I logged out from work earlier on a Friday to catch my international flight at midnight. I was actually so early at the airport, and I was expecting the check in counters would open at 8:50 PM, 4 hours before the departure.
Time check 9:10 PM and it's not still yet ready to accept passengers. I was getting bored, I already finished an episode of a TV series.
It was almost 10 PM when the counters opened. The staff lined up and greeted us with a bow in the end. That was the only noise I heard while I was in the airport.
Turns out, Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) has switched to become a silent airport just this year. I liked it because hearing announcements from time to time affects my mood and causes me to be more stressful than usual. The only thing that I need to mind is the surroundings and their sudden announcements that's usually posted in a poster or something. While I can relax a bit, I can't be too relaxed.
After going through the check in process, getting my travel tax refund, passing through immigration and a little bit of last minute shopping at the departure hall, I found myself in front of a spa salon. I badly needed a massage and even when I had already planned to get one while I was in Cebu, I wasn't able to follow my plans so the spa didn't happen. I courageously opened the door of the spa salon, and checked their menu. They have a price for body massage for 30 minutes but the clerk told me it would be impossible to finish in half an hour. 45 minutes would suffice but the next available time would be 11:45 PM. My flight got delayed and boarding time would be 00:10 AM. I could finish in time for sure, but I wanted to spend more relaxing time in the lounge.
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Armed with my priority pass card, I was able to enter the lounge free of charge, get access to their mini buffet and unlimited drinks. I ate a little and drank a lot - I was so dehydrated and tired. After eating, I moved to a more comfortable seat further inside. I was chatting with my hiveph friends while waiting for boarding and was advised to eat sweets so I went back to the food corner to get cakes. The staff offered me coffee to pair with it but I don't drink coffee especially at this time, or else my bad stomach will haunt me the entire flight.
It's comfortable in the lounge. I sacrificed my massage time for this, and I also got to charge my phone. It was so comfortable that I almost missed my boarding time! π Yeah, I was one of the last few passengers who boarded the plane.
I knew I was being a nuisance since I should be boarding first because I was in the window seat but the Korean guys from my row were kind enough to even put my luggage in the compartment.
Looking outside the window, I could see my beloved Cebu, the memories I made during this vacation flashed before my eyes and, before I could get too emotional, my eyes shut and I woke up in the middle of the dawn wishing we would arrive already. I was in sweat and I didn't want to move a lot - again, I didn't want to be a nuisance to my seatmates. Luckily I remembered I got chips so I was munching them while watching an anime in the dark plane.
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It was morning and we reached South Korea. It's actually my first time in South Korea and I have no idea what to do and where to go besides following the signs.
I was the only one who went to the transfer area because all the people I was with were going through immigration. I wished I could too, but I didn't have the visa to go out and explore this new place. It was so lonely in the transfer area and it's just the usual process - take out the laptop from the luggage and they threw my orange juice and my water. Good thing my water was in my container so they returned the container to me. After the scan, I arranged my stuff again and when I was about to go, they called me telling me I just left my laptop. OH NO! It was my company laptop and if they didn't call my attention, I would be facing charges in my company. π How kind of them! And how stup!d I was for forgetting such a precious thing!
I reached the airport - it's the departure hall and it looks like a very big mall. Now I didn't know where to go. I saw the transfer desk on the upper floor and believe me when I say I kept going up and down this floor because I couldn't find my airline. The time I muster the courage to ask in the information desk, I just said same as him - so the information desk officer just told me so follow him but we're not of the same airline. That's what I forgot to say to the officer.
Anyway I found out that there's no transfer desk for my airline so now I went down again to look for the transit tours the airport was offering. What an unlucky me, the tours available would start at 9 and it would take 4-6 hours. That would make me miss my flight to Japan if I joined the tour.
Disappointed and feeling so tired, I looked for the lounge where I could use my card. There were 2 nearby, and they were on the upper floor. Not again.
It took time to enter the lounge because it was so full in the morning. Many people were using such a small lounge to eat. Well, I was one of them. Buffet again and this time, it's Korean!
There were lots of choices but I went with the simple ones. I didn't eat rice so yep, I didn't made my own bibimbap. There were canned drinks too and I got a drink similar to amazake in Japan because I could taste the fermented rice in my canned drink.
You'd really know I wasn't used to this because when I tried to get a cup noodle, a staff who was there refilling the cup noodles told me the water needs to be hotter than it currently was. He tried to speak in English to me but ended up having difficulty, but I understood what he was trying to say after squeezing my brain cells. I replied in Nihongo to him without much thought and I forgot I wasn't in Japan yet, I was still in Korea. LOL
My next dilemma was where to throw the water from my cup noodle. I got chapageti, and at home, we usually boil water, put the noodles, and throw the water, but it seems that in this cup version, you shouldn't throw the water. Another Korean lady told me about it, and yes, she had a hard time communicating with me again but I understood her after we exchanged sign language.
It was a bit of a pressure to stay in the lounge while there were many people lining up outside waiting to be seated so they could eat so after my breakfast, I went out and found a nap zone beside the digital area. It was so comfortable I was able to sleep properly while half sitting. I didn't care about the snores anymore.
I woke up past noon and I barely had time to roam around the airport. It was my mission to get to know more about Incheon Airport but I overslept. I was debating in my head if I should get kimchi and seaweed as souvenirs but I realized we have those in Japan so okay, no need to buy. I wanted to get a satchel from a shop but I told myself I overspent in the Philippines so no bags for me this time.
While finding the way to my boarding gate, I passed by this spider art exhibit from Gentle Monster. Oh my! It's huge! I knew this brand because of Jennie from Blackpink so of course I wanted their eyewear. It's so cool that the airport and the brand collab for this art to be displayed here in the middle of the airport.
A few meters from the exhibit was the store. I was so tempted to go inside but clock's ticking so probably next time. Today wasn't meant to be.
I saw some more luxury brands, and that I could only admire them from afar. I kept reminding myself not to splurge on impulsive shopping.
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In the end, what I bought from Incheon Airport was a bag of assorted almonds that's kinda famous, at least to me, and a box of honey butter almond choco cookies. I bought them as souvenirs and for my consumption at home.
I took the train again to the concourse. Transferring between terminals in Incheon Airport is so convenient thanks to the train running every 5 minutes or so. I wonder if NAIA would adopt to this, but I'm sure not in the next few years as this is surely a big project and would require a lot of money. If only NAIA is as convenient as Incheon Airport in the case of layovers and transfers, I would have chosen that route already since it's cheaper than doing a layover trip in South Korea.
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When I arrived at the concourse, I realized there's another lounge here that I could get into. Too bad I realized late, so I wasn't able to fully utilize my time here visiting lounges. Next time, I noted to myself again.
It's becoming more of a departure building here than in the main terminal. The main terminal was like a mall, but here I feel like I'm about to fly. My boarding gate was at the end of the hallway so I got to feast my eyes on the new things I was seeing. Lots of shops and there's a small convenience store that's so Korean! Plus, it's very spacious!
What a nice airport Incheon Airport was. It was actually my first layover trip and I could say, I didn't regret choosing to transit in this airport. I got to enjoy it, explore it and, appreciate it. MCIA was nice too but it's still a work in progress.
Next time, I want to visit South Korea - not just stay in the airport but go outside and see the city!
It's time to board the plane. See you in Japan. π
Thanks for reading!
See you around! γγγγγΎγγοΌ
With love,
All photos are taken using my phone unless stated otherwise.