The One Thing I Dislike About NZ

It’s been a week that I’ve been back in Manila and I have been struggling to identify what I dislike about New Zealand.  Everything seem to be so likable in that country: the people, the culture, the color, the weather, the food, the sights, the fresh air.  And finally I come to realize that at least I dislike something about the country whose slogan is “100% Pure”.

While watching a top ten scariest commercial flights in modern time video on Youtube, I suddenly came to realize that the one thing I hated about New Zealand is this…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5f7ha3Z7xY

Though it’s not bad, its definitely no good!  Yeah Air New Zealand, though they offer really nice airline services and facilities, got a very tacky and seem to be tasteless type of an airline safety video.  Though the video seem to have high production value and definitely thinks out-of-the-box in terms of catching a passenger’s attention, for me, the present NZ safety video is downright corny and at times annoying.  Too bad, my recent Air New Zealand fight featured this safety video.

I was actually looking forward to this epic type of a video when the flight attendant told all passengers to focus our attention to the screen…

If it was this cool and iconic 2014 LOTR-based safety video, it would be the first time that I would clap so hard and shout “Bravo!” over an aircraft’s safety video right inside the airplane.  Hahaha!  I know that the idea of the safety video is to get across the safety information to people but passengers (especially those seated at the economy class like me) I guess also needs to be entertained.

But honestly, I love New Zealand…

100% pure

100% pure

Ang kyut no. Sana ganyan din sa PAL.

 

Window Seat, Scenic Flight, Happy Me

With the pretty numerous travels I had, domestic and abroad wise, I developed the preference of being seated at an aisle seat.  I am no longer the kiddo who prefers to be assigned at a window seat and stick my nose on the glass window every time the plane has to take-off or land at its destination.

My reason for particularly preferring the aisle seat is because I hate excusing myself from other seated passengers when I need to stand and proceed either to the pantry or the toilet of the airplane.  Seating on the aisle seat also gives me the pleasant feeling of being seated at a much bigger space! I can even extend my “long-legged” legs towards the aisle especially during the hours when lights are off and almost all passengers are in deep sleep.

But in my recent trip to Queenstown New Zealand, I was left with no choice but to rest my skinny butt at the window side of an airplane.  It is because the airplane that I, Joesel, Karen and Denton took was a small cessna plane that goes around the Queenstown region.  It is so small it does not have an aisle and only fits us and the pilot.

happy inside the hangar

happy inside the hangar

the gang! (banggang)

the gang! (banggang)

pilot alex assisting denton on his seat...

pilot alex assisting denton on his seat…

selfie muna

selfie muna

up!

up!

I consider my sitting at the window side for this specific flight as the most stunning flight I have ever had so far.  It’s a stunning 30-minutes flight that features the beauty of the whole of Queenstownship, the grandeur of the Gibson Valley region, the quaintness of Arrowtown, the intricacy of the Shotover Canyon, the serene Wakatipu Lake and the majesty of the Remarkables mountain ranges.

This scenic flight gave me goosebumps! I never expected that I would be so blessed to breathe, smell and see for myself up in the sky the magnificent beauty of Queenstown, New Zealand!  Only a crazy stupid soul will complain of being seated at the window side when the dazzling view out in the open would be an astonishing beauty such as this.

Sobra sobra! Owber sa ganda!

A Senseless Airplane Recurrence That Makes Me Want To Pee

feeling excited in one of my travels...

feeling excited in one of my travels…

It’s my nth travel abroad yet my first time to the United Stated of America.  Statistics reveal that travelling through air has been the safest if compared to the number of accidents that has happened on water and on land.

Anyway, the reason I am writing this is because I just wanted to essay a mindless yet constant observation every time I am on an airplane.  Wonder what is it? 

Here’s what usually happens…

Inside a commercial flight prior to take off passengers are busy with their own affairs and matters.  Some are saying a prayer, some are reading, some has gone snoring, some are on their phone expressing cheerio to a loved one left behind, some are taking each others photos while others are busy locating a slot where they could place their bulky carry-on luggage.

But what is so consistent as if it is an automatic occurrence every time the plane has actually taken off and the flight captain has turned off the seat belt sign, somebody among these passengers would stand up and proceed to the lavatory.  I don’t know why but this scenario of seat-belt-off-standing-up-proceeding-to-lavatory right after take off no matter if the airplane is full or half-filled has always been a recurrence in all of my flights.

It is so common, predictable and recurring that it actually makes me want to pee in laughter.  It is so common, predictable and recurring that if it does not happen, it worries me that something bad will happen.

Nakakamangha… nakaka-ihi! 

Calling Out the Names of The Santos & The Santas

I just arrived early this morning from Siem Reap, Cambodia.  The flight going back to sunshine Manila was generally smooth with a couple of freaking turbulence.

This is totally different from the nerve rattling turbulent plane ride going to Siem Reap.  It was so shaky!!!  It was the mightiest gust of winds and deepest air pockets combined that I have ever experienced in all the flights that I had.  Our flight then was still at the end of the monsoon rains that flooded and shattered the whole Metro Manila for five long days.

It was so shaky me and my sister were already holding hands while the airplane hits the combination of massive cumulonimbus clouds.  What is so bad about it is that the madness did not last only for a couple of minutes, the turbulence and shaking happened for more than an hour.  Children inside the plain were all crying while adults are trying their best not to scream.

actress vilma santos as darna

actress vilma santos as darna

Instead of uttering expletives, I prayed hard and called out all the saints that I know to ask for their holy intercessions.   All the “Santos” and the “Santas” that I could recall, I called.  I even called for Santa Quiteria whom I don’t know.  What is so funny is  when I could no longer recall other names of Santos and Santas I called out the name of Santa Claus and Vilma Santos to help us with our journey!  The thought actually made me laughed and relaxed a little.

Nerbyoso! Muntik na ko mapa-ihi sa nerbyos at katatawa!