Our family survived (barely!) the long trip from San Francisco to Manila, but we felt like minced meat getting off the plane. I noticed that when we lifted off from and landed on the airport runways, there was utter chaos. Flight attendants didn't bother asking people to be seated, instead. Passengers were still pulling things out of the over head bins and exchanging seats. Someone once remarked that when you fly out of the country on a non-US carrier, the moment you lift off from the land is the moment you lose all self-control. It seemed to me as if all these people had been holding themselves inside this polite veneer. As soon as we took off, this invisible thing called "the need for polite society" was lifted, and everything came falling out. // It was dark when we arrived in the Philippines, and the day woke as slowly as we did. I saw my first Filipino sunrise in Manila on the dawn of August 29th. We were on an island surrounded by the Pacific ocean, so we had to peek through the layers and layers of blue and white clouds to see the sun's colors. Had I been more awake and alive, I would have appreciated it more thoroughly. As it was, that sunrise was wasted when it poured out over our tired bodies. // This was also the first time I had to pay to use the public restroom. There were people standing in front of the men's and ladies' bathrooms, asking for money. It was rather interesting to know that the guys blatantly asked the men who entered for more money if they were flashing dollar bills. This marked the beginning of my trip...having to gird my loins and straighten my shoulders to steadily and readily pay for every service I've taken for granted in the past 19 years of my life.//