Getting to Hong Kong

It's almost 10pm now, which is super late when you're used to everyone petering out by about 7:30, but I wanted to record the day before it's long forgotten after tomorrow's adventures. We got up this morning at about 4am to get ready to catch the first ferry out of Sabang at 5:45. The sunrise in the morning was gorgeous. Our favority jeepney driver, Noel, came and got us, and our friend Sha Sha (Shallow Mae) came out to say goodbye, as well as our host. When we got off the ferry in Batangas the person who originally drove us there from Manila was there to take us back north to Manila and things were humming right along great! After a long (and incredibly boring if you ask Claire) 2 hour ride to Manila, he dropped us off and we went through security to get to where we check our bags. This is where things started to unravel for the day. :) We found out we were at the wrong terminal (our fault really because we hadn't checked our tickets but our driver just assumed we'd go back to the same terminal we had come from). We were in terminal 1 and a person at the information desk said we needed to be in terminal 3. Luckily our diver was still around so we put all 5 suitcases and 5 bags back in the car, along with the folded big stroller, and went to terminal 3. We got through that terminal's security only to learn that that terminal was indeed for our airline (Philippine Airlines) but not for its international flights. So, we had to go back out and find a new taxi, put all our stuff in it again, and go to terminal 2. At terminal 2 we did security again and checked our bags. Then we had to get in another line to pay the airport tax, which they don't tell you about when you buy your tickets. Then we had to get in another line to fill out papers for "immigration" out of the Philippines. After that we had to do ANOTHER security check (that was check #4 for us and all our luggage and kids and the big stroller). Then the flight started boarding 1/2 hour late and then boarding was delayed some more, and then we got on the plane and sat for about another 45 minutes before anything got going, so the plane didn't actually leave until about an hour after it was supposed to. I was pretty ready to get out of there after all that, in spite of their beautiful fish and great sand (and friendly people and great mangoes).

We're now here in Hong Kong driving on the left side of the street and hooking up to fast wi-fi like it's no big deal. Tomorrow we hit Disneyland! I don't know that the adults are up for it - we're all pretty wiped but tomorrow's our only real day in Hong Kong with Glenda, and Chad starts work in Macau on Monday!