Clark Field Airport

Under the watchful eyes of volcano Pinatubo we board our plane bound for Kota Kinabalu. Flying from Clark Field Airport was an lasting experience.

It takes nearly two hours from Manila to Clark Field by cab. Our driver Anthony, who is a Filipino guy from ethnic Chinese origin, is driving fast and aggressively.

Not far from Clark Field the volcano Pinatubo rises up from the horizon. It was a threatening and awesome view. Our cab got off the highway at Angeles; it appeared that one has got to pass by the red light district Angeles City in order to reach Clark Field Airport. It was a miserable looking slump.

Clark Field Airport is located in the newly designated special economic zone. Until the latest eruption of the volcano it served as the most significant US airbase in the Pacific. But thanks to Pinatubo it is turned into a civil airport for discount airliners like Air Asia, Asiana and Tiger Air. The security is still very tight where our cab has to pass by a score of military checkpoints before reaching the terminal building proper.

Passengers have to queue up outside the terminal building where their passports and tickets are examined before hand by a cheeky but pretty looking Philippine lady. We have to endure her bullshit talks and insults before we might enter the actual departure hall.

The departure hall was small and Spartan looking. Passengers were packed together like bunches of sheep. After various security checks we finally reached the gate. I rushed to the male toilet, time for a good pee. Gosh! Much to my surprise and irritation there was only one tiny toilet for men to available. And it was already occupied!

The queue before the shit hole was growing and we all did not understand why that moron needs that much time to do his shitting. Finally, it was my turn. When I came out, I was almost overrun by two young Korean bulies who apparently could not hold it out anymore...

At the gate there was only a small canteen where you could get almost nothing. Coffee was a cup of hot water poured out from a thermos! There was a television set in the gate showing a Philippino soap. The noise was that load that it yelled the hell out of you. And no one understood since most of the passengers were foreigner...

It was getting dark when our aircraft finally arrived. Walking over the tarmac we headed to our plane. It was a relief that volcano Pinatubo remains quiet before we got rid of this place...

Yee Chuen Leung
Chief Editor