Phils Trip Feb/Mar 2013 Part 1

[Ako Si Jamie]

Arrived back home around 8pm Saturday evening and had a great trip with all travel arrangements going according to plan apart from the odd trike breakdown. The only downside was that my camera was playing up so all pictures were taken on Maria's camera or the camera on my phone. Also, the scallies on Ocean Jet fingered my electric shaver but I didn't let this incident spoil our holiday.

Facts, Figures, Observations, Random and Useless Information

Route

Birmingham - London - Kuwait - Manila (via Bangkok) - Bacolod - Sipalay - Dumaguete - Siquijor - Panglao Island - Tagbilaran - Manila - San Fernando, Pampanga - Manila - Kuwait (via Bangkok) - London - Birmingham

Miles (as the crow flies) Over 16,500
Hotels 8
Flights 6
Coach/Bus (long distance) 6

Other modes of transport

Train
Taxi
Motorbike
Car
People Carrier
Jeepney
Pedicab
Trike
Motorized Banca
Non Motorized Banca
"Trikeney" (More about that later)

Weather

Feb 16 MANILA - Hazy
Feb 17 MANILA - Hazy
Feb 18 NEGROS OCCIDENTAL - Cloudy
Feb 19 SIPALAY - Rain
Feb 20 SIPALAY - Cloudy
Feb 21 SIPALAY/DUMAGUETE - Hazy
Feb 22 DUMAGUETE - Hazy
Feb 23 DUMAGUETE/APO ISLAND - Sunny
Feb 24 DUMAGUETE - Sunny
Feb 25 DUMAGUETE/SIQUIJOR - Sunny
Feb 26 SIQUIJOR - Sunny
Feb 27 SIQUIJOR - Sunny
Feb 28 SIQUIJOR/BOHOL - Sunny
Mar 1 PANGLAO ISLAND - Sunny
Mar 2 PANGLAO ISLAND - Sunny
Mar 3 BOHOL - Mainly Sunny
Mar 4 PANGLAO ISLAND - Sunny/Cloudy
Mar 5 PANGLAO ISLAND - Cloudy
Mar 6 TAGBILARAN/MANILA - Cloudy
Mar 7 SAN FERNANDO, PAMPANGA - Sunny
Mar 8 SAN FERNANDO, PAMPANGA/MANILA - Cloudy

Brownouts

3 in 3 days in Siquijor and one on Panglao Island.

Other Random Stuff

It costs around 60 pence for a haircut in Dumaguete.

The San Alfredo Resort in Pampanga has numerous swimming pools and a mini zoo which includes peacocks and ostriches amongst others.

A free underground train operates between all terminals at Heathrow so if you're arriving by National Express check the fares for each terminal online from your hometown as prices can differ. In my case, my flight was departing from T4 but I purchased a ticket for the bus station (T1/T3) caught the free train and saved around a tenner.

There's a clothing company in the Philippines called Frenchtoss.

The big bottle of San Miguel otherwise known as San Miguel Grande is available in places like Bohol but not up north. Someone else's words, not mine!

You get weighed along with your baggage if you fly with Tiger Airways from Manila Domestic Airport.

Bacolod seems a very clean city and doesn't have any of the traditional jeepneys.

You can buy a foldable map of the Philippines over there produced by New Holland Publishers Ltd of London which omits The Mall of Asia from the street map of Manila, defines the airport at Subic Bay as an international one and forgets airports such as Butuan and Ozamiz. It costs £6 to buy in the UK but only 185 peso's in the Phils - so I had the last laugh. :icon_lol:

Dumaguete is a smoke free zone but smoking is allowed on private property such as bars and restaurants.

The cost for a motorized banca made in Siquijor that can seat around 8 people and can handle the larger waves, differs, according to some. A hotelier in Siquijor says 70,000 peso's while a former Siquijor fisherman based in Tagbilaran says 20,000.

[grahamw48]

Welcome back mate. :xxgrinning--00xx3:

Thanks for the most interesting breakdown and report.

Sounds like you had really good trip...lots of travelling !
I really enjoy the travelling there...different means of transport, scenery etc. :smile:

Looking forward to the pictures and further accounts of your adventures there. :smile:

[Ako Si Jamie]

Thanks Graham. The next part will be up soon. :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[Steve.r]

That is an interesting breakdown of your trip, you must have been making notes all the time to remember that lot. But a good read, thanks

Welcome back by the way. :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[Michael Parnham]

Very enjoyable journey I'm sure, pleased to see you spent a considerable amount of time in Siquijor and Dumaguete, looking forward to reading more later, thankyou!:xxgrinning--00xx3:

[Doc Alan]

Thanks Jamie - and Maria - welcome back :xxgrinning--00xx3:

Good idea to make notes and keep receipts from your trip - it helps when you're identifying photos - although obviously not necessary in your case to prove that you've actually met :smile:!

[Arthur Little]

:Hellooo: ... Welcome back folks.

:cwm24: ... WOW, lots of travelling involved!

Thanks for sharing Part I of your adventures, Jamie & Maria; we look forward eagerly to your subsequent instalment(s). :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[South-east boy]

Very detailed! Seems you visited a lot of places and did a fair bit of travelling! Look forward to any pics!

[imagine]

wow you been around, welcome back :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[stevie c]

Great report jamie look forward to part 2 :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[Ako Si Jamie]

Thanks all.

I didn't actually make any written notes at all concerning the info above, just mental notes. Normally my memory is like a sieve but if I really want to digest stuff, I seem to find some space upstairs. :biggrin:

[angellegwen]

welcome back...share your photos :Jump:

[Ako Si Jamie]

welcome back...share your photos :Jump:I will add a few photo's during the story but seeing as I've got quite a few I'll make a YouTube video of them - probably at the weekend.

[stevewool]

welcome back, so many memories you will have, cant wait to see the pics

[Terpe]

Sorry to be so tardy Jaimie.
What a really great way to report the facts and observations about your trip. Very impressed, good job, like it :xxgrinning--00xx3:

Welcome back, glad to learn the well thought out plans went AOK :xxgrinning--00xx3:

Just going now to part 2 :Jump:

[Ako Si Jamie]

Thanks Peter!