Pete's Final Countdown Page

[ginapeterb]

Hey everyone I thought I deserved a topic of my own, so I started this one, well it has been 18 months now, since I started my journey on the path of love and marriage in the Philippines, so I am counting on everyones support now, that includes Peter, Rob, and Keith to name a few, and many others out there, well its 18 days to go, flight is ready on Singapore Airlines for Saturday 26th March, so, here we go here we go here we go......lalalalala.

Come on keep up my spirits, wedding is booked for 9th April 2005 at the Sugarland Hotel, Sincang, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental RP at 5pm and who is coming to support me ?? what about my stag night. ???

[gm47]

Good luck to you both and I hope everything goes well for you, I look forward to the report of how it all goes when you return.

I've read all your reports and am visiting Manila for the first time on Friday 25th March for 2 weeks.

Good luck
Gerry

[Admin]

One tip, email SIA and ask them to book you a 'special meal', the fish is very nice (as long as you don't get Octopus&#33, but you can pick others listed on their site.

This ensures you know what your getting, but most importantly, you get the meal before everyone else, so can finish earlier and no queue for the loo

Should we make you an advent calendar with 18 pigeon holes?

[mavid]

Best wishes Pete

I would love to go to ur wedding....but its too far from me as i live in Cavite, jst a little soutn of Manila

anyways...goodluck...and send my loves to ur wife...

take cares
mavid

[ginapeterb]

Originally posted by mavid@Mar 9 2005, 08:11 PM
Best wishes Pete

I would love to go to ur wedding....but its too far from me as i live in Cavite, jst a little soutn of Manila

anyways...goodluck...and send my loves to ur wife...

take cares
mavid

Quoted post

excellent thank you..I know Cavite..quite well. I have been through on the liner from Lawton bus terminal to Tagaytay, although I wish the bus didnt go via the coast road, as its a pain...kept stopping to pick up people. why do buses in the Philippines have to do that, then they ask me if I want to pay for 2 spaces..however, I like the on board video varity shows, including Madame Aubring, and Sherilyn Reyes, its all good fun, thanks for offering to come, but as you say..its a trip on PAL..if you fancy it...dont worry..Ive got to get there as well yet, not sure how I will do it as yet..whether its PAL Cebu Pacific..or the Super Ferry

[Admin]

Your not packed already are you?? :o

Mind you, I'm getting stuff in for Singapore, and that's 8 weeks away. Should have the wife's passport in 3 weeks, so can travel on that. So possibly the US in September, probably Florida & Arizona for 2 weeks, and do her other 9 million friends next year!!!

[ginapeterb]

Originally posted by admin@Mar 10 2005, 04:52 PM
Your not packed already are you?? :o

Mind you, I'm getting stuff in for Singapore, and that's 8 weeks away. Should have the wife's passport in 3 weeks, so can travel on that. So possibly the US in September, probably Florida & Arizona for 2 weeks, and do her other 9 million friends next year!!!

Quoted post

Thanks Keith, I dont think I am ready for packing just yet ! i have another 2 weeks of slogging out to sell bathrooms, my website is coming on well...and Ive tried to keep it in line with our community, so it will be http://www.british-filipino.com, I have purhcased this domain name, and my hosting package shouldbe up and running shortly, however, I still have to some work to do before I leave, although I did speak to Gina today, and she has booked the hotel, and by the way the venue has changed, its now at the Business Inn Bacolod City, and not at the Sugarland as previous thought, (hmmmm why do these girls change the venue) maybe it was 100 pesos less at this one) search me I dont know, she has chosen the cake, apparently its a 3 tier cake, with a ladder upto the top section, our giveaways are heart shaped soaps in a box with our wedding photo on and the date etc, then she is having her dress made, and Nanays outfit, also her ring is being made, and mine, geeeeeeze she really will be wanting me to wear that, next their is the Master of Ceremonies, and he is also going to sing for us, the theme for Notting Hill...he is costing us 1500 for the night no bad, dont you think Keith, Peter if you are around, we are having a 5 course meal, and the Judge is coming to the venue for us, we are having 400 photos, of which we will pick an album of 80 photos, hmmmm can you imagine what that would cost in UK.

Well I will let Gina get on with all this, while I work, and try and get myself out there, still a few days to go, but this time in 2 weeks I will be just about ready to go.

Whilst writing I have found something that some of you may be interested in, its a free text message account with MMS to the Philippines
Its here at
http://www.chikka.com/
its pretty cool and works to Smart or Globe phones.

[Admin]

Blimey, I just took mine to the registry office in Abergele, and then onto a Chinese meal

I never wore rings until I got married, now I have two on, and may make it three on my next Singapore visit.

Do you have a bathroom web site? If you add a link to all my sites you get a Google ranking.

We never had a cake, I hate them. It's my birthday om Friday and I'm just having a usual day, apart from picking my mate and his girl up to stay the weekend for a few games of poker.

[ginapeterb]

Thanks Keith, no I dont have a website for my bathrooms as I am a company rep, and cant have a personal web site, that would be innapropriate, but if I ever leave this company, I will start one up, but at present its incompatible with my position as an agent of the company,

As far as the wedding goes, we talk about it some more yesterday, things are going generally according to plan, Gina is having her Satin wedding dress made this week, she has chosen the materials, and the beading, she is having some modern style, although I dont quite understand it.

She has of course booked the Mcee as they call it, she also asked me if I wanted a fortune dance, that is where we dance and people pin money to our clothes, I didnt fancy that, I mean well its not the British way is it ? then we have to have the speeches, my speech and the Mcee wil give one, there is also a programe of events, where the bride tosses her bouquet over the shoulder, and there will be cash in it, (hmm whose ?) we will then have the photos taken, after the marriage has been solemnized by the official, as you know the marriage contract is not signed by the Judge until afterwards, but then the marriage contract has to go to the NSO to have it registered with them, this can of course take up to 2 months, so in the meantime, we will apply for SECPA papers to be issued, prior to the entry clearance interview, we are ready for that anyway.

I will be in Country on 27th March, hopefully, its not actually confirmed as yet, still waiting for monies to come through, but I am fairly confident it will, when i arrive I will be staying overnight at a hotel in Makati, and then we will have to go to the Embassy Consular section in the morning, of course I will be giving my report on that when I get back at end of April, then its south to Bacolod to start the wedding preparations.

I cant beleive after joining the Forum nearly a year ago, that its finally upon me, all that waiting around for divorce papers, and different things, it seems now that it is all in the distant past, well its A true Filipino wedding and Im looking forward to it
I will keep you all posted.

[walesrob]

Originally posted by ginapeterb@Mar 8 2005, 10:06 PM
Hey everyone I thought I deserved a topic of my own, so I started this one, well it has been 18 months now, since I started my journey on the path of love and marriage in the Philippines, so I am counting on everyones support now, that includes Peter, Rob, and Keith to name a few, and many others out there, well its 18 days to go, flight is ready on Singapore Airlines for Saturday 26th March, so, here we go here we go here we go......lalalalala.

Come on keep up my spirits, wedding is booked for 9th April 2005 at the Sugarland Hotel, Sincang, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental RP at 5pm and who is coming to support me ?? what about my stag night. ???

Quoted post

Pete, good luck mate. I really wish I could be there in the sunny Philippines, but Barclaycard has suffered a massive failure after being in PI only last month and now in Hong Kong. :(

Dunno if this tip has been mentioned before on this forum, but if your travelling cattle class on Singapore Airlines, try to book an aisle seat as I found out: 1) More room to flex your elbows especially during meals 2) Easier access to toilets or if you wanna just excercise during those long flights 3) Theres a good chance that the middle seat next to you may be empty - SIA use 777's on most UK-SIN routes and a 3-4-3 config.

Good luck!
Rob
(currently in a cold Hong Kong!! I came here for the sun - WHERE IS IT?!!!! LOL)

[Admin]

I always get the two seats in front of the toilets, plenty more leg room. Or those at the back of the aircraft are the best.

[ginapeterb]

Originally posted by admin@Mar 13 2005, 10:00 AM
I always get the two seats in front of the toilets, plenty more leg room. Or those at the back of the aircraft are the best.

Quoted post

I really just want to get out there Keith to be quite honest, i couldnt care where I sit as long as I get off at the other end hahaha, well its Boring Monday and Im counting down as usual, still a good 13 days to go before I arrive in Country, and it will be the end of a long long hard slog to get with the girl I love, hmmm what we do for love boys, dont you agree ?? and whats happening to this Forum it seems to have slowed down somewhat, is that because all the interested people have got their girls here now, and its served its purpose hmmm I wonder ?? of course we dont hear from Rockman anymore !! and all those ridiculous posts, we had to trawl through, but hey, at least he posted.

[Admin]

Rockman's to bust trying to figure out what his rocks are for!!!

The forum fropped off Google for a few days when I updated the site, but it's back on now, and I'm advertising it again via the keywords, so it should pick up again.

Cheltenham Festival this week, so maybe like me, their mind is elsewhere?

[ginapeterb]

Originally posted by admin@Mar 15 2005, 08:20 AM
Rockman's to bust trying to figure out what his rocks are for!!!

The forum fropped off Google for a few days when I updated the site, but it's back on now, and I'm advertising it again via the keywords, so it should pick up again.

Cheltenham Festival this week, so maybe like me, their mind is elsewhere?

Quoted post

Thanks for doing that Keith, it just seems the forum has gone a little flat, we arent seeing much traffic from Philippines I dont think, although I think the dating site is quite well looked at, as for Rockman...he has put nothing back into the forum, we havent heard from him, before we couldnt keep him off, sadly, he has lost all interest in the forum now, but as I have said, people come use the forum and we dont hear from them again, I belong also to the http://asawa.org/asawa forum in the U.S.A. and thats very busy, but most of the posts, come from couples who are happy and settled, and all they want to do is help other couples have happiness, by answering just about any question anyone has ever had.

I spend about 30 minutes a night looking over the days, posts on the Asawa forum, and its quite good fun talking to others,

Anyway, we have to understand that some people will be like that.

Best wishes

[peterdavid]

Hi Pete,

Best of luck for the big day, it souds like you've really gone to town planning it, sounds like it will be a really good day. We went to Boracay and then Hong Kong for our honeymoon, but we didn't manage the big church wedding - hats off to you for managing to arrange that over there!!

You'll be flying out about the same time as us - just going for a quick visit, but only for the week so we'll be back in the UK by the time of your big day.

Anywy, congratulations, I'm glad it's all working out for you, the long wait is definitely worth it.

[ginapeterb]

Originally posted by peterdavid@Mar 17 2005, 12:27 PM
Hi Pete,

Best of luck for the big day, it souds like you've really gone to town planning it, sounds like it will be a really good day. We went to Boracay and then Hong Kong for our honeymoon, but we didn't manage the big church wedding - hats off to you for managing to arrange that over there!!

You'll be flying out about the same time as us - just going for a quick visit, but only for the week so we'll be back in the UK by the time of your big day.

Anywy, congratulations, I'm glad it's all working out for you, the long wait is definitely worth it.

Quoted post

Hi Peter, good to see you online, well let us know where you will be, you never know, I might take Gina up to Boracay for 2-3 days before the wedding, just for a break, I could do with it actually, I really should have gone this Friday, but I will have to wait another week, thanks for the support, you are quite right, its been a long long time, we are more or less doing the same as you, going up to Boracay for 2-3 days, then maybe we will do another Hong Kong package, Im suprised you are only going for a week, I know whats its like, by the time you get there, its 2 days travelling and 2 days back, I find a week isnt long enough, but then if you have to get back for work etc, I guess its the only way, actually Pete we arent doing a church wedding, its a civil ceremony, but a proper Filipino wedding, at the Business Inn in Bacolod City, we are having the full extras package, room up to a 100 guests, for the full 5 course sit down dinner, tell your wife, we are also having 2 Pigs as well, they are about P5000 for the pair, of course I shan't be killing them, that will be done for us, we are having quite a few extras, but its within my budget, did you know Pete total cost of the wedding including the rings, photography, ceremony, judges fees, Barong, wedding dress, 5 course dinner, ice carvings, place settings, flowers, reception music, mercedes car for the Mother of the bride, and entourage, brides accessories, is tops £1200.00 or P120,000 not bad is it ?? that also includes invitations, Master of Ceremonies, and Give Aways, so the same thing here in UK, we are talking mega bucks, I think you get much more for your money in the Phils and Im looking forward to a decent wedding, my first marriage was a quick trip to the registry office and it cost me about £25.00 at the most.

I want Gina to have a nice wedding, and I am really looking forward to it, just wish these days would move a little faster, but thats always the way, with these things.

[Admin]

£1200, blimey I lost that on one horse yesterday! Think I'll go and get married again just for the party :lol:

That's why I would like to live somewhere decent over there, I'd be in the well off bracket, but then most Westerners are over there.

Will you be wearing a kilt? :P

[Oishii]

Hi Pete,

I wish you and your lady all the very best of luck for the future.

My departure from this cold, damp climate has had to be delayed for a while. I've cancelled my ticket for Monday. My middle daughter, from my marriage is going into Stoke Mandeville hospital in April for some major bone grafting surgery on her spine, and I really need to be around. She'll be flat on her back for 8 weeks at least, to let the bone graft heal.

So, my departure to to the wonderful country is postponed for a while. The beautiful woman is also very understanding and is happy for me to stay a little longer here. It'll also enable me to spend some time learning from Keith's profesional advice, (and paying him the £30 of course).

Does anyone from the site ever meet up as a group? Either here or the beautiful country?

Best regards to you all,

Paul & Jas.

[ginapeterb]

Originally posted by Oishii@Mar 18 2005, 04:10 PM
Hi Pete,

I wish you and your lady all the very best of luck for the future.

My departure from this cold, damp climate has had to be delayed for a while. I've cancelled my ticket for Monday. My middle daughter, from my marriage is going into Stoke Mandeville hospital in April for some major bone grafting surgery on her spine, and I really need to be around. She'll be flat on her back for 8 weeks at least, to let the bone graft heal.

So, my departure to to the wonderful country is postponed for a while. The beautiful woman is also very understanding and is happy for me to stay a little longer here. It'll also enable me to spend some time learning from Keith's profesional advice, (and paying him the £30 of course).

Does anyone from the site ever meet up as a group? Either here or the beautiful country?

Best regards to you all,

Paul & Jas.

Quoted post

Paul, I have met up with Maurizo one of our Forum members, we met up last year, to complete his financee visa application form, we met at London Liverpool Street Station and sat in McDonalds for a couple of hours, supping lots of coffee and exchanging photos of both of us with our babes "In Country" but apart from that, I havent met upwith anyone else, we are all basically spread around the UK, although if you live in London we should have a meet up, I am in London most days working, but let us know whereyou are.

Lets see what we can do.

[Admin]

I've heard strange stories about men meeting up in railway stations :lol:

Great Cheltenham, I managed 14 out of 24 winners, my best ever, and I think I passed 10 of them onto members, so they are happy. Well apart from the odd one's who ignore the advice and think they know better!!

[ginapeterb]

Originally posted by admin@Mar 18 2005, 08:20 PM
I've heard strange stories about men meeting up in railway stations :lol:

Great Cheltenham, I managed 14 out of 24 winners, my best ever, and I think I passed 10 of them onto members, so they are happy. Well apart from the odd one's who ignore the advice and think they know better!!

Quoted post

Well is great to see the forum is back online again, boy whatever will we do if the big button is pushed, well as you know this is my countdown page, so hey, listen in...well 3 days to go and a wake up... and finally here it is..my own website, at
http://www.british-filipino.com so go on you can all have your little looksee, now, and best of luck, it only took me 6 weeks to build.

[Oishii]

Hi Pete,

As you may have read, my departure has been delayed for a while. I wish you and your lovely lady all the best for the future.

As for meeting. I work in Westminster, mostly in the Marylebone Road/Lisson Grove area. So when you get back from "in country" we'll sort something out. You can show me your wedding pic's, discuss divorces, the future etc. :lol:

Anyway, as I said, I wish you both the very best of luck for the future. Have a wonderful time "in country". See ya soon.

Paul.

[peterdavid]

Hi pete,

Not long now then...? We're off out there ourselves on sunday, just a flying visit for family reasons and then back again. Hope it all goes really well for you, and it's everything you hoped for.

When are you planning on lodging the visa?

Take care,
Paul.

[ginapeterb]

Originally posted by peterdavid@Mar 23 2005, 09:31 AM
Hi pete,

Not long now then...? We're off out there ourselves on sunday, just a flying visit for family reasons and then back again. Hope it all goes really well for you, and it's everything you hoped for.

When are you planning on lodging the visa?

Take care,
Paul.

Quoted post

Hi well we have a provisional date booked with the call centre for 26th April 2005, however we may not be ready in time, I suspect we wont be, the Judge has to sign the marriage contract and will not do that we are told until Monday the 11th of April, however, we have to register the marriage with the NSO, I am due back in UK on 20th April 2005 and its back straight out to work, it maybe that 6 days later Gina is in Manila for her interview however, I dont think she will be, we may have to set it back 2 weeks until we are ready with the paperwork, but hey whats 2 weeks this has been going on for 20 months now, so its coming up to 2 years, we have our whole life ahead of us, so another 2 weeks isnt going to make much difference, secondly, I would want Gina to have a Despedida de soldera before she comes over, so that has to be arranged, but I think by middle of May she will be here, if everything goes according to plan, as its spring now, I think its a good time for her to come over.

Well it looks like you are heading over just the day after, I will be hanging around Makati for 2 days, as the Embassy is not open on Monday its a bank hol obviously, so we will be hanginga around, geeeeze I dont know what we will be getting up to ? we have a condo booked actually...but Im not sure what the arrangements are as yet, Im sure Aunty has organized it.

On Tuesday we will be in the Consular section fixing up the LCM and then its down to the provinces for the wedding, we will be probably heading over to Boracay, I am trying to persuade Gina to let us go, the weather will be fantastic...if you are going, just let me know where you are likely to be staying, and of course..you have never given me your surname..so i couldnt possibly find you.

I will be either at Casar Pilar Beach resort, or Nigi Nigi Noos Noos, I think !!, but if you are there between say 31st and 7th, I will be in Nigi Nigi Noos Noos bar, most nights, with Gina..you cant miss me, big, blonde, england shirt..what else do you need.

Pete

[ginapeterb]

Hello Paul,

Well hey dont worry, sometimes things in life happen that delay matters, dont be downhearted, if you had to go through a divorce back to back with your relationship, thats the hardest thing of all, I am sometimes up in that area where you work, I do calls in Westminsiter, reguarly, Im in NW11 tomorrow actually, in the afternoon, I know a few places on Edgware road, we could meet up, if you fancy a coffee and a chat, if you look across from the Victory Services Club, to Edgware road, there is a Starbucks across their..near to Marble Arch station, there a few places around, there, or I could meet you at Edgware road, tube station, although to do that, I would have to come up by train, or leave the car in one of those underground car parks, but, maybe if you fancy a natter, I can come into the area, if its divorce advice you need, hahahah wait until i get back from being married later on in April 2005, have to get this wedding done first, buddy, but its a bummer if you are married and with a filipina, you have to do something positive for her, or you will never end up together, well not in UK Anyway.

Have you seen my website...http://www.british-filipino.com works much better with broadband.

Pete

[ginapeterb]

Well guys its 1 day plus a wake up !!!, getting closer and closer just, and then i will be winging my way out to the land of Duck fetus eggs, bits of paper, and express fee charges, and I just cant beleive finally its here wow.

So come on lets have some more final fanfares, it should b easy, "Whenever your asked a question just say I do"

[Admin]

Excellent site Pete, sure you haven't done it before? Maybe you should change jobs? Sitting in front of a computer all day is hard work though!!

Strange isn't it, if your out at work all day for say 12 hours, your family respect you, if your stuck at home in front of your computer for 12 hours a day, earning more than you would in an outside job, your family think your a lazy git!!!

Good luck Pete, and enjoy the nice weather. I'm off to Singapore in 5 weeks.....oh bugger, haven't booked the hotel yet!!! :o

[ginapeterb]

Hello Keith, and everyone else, just checking in, well I arrived in Manila, at 1.15pm on Sunday, weather was scorching, around 34 degrees Celsius, Makati was a scorcher, the British Embassy was its usual helpful self, I had to wait over 1 hour to get my Legal Capacity for Marriage but it was a formality, the fee is P3850.00, and they gave me 2 copies, and a file copy, I am now down in the Province of Negros Occidental, and we have applied for the marriage licence, we did escape having to do the marriage counselling, and we had that FIXED hehehehe, so we got out of that one, the fee for the marriage licence is P650.00 that includes 6 copies of everything, I have got my Barong sorted out, and we are just relaxing this afternoon, tomorrow we have to go and meet all of our sponsors, and also we have an appointment to see the Presiding Judge at our wedding, so I am renting a 4 x 4 to go around and see all of the people who will be involved in the wedding. We have also done the invitations, and are organizing other thingts, well I wil keep checking in, also I noticed that when you go the Embassy, your fiancee cannot hang around outside, there is no where for them to wait, which is frustrating.

See you all soon.

[Oishii]

Hi Pete & Gina,

I wish you both all the best for the your big day and for your future life together.

I wish I could be there myself right now. Not only do I miss my beautiful Jasmin, but the weather in the UK is lousy. :(

I can't wait to get back there, and this time it'll be for good. My trip has been delayed because of my daughter's pending surgery. I'll take that time to sort my life out here properly this time. Get the divorce settled, then I can have a clear conscience and marry Jasmin soon after my arrival.

You mentioned in yesterdays post, how hot it is in Manila. Jasmin tell me that the weather is a bit unusual at the moment. Hotter than normal and not yet the hotest time of the year. Changing climates worldwide eh?

Best of luck to you Pete and Gina.

Paul & Jas.

[Admin]

Get your monies worth out of the 4x4, some great places out there for off roading, not like the crap we have over here....

.....and stop using bribes to get things done....or at least don't try it over here in PC World!!!!

Not worth telling you to have fun, as WE ALL KNOW WHAT YOUR DOING :lol: :lol: :P

As Oishii syas, weather is great here, I don't very often have the chance to watch goldfish swim past the window......

4.5 weeks till Singapore though, make you wonder why we keep coming back to Blighty!!