Hi everyone,
Just checking in a couple of days before I return home back to Council tax and high fuel prices, so how is it going back in UK everyone ? I will have to be forgiven for not being on the net too much in last 3 weeks, quite frankly I have had no desire at all to go online, I think the Phils does that to you.
Gina and I are having a fantastic time out here in the Philippines, we started with a fantastic 4 days in Hong Kong, and just wanted to let Rob know just how cheap Hong Kong seems to be these days, we had a budget of about UK500.00 for our 4 day stay, but only managed to spend UK250.00 apart from putting theme park tickets on my visa, Disney and Ocean Park, taxis seem to be cheaper than ever, and food also, I am so tempted to pick up a new camera in Nathan road, on my way back through on Saturday, sssssh don't tell GINA she will Reklamo.
Its been really great though out here, very little heavy rain, most days, glorious sunshine, ok so Diesel is 60 pesos a litre or thereabouts, but to be honest, we have not noticed that it ate into our budget, rice 43.5 pesos a Kilogram, I mean who is complaining, we went to Boracay for 3 days, rained heavily on the 1st day, and we could not take the boat from the normal terminal, we had to use the back up terminal at the other side, and take a boat across to the rear of Boracay, those of you who have been this way will know what I mean.
The only thing that spoilt things is this incessant badgering for money both at arrival at the jetty, and pushy vendors trying to ply for our trade, Gina really hates it.
We had a fairly typical experience on landing at NAIA in Manila, you still can't seem to get in a taxi, without 4 or 5 guys trying to take your bags, and then having to pay each one for the privilidge, nothing has seemed to have changed in that department.
Driving in Bacolod City has not changed, no lights or turn signals, and multi cabs and jeepneys stll have this incessant desire to stop unnanounced without any warning, actually its beginning to make life easier, since now I am getting used to the lack of social order again on the roads.
After being in UK allround in a typical year, we all get used to the social order and rules, then you arrive in Philippines having vaguely forgotten how life is, only to find that actually it all works, but you still cannot understand how it does so, is it really cheaper to employ 2 guys directing traffic than it is to install working traffic lights, the answer is simply yes.
Its a bit of a wind down period this week, as we are flying back to Manila on Friday for a day in the city, a relaxing day out in Mall of Asia, and a nice meal out in Toni Roma's Glorietta 4, for those that know it, a wander around Green belt, Robs stomping ground from old, before a bright and early start on Saturday am. me bound for Hong Kong, Gina bound back to Bacolod City for the rest of her 6 week holiday, lucky her, just to let everyone know, we flew Qatar throgh Doha, thats my first time with them, have to say, service on the London-Doha route was great, and the Doha-Hong Kong service was great also, no complaints, the in flight attendants were superb at their job, I thought Doha airport although with some nice shopping is fairly small, however, its a lay over airport.
The Free wi-fi in Doha airport is a plus for me, and also at Hong Kong, which makes the lay over a little more enjoyable.
Well everyone will be back in UK on Sunday, so take care, here endeth the report, take care.
Petrol has dropped, no taxes, government refunds, free nuclear elecrtic power, road tax scrapped, daily bin collections.....we're rolling in it 
Originally Posted by Win2Win
