Got Stuck in China When Taal Volcano Erupted (January 12- 13, 2020)

Back when everyone is looking for masks in the Metro as the Taal Volcano just erupted, I was in Xiamen, China waiting for my flight to Manila for 8hrs.

As I was preparing and dragging myself to pack my suitcase back to the Philippines, I just keep on having some mixed feelings of being scared or nervous to go back home, because I know this time it will be different since Im on my last 2 terms in College and I don't have that much of a plan yet. But all I know is I just want to go back home safely, finally see my Dad and eat the mojos he bought for me (as he usually does whenever he picks me up at the airport) and finally finish school by October 2020. Those were my goals for the next 28 hrs or in 10 months - to graduate.

This was one of the craziest trip that I've ever had and in this blog post, I'll tell you why.

First, as much as I want to type what happened in this paragraph, I know that I might bore you so instead I'm gonna tell you my story on every photo in this blog and I hope you read it until the end because it is something I really wanna share with other people as well and how that experience could happen to others in a different way.

Second, it was probably my 3rd or 4th time to have a stop over in Xiamen, China that's why I kinda memorized the airport and where the security checks are and passenger's lounge. I really thought this time it will be different and there wouldn't be any problem since I've been encountering very odd situations whenever I stop by Xiamen.

My supposed to be itinerary

LAX (16-18 hrs)-> QUINGDAO, CHINA (REFUEL) (2hrs) (airport) and 2 hrs (going to-> XIAMEN, CHINA (8hrs stop over)  then 3 hrs. travel to-> MNL

to THIS

LAX (16-18 hrs)-> QUINGDAO, CHINA (REFUEL) (2hrs) (airport) and 2 hrs (going to -> XIAMEN, CHINA (8hrs stop over)  then 3 hrs. travel -> BACK TO XIAMEN, CHINA (for 2 hrs) then 24 hrs at Xiamen China, then 4 hrs leeway before the flight then 3hrs going back to MANILA (finally)

Lastly, these songs are really nice to listen while reading this post.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9-kJyyNPT4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1ACVF-zqWQ

First Photo: That was at Hsi Lai Temple where me and My Mom went before my flight

Second Photo: Just trying out filters on IG because I really don't want to start packing my things for my flight because time went by so quickly

My Brother's playlist is really good despite being abroad he listens to OPM and sings along with it

Since My brother is kinda like a walking GPS, we were able to get through a route that's less traveled by most people 

I always ask my Mom to take a photo outside LAX and have a compilation of it on my album and see the difference of each of my trips every time I go in LA.

Here are some of my photos with my Mom and Kuya

(as we were lining up I still feel kinda nervous that's why I went to the restroom first and got back to them, then I realized I kinda lost my phone and all of us are panicking now then I went back and saw nothing... then went back with My Mom and Kuya... they started calling my phone but no one's answering... I looked over my bag and well... hehe I saw it and both of them are now annoyed hehe sorry mom and kuya)

We even had to open one of my luggage to transfer some of my stuffs to my other bag because it was over baggage, oh... I feel like it's a thing now for us... that's why My Mom always brings eco bags and brings back the deprived pasalubong items back home and she'll just put it on the balikbayan box instead "as she does"

This was me waiting for boarding time, and a crew was stamping our tickets with a "security check" mark (he was cute, but he's a ground steward so he's not riding the plane with us) then it's boarding time, as I lined up I video called my Dad and he was excited for me to go home because he got the house cleaned and I asked if he can buy me chicharap from chowking but then he asked if I want mojos instead (because that's what I usually asks him) so I was like: okay, Dad hehehe (we better eat at chowking when I get homee!!haha)

From LAX and after 16 hrs. we're now here at Quingdao, China (one of China's provinces and the plane also have to drop off some passengers too and have some passengers going Xiamen)

My fave whenever I go to China!

I also met a guy, he's from Spain but is currently located in Taiwan

Coincidentally, he told me we were on the same flight also before going LAX (because he's got a stop over there to go to the Dominican Republic) 

It's really not impossible to have conversations or make friends when you travel

And, we're now in Xiamen

It's good to eat some food from the ground this time because I am starving to death and whenever we have a stopver at Quingdao their shops are always closed already because whenever we arrive there its always 3,4 or 5am

We're back at the passenger's lounge wherein you can get free drinks for riding in Xiamen and free biscuits as well

I was just reading a film book to help me conceptualize a story that time for my upcoming thesis which we call it as FILMPRO1

I saw some Filipinos here but didn't bothered talking to them because they might be as exhausted as I am.

So I was like okay, no need to talk it's okay we're 3 hrs. away from home anyway and might as well spend all the money that I have left to buy a drink or something... my money can only afford two yogurt drinks at that time might as well spend it because they don't really change coins to PH Peso at the money changer.

Hello to Philippine Airlines! I'll see Philippines too in a while! They left first before us and got back in Manila just in time.

AND THEN when the plane took off and is near the Philippines, the screen went from Xiamen -> Manila to Xiamen -> Xiamen and there was a long announcement in Chinese. (Which ofcourse ya girl didn't understand)

I ignored it.... and thought it was just a safety announcement though the flight stewardess' were kinda a bit off... and it's quite scary...but I assumed we're landing in Manila already but why is it so quick? But then we were supposed to land at that time already.

But then I texted my Dad that the plane will land in a few (and DUDE I was able to send it and he even replied)

SO I AM CONVINCED we'll be landing in Manila

Now they're giving food as it about to land in a few minutes (in Xiamen and that I didn't know of) I was seated 2nd to the last, then when it comes to my turn they were just giving it fast to everyone and not even asking for their preference, and the girl behind me keep on tapping my seat to straighten it up and I'm like? can't you wait??? you don't have to tap it hard?!!? cause it was so annoying and there's no food being served yet as well no.

They're giving out food already as it's about to land and at this point I'm like? really??? why are you doing this Xiamen Airlines? didn't even gIve me water... didn't even let me finish my food and grabbed it all to trash. Then the plane lands and everybody got up quickly and I'm like?

When I got up from my seat I looked over the window and saw NAIA and I'm like at last! Now I just have to figure out a way to fix my phone because it is still "China Mobile" and now I can't text my Dad... then I passed by a Filipino (which turns out to be (Kuya Ian) as I was walking towards the exit I am like I dont know why my signal is still "China Mobile" haha but anyway let's see each other na lang sa may immigration" and he was kinda confused which I didn't noticed...

What is happening really.... I even tried to text my Dad back to go home because I am not coming home tonight... and I don't know when I am coming back really or where am I?

Here's the shocking part, as I went outside the plane I was shocked on to why is it cold... and where am I??? What's happening??? Why am I not in the Philippines??? I asked the stewardess "Where are we??" then she replied "we're in a place near Manila" and I'm like ?? Ha??? "Nasa China pa ba ko o ano? Xiamen pa rin ba?" then I saw the shuttles with Xiamen on it and at that time I just wanna go back to the plane and ask Kuya Ian what's happening.

Then on to the shuttle he introduced himself and he told me what just happened... Then we went back to the airport and all of us Filipinos gathered and tried to contact our family in the Philippines but it doesn't seem to work because of VPN.

We passed by Immigration and got our passports stamped again but before that, the announcers were saying something through a megaphone in Chinese and didn't even bothered to translate it.

We got into the 3rd bus because the first 2 buses were full already and good thing, we're solo (only Filipinos in here)

Here's out hotel and we're the last in line and have to push all our luggages up, it was such a long night.

Here's a hotel crew (?) that offered us 1 cup noodles when we were asking for food to eat.

We weren't able to eat that night... I was with Ate Neth, Kuya Ian and Sir Gil and 1 Filipino Family

As I was about to shower, I saw the pistachios that are for my Dad and Nutella for my Lola... and Thought what if I got stuck here...will I munch on to all of my snacks that are supposed to be my pasalubongs? Oh no... also most of it are sweets.

Here's what our room looks like, I was with Ate Neth

Huhuhu I am so tired and I just want to rest or cry and go home because there's still no news up until when are we gonna be in China (wherein there's no access to the apps that I use to communicate)

Good Morning! I just munched on to my snacks that I got from the plane, and that I wasn't able to finish because they took our tray right away last night. The question is, are we gonna get home today?

Here's the phone that almost all of us used to communicate to our families, it's Kuya Ian's and good thing he has a we chat app there.

Here are my friends Sir Gil, Ate Neth and Kuya Ian helping me with my luggage that cracked. This is also the luggage that I brought with me when I went to Indonesia in 2018 to compete and got over baggage...

Here's our hotel, we got breakfast buffet and it was so good!!! for lunch they gave us lunch packs.

We met two Chinese- Filipino Mother and Daughter too, they didn't came from LA but they went to visit a relative in Xiamen.

Here's the look on the outside and they also announced that we have a scheduled flight already, we were still skeptic if it's just protocol to go to the airport and then they'll announce the cancellation of flights again, but still there was a bit of hope.

We got on the bus already!

While we were lining up for check in, I saw Jose again (the one I met in the plane) his flight was also cancelled and he says another coincidence that brought us to meet again which is really odd.

When they checked my luggage they asked me to open it because they have to inspect something inside, turns out it was my flute.

Here we are, already boarding at last!

I was still skeptic... and just keeps on looking at my window because I have trust issues now that we'll land again in China.

And we're almost there!

Im welcoming myself back in my country!

I have never felt this relief and excitement to go home after being scared of going home before I took my flight from LA.

Then here we are, already getting our luggage from the carousel. Here's our other Chinese (Mother- and- son) friend that helped us in communicating in Xiamen by translating words for us.

Without my friends in this photo, I don't think I will be able to survive, it was scary to be in a situation like that but all the shared laughs in just a few moments really made it somewhat special in its own way.

And finally, I saw my Dad! and I keep on telling him stories of what happened, as so he does too. He told me he was waiting at the airport for me, then they told him there wouldn't be any plane that will land that night already because of how heavy the ash falls are, so he was frustrated and went to My Lola's house. Good thing he was able to receive my message that I am back in China and that he should go home, despite me telling him at first that I landed already, I also told him that if they can download we chat please do, for communication but turns out I'm the one who can't download it too. And so he went back home and ate the mojos that he bought for me instead :( I miss you Dad!

We went to Chowking and he ordered sweet pork chowfan with chicharap, same with my order and he gave me his chicharap knowing that I love it. I can still remember that night, there were teenagers dancing in front of Chowking with speakers, while me and my Dad were talking inside, it was something I wouldn't forget.

That's all for my I got stucked in China when Taal Volcano erupted, Thank you for reading!