TRAVEL BLOG PHILIPPINES & OTHER PLACES

SCTEX ROAD HEADING SOUTH TOWARDS SUBIC. LOOKS REALLY NICE AFTER A GOOD RAIN.

Long day yesterday and today.   Started in a van from Chula Vista, CA  at 14:30 PM; van made three stops to pickup more passengers  before departing to LAX.  Arrived at LAX at 1815 PM, then in line for 45 minutes waiting to check-in.  Flight departed at 1035 PM, then stopover in Guam to refuel and clean facilities, if you catch my drift (hold your nose).   Much needed cleaning after 12 hours of flight time with over 400 people on board.  Delay in Guam was to be 45 minutes, finally departed after 90 minutes.  Who knows why, but it was a stop in Guam!  Then 3 hours and 10 minutes from Guam to Manila.   From LAX to Guam hit two areas of turbulence,  second area was bad, 747 was getting moved up and down like a kite in typhoon.  Arrival at Manila was ok, took over one hour to get luggage, this is normal, carousals are not very large.   After 30 years of travel to Manila Airport, I could not expect a quicker process.  Van was waiting with seven of my wife’s relatives.  Traffic slow out of Manila, we increased speed once on the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX).  After NLE north for 45 minutes, then cut across to Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), then South to Subic Bay free-port for 51 Kilometers.  Out the back gate of free port to Barrio Barretto (5 minutes), turn left, then head north 3K, then turn right at the Coffee Shop, follow the road until the T-Intersection, then make a left, then up the hill on Rizal Extension to home ( 1K).  Coffee Shop is a landmark, everyone knows the place in Olongapo City.  They have really great tacos.

JIm the Kano