Planning Vs Life's Curve Balls

"Sometimes, despite all the careful planning we have prepared well ahead, life will throw a curve ball." 

Remember in my previous post, I sent a box of baby items several weeks in advance before our trip? Well, that box never made it.


A package of this size usually arrives within a month or 45 days at the most.  Unfortunately, while we were in Manila, the shipping company informed us that this box of milk, diapers, crib, clothes and presents for the family were stuck somewhere in a ship in Singapore.  The failed idea of a declared truck ban in Manila that was recently lifted caused shipping congestion that didn't help either.  Large containers queued for days in the narrow streets of Manila port. It was a huge logistics mess.

On our second day in Manila, after the first phone call of tracking the box, I had a gut feeling, we will leave the Philippines and we will never set sight on this package.

I've learned that no matter how much planning or managing we do, we simply can't control everything in life.


We have a choice.
I do have a choice, though.  Either I let this ruin our trip, or adjust our sails to go with the flow and make the most out of this unexpected situation.

• Milk

With foresight, as a backup even before learning of the non-arrival of the box, I brought 2 cans of milk in the check-in luggage.  This milk lasted us a few days. We learned that the Similac HA (Hypoallergenic) equivalent in the Philippines is Similac HW. (And not, Similac TC). The pediatrician confirmed this. HW stands for Hydrolyzed Whey.

• Crib Replacement

I brought a baby cocoon pillow mattress that served as her make-shift crib on top of the bed. This was also handy in the airplane bassinet.  It made the suspended airplane crib comfy and familiar.

• Diapers

Diapers can be bought in the supermarkets and we were happy to discover Huggies in a smaller size which were more affordable in the Philippines than they were in Dubai. Overall, both milk and diapers are generally more expensive in the Philippines, but we'll just have to bear the cost because we need them.

Acceptance and Gratitude.
Part of this shipment, were presents for the family and friends and items we needed during the trip such as our toiletries and a few clothes.  We may have been empty handed, but the reason for this trip is to spend time with family and there are other ways to replace these presents.

We were grateful, despite the stormy weather, we were safe and we got to spend time with them.


Now, we're back in Dubai and true enough, we never got to see the box.
Never mind, we brought back more than a box full of happy memories with us and more than a handful of stories and places I'm excited to share with you soon.


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