The Panic to get to Manila

Having received an email to inform us that our ferry to Manila would leave 6 hours late but still take the 18 hours, we knew we had to make a plan B to still get our flight to Kota Kinabalu at 16.15 the next day. 

We sat in a little cafe and both got busy on our phones.  We priced alternative flights to Kota Kinabalu, looked for alternative ferries to Manila and looked for flights to Manila.  We found a few options for flights to Manila but when you tried to book, they became unavailable – possibly because we were so tight to the departure time.  We found a flight to Cebu at 15.50 and then onto Manila after a 5 hour layover, but at 1.30pm it was getting tight.  We figured we needed an hour to ride back to the hotel, grab our bags and then half an hour to get to the airport.  Eek! 

As a last ditch attempt to get a flight that afternoon to Manila, I found a phone number for Philipine Airlines.  A very helpful (but very slow and thorough) guy  told me our two options left were the 15.50 to Cebu and then to Manila or a 16.25 straight to Manila but only Premium Comfort Class was available.  We decided the direct flight had to be the option and bought the ticket over the phone.  While he phonetically spelled everything out on the booking, we paid our drinks, got ourselves ready to leave and dashed off on the bike the moment he said our payment was received. 

Pete was a star and drove fast where he could.  We were doing 80kmph where possible and we struggled to keep our pudding basin helmets on our heads.  We quickly stopped and filled up with gasoline at a shack (vodka bottle and a funnel) and dashed through Coron Town to our hotel.  We made it 15 mins quicker than Google estimated. 

I ran into our hotel and asked for an urgent transfer to the airport.  The reception staff were lovely and explained the urgency on the phone to a transfer driver.  He appeared, we piled in with our luggage and were off (2000 pesos lighter in the pocket).  Our driver was a star.  He took some corners like Colin McRae and kept checking in the mirror that we were ok.  We arrived in record time and thanked him profusely – even a tip.  We had 10 minutes till bag drop closed!

As Premium Comfort Class travellers we got to sit in row 1 (the only seats available) and were supposed to get a free meal – which was great as we’d had no time for lunch in the panic.

Our seats were next to the emergency exit door so, great leg room but no view unless you stood up and peered through a tennis ball sized window.

They didn’t have any meals so a glass of juice and a salmon sandwich was rustled up and the next thing we were landing in Manila.

Phew!!!!

Then a sweaty transfer bus to terminal 3 and a walk to our, quickly booked, overnight accommodation.  And relax ……