Hello and Happy New Year to one and all.

I am reviving the travel blog again this year for my travels. I thought last year was a year.. but this year is coming to be a bigger and better year than last. So far Manila is definitely in the cards.... (I just arrived tonight), and maybe a few trips to Manila this year of short duration, Amsterdam is pretty positive as well as Capetown South Africa. So.. with that.. Let me start this new year with my recent trip to Manila.

I was due to leave at 9 AM on Delta thru Detroit and then to Nagoya Japan and then Manila. Well due to the storm we had in Philly on Wednesday and the 15 inches of snow, my flight this morning was cancelled. I called Delta and thought to myself.. this 28 hour day is going to be longer than I thought.. !!! Well Delta got me on a later flight to Detroit on US Air which was great. I thought I would get there but my luggage wouldn't.. but I hoped for the best. In Philly I got body searched and patted down. Now since this started last year, I have been patted down 3 times.. so I think I am way above the average for the population. He was cute and nice.. so it wasn't so bad !!

I got to Detroit just fine. I was meeting a friend and co worker Gail in Detroit. Well it was 2:30 and I still hadn't seen her. Our flight out of Detroit was at 3:30. Then all of a sudden I hear my name over the loud speaker to report to our gate. I thought it was Gail paging me. I got there.... no Gail. They just wanted to change my seat closer to the front... where the is 5 inches more of leg room.. YEA!!!! I started checking on Gail. Her flight was delayed due to maintenance and then the flight she got just got her in. She showed up as we were getting on the plane.

Well we get on the plane.. She gets a bulkhead seat up front and mine had extra leg room and there was NO ONE in the middle seat for either one of us. I was shocked... We settled in for our 14 hour flight. Once we had dinner I took my 5 mg of valium and off to sleep I went. We pulled into Nagoya, Japan for a short turn thru security and back on the plane. As I was waiting for Gail, AGAIN, my name is called over the loud speaker to report to the international connecting desk. I thought what the heck is going on? I get up to the desk and the 2 guys that I have seen before on previous flights (they have the wildest hairdoo's) asked me how I was feeling. I thought that was awfully nice of them to ask, but knew there was more to it than just being extra nice to me. I said I was fine. Someone told them that I had been sick on the plane coming over and had vomited. We clarified my name, and row and seat. I assured them that I was great the entire time and haven't been sick in along time. They looked at me like "now what do we do????". They asked me a few more questions and then appolgized, bowed and said have a great flight to Manila. I went to the internet tables and met this really nice Filipino couple that have lived in the states since 1969. Ironically the gentleman was sitting to the guy that got sick. His bag kind of got throw up on it and he was wiping it off when we met. Too weird.

We get on the plane for 4 more hours and voila.. we are in Manila. We get thru imigration, go to the baggage claim and my bags were 2 of the first 10 bags off that carousel. I was shocked. Of over 300 people my bags are first. AND I was worried that US Air to Delta would lose them.. :) We get thru customs, and we meet Narciso our driver and before you know I am back at the Shangri La Hotel Makati in Manila. It almost felt like going home. The folks at the hotel were so nice and excited to see me. I got a hug from Maureen at the front desk. One of the door men even jokingly said.. Welcome Home Mr Thomas... The lobby was popping since it was Saturday night.. There is a bar upstairs quite popular with the younger crowd.

I noticed the lobby flower arrangement was this BIG rabbit!!!! was great.. see pics.. This year is the Chinese New Year of the Rabbit. So since this is a Chinese Hotel chain, that is the reason for the rabbit. So before they take it down.. I snapped some pics and posted them here. I unpacked, got my clothes ironed, and everything is all set like I never left here.. except I don't have as many clothes here this time.

Tomorrow (later this am - It is 4:20 am local time Sunday 1/30) I am going to hit the gym at 5. I am going to start my walking a few miles every day, sit in the steam room and enjoy that.. and then weigh myself to see if I gained any weight since Nov when I weighed myself when I left. Then little later go out and start running. I have a 10K race here in Manila next Sunday and I have to get some running to get used to the heat. Then breakfast, some shopping at the mall and show Gail around, see my friend Richie and Larry that are here as well.

Then my Sunday afternoon ritual is resumed.. The Spa!!!! I am taking Gail to The Spa for a couple of items.. I of course am doing my 5 star pampering for myself. Then later I am meeting a couple of the guys from work, then dinner with Gail and Richie.. and off to bed to get some sleep til about midnight. Then up for the night - will watch the changing of the lobby flower arrangement, gym, food and then off to bed on Monday morning so I will feel refreshed and ready to go for work on Monday night.

So life is good.. weather is 80's during day, 70's during the night with humidity, 5 star hotel and working here with people that I have gotten to know and call my friends. These 3 weeks will be quick and short... but I am going to enjoy every last minute.. I may be back sooner than I know.. haven't seen my work schedule for March.. but it could be 3 more weeks here.. I am so hoping..

Until the next time.. Live like there is no tomorrow..