I would return to Japan the next day, the 29th, but since I would leave the Cebu airport at 2:00 a.m., the 28th was in effect my last day.
My wife had brought some Japanese yen with her, so she tried to exchange them at the Gaisano Mall in Toledo City yesterday, but gave up because of the bad exchange rate, so she went to a money exchange place in Ayala, where she always exchanges money, thinking that the rate would be better in Cebu City.
However, the exchange rate was also bad here. The BDO exchange rate was 0.4047, so the exchange rate was 6,370 pesos per 100,000 yen. The exchange rate of BDO is 0.4047, which is 6370 pesos per 100,000 yen.
Never in the past had the exchange rate been so far off from the local exchange rate.
After letting the children play at the game center in Ayala Mall, we bought bags and raincoats for school.
My wife wanted to have family photos taken, so we went to a photo studio in Ayala Mall and had them taken.
It was the first time in my life to have a family photo taken. I was not particularly nervous, but when I was asked to smile and show my teeth, I was so awkward that even I could tell my face was stiff.
Later, my wife sent me a picture of her and the kids smiling naturally, but I was the only one who looked out of place. That's why I don't like pictures.
Come to think of it, when was the last time I laughed heartily? And since I've been wearing a mask outside lately, I can't remember the last time I smiled, showing my teeth.
Then lunch at Burger King and back to the hotel to relax until dinner time.
Dinner was at Kenny Rogers Roasters at Ayala Mall. This restaurant is perfect for Filipinos who don't feel like eating a meal unless they eat rice because the roastery and rice come as a set.
I ordered a plate from the healthy menu, but ended up eating vegetables, corn, and macaroni that the kids didn't eat, so I ended up going over my calorie limit.
Since my flight home departs at 2:00 a.m., I thought I could leave the hotel at 11:00 p.m., but my wife insisted on seeing me off to the airport with the children. She said it would be dangerous to take a cab alone. I told her that was not true, but she would not listen to me, so I decided to go along.
I arrived at Cebu airport before 23:00. The check-in counter was open, so I completed the formalities and headed for the departure gate. I had expected to be charged a terminal fee, but there was none this time. It may have already been included in the air ticket.
There are many flights between Cebu and Korea, including one to Seoul by the same JEJU AIR at about the same time (30 minutes difference). (Korean Air, JEJU AIR, Asiana Airlines, Philippine Airlines, and Cebu Pacific each have one flight to Seoul Incheon Airport. ) There is one flight to Pusan by JEJU AIR. In total, there are six flights a day between Korea and Cebu.
Unfortunately, only one Philippine Airlines flight to Japan flies to Narita every two days.
According to an article in Sunstar Cebu, a total of 317,000 foreign tourists visited Cebu by September 2022. Of these, Koreans topped the list with 84,000, Americans came in second, Chinese third, and Japanese were fourth with only 16,000.
With so many Koreans coming to Cebu, it is understandable that there are so many flights to and from Korea.
The flight time between Korea and Cebu is only 4 hours, so Cebu is popular among Koreans as an easy overseas travel destination.
This was the first time I flew with JEJU AIR. The flight from Cebu to Pusan was full, but the seats were spacious and satisfactory. The ticket price from Cebu to Narita via Pusan was around 20,000 yen, so it was a very good deal.
Connecting time at Pusan airport was 4 hours. The lounge where Priority Pass is available was closed, so I could not use it. I was not disappointed because I had checked the lounge beforehand.
We took off from Pusan Airport almost on time and arrived at Narita at 1:00 PM. The distance between Fukuoka and Narita was about the same as the distance between Fukuoka and Narita. The flight was a fast lane, so the entry into the country was smooth, and we were out of the airport in about 15 minutes after our arrival.
I arrived home at 2:50 pm. It has been about 13 hours since I left the Cebu airport. My short trip to Cebu is over.
My wife will be back on December 7.
