After picking Ernest up, we were finally on the way to the spanking new, not even fully-finished NAIA Terminal 3 where all Cebu Pacific flights are. Gene and K were already there waiting for us. Gene had come from Hong Kong 2 days prior so we could all take the trip together. NAIA 3 was quite bare but I appreciated the polished, modern look and cold AC. I really hope this airport turns out well and is maintained well so visitors can have a positive first impression of our country.

The people in the check-in counter were inordinately slow as though our check-in was a lame test run. They seemed to have no idea what they were doing and couldn’t grasp the concept that our return ticket was not from our country of first destination. On the way, my luggage weighed a measly 11kgs—winner for lightest packer. We all wondered what our luggage will weigh going back to the Philippines what with all the goodies we imagined we would bring home.

Although I did not barf and would not barf for the rest of the trip, I had trouble sleeping because of the cramped space, uncomfortable chair, and freezing AC, but the latter was really my fault since I was wearing flip-flops. There were none of the famous Cebu Pacific games maybe because it was a red-eye flight. We, save Mel and K who chatted away the whole flight, were dead tired especially Ernest who fell into a deep sleep.

Off we go!

HCMC at night looked just like Manila. There were constructions going on in the middle of the roads. The storefronts and buildings were similar to ours. We joked to each other about going all the way to HCMC to see the view from our doorsteps. The cab driver turned on the meter as we were going to the hotel, and it came to 86,000 dong. Now we knew how much it’s supposed to cost on the way back. Ernest was designated as the one who would first pay for all transport costs.

Upon arrival at the Bong Sen Annex, we looked upon our 2-star hotel with some hesitation. The lobby was small and spartan—a sofa set, 2 chairs with a mirror, a front desk, a small standing board which denoted “Welcome to Bong Sen Annex” and a cot where our bellboy slept. The concierge was quite strict in ensuring that the six of us would be taking three rooms. We had booked ahead online at Asiarooms.com so I think that was quite self-explanatory. We were given first floor rooms which we were adamantly against since we didn’t want to be in the same floor as the lobby, but we weren’t given a choice. Good thing the first floor was technically on the second floor. The hotel even had a lift we could use!

There were actual keys to the rooms which we had to surrender on the way out. Vietnam was the only place where we would have a double-sharing room arrangement. Gene and I, Melissa and Nikki, Ernest and Kristine bunked together. The bellboy (who was only in slippers!) brought our luggage up to our small but essentially-equipped rooms. The beds were actually wide enough that if we put them together, they would comfortably fit three. The space was narrow in the sense that the desk was almost at the foot of the bed with TV on it. There wasn’t much aisle space, and there were no desks between beds. The bathroom though was wide and clean which pleased us.

After unpacking, Gene and I turned off the lights and slept.