I LOVE HONGKONG: MAY 10-13,2007

I'm caught in a time warp. Since I only recently started this adventure blog, I am trying to document my thoughts and my feelings during my travels past. I'm like some mad woman trying to recreate her past glory. Hahaha! I hope you'll indulge me. When I'm old and gray, I can at least read these blogs and remember all the things I did when I was younger. (Hopefully, by then, I would also still be able to remember that I AM Toyang & Tweety. HAHAHA!!! 'P)

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September, 1996. I was 25 years old. Planes still landed in the old airport, and the new terminal only existed in blueprints. That was the last time I was in Hong Kong before this year's trip. It was for a Sales Conference--literally a junket. I was young and the only thing I really cared about was shopping. Hahaha! What a difference a decade makes. =)

This year's trip was largely due to my big mouth. I have since learned to be more careful about what I say--especially to a 2-year old genius. Hahaha. It was during one of those long weekends in my parent's house when a news segment on the opening of HK Disney flashed on TV as I was babysitting my niece. (The pic shows how little she was then. 'Twas taken during her "practice 2nd birthday party" at House Better, my parents' home. =))

"I wish I can go to Disney, Nangnang" the then just-turned-2-year-old Patita exclaimed. (For the record, yes, she did say "I wish I can go..." as opposed to "I want to go...". Didn't I just tell you she's a genius? =))

Having just gotten back from a trip to Europe during which I made a vow with my other single friends (yes, I was still single at the time thinking that I would be single for the rest of my life, hahaha) to take a trip to Australia & New Zealand the following year and a trip to HK Disney the year after with all the nieces and nephews in tow, I bravely declared, "How about maybe when you're bigger?"

"How much bigger, Nangnang?" Genius Patita asked, the entire time looking at me with puppy dog eyes. (I should have known she was trying to trick me into committing! Hahaha! 'P)

"Maybe when you're four. OK?" I said, smiling at her before turning back to the newspaper I was reading.

Fast forward to July, 2006. I was at the peak of wedding preparations, all travel vows with single friends set aside and completely forgotten. Watching TV, the now 3-and-11 month-old Patita saw an ad for HK Disney in one of those darn cartoon channels.

"I wish I can go to Disney," she said to no one in particular.

"Don't worry, little girl," G-Genius said reassuringly, "The next time dad goes to Hong Kong, maybe you and mom can come along." (He had been travelling frequently to China with side trips to HK for business at the time.)

"NOOOOOOOOO, DAD!" Patita suddenly exclaimed, quite adamant, a tone of absolute certainty in her voice, "I'm going to Hong Kong Disney with Nangnang! When I turn four, she said she'd take me."

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! How can a 2-year-old remember anything?! More so, how can a 2-year-old have the patience to wait for 2 darn years to hold someone to her promise????!!!! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! (Wait, didn't I just tell you she was a genius?! Hahaha! 'P) Rumor has it that Sister Pusjing almost died laughing her fool head off.

Now, growing up, my parents always drilled the principle of palabra de honor in us--more than all those old Landbank commercials combined. They used to tell us to always tell the truth, to always keep our promises, to always do as we say. Otherwise, how can we expect other people to believe us every single time?! I have therefore been "genetically programed" (hahaha) to keep my promises, and the rest--as they say--is history. Ngyah!

Thankfully, Sister Pusjing and Bro-in-law G-Genius took mercy on poor me and decided to get me off the hook by paying for Patita's ticket--as long as Hubby Sweet and I also go to HK with them since I was the one who started the entire thing anyway! Ack! =)

Cornered and considered beholden (waaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!!!!), I decided to turn the trip into a family affair, inviting my parents and my brother Ige's (pronounced i-GUE, hokey? =)) family to join us. My dad's face lit up, eyes twinkling, at the prospect of travelling with the family, for the first time, without having to pay for anything! "YAHOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!" was written all over his face. The ecstasy was quickly wiped out when my mom declared, "Hay, kayo na lang. Di ko na kaya maglakad ng malayo. Madali na akong mapagod!" Ngwek, ngwek, ngwek....yari si Father! Hahaha! 'P

And so it came to pass that the Hong Kong trip became a siblings' event. Final roll call:

• Toyang & Tweety + Hubby Sweet
• Sister Pusjing, G-Genius and Patita
• Bro Ige, sis-in-law Momsy and other ultra-adorable niece Ray*-B. =)

All for now. More in the next blog!

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TIPS!!!

Taking Cebu Pacific to HK ain't bad. Would be good to book in advance though (like at least a month in advance) to take advantage of all the discounts. Bro Ige took some time to confirm if they were going to join us (he originally thought he'd be on a business trip). He ended up paying P4,000+ per ticket (ngyaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!!!) just because he confirmed 2 weeks later. That's P12,000 more for all three of them. (SFX: Ka-ching! Ka-ching! Ka-ching!) BTW, if you have kids, bring baon. Otherwise, you'd be forced to buy a P100 sandwich or instant (!) cup noodle on board! Cebu Pacific being a "budget airline", meals are not part of the package. =)

P.S. My brother and my sis-in-law may kill me for the pet names I assigned to them, but I did say I was going to use only codenames for this site. Hehe. =D