The old terminal is on the other side of the runways and it is very old. This terminal is newer, but, well, it was a lot of trotting.

Walkways under maintenance so it was trotting all the way to the immigration. walking, on and on and I could see the ARRIVAL arrows at a corner in the horizon. Coming around the corner and there was some kind of health station.

The station was manned by harsh looking Officers monitoring monitors and cameras. I whistling on by and coming around the next corner and I reach the immigration. There are 4 signs:

Diplomats
Senior citizens
ASEAN citizen
Foreign passports

I cannot see any end to the trotting

I choose, as you can guess, foreign passports and only one lady before me. So, I expected to get through in a jiff. I stay there waiting, I had entered from under the signs and now I discover that the “Foreign passports” is coming in from the left hand side.

Well, there were hundreds of people waiting in line and the lady in front of me was ready so I stepped forward to the Immigration Officer.

Passing through in a minute and I whistlethe custom and I am in the arrival hall. Stepping up the the hotel desk and I ask for directions to the Belmont Hotel Manila.

It should be on the other end of a walk bridge, but I could not see any signs. They were very helpful at the hotel information desk and I went to find the walk bridge on the 4th floor.

Taking the escalators to the 4th floor and I find the walk bridge after having stopped to ask for directions a couple of times. There are no signs for the Belmont Hotel Manila but they confirmed that it was on the other side of the walk bridge.

I am soon understanding that the walk bridge is called “Runway Manila” going to the Newport World Resorts. Newport World Resorts is a group of hotels on the other side of the “Runway Manila”

Looking back at the terminal

And there is plenty more walking to do

I cannot see any end to the trotting

Belmont Hotel Manila on the other side of the walk bridge

Coming down on the other side of the highway and I spot Belmont Hotel Manila and the entrance is around the corner. I pass the security to get in to the hotel and I ask one of the guys where I can find a taxi for a couple of hours.

I tell him that I will go to look for birds and I will come down in 30 minutes or so.

I check-in and I take the elevator to the 5th floor and I ride the elevator together with a lady saying that my hat is “interesting”

Finding my room to be very nice, well, the lights are a bit dim. But my overall feeling is that it is a room I will be comfortable in. Water kettle, fridge and a good desk.

The dim light is a problem, but I will survive.

There were 4 bottles of water and I popped open one bottle first thing. I was thirsty after the endless walking from the airplane to the hotel room

My room

My room

My room

Setting up my IT centre before going down in the lobby and the guy from the security come to tell me that he has found a taxi. I get cash from the ATM and I get in to the car and we take off to the first eBird hotspot.

If you want to find out if I see any birds you need to click HERE !

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