US Stopover

Posted by Analyse at 4:07 AM

Thursday, May 17, 2007

I hate airports. Make it double when destination displays USA: that would mean added security measures and more customs blah-blahs. Triple the hate when I couldn't make my wi-fi connection work at the airport for I don't know what reason. I'm a techy illiterate.

But well, there's more to my US trip other than hating the airport.

Customs

Come on, tell me, you know somebody in Pennsylvania, right? You just don't wake up one day and say 'I'd like to visit PA'. There's nothing to visit there. Hehe, I just re-entered the US with my 10-year tourist visa and I just couldn't tell the officer I'll go here for work. Bad girl. So I told him I'd visit PA on my own and it's a strategic destination to get closer to NY without paying NY prices. Well, I probably sounded convincing, the officer wished me 'Enjoy your stay in Pennsylvania, darling.'

Work

I spent the whole time working with men infront of a dirty machine. I let them work, of course. But that nevertheless kept me busy. It seemed that I work pretty fast for their taste, they now call me 'slave driver'. Well, I have to say, I ask a lot. I need loads of results within my 10-day stay and I need to keep them moving. When I said goodbye to the big boss this afternoon, he said he's been hearing good reviews about me. I know he said that to be nice to me but that nevertheless made me feel great. Feeling ko tuloy, ang ganda ganda ko hahaha.

American Hospitality

I was pampered. A colleague met me at the airport. Drove me to my hotel. Fetched me from the hotel and drove me to the company. And vice versa, not allowing me to take the rental car. He made sure I had everything I needed, up to the maps I needed to go to Jersey City. He paid almost all my dinner bills. I even pleaded to pay once, otherwise our department might think I don't spend anything, they might want to send me outside of France all the time. He wanted to show me the way to Jersey City. He wanted to accompany me back to the airport. I guess he will search for a Filipina wife soon. I made a good impression. But honestly, tinataguan ko na sya after my first week. Shhhh.

Business with Pleasure

What do Analyse do on weekends during business travel? I do visit!

I drove from PA to NJ to meet my HS friend who lives in Jersey City (thanks to the GPS, I got direct to her place without getting lost). We're supposed to watch Les Mis on Friday night but I was caught on a traffif jam for 2 long hours. As they said here, there are two seasons in PA: winter and road construction. I guess you know what season is it now. We spent the whole night catching up instead.

Saturday was spent walking around NY. This city is grandiose. And with the 1€ = $1.36 change, even a shop-a-phobic-me couldn't resist shopping. We wanted to visit the Statue of Liberty but we backed out when we saw a queue of about a mile. Next time na lang. We climb up the Empire State Building instead.

We dined out at Arthur's Landing where we had good food and a good view of Manhattan by night. Sarap. And to make the night even more special, Kat joined us there. It's my 2nd EB among blogger friends. What's good about meeting a fellow blogger is that, we seem to know each other already even if it's the first meeting. Thanks for being there Kat, even if it was for only a few minutes. Hope RSB's ok now.

Sunday was like, rest day. We had late breakfast at Little Quiapo where I had Tapsilog. We then played Badminton. After a 2-hour play, we headed back to NY to finally watch Lea Salonga in Broadway. Sarap. That made my weekend extra special. We did not wait for Lea to come out as I still had to drive back to PA. Watching her play is more than enough for me. We ended the day dining at Red Ribbon where we continued looking back at our HS days. Hay, sarap balik-balikan.

So now you understand why I was too silent and hiding behind the scenes. I was just too darn busy with work and gala. And I missed my baby so much. To all those who greeted me Happy Mothers Day. Thanks a lot. I really appreciated it. Happy Moms Day too.

Oppps, getting my luggages done now. Flying back to France tomorrow. Bon voyage to me.

Pictures: Billboards 5th Ave, Ground Zero, Times Square, Central Park, Manhattan by night (view from the restaurant - picture taken from their site), Kat and moi at Arthur's Landing, Moi resting at Rockefeller Plaza.


Blogging at the Airport

I'm bored. Still an hour before the flight and my Frenchguy doesn't even answer to my text messages. Buti na lang Haze is there to keep me company. I'm disturbing her from her loads of housechores hehe. Sa sobrang bored, pati luggages ko, pinag-trip-an ko no hehe. They're actually payatot when they left France. Look at how bundat they are now. Obvious ba na mega-shop ako? But of course, I limited myself to what my luggages could contain. I don't check them in kasi. I don't like waiting luggages at the airport, so if I could avoid it, I try to avoid it.

And know what, I was raging before as I couldn't make wi-fi work. I finally discovered. Sus dali lang pala. Techy illiterate, right? So now, I could blog and bloghop anywhere I want. Just hoping I have enough batteries to accompany me up to my next stop in Atlanta airport. Di kasi direct flight, kainis. Anyways, I'll go bloghop now. Ciao.

27 comments:

Unknown said...

yey, una ako! Kaya pala tagal walang update, nasa galaan ang lola analyse :-). Aliw ako sa mga kwento mo, talagang enjoy na enjoy ka. Have a safe trip, and I'm sure sabik na sabik ka na mayakap si Pretty Louna.

Anonymous said...

You looked like you had a wonderful time. And even if you did, still, there is no place like home. Have a wonderful time with your Frenchguy and daughter, Analyse. :)

auee said...

It looks like you had a nice "me time". Good on ya'h!

I hate US Airports, too. I don't understand the rudeness of most of the immigration officers. It's unwarranted.

Airwind said...

what a trip!!! sobrang exciting. i has once met one of my blogmates. saya noh. parang matagal na kayong makakilala.... hehehe

Analyse said...

Rhada, i actually have net connections at work and at my hotel, kaya lang after work, with the jetlag and all, flat tire na ko haha... miss ko na nga bb ko.

Julie, you're right. no place like home.. still several hours to take the plane, hay..

Auee, it's cool to have 'me time' from time to time.. to unwind a bit.. but hmmm, i miss my daughter na...

Airwind, yeah, no introduction needed, direct to chikahan na kaagad. saya no?

Francesca said...

Kaya pala, sampung katok na ako sa bahay mo, wala tao, haha!

uy, siguro dami ka na miles, pautang!
i visit kat's blog, grabeh, french accent na raw even yung tagalog mo!

above all, kisses ke bebe louna.

Anonymous said...

so you're back to france na ha after spending some wonderful time in uncle sam's america.

sayang ubos na vacation time ko otherwise i could have flw to nyc for an EB with my blogger pal.

maybe next time siguro. :)

regards to the frenchguy and your daughter.

CLC Fashion said...

Hi Analyse! Wow fabulous! sana isinama mo ako tagabitbit ng mga daladalahan mo haha! i enjoyed reading your story. Ginawa mo na lang yatang Pasay-Makati ang Prague,US at France! lol
Ingat & bisous kay Louna,siguradong nami-miss ka nya...

Anonymous said...

I know how you missed Louna, but hindi ka ba nabitin sa short US trip mo? :)

Anonymous said...

Wow! mukhang enjoy na enjoy ka sa work mo out of the country Ah! Syempre mix business with pleASURE!
I enjoyed your photos of Prague. Ang ganda doon!

Anonymous said...

It would have been better if you took me with you at least mas hindi ka ma bore ;) alalay puede na Ana, free travel pa hahaha ! If only I didn't have tons of chores naku baka ikaw ang mapurga kaka chat sa akin! Kidding aside twas nice chatting with you as always! O ngayon alam mo na how wifi works !

Hope you had a safe landing back home and taking advantage the calîns with Louna and frenchie! How's the Canoe Kayak ?

dangkin said...

saya! the way you kwento, feeling ko nandun din ako.. :)

duke said...

hindi ba super hassle sa customs ng US?Hubby and I don't want to go there mainly bcoz of that!

lol on slave driver. I'm sure the guys were thinking that! hahahahha

Anonymous said...

Bakit super generous si colleague at tinataguan mo na..nagparamdam ba..hehehe.

Kami rito sanay na sa super higpit sa airport as in lahat ng bagahe ay bubuksan, would you believe even letters/pictures in envelope lalo sa mga bachelors.

Anonymous said...

OMG I think your American colleague has hots on you! Lol!

You also met Kat that is soooo wonderful!

Leah said...

Wow! What a great time it must have been. Work and pleasure. Inggit naman ako.

Jovs said...

And how, may I ask, do you manage to keep so fit and slim, even after having a child??? Amazing! =)

Good that you had a fun time in the US. Customs everywhere now is a pain in the bum. And wooooohhh Les Mis! What a trip then!

And uh huh, what's with the American colleague? Have you shown him the picture of your Louna girl? Hehehehe!

Napotzki said...

wow ang sarap naman. it's good that you're able to combine business and pleasure with matching jetlag pa yan ha!

pretty sure you'll be busy again for your asia trip. tc&extend my greetings to all our pals in phils.

kat said...

hahah! you didn't tell me about your co-worker! hee-hee.

and it was so great to meet you! next time, ako na ang tour guide mo, okay?

Makis said...

Oi, jet setter na jet setter ang dating mo ha! Kailan ka ba mapapadpad dito ulit?

Analyse said...

Francesca, haha, matigas na nga yata dila ko because of French.

Mitsuru, it would have been nice to meet you there. Meeting a fellow blogger is always exciting.

Lucille, natawa naman ako sa expression mo. Sa bandang amin, we normally say ginawa mo na lang QUIAPO ang ....

Analyse said...

Linnor, I was actually excited to go home.. visiting NY was really fun simply because I was with my friend, I met Kat and I watched Lea, otherwise, it's not my vacation-type destination.

Agring, it's important to mix business with pleasure. Otherwise, nakakaloka hehehe..

Haze, haha, thanks for taking the time to support my kakulitan.. so there, mega kwento na ko ng weekend namin.

Analyse said...

Dangkin, that means na feel ko na andun pa din ako haha..

Duke, i just noticed na pag asian ang ininterview, they take longer time, they ask more questions, and they even ask for the return ticket minsan..the first time i went there, the customs even asked me if i'll not do TNT there hehe..

Ann, kulit kasi kaya tinataguan ko na.. mega jogging pa yan near my hotel and asked me if i wanted to join him..kulit.

re: airport. sobra naman yan. di naman ganyan dun, even dito.

Chase, that made my visit there even more special. that's so cool.

Analyse said...

Leah, i had a great time, yes. it was nice working with those talkative americans hahaha.

Jovs, you might find it unfair, but i eat a lot to maintain my weight.. baligtad no.

the colleague. he knows that i'm not available..makulit lang talaga siguro hahaha..

Napotski, imagine, im busy again preparing my asian trip.. and know what, i just realized, i dont have my plane ticket yet, ngek.

cool, makakarating. dun naman ako mangungulit hahaha..

Kat, cool. i'll take that offer hehe.. but sorry for not staying long, i was just worried for my friend's daughter..

Makis, hey, ako yata ang naghihintay dito senyo no hehehe..

Anonymous said...

Hi Analyse,
Great to hear you were able to have a good American hospitality experience in New Jersey. You are one tough cookie driving Jersey City, with or without GPS, it's the rude drivers that are to watchout for.
Great pics! The NY skyline is just brilliant!

Heart of Rachel said...

Thanks for sharing about your funfilled trip. Lovely photos! Glad you had time to meet with friends. It must be nice to have the chance to travel to different places. Take care!

Anonymous said...

ang sarap ng business with pleasure ano? sometimes pa nga dati, ako, mas madami pa ang pleasure with business (sometimes lang), though business is really really tough. thanks for sharing the pictures and the experience.