Business Trip to Singapore

Thou shall no mix business with pleasure. A very common principle i always hear from businessmen. 
I never imagine that one day i would have to abide by this principle.

My team lead sent me an email one day asking me to have my passport be ready as the company is sending me overseas. I cannot put into words how overwhelmed i was when i heard that good news. I never thought that a travel opportunity would come along my eight-month stay in the company. 
My company is sending me to the beautiful and progressive Singapore to conduct a DR (Disaster Recovery) test for our Cebu based operation.
The date was set. June 26 - 28,2012. My boss booked everything for me -- plane, hotel and transfer. I was so excited to receive my itinerary on the 25th. Yes, just a day prior to my business trip when i got my itinerary. It was a very short notice though so i had to quickly pack my thing up.

My boss booked my itinerary through a travel agency based in Sydney Australia - BCD Travel. It's actually part of company's protocol to have all business trip's itinerary be booked in a Travel agency. Because of this, i was having difficulty making a last minute changes or update on my trip as it would cost me bucks to communicate with the overseas agency.

June 26, 2012

The day has come for my first Overseas Business Trip. I felt so excited that i almost had a sleepless night. I was going to have my first overseas trip plus i had to travel ALONE. There were no direct flights available from Cebu to Singapore as all airlines were fully booked then except for the budget airlines but the company won't go for it though. So i was booked with Philippine Airlines in a 2-leg flight CEB - MNL - SIN. 
My flight from CEB to MNL was scheduled at around 1000 in the morning. I arrived in the Cebu Mactan International Airport, domestic departure 2 hours prior to my flight. I immediately checked in at the PAL check in counter. The ground officer was so courteous (as always with PAL) and checked me in for a 2-leg flight. She then asked the other PAL ground crew to accompany me to the International departure's lobby to pay for the Travel tax amounted to  Php1,620.00 ($38.75). This is imposed to all Filipinos and Foreigners traveling abroad with an exception for OFW (Overseas Filipino Workers). After paying the tax, i went back to the check in counter to get my boarding pass. Oh yeah! i was all set to fly. 

 The flight was delayed for 10 minutes. Pose at the departure lounge while waiting for boarding.

The interior of Boeing B747-400. A 2-deck cabin with 10 sitting rows. 

 In-flight snack!

The flight was roughly an hour and a half from Cebu to Manila due to air traffic/ plane congestion in Ninoy International Airport (NAIA). Philippine Airline is set to embark at NAIA2 - a sole hub for all PAL flight both domestic and international. We disembark the plan at around 15 minutes before 12 noon. I immediately proceed to PAL's transfer desk for my next flight to Singapore. No of the ground crews accompanied me though as they just keep on pointing to you out the way. I did not have to claim my baggage at the carousel though as that would be automatically checked into my next flight.

NAIA Terminal 2

 As I get off the Terminal 2, I immediately asked the PALground crew for my flight. A beautiful lady just directed me to proceed toImmigration counter for pre departure. I don’t need to check in anymore as I hadmy boarding pass already from PAL Cebu (the benefitof connecting flight). Anyhow, i was surprised by huge number of people(foreign or local) queued for Immigration. There were so many of us falling inan irregular line.

Airport officers advised everyone to fill out an immigrationform.

Queue to Philippine Immigration Booth

Holy cow! I just realized that I put my pen into my trolleybag leaving me with nothing in my hand carry. Ooopsss. I tried asking someground crew for a pen but I was unsuccessful. None of them has. So I went backto the entrance and finally found a lady guard with a pen. I smile to her andhumbly ask for her pen. She immediately lends it to me then. I was so thankfulto her.

I went back to the long queue line very anxious on what theImmigration Officer is gonna ask me. I happen to read a lot of blogs beforethat Immigration sometimes offload travelers due to lack of documents speciallyfor passengers bound to Singapore as many Filipinos would travel as touristthen would stay there for job hunting. The queue was around 40 minutes beforemy turn. I approached the immigration counter 1 with a lady officer. I greetedher with a good afternoon with a smile and hand to her my Philippine Passportand my boarding pass. She then scanned my passport on a bar code reader. Sheasked me if how long I would stay in Singapore and my travel purpose. Iconfidently answer her. She asked me to show her my itinerary and my Planeticket back to Manilawhich I immediately gave to her. After scrutinizing my itinerary, she stampedmy passport. Olah! Finally, I can go to SG now. My spirit lifted. I proceededto a security check. Everyone had to take off their shoes, blazers/tux , beltsand other metal accessories on one’s body. Security is tough. 

After passing security checks, I then checked on theboarding pass and roam around to check which gate the boarding will be. Myflight from Manila to Singapore was scheduled at 1520 andwas expected to arrive SG by 1855.  

Ninoy Aquino International Aiport Terminal 2 Departure Lobby

Some shops at the Departure lobby.

It was already around 1500 but the flight was not yetcalled. I asked the lady on the gate printed on my boarding pass if I was inthe correct place. She said I was. Then minutes later, PAL announced a delay onour flight. Jeez!!! Yes it was indeed delayed for an hour and a half. I cannotdo anything on the airport though so I just sat on a chair fronting the runway.I was so bored that I already started counting the planes taking off and theones which landed.

View from Departure lobby

It was at around 1655 when the flight was called. I then immediatelyproceed to the gate assigned, then boarded the plane. It was an Airbus Industrie320 plane which would fly us to SG. I feel the excitement again. Then we wereall set to fly.

Thirty minutes after the plane has taken off, our attentionwas called by cabin crew head as they are about to distribute the ‘Disembarkmentcards”. This card needs to be filled out by all passengers arriving intoanother country. Damn right! I don’t have a pen again. How would I get one whenI put it in my trolley bag. Jeez!!! Good thing there’s someone sitting to mewho had a pen so I borrowed after he (a 12-yr old kid with her mum) finishedhis. After filling out the card, I inserted it into my passport. I need topresent it at the Singapore Immigration. The cabin crews started to roam aroundand served everyone with hot meal. It tastes good (uh-ohhh, was it really goodor was I just so hungry as I had not eaten breakfast and lunch? LOL) 

PAL's new  Airbus Industrie 320 interior

In Flight Food. Yum

It was almost 1930 when I arrived at ChangiAirport – Singapore’s world class airport. Ito go to Singaporeimmigration first, handed my diembarkment card to the lady officer. Sheimmediately scanned my passport to her bar code reader and stamped it. I thenproceed to belt 38 (carousel to claim for my luggage).  I was a little sad when I saw my red luggageturned to a black one. Literally, it was so dirty. I wonder how PAL handled it.Anyways, I never mind it much. What I was thinking is the next thing to do. Iturned on my iphone and immediately SINGTEL registered into my network for myroaming. Yes! 

At the Changi Airport Immigration (Singapore)

Changi Airport Carousel - Singapore

I then proceed to the Aiport’s concierge which is just in front of the carousel. I asked the guy for my airport – hotel transfer and with a smile he responded, telling me to wait for 5 minutes for my hotel pick up. He handed me a sticker which is showing the Hotel’s name and directed me to the exit of the arrival lobby. I had to wait there for the coaster. Not long after, the hotel shuttle arrived. There are only 3 of us so the shuttle was big enough for us.

Hotel sticker

Hotel transfer

I was booked at Singapore’s Gran Mercure Hotel,just 15-minute away from the Airport. I was greeted with the hotel staffs,mostly Filipinos. I felt like I was just in Manila then.

The staff handed me the electronic key card for my room. He advisedme that my company booked for an executive room on the 16^th floor.This would give me access to the hotel’s executive lounge where I can getcoffee, bread and some other refreshment for the entire day. It’s open from0700 to 2300. I then checked into my room. 

 Gran Mercure's Executive room on the 16th floor

Hotel's Welcome Letter!

That was my first night at Singapore. My work and some otherpleasure in the city on my next blog!!!