Solo Trip to Cebu 🇵🇭 Overbooking & Major Flight Delay Edition

I had been posting about my Singapore trip (or rather, USS), but due to my laziness, the updates stopped a year and a half ago... 💦
If you're interested, click here

...So, from now on, I'm going to record what happened on my most recent trip (or rather, I'm writing this while on the trip 🎶 since I'm a total airhead 🎶), my trip to Cebu! ❕

This time, it's from leaving Japan to arriving at the hotel!
Though, honestly, so many things happened... (ᐡ ̥_ ̫ _ ̥ᐡ)
Please take a look at the record of almost an entire day ♩

✈️ No seats on the plane ✈️

I mean, just looking at the heading, what on earth happened!? ;;
Is it karma for my daily behavior?...
I arrived at the airport 2 hours early, but I thought I'd issue my boarding pass just in case 💨 and that extra effort was my undoing...

A paper came out saying to go to the counter to issue the ticket, but the counter was super crowded... or so I thought, but it was just people relaxing!
By the time I realized it, I was the very last person in the baggage drop line 😭

Well, it's just dropping off bags and I still have an hour, so I'm good 🎶 Staff, please help me ˶˃ᴗ˂˶
I was thinking that, but they seemed kind of flustered,
Is it because it's Agoda? Sorry for the trouble ^_−;☆
I was still being laid back when...

I am very sorry, but we have accepted more passengers than there are seats, and since it is now full and you are the last one to check in, we cannot provide a seat for you...

Wait, does that really happen!?
Is it Agoda's fault, or because it's an LCC? More than that, I should have arrived earlier...
But I was prepared for various things and prioritized the low price, so I can't complain ︎^-^ I'm glad I'm traveling alone at least ︎^-^
However...

You will have to transfer in Manila, but we will prioritize you for the next flight.

M-Manila!? Where is Manila...
Sounds like vanilla... 🍨
Will I be able to arrive today?...

I thought that, but I had no choice but to accept it,
For now, I went to a cafe while waiting for further news (they gave me a restaurant voucher)
I mean, I'm really glad I'm alone...

Actually, when I went to the UK before, I had a layover in Dubai!
I experienced the 'Arabic script? I can't read anything, help~' situation, so,
Well, anywhere is fine! I hope I make the transfer 🎶 I hope there's no trouble where I can't get on the next flight during the transfer 🎶 I hope it's an English-speaking country 🎶
I accepted it relatively quickly while praying ✈️
I was anxious back then too, but it's funny how it can become a source of comfort in a form like this.

When I looked it up later, Manila is also in the Philippines 🇵🇭
I guess English is spoken there, right!
Education is important. I'll study geography when I get back.

🦥 How to spend time at Narita Airport 🦥

I used the meal voucher I received for an early lunch at Starbucks 🍽
The bench in front looked crowded at first glance, but people were coming and going quickly, and since I was solo, I was able to sit down right away 🪑

By the way, at this time,
I was still relaxed, thinking 'If it's late, maybe I'll arrive around 6?' (original arrival time was 3), and was actually excited about the minor irregularity... not knowing what would happen later...
I had a little more time, so I charged my phone at the lounge ⚡️

You can get a free can of beer 🍻
I declined it thinking it was still morning, and regretted it (ᐡ ̥_ ̫ _ ̥ᐡ) while having a drink from the drink bar!

I was supposed to return to the counter at 12:30 to be told about the arrival time, etc.,
so I went to get my ticket after that!
It wasn't communicated to the receptionist, so it was messy again, but I managed to secure a seat including the transfer... hmm, anxious.

And the plane I'm about to board seems to be delayed already, so it's almost funny.
Leaving Narita after 2:00, and it seems I'll arrive at the destination after transferring at 10:00...
I'm really glad I didn't pack my schedule for the first day ~ (ᐢ👍🏻> ̫ <ᐢ)👍🏻

In the end, it took off around 16:00, so I stayed at Narita Airport for about 7 hours ✈️
Writing notes and contacting everyone saying 'I couldn't get on! 😭' made the time pass surprisingly fast!

Also, here, I had thought 'I can just take a Grab to the hotel 🎶', but now I'm anxious, so I requested a pickup from the hotel... this makes me even more anxious later...

🇯🇵 Schedule until departure 🇯🇵

9:00 Arrived at Narita Airport
10:00 Overbooking confirmed
11:00 Starbucks
11:45 Lounge
13:00 Check-in complete, seat confirmed
13:30 Security check
14:00 Waiting while charging
15:00 Delay
16:00 Departure

🛬 Arrived in Manila 🛬

First time landing! Philippines!!!
So Manila is the capital of the Philippines, I really need to learn more...
When I looked it up, it said it's 'supposedly the most dangerous'!?
That said, I held onto my luggage with all my might and was safe 🎶 (Maybe it's because it was night and there weren't many people?)

Upon arrival, it already looked like I wouldn't make my connection...
I asked the person at the counter, but they just kept insisting I line up over there (for security?)
But I trusted that everyone else was in the same situation, so I waited in line while feeling anxious.

As it turned out, my flight was delayed, so maybe it was a blessing in disguise?
But the flight after mine was on time with only about a 20-minute difference! In the end, only my flight was delayed by about 3.5 hours, which was a bit frustrating 🌀
I know it couldn't be helped, I understand that, but anxiety fueled my frustration. I need to become a more broad-minded person...

I saw off a girl I met on the previous flight and bought a mysterious donut and water at 7-Eleven 🍩 This is surprisingly (no offense) delicious!!

However, this flight was also delayed, delayed! 😭 (See the next chapter for the times) ('sho' to 'sho' 🎶... sorry)
As an apology, I was given potato chips and water this time...

It was raining heavily in Manila, so that might have had something to do with it;;

I thought I should let the hotel know about the transfer since the connection was delayed... I ended up sending three emails to change the time ✉️💦

But I only got automated replies from the hotel,
and I thought, if there's no one at the airport, I guess I'll be sleeping at the airport 😭 I might be trapped in Manila like this 😭😭
I waited while thinking that! Poor me!

But that didn't happen (obviously),
and I took a bus to board the plane 🚌

I hope nothing else happens!
And I hope the transfer driver is still waiting for me!!!

🇵🇭 Transfer Schedule 🇵🇭

20:00 Arrive in Manila
21:00 Boarding for the previous flight (the one that was)
22:00 Walk around, get food
23:00 Delay, delay
24:00 Boarding starts
25:00 Departure

🛬 Arrive in Cebu 🛬

Finally landed in Cebu, my long-awaited destination!!

But it was around 3:00 AM by then, and I had woken up at 5:00 AM that day. Since I had been nervous the whole time, I didn't feel 'happy~' 🌺 lol
I just want to sleep as soon as possible...

And here was another concern! The question of whether the transfer driver would still be there!
I arrived at the meeting point feeling extremely nervous, and... they were there 😭😭😭 A sign with my name on it!!!! 😭
I could only apologize profusely, and I gave a 50-peso tip to the person who carried my luggage.

The driver was someone else, and even with my broken English, he talked to me so much!
'Do you want to stop by 7-Eleven?' 'Do you want to buy some coffee?'
He was so thoughtful 😭 People's kindness is touching 😭 But I was at my limit, so I politely declined everything with a smile... Sorry.

By the way, the driver said, 'Do you have transportation for tomorrow? Would you like me to give you my phone number?'
I thanked him for now (I'm Japanese, I can't say no), but I didn't receive any contact from him 𖤐 ̖́-
Maybe it's because I have an eSIM without a phone number?

…And so, I arrived at the hotel!
Hello, room that I was supposed to be in by 4:00 PM! 😭

It was such a hectic day, but acting early is definitely important ( ᴖ ̫ᴖ; )
I learned and grew a lot just today... I think...

I just looked it up, and apparently, you can sometimes negotiate overbooking... I'm so frustrated 🥲
This might not have been very helpful,
but I hope you can use it as a source of comfort, thinking,
'At least I'm more organized than this person...' ︎^-^

Thanks to my friend, I was able to get around with a perfect plan. Please also take a look at my
article on Universal Studios Singapore if you'd like 🎶

Next time, I'll write about the power outage that happened during the trip! I hope I can...
I hope I can write it... ^_−;☆
May your travels be safe and fun 🌈