I promised I'd post my travel journal, so here it goes.
The photos are taking forever to upload... well I do have about a gig worth to go through.
22-May-2008 - 8 Days till take-off
Starting the journal now, just so it isn't so empty.
Still so many things to do & I'm starting to get anxious about jet-setting to so many places. Must remember to confirm the pickup times with my cousins. Not too sure what to expect these days in Manila, and obviously don't know what the hell to expect in the UK or Canada. It should definitely be fun though.
30-May-2008 - Leaving on a Jet Plane...
First stop is Changi (yeah Singapore Airlines), from there, onto Manila. I was hoping to update eLChay before leaving, but ended up with little time to do so. I guess I'll do some form of update when we get to Manila. Right now, we're just waiting for our plane, have to say that customs was painless (hell it took longer to get our boarding passes).
31-May-2008 - Day 1, Manila
Should've updated when we arrived, but we were both bushed. Its now 6am Manila time. The journey was ok if a little long. Singapore Airlines are all kinds of awesome. The stopover in Changi was painless, and we got to see their new airport (damn its big!) Got to Manila, all bags OK, two travellers tired but well.
A whole deal has changed, and while it will be a huge culture shock, I think that the Pinoy spirit will help to make acclimatising relatively painless and surprise free. Meeting up with Tito Nat and we're heading to dad's after breakfast.
Afternoon
B met up with dad, and his side of the family. Got to see uncles and aunts I haven't seen in ages, not to mention my cousins (and their kids). The place hasn't changed at all, though it did seem smaller than I remember. Seems some of my cousins are wanting to migrate to Oz, which is cool. One of my cousins is in Dubai (wtf?) and another is in the UK (hopefully we'll meet up).
B seemed to have a good time, though I think the constant feeding of guests got to both of us. Tito Nat & Tito Ben were awesome in driving us around (gotta get them to Melbourne, I think they'd like the culture). Now we're kinda beat, I'll probably have a shower and a nap, then wake in time for dinner and we'll hit some bars.
Evening
Dinner was at the hotel, then we just camped at the hotel bar (hey its cheap) Big day tomorrow with mum's side of the family. The bar staff let us have some travellers, which they promptly brought up to our room for us. ($10AU for a six pack of San Miguel). As B says, "They're very old fashioned like that. Kind of like hotels in the 50's". This hotel is definitely an awesome find!
01-Jun-2008 - Day 2, San Juan Visit
Long day today, B met the cousins, uncles, aunts, and great aunt Luisa. We're a rowdy bunch and as usual, I've let my uncles dictate where to go and what to do, not really something I wanted to do (so I've cancelled for the next couple of days) Unfortunately, I'm not too sure what we can do around here on our own as I think we'll need a guide of some sort (I don't trust the Jeepneys, or the pedal-cabs)
As much as my relatives think I'll be speaking Tagalog, it isn't really a language I've ever spoken. I'll admit that while I can read quite a bit of it (and a number of romantic languages) my spoken tongue is severely limited to one (and for someone who's first tongue is English, I've got a rather stunted vocabulary, and my diction sucks dogs balls) I fear too, that while many Filipinos can understand English, most of those would be working while B and I galavant around town. Most likely, this could mean we're going to be at the mercy of grifters and con-artists. I miss a simpler time, and too much has changed for me to even begin to look at Manila in the light f a former resident.
02-Jun-2008 - Day 3
Just a relaxing day spent exploring Ermita and the surrounding urban sprawl. Visited Robinson's Plaza (an old mall by Pinoy standards, having been open for about 10 years) and had lunch at a rather cool restaurant there (The Banana Leaf) Also did some sundry shopping (bought a memory stick for about half price compared to Oz) B purchased two matchbox Jeepneys. After that, we headed to the Slouch Hat Pub for a few beers (very cheap at about $1 AUD each beer) Its great to find a pub where they hand you a stubby holder for your beer!
Dinner was at the hotel again. We also went out and bought a hip flask of rum for about 36 pesos (under a buck) We'll test, and see how it is. Tomorrow we're probably walking to the Museum, and we'll call my cousins if we feel like company tomorrow night. Oh and we still need to see some local bands.
03-Jun-2008 - Day 4, Lazy Day
Really wanted to head out to the musems today, but they were all closed. Instead headed out to Fort Santiago & looked around the Rizal Shrine.
It was good to just walk around the old fort, no guides just the two of us. Despite the stifling heat we both had fun. Ended up walking back from the fort to our hotel (about a kilometer) through the old parts of Intramuros and then through Luneta (Rizal Park). We ate our breakfast at the Slouch Hat (in the afternoon no less) then headed back to the Hotel.
Strange really, instead of writing about Fort Santiago and what we've seen, all I can seem to write about is that I'm finding this very tiring. But I suppose that's what being a tourist is about. I suspect I'm in need of social interaction, though I'm not sure where I'll get that here. Especially since, what I want to be doing is sitting somewhere with coffee in one hand, and smoke in another, just chatting about stuff (like politics, life, & all that jazz)
Evening
Spent the evening at a lovely little Aussie pub (yeah we're smack bang in the centre of the Aussie district... fucking strange) Met some other Aussies there, mostly older blokes (Queenslanders!) and a really funny Irishman called Gerald. This due was an ex-boxer who ended up in Manila after vacationing down here for a while. Now he's gone local, and is married to a Filipina (and spends his time drinking in Aussie pubs with Aussie ex-pats and the Baranguay captain - kinda like village headman - who owns a hostess bar down the road)
Gotta say its awesome hearing a proper ocker accent again. Doing so while drinking cheap pinoy beer is a fucking bonus!
More tomorrow...
22-May-2008 - 8 Days till take-off
Starting the journal now, just so it isn't so empty.
Still so many things to do & I'm starting to get anxious about jet-setting to so many places. Must remember to confirm the pickup times with my cousins. Not too sure what to expect these days in Manila, and obviously don't know what the hell to expect in the UK or Canada. It should definitely be fun though.
30-May-2008 - Leaving on a Jet Plane...
First stop is Changi (yeah Singapore Airlines), from there, onto Manila. I was hoping to update eLChay before leaving, but ended up with little time to do so. I guess I'll do some form of update when we get to Manila. Right now, we're just waiting for our plane, have to say that customs was painless (hell it took longer to get our boarding passes).
31-May-2008 - Day 1, Manila
Should've updated when we arrived, but we were both bushed. Its now 6am Manila time. The journey was ok if a little long. Singapore Airlines are all kinds of awesome. The stopover in Changi was painless, and we got to see their new airport (damn its big!) Got to Manila, all bags OK, two travellers tired but well.
A whole deal has changed, and while it will be a huge culture shock, I think that the Pinoy spirit will help to make acclimatising relatively painless and surprise free. Meeting up with Tito Nat and we're heading to dad's after breakfast.
Afternoon
B met up with dad, and his side of the family. Got to see uncles and aunts I haven't seen in ages, not to mention my cousins (and their kids). The place hasn't changed at all, though it did seem smaller than I remember. Seems some of my cousins are wanting to migrate to Oz, which is cool. One of my cousins is in Dubai (wtf?) and another is in the UK (hopefully we'll meet up).
B seemed to have a good time, though I think the constant feeding of guests got to both of us. Tito Nat & Tito Ben were awesome in driving us around (gotta get them to Melbourne, I think they'd like the culture). Now we're kinda beat, I'll probably have a shower and a nap, then wake in time for dinner and we'll hit some bars.
Evening
Dinner was at the hotel, then we just camped at the hotel bar (hey its cheap) Big day tomorrow with mum's side of the family. The bar staff let us have some travellers, which they promptly brought up to our room for us. ($10AU for a six pack of San Miguel). As B says, "They're very old fashioned like that. Kind of like hotels in the 50's". This hotel is definitely an awesome find!
01-Jun-2008 - Day 2, San Juan Visit
Long day today, B met the cousins, uncles, aunts, and great aunt Luisa. We're a rowdy bunch and as usual, I've let my uncles dictate where to go and what to do, not really something I wanted to do (so I've cancelled for the next couple of days) Unfortunately, I'm not too sure what we can do around here on our own as I think we'll need a guide of some sort (I don't trust the Jeepneys, or the pedal-cabs)
As much as my relatives think I'll be speaking Tagalog, it isn't really a language I've ever spoken. I'll admit that while I can read quite a bit of it (and a number of romantic languages) my spoken tongue is severely limited to one (and for someone who's first tongue is English, I've got a rather stunted vocabulary, and my diction sucks dogs balls) I fear too, that while many Filipinos can understand English, most of those would be working while B and I galavant around town. Most likely, this could mean we're going to be at the mercy of grifters and con-artists. I miss a simpler time, and too much has changed for me to even begin to look at Manila in the light f a former resident.
02-Jun-2008 - Day 3
Just a relaxing day spent exploring Ermita and the surrounding urban sprawl. Visited Robinson's Plaza (an old mall by Pinoy standards, having been open for about 10 years) and had lunch at a rather cool restaurant there (The Banana Leaf) Also did some sundry shopping (bought a memory stick for about half price compared to Oz) B purchased two matchbox Jeepneys. After that, we headed to the Slouch Hat Pub for a few beers (very cheap at about $1 AUD each beer) Its great to find a pub where they hand you a stubby holder for your beer!
Dinner was at the hotel again. We also went out and bought a hip flask of rum for about 36 pesos (under a buck) We'll test, and see how it is. Tomorrow we're probably walking to the Museum, and we'll call my cousins if we feel like company tomorrow night. Oh and we still need to see some local bands.
03-Jun-2008 - Day 4, Lazy Day
Really wanted to head out to the musems today, but they were all closed. Instead headed out to Fort Santiago & looked around the Rizal Shrine.
It was good to just walk around the old fort, no guides just the two of us. Despite the stifling heat we both had fun. Ended up walking back from the fort to our hotel (about a kilometer) through the old parts of Intramuros and then through Luneta (Rizal Park). We ate our breakfast at the Slouch Hat (in the afternoon no less) then headed back to the Hotel.
Strange really, instead of writing about Fort Santiago and what we've seen, all I can seem to write about is that I'm finding this very tiring. But I suppose that's what being a tourist is about. I suspect I'm in need of social interaction, though I'm not sure where I'll get that here. Especially since, what I want to be doing is sitting somewhere with coffee in one hand, and smoke in another, just chatting about stuff (like politics, life, & all that jazz)
Evening
Spent the evening at a lovely little Aussie pub (yeah we're smack bang in the centre of the Aussie district... fucking strange) Met some other Aussies there, mostly older blokes (Queenslanders!) and a really funny Irishman called Gerald. This due was an ex-boxer who ended up in Manila after vacationing down here for a while. Now he's gone local, and is married to a Filipina (and spends his time drinking in Aussie pubs with Aussie ex-pats and the Baranguay captain - kinda like village headman - who owns a hostess bar down the road)
Gotta say its awesome hearing a proper ocker accent again. Doing so while drinking cheap pinoy beer is a fucking bonus!
More tomorrow...