In Heat

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The heat’s always the first thing that hits you. As soon as you step off the plane into that brief space of outdoor air between the fuselage and the airconditioned airport bridge, the sensation is not unlike that rush of air from an oven. I often joke that the Philippines’ three seasons (tag-init, tag-lamig, tag-ulan) could be more appropriately named “Too Hot, Not Too Hot, Hot and Wet.” In December we’re just coming out of “Hot and Wet” — the typhoon season — into “Not Too Hot,” when the amihan, a cool seasonal north wind, tempers the climate with air swept from the frigid northern wastes of Siberia.

For the few days I’ve been here so far, however, it’s felt just like summer. Our low house being surrounded by higher wind-blocking neighbors is no help either. As I sit here in 32°C heat at 80% humidity, I wonder how I survived three and a half years in that tiny shared room in Parañaque without airconditioning, with just an occasional swampy breeze for respite.

Meanwhile, back in Washington, it’s -10°C, with winter weather advisories.

Scenes from JFK-DXB-MNL

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As some of you may know, I’m a big planefan, so air travel is often as exciting for me as the destination itself. On that note, some photos from my flight:

High over the Arabian deserts, a lovely sunset.

Dubai Airport mixes modern and traditional Islamic architecture, with an overall futuristikitchy effect.

The First Class “seats” aboard the A340-500 are like little lounges in themselves, with cubicle walls, reclining seats, large TV screens, and even a little compact mirror popping out of the desk. (No, I didn’t ride First Class, but I did go forward to see what it’s like.)

Were it not for the personal ICE (Info, Communication, Entertainment) System, I would have gone nuts. Instead I watched five campy action movies in a row, and some Bollywood too.

Frost on the window forms into letters. A cryptic message from the lower stratosphere?

Wingtip of Emirates Airbus A330-200 from DXB to MNL.

Photos taken with a Canon Powershot A400.

In Manila

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As soon as I stepped off the plane into Ninoy Aquino International Airport, I was stopped by the crowd milling around an immigration counter which had run out of copies of the standard airport immigration forms. The week before Christmas. Yet another of those “only in the Philippines” moments. I eventually got through immigration, baggage, and customs via some kind cajoling of airport personnel. After a long taxi ride home, I got wind from the ex-GF that my fellow Guidon edboard colleagues were meeting up in Makati, so I hopped over there in another taxi to join them for Italian food at Greenbelt 2. Now I’m back home. And very tired. Must rest now.

Marhaba

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That was the longest long-haul flight I’ve ever taken: twelve hours. I occupied a window seat near the back of the plane, beside a large, unkempt man from Ghana with invasive elbows. Passengers were asked to keep their windows closed to the sun through most of the flight, thus denying me any view of Europe or the Arabian desert passing under us.

Were it not for the ICE (Info, Communication, Entertainment) system in front of me, the trip would have been altogether unbearable. I watched a total of six movies, I think, mostly of the Dumb Fun variety: I, Robot; Day After Tomorrow; A Shark’s Tale; Aliens vs Predator; Disney’s The Rescuers, and The Right Stuff.

Now I’m in transit in Dubai Airport, alternating between dozing and the internet in the Marhaba Lounge after a short Duty Free shopping spree. Just one more eight-hour flight, and I’m in Manila. My intention is to use the ICE movies to watch nothing but Bollywood all the way.

A340-500

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A340-500

There it is: an Airbus A340-500. It’s not evident in this light or at this angle, (not a very good phonecam) but her wingspan is huge. I got a window seat.

Eating at JFK

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Eating at JFK

Eating dinner at JFK now. There’s free wireless streaming out of an airline lounge. What’s this called? Wareating?

Leaving on a Jet Plane

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Tonight, I head home to Manila, with two layovers of six hours each in New York and Dubai. I’m flying Emirates, on an Airbus A340-500 for the NY-Dubai leg of the trip, and an A330-200 for the Dubai-Manila leg. (Airliners.net has photos of the plane cabins I’ll be riding in for about 24 hours: A340-500, A330-200.) Emirates’ Airbuses have personal entertainment at every seat, with movies, games, and exterior aircraft views on demand, so I’m looking forward to a moderately fun flight, hopefully in a bulkhead exit row seat.

I’ll be on holiday in Manila for two weeks through Christmas and New Year, relaxing while I spend time with the family. If things work out, we may spend New Year scuba diving in Batangas. My brother tells me they just got DSL at home, so I won’t be out of any loops.

For now, time to pack and rush off to Dulles. Watch this space for mobile updates via Flickr. See you on the other side.

Comment Spam Attack

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I’ve just been notified that my host had to disable Movable Type comments because a sudden comment spam attack of DDOS proportions was bringing down the server. That’s why the site has been slow lately, and commenters have been getting Server Error messages. I’m wondering what to do right now; this is exactly the wrong time for it to happen.

See Photodude’s entry on comment spam: MT Plus Comment Spam Equals Dead Site.

The site’s due for an overhaul anyway. I’m off on holiday for the next two weeks; I’ll have time to think about it.

Update: Jay Allen reports on the server load issue. You can be sure I’ll be installing the upgrade when it comes out.

Update: Coments are back.

DC Baseball: Field of Reams

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Why.I.Hate.DC details the essentials on Baseball in DC. Having the Nationals would be great, but I don’t think any of us in DC (with the exception of “Bowtie”) want it so much that we’ll spend $600M of our taxes on baseball, at no cost to MLB. After last night, MLB will likely pull baseball out of DC altogether after next season. Can’t have them spending money to make money, after all; they seem to be quite clear that it’s DC’s job to pay for MLB’s profits.

(Yes, yes, I know that it’s business taxes paying for the stadium and the Nationals, but it’s still money that ultimately comes from the common people of DC. Also see No DC Taxes for Baseball.)