Pre-trip Report

[thekfc]

I am starting my pre-trip report a little early as I may be busy the next few day before I leave.

I am flying out of JFK on Friday morning with a stopover in HKG. I wanted to use the lounge in HKG and take a shower, get a massage, have dinner/snack & stuff but I will not have enough time to do that - my connecting flight is shorter than the time allocated/allowed to use the CX lounge at the HK airport. 

Both of my luggage are packed & weighed - both with about 2lbs to spare. The Allure summer beauty box I ordered about a month ago just arrive, I wanted to take it on this trip but I may have to leave it behind. I was going thru my checklist again & I forgot to pack something - the Hanes t-shirts, I will pack them tonight. A checklist do come in handy.

I will pack my carry-on later this week - documents, cameras, camcorders, flash drive, memory cards & batteries. Anything else that I may need will go in my carry-on.

I had to take about out about 6-8 lbs of chocolate out to make room for the Nutella & Nusco spread - I still have about 20+ lbs I am taking with me. 

I started to burn some movies but I stopped. Instead I will buy a portable Hard Drive tomorrow & put movies, music & programs on it and take it with me. They can burn/transfer what they need to a disc.

They have everything except the Barong (they will rent) & the rings (I will buy them in phil).

I will be staying at the family house & will be sharing the top floor with Ahya.

We plan on spending our honeymoon in Cebu & Bohol.

[Ray]

20 lbs of chocolate? There goes their teeth. Better bring them all new tooth brushes too! 

Are you wearing a barong for the wedding? Good choice!

Instead of renting your barong, you can buy a nice one off the rack in the malls for a VERY reasonable price. I couldn’t find my size so I had one tailor made in less than 2 days.

Hang on to that barong because you may need it later when you come home. I still wear mine on some special occasions.

Have a good trip, a great wedding, and an even greater honeymoon!

Ray

[thekfc]

20 lbs of chocolate? There goes their teeth. Better bring them all new tooth brushes too!  

I got them new tooth brushes & colgate too  

Are you wearing a barong for the wedding? Good choice!

I am still on the fence on wait to wear - the barong or my suit. So, I am bringing my dinner suit, a pair of black dress shoes, white dress shirt & black dress pants. I will check out the conditions at the church on Sunday (temperature wise) & then decide what I will wear.

Have a good trip, a great wedding, and an even greater honeymoon!

Thanks Ray.

[Jeff S]

You wouldn't catch me in the Philippines in a suit and tie. No thank you.

[evoltnvii]

you have to be high to wear a suit there

[robert angel]

RE;

>>bring them all new tooth brushes too!   
I got them new tooth brushes & colgate too <<

I think 'Colgate' is a generic term for any toothpaste there, ha ha.

Suit in the RP? Ha ha--NO THANKS!

I've heard that when the Spaniards first conquered the RP, they made it illegal for Filipinos to wear their shirts tucked in--only the Spaniards could. With the heat and humidity, I think the natives got the better deal there.

[thekfc]

you have to be high to wear a suit there

The ceremony & reception will be indoors.
I also have a room at the church to change in.
I checked the temperature forecast for the week I will get married - rain, mid 80's humidity level in the mid 60's.

I wore a black suit today at work & it was in the mid 80's, I am taking a light color suit with me.

So if the church is "cool" or there is A/C (or fan) in the reception hall - I should be ok wearing my light weight suit.

But I am getting a barong - just in case.

[robert angel]

Comfortable or not, in pretty much every country there are times where a suit, or somewhat uncomfortable 'formal wear' is appropriate and all kidding aside, a wedding definitely fits that bill.

[thekfc]

I think 'Colgate' is a generic term for any toothpaste there, ha ha.

To most yes but not to Ahya's nieces & nephews. Whether it is Colgate, Crest, Act, Plax, Listerine, Scope & surprisingly Rembrandt - they know the brands & differences and uses the appropriate name.

On my first day, after brushing, they knew what mouthwash I used by the smell of it.

In addition to the Colgate, I also sent them Listerine and also Crest 3D white Vivid toothpaste & mouthwash (via BB).

[robert angel]

That Listerine toothpaste is pretty good. My wife also likes the Arm & Hammer 'Dental Care' tooth paste, which I agree is pretty decent. Seeing how she brushes 3 or 4 times a day, that's great because it's so cheeeep.

Been said before, but worth it for anyone who's missed it--better to spend a few bucks for a cavity filling than a $100+ per cavity once she gets here. The dentists for the most part there aren't near as good, nor as well equipped as the USA's, but for garden variety cavities, if you don't have dental insurance, it can save you a bundle. Pay a bit now or a bunch later...

I think it's hit or miss on stuff in terms of 'quality' on things like root canals and crowns, but if it's a good hit, you've saved thousands when talking about a few of those babies down the line.

And despite those big, white, dazzling smiles--most of them do have some cavities in those lovely teeth.

Carry on--Kfc--you list meister!---We're excited for you all over again!

[piglett]

Are you wearing a barong for the wedding? Good choice!
Instead of renting your barong, you can buy a nice one off the rack in the malls for a VERY reasonable price. I couldn’t find my size so I had one tailor made in less than 2 days.
Hang on to that barong because you may need it later when you come home. I still wear mine on some special occasions.
Have a good trip, a great wedding, and an even greater honeymoon!
Ray

I found it very hard to find any size bigger than large there for shirts & most shoes ( I forgot mine at home) go up to size 10 nothing bigger.
I had a friend here that wanted one of those  barongs but he takes size 2x so i told him "no dice"

[Jeff S]

Comfortable or not, in pretty much every country there are times where a suit, or somewhat uncomfortable 'formal wear' is appropriate and all kidding aside, a wedding definitely fits that bill.

Yeah but it's way more fun to go native:

[Dave H]

Hey thekfc,

Good luck finding a church in the Philippines with aircon!   The fans are usually oscillating wall mounted house fans. They put out vary little breeze at the height and distance they are mounted from the alter. I would suggest bringing your own floor fan and extension cord, if the church doesn't have one for these occasions! Bring some dog bones for the uninvited guests...  

I bought a barong Tagalog off the rack many years ago and still manage to use it every month or two for some event. I need a few new ones. I am thinking about "designing my own line of Philippine everyday barongs." Like a barong, but not see through and richly colored ...more like a pocketless short sleeved guayabara (maybe 2 pockets, not 4). I have seen government workers and businessmen wearing something similar.

Good luck!

Dave

[Ray]

Comfortable or not, in pretty much every country there are times where a suit, or somewhat uncomfortable 'formal wear' is appropriate and all kidding aside, a wedding definitely fits that bill.

But "formal wear" in the Philippines is the Barong Tagalog and is the standard for traditional weddings and just about any other special occasion.

A suit & tie in the Philippines looks completely out of place IMHO...

My wife's cousin married an American over there and he refused to wear a barong because he thought they looked so gay. He was married in his full dress Navy officer's uniform and he actually melted. After the service, they had to scoop him up off of the church floor with a large spoon.   

Ray

[piglett]

you have to be high to wear a suit there

Hey i did it but only for an hour & that was at 8am before it got too hot.
I did make dam sure there was a fan in the church pointing rite on me.
Also i didn't tighten up my tie like i would here in the states.
I had it EZ Marily in her big dress was very hot.I reached over to hold her hand & man O man she was burning up.


piglett

[piglett]

Comfortable or not, in pretty much every country there are times where a suit, or somewhat uncomfortable 'formal wear' is appropriate and all kidding aside, a wedding definitely fits that bill.

Once at the reception & all the pictures were taken I "lost the suit jacket" & Marily changes into a pink dress that we got for her in manila.

[piglett]

That Listerine toothpaste is pretty good. My wife also likes the Arm & Hammer 'Dental Care' tooth paste, which I agree is pretty decent. Seeing how she brushes 3 or 4 times a day, that's great because it's so cheeeep.
Been said before, but worth it for anyone who's missed it--better to spend a few bucks for a cavity filling than a $100+ per cavity once she gets here. The dentists for the most part there aren't near as good, nor as well equipped as the USA's, but for garden variety cavities, if you don't have dental insurance, it can save you a bundle. Pay a bit now or a bunch later...
I think it's hit or miss on stuff in terms of 'quality' on things like root canals and crowns, but if it's a good hit, you've saved thousands when talking about a few of those babies down the line.
And despite those big, white, dazzling smiles--most of them do have some cavities in those lovely teeth.
Carry on--Kfc--you list meister!---We're excited for you all over again!

Ya i went to the dentist while there , check out the high dollar setup she has "OUT ON HER FRONT PORCH"

[Gato4Astrid]

My wife's cousin married an American over there and he refused to wear a barong because he thought they looked so gay.

I thought the same thing.   This Barong does not look good on white people.   i would rather die than weaing this Barong 

[Bob_S]

I thought the same thing.   This Barong does not look good on white people.   i would rather die than weaing this Barong 

It all depends on the color and style.  I could see a white with gold embroidery or black with silver embroidery lookin' good.  I thought I looked pretty good in my hakama (but then, I didn't bother to ask anybody else how I really looked  ).

[robert angel]

Re:

>>Ya i went to the dentist while there , check out the high dollar setup she has "OUT ON HER FRONT PORCH"<<

It's very easy to laugh at the 'medical' system over there, but sometimes it's surprising. I had a nasty looking big toe--the toe nail had some sort of fungus that wouldn't quit. I went to a specialist who dug under the nail and sent what he got to a lab and got the results back. He prescribe drugs so strong that I had to have my liver enzymes monitored.

It didn't help my toe.

I had some Fiilipina manicurist who goes from house to house do my nails. On the front porch of my inlaw's house, she pried the nasty  up a bit, stuck some kind of powder under the nail, tended to my 19 other nails and thought a dollar was too generous. In a couple weeks, my once diseased nail looked like new.

[thekfc]

I Just checked CX's inflight entertainment to see what new releases they will have and they will be showing the following movies:

Dorian Gray
Edge Of Darkness
How To Train Your Dragon
Percy Jackson & the Olympians
Shutter Island
The Ghost Writer

Alice in Wonderland
Brooklyn's Finest
Clash of the Titans
Green Zone
Remember Me
Valentine's Day

And one of my all time favorite movie: "The Bride With White Hair".

That should keep me occupied when I am not sleeping.