From Vegas to to the Philippines (September 10, 2005)

    Maralea and I totally missed out on September 11, 2005.  We never got to live that day.  We left Vancouver, B.C., late on September 10, 2005, and then flew over the international date line en route to the Philippines, landing at 4:05 a.m. September 12, 2005.   Someone owes us a day.  The plane was quite empty from Las Vegas to Vancouver, B.C., but filled up at that stop.  There is apparently a huge Filipino community in Vancouver, B.C.  The stewardesses on the plane were very nice and helpful.  There was a lot of Tagalog being spoken on the plane.  We even got to watch a movie in Tagalog with sub-titles, which was actually kind of cool.  The plane food was . . . not so good, although I have to say that I did enjoy the hot tuna and egg fajita (Maralea gave me hers, so I had double the pleasure there).  It’s just kind of hard trying to sleep sitting up, but I think we both managed about five or six hours.  Not bad.  At least we sat at the emergency exit so we could stretch out our legs.  That was nice.  Oh, and we were really close to the restrooms.  Even better.  Sixteen hours in flight.  Longest time I've ever been on a plane.  But, our anticipation and excitement for what awaited us in the Philippines overshadowed all the plane pain.