suncat05 reporting in from.......

[suncat05]

beautiful Subic Bay/Olongapo City area in the Philippines on vacation.
My bride has a high school reunion this Friday & Saturday. And then we have to talk with our real estate people about our retirement property in Mariveles.
It's going to be a short, but busy trip.
I will keep you guys posted as we move along.

[PedroDaGr8]

Sounds like fun over all! Love that part of the world (wife is from Saigon), though damn does the flight there suck.

[suncat05]

Yes Pedro, ad the flight sucked major league when we found out that somewhere between Orlando and Manila somebody managed to lose my one suitcase with ALL of my clothes in it.
So, all I have to wear at the moment is all I wore during the trip. 😠

[suncat05]

Well, good news on my suitcase. Apparently it has been found and we have been told that the airline will have it sent here to Subic Bay from Manila.
But as with everything else in life, I will believe it when it is in my possession here.
Still, it's good news and I am thankful for it, and for whoever found it. I wish I could thank them personally.

[suncat05]

Hi guys! Well, even more good news, my suitcase arrived at the hotel undamaged and intact, all contents exactly as I last left them.
So far, so good! 👍

[Darrell KSR]

Excellent.

I've had luggage lost a couple of times, and once my daughter "stole" somebody else's luggage (we got a call from somebody at the Atlanta airport asking us if we had picked up "our" luggage -- turned out, my daughter grabbed a suitcase that looked exactly like hers...but wasn't. Only cost me about 100 miles of extra driving lol.) Anyway, it has always worked itself out for us, so glad it did for you, Suncat. Enjoy the rest of your trip (with your fresh clothes!)

[suncat05]

Thanks, Darrell! And yes, our luggage pretty much looks like everyone else's, but my wife always makes sure to put some type of identifying ribbons or threads or something unique on them so that we know they're ours when they come out on the conveyor belt. But that was not the issue this time, I think it just somehow ended up being sent to the wrong place instead of with us.

[suncat05]

Okay guys, we are in Manila now, at my wife's cousin's condo.
We just finished up with the company the real estate people that we bought our property from, so it is officially ours now. All we have to wait on now is for the title in our name to clear official government channel bureaucracy red tape.
Unfortunately, they're telling us it will likely take 8-10 monts. Almost another year. 😠

[suncat05]

BTW, it is 1:17 PM on Monday, Feb. 24 here right now.
My world click tells me it is 12:17 AM there in KY & FL.
13 hours difference in time. 😉

[PedroDaGr8]

BTW, it is 1:17 PM on Monday, Feb. 24 here right now.
My world click tells me it is 12:17 AM there in KY & FL.
13 hours difference in time. ��

The worst part about being on that side of the world is UK games are at really crazy hours (let alone March Madness).

[suncat05]

The worst part about being on that side of the world is UK games are at really crazy hours (let alone March Madness).

Absolutely!

[bigsky]

Wash your hands my friend!

[suncat05]

Wash your hands my friend!

Yes! That, and since we are now in Manila, wearing the protective face masks out in public is pretty much mandatory.
Probably a good 1/3 of the people we encounter here daily are doing so.

[suncat05]

We went to the SM Mall of Asia in Manila today, where we bought some clothes, had breakfast and lunch, and just had a great time.
We start our journey back to Florida in the morning. I'm kind of sad, in that this may be the last time we visit the Philippines for awhile.
Tomorrow begins with Manila to Seoul/Incheon, Seoul/Incheon to NY, then NY to Florida. Long, long journey, for sure.

[dan_bgblue]

My ignorance is showing here for sure. Why do flights from the orient come to the east coast of the US instead of the west coast? It is likely closer, but there is a constant headwind flying from east to west and the earth is turning away from the plane as it flies.

[Darrell KSR]

Safe travels on your return, Suncat. Always enjoy hearing about your trips, thanks for sharing.

[Catfan73]

My ignorance is showing here for sure. Why do flights from the orient come to the east coast of the US instead of the west coast? It is likely closer, but there is a constant headwind flying from east to west and the earth is turning away from the plane as it flies.

Just speculating, but I suspect they actually do fly East but they like to stay close to land so probably near Alaska then over Canada to the east coast. Going over the Arctic probably isn’t any longer distance wise than flying straight to LA over the Pacific, might even be shorter.

I remember flying back from the UK into Philly (horrible urinal of an airport btw), the pilot came on and said we were about 30 miles off the coast of Greenland. If you fly “straight” the way we’re used to orienting a map you would go nowhere near Greenland.

[kingcat]

Likewise, safe travels

[dan_bgblue]

Are you home yet or did they decide to keep you?

[suncat05]

I'm home now. Back to work and still working through this jet lag.

[dan_bgblue]

Thanks. After you recover and if you want to take the time, I would live to hear a recount of your trip.