To Phuket and back

(First of two parts)

This was a long overdue trip: Startalk’s recent trip to Phuket in Thailand (April 21 to 25). But when the tickets had already been bought and the hotel accommodations had already been reserved (by associate producer Kokoy Bon-can), nobody wanted to leave anymore – except for the writers and researchers, most of whom were flying out of the country for the first time.

Director Floy Quintos was begging not to go because he was meeting with Ai-Ai de las Alas for a show on the very day we were leaving for Phuket (he left on the next flight). Executive producer Rommel Gacho and production unit manager Janine Piad had to tape for Arnel Ignacio’s K, so they too, were dragging their feet for this Thailand trip.

In my case, there were a lot of chores to do for the Urian Awards on May 11 and columns to advance for this paper. But I’m glad I went on this trip because it turned out to be real fun.

The day before the departure, however, was torture for me. First, there was the live edition of Startalk that we had to do. Then, I was told to buy Hawaiian shirts (I’ve never owned one) and walking shorts and sando for the Phuket edition of Startalk. And since that was a Saturday, I thought of hearing the anticipated Mass at the Mary the Queen Parish in Greenhills because I was afraid I wouldn’t find a Catholic Church in Phuket.

There were also last-minute details I had to iron out with Malou Choa Fagar, executive producer of APT Productions, which is putting up this year’s Gawad Urian. By the time I was able to sit down in front of the computer to finish two columns for the Philippine STAR, it was already way past midnight. At around 3 a.m., I was done with two columns (the fastest I ever wrote).

Looking at my watch, I figured I only had a little more than an hour to sleep. Our flight was at 8 a.m. – which meant I had to be at the airport by 6 that morning. Travel time to NAIA 2 was at least one hour, so I had to be out of the house by 5.

Since my adrenalin had shot up, I had to bring it down to be able to doze off. Although I ransacked the medicine cabinet of all the antihistamines that cause drowsiness, I was still unable to sleep. At 4:30 a.m., I gave up my battle with insomnia, took a cold shower and prepared to leave for the airport.

When I got to NAIA 2 at quarter to 6, more than half of our group of 36 people was already there. With 36 people – all chatting and laughing at the same time – we really looked more like a bunch of misbehaving pupils out on a field trip to Nayong Pilipino.

At half past six, Rosanna Roces – drawing ooohs and aahs from the airport crowd in spite of her simple black shirt and jeans – walked in with husband Tito Molina and kids: 13-year old Grace (who is growing up to be as beautiful as her mother – the goddess of beauty herself) and 11-year old Onyok, a really well-behaved and adorable kid who has a ready smile for everyone.

But where oh where was Lolit Solis? It’s not like Lolit to be late. (I am the tardy one in the group.)

Although Lolit was still nowhere to be found, we decided to check in at the PAL counter with the help of pretty ground stewardess Lynn Taneel, cousin of Startalk casting director Josie Manago.

By 7:30 a.m., everyone was on pins and needles because there was still no sign of Lolit. A check with her house revealed that she left for the airport at past 6 a.m. (Lolit doesn’t have a cell phone and still relies on her pager.)

At close to 8 a.m., we were already turning pale because the plane was about to close its door and Lolit was still missing. At 8 a.m. sharp. Rommel Gacho and Kokoy Boncan threw their hands up and boarded the plane for Phuket, Thailand.

Little did we know that Lolit was just at the other end of the airport that very minute boarding the plane for Cebu. (To be concluded)