Manila: the Last Sunrise
Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/50s f/2.8 at 14.0mm iso400
April 25, 2007: Manila International Airport, Manila Philippines
Good Sunday Afternoon to everyone - as expected, I've been hit with some severe jet lag the past few days; at 12noon my body still thinks it's 12 midnight and wants to sleep, and during the afternoon when I'm awake I'm often drowsy and want to go back to sleep, and so on.
Often times when I wake up, for the first few moments I'm not sure where I am - sometimes I think I'm back in Manila, and other times I think I'm back on Bantayan Island and need to get to work on the laptop with the last few images I've been working on there, etc.
I'm also trying to adjust to the temperature changes here in the USA - I've been acclimated to 90 degree temps and high humidity for the past 5 months, and it was 55 degrees in New York when I landed, and 48 degrees the day after that, so I'm cold all the time now - and all this just seems to bring me into a less then happy mood as I try to adjust.
Last year when I tried to force my body into re-setting my internal clock, it just rebelled and made the jet lag more severe - I've learned to try to make subtle changes slowly, over time as the body likes to maintain status quo and does not like to be forced into sudden drastic changes.
So I'm trying to smile and keep a positive attitude as this process goes along, working when I feel sharp and focused, and staying away from the computer when I feel tired.
I've found that ideally, without tying to make any changes to re-set my internal clock, it takes me a week to adjust for each month I've been away.
On my last day in Manila, I got to sleep at the hotel by 10pm and set my phone alarm for 1:45am, then got up & showered and checked out at 2:30am, grabbing a taxi to the airport for the 20 minute ride - that's the only good thing about driving to the airport as there's little traffic at that time of day, and I got into line to check in at the airport by 3am.
I shot the image above at the airport at 5:14am as I walked to the Cathay Pacific gate, and I already noticed the coolerer temps inside the airport; I think they keep it cooler in the International terminal to accomodate travelers who are wearing coats & layered clothing appropriate to their final destinations, and I just wore a barong collar shirt & shorts and carried long pants & a light jacket in my carry on luggage, as I'm uncomfortable layering up in clothes at the hotel in Manila where the temps are 80 degrees with high humidity.
I miss shooting in Manila, Cebu and on the Island, and I was already missing it while still at the hotel and airport in Manila on my last day - I'll be getting back to editing the new images this week a few at a time, while making the adjustment to being back in the USA, so I thank you for your patience while waiting for the new posts.
Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/80s f/2.8 at 14.0mm iso400
Best Regards,
PJAMES