When I was in university I used to look forward to public holidays because I’d always grab the long weekend to take that 7 to 8 hours trip home to the province.

7 years in the city made me a pro in hopping into that bus after my last class, spending maximum time at home, then riding back to the city as a chance passenger at the latest hour but arriving just in time for my first class.

Last week, my long-weekend travelling skills and my knack for spontaneity were put to the test.

Cancelling our Istanbul trip because of a psycho-case looming over our heads, I eyed a trip home to the Philippines instead. It took me 2 weeks of constantly refreshing our staff flight website to chance on an available seat. I finally got a confirmed seat 3 days before the weekend.

Here was my crazy itinerary:

Thanks to my boss I got Thursday off! Believe it or not but my bus rides took longer hours than my flights. To make this trip more exciting, I asked my siblings not to tell the rest of my family about it. I wanted to surprise my mom who had felt low the past months because of Diabetes and my grandma who has been sickly lately.

This is my 5th airplane ride (including my exit travels) over Abu Dhabi and it’s still the same feeling of overwhelming relief being flown away from Arab soil.

I was too sleepy to devour this meal. I slept halfway through it and when I woke up it was gone. They took away my meal so I took home my blanket.

Was tempted to try this but didn’t see anyone chat-worthy (Read: cute)

The trip was uneventful, except for someone in the window seat who had to use the lavatory 3 times. Yes, that was me.

Arriving in NAIA after a year, I couldn’t stop smiling. Stepping foot into the land of my birth, I didn’t care that it was one of the world’s worst airports, I smiled and nodded at everyone and strongly resisted the urge to do a public standing ovation.

A few hours later, I was reunited with my welcoming committee and a plateful (sarcasm here) of Jollibee Bangus Meal!

I missed them so much, for a second I thought of not returning to Abu Dhabi.

Then of course I remembered a certain person who brought me to the airport on a work morning and waited patiently ’till I boarded. Sigh.

I have arrived!

I don’t believe an accident of birth makes people sisters or brothers. It makes them siblings, gives them mutuality of parentage. Sisterhood and brotherhood is a condition people have to work at. – Maya Angelou

To be continued…