Sunday, May 9, 2004

Ian made it to Bohol

On the news this evening, the 5 leading runners in the Philippines presidential election attended Mass together to pray for a smooth election tomorrow. I was originally concerned about this weekend but it seems that mid-week should have occupied my thoughts instead.

But I just won't think about that right now. First we get through the weekend and open polls tomorrow.
Ian is in Bohol today. He had planned on flying himself in a 4-seater something or other. It's a 3 1/2 hour trip down and then back on Tuesday. He'd have an instructor with him and the trip would cost and arm and a leg, but he'd earn a good chunk of hours towards his license.
Then it started to rain. Friday night it stormed. Saturday night it stormed hard. I finally got the hint to check on the weather forecast at Yahoo! Weather and wouldn't you know, scattered storms through Tuesday. I asked Ian if he made alternate plans because if it was storming, he wasn't flying anywhere. Well....
Before church he received a text that the plane was out of commission. There was a problem and he couldn't fly.
Engage frantic scramble to call airlines and get a seat on outgoing flight at 3 p.m. Watch clouds roll in and prepare to storm again in the middle of the afternoon. Success when Philippine Airlines came through. He was in Bohol by 5 p.m.
Even with all the praying going on (there's been a prayer said at the end of Mass for several weeks now, pleading for honesty and wisdom in this "pearl of the orient") I'm not naive enough to think that it will be a smooth process. But while I know that things could get progressively worse as the week wears on and the count solidifies, my current worry is getting Ian home safely. He has a reserved seat on Wednesday but will try to get on the Tuesday flight home. We'll see if he's successful. Wish him luck, OK?

No comments:

Post a Comment