Saturday March 12, 2016 I am leaning on taking a taxi to Moalboal. More expensive, but quicker, and I should be able to stop to take pictures if I want. I have two offers. The first one I’m not too keen on–the taxi driver didn’t have good English skills and was trying to sell me…
Day 8: Making Plans
Wednesday March 9, 2016 I have made plans for next week. I have booked 4 nights at the Turtle Bay Dive Resort in Moalboal (Sunday through Wednesday nights). It is a high end resort — with fees and all it is $80 per night. Expensive for Philippines (cheap for the bay area) but I think…
Days 6 and 7: I’m almost ready to participate in life here
March 7 and 8, 2016 Monday March 7 Monday turned out to be an uneventful day. I researched a walking tour for today or tomorrow. I decided to get a massage (350P for one hour ($7.25). I called at noon but they couldn’t get to the hotel until 4:00….I said fine….took a nap. At 4…
Day 5: The Adventure Begins: Part 2
Sunday, March 7, 2016 I headed out to Ayala Mall this morning, arriving at 10:30 AM. I planned to stay the whole day to get acclimated, but cut it short after 2 hours. Highlights of the event were: 1) I actually walked for about an hour to the point that my hamstrings and calves were…
Day 3: I venture out of my hotel
Okay, the phrase of today is “Culture Shock”. In a good way. I got a taxi and rode to Ayala Mall..probably best described as two sports stadiums side by side with 4 levels. It is not a Mall, It is a SUPER_MALL. No need to exercise, just wander around the mall–it is huge. I got…
Day 1: Lesson Learned
March 1 (4:00 AM Eureka time) to March 3 (early morning Cebu time_), 2016 What the heck have I gotten myself into? I have learned one thing about long distance travel: Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate. I flew into San Francisco, leaving my house at 4:30 AM. I drank some water, got two sodas ($3.50 for a…
Day 5: The Adventure Begins Part I
Sunday March 7, 2016 Okay. Let’s backtrack to yesterday. Imagine this scenario: You meet someone on an International dating site. You correspond with them and agree to meet them. She stated that she was taking a taxi to your hotel, but then shows up driving her “sister’s car”. Do you get in? Is she going…
Day 4: Maybe getting my strength back
Saturday, March 5, 2016 I still haven’t eaten any Filipino cooking yet. As I’m a little under the weather I’m going to pick American specialties such as cheese omelettes for now. I planned to watch tv yesterday after my trip to the mall, then have dinner at the restaurant downstairs. I was going to get…
Day 3.5: The Elephant in the room
As stated in my previous post, I fit the profile of the American Sex Tourist. Retired 60ish, overweight, balding (nope, NOT ME). The Philippines are a 3rd world country and the local red light district is only a 70P taxi drive away. A companion can run, from my research, from $20 US to $120. Not…
Day 2: Start of my trip in the Philippines
March 3, 2016 What the hell have I done? I want to hide in my room for 25 days and then go home 🙂 I am now faced with a bunch of chores, along with surviving the onset of the Humboldt Crud I incubated with 17 hours of flight time and 8 hours of total…