I will take the trip - I need advice

[jm21-2]

I do hope so. I think my beard have changed to grey just thinking about it.

There are quite a few of us who visited girls when we couldn't or could barely speak her mom's language. I think it would be easier to communicate with someone who is deaf in a lot of ways, compared to not speaking her language. I wouldn't sweat it at all.

[Dave H]

I think it would be easier to communicate with someone who is deaf in a lot of ways, compared to not speaking her language. I wouldn't sweat it at all.

Hey jm21-2,

My wife has aunt and cousin who are both deaf. I have no problem communicating with them. Hell, I have an allergy at the moment and my ears are blocked. So I can understand them better than anyone else.   

Dave

[thekfc]

Try and weigh your bags before--over weight luggage (including the carry on) can get REAL expensive

I was just doing some research and came across an airline fee guide - wow they are expensive:
Overweight luggage (51-70 lbs) $50+.
Oversize baggage $100+.
Additional Bag (over 2) $100+.
Some airlines even charge you for a blanket & Pillow 

I never encounter any of these because I am a light traveler. And I do not plan on going over any of these.

[robert angel]

KFC,

You probably noticed that there are even weight restrictions on the piece of carry on luggage they let you take. I put a some of the smaller heavier stuff into my loose, casual travel pants, then put some of that stuff back in the bag in the over head once en route. A 28 ounce bottle of Vic. Secret 'Body Butter' in pocket might save you $50! Cell phones, Ipod, (my metal bodied point and shoot camera is almost 2 pounds alone) go in my pockets and then I have an extra 'cargo pocket' just in case. Some stuff you can wear on your belt or around your neck.

If you're bringing knives, multipliars, etc as gifts---remember they weigh a lot, so to PUT THEM IN YOUR PANTS POCKETS TOO --JOKE-JOKE--BAD JOKE!!!!!

I am flying domestic next week, will only do 'carry on' and as they allow women a carry on AND a purse, I explained that some men are carrying similar bags, sometimes called 'murses' and asked if that's OK--equal treatment. They (Delta/NWA) 'said' yes, but I am not going to --  it'd not only be a new fashion statement for me, but more importantly, baggage people can vary widely in what they find 'acceptable' and let get by.  Yet they say a normal sized laptop computer can, along with a carry on and purse, be allowed.

Last time, they confiscated my 4.2 ounce tube of Listerine tooth paste--it was too large. I didn't want to waste time and possibly 'fine money' arguing while the flight got ready to leave, but I would have loved to send them back my breath, after a 32 hour flight, in a sealed can.  PAL is usually very cool  about things as are international airlines (like Cathay) in general, versus USA  carriers on international flights.

Flying one carrier to the PI and then changing to another carrier to go to say, Cebu or Davao, changes everything--the weight they allow you to carry then becomes much less--they don't care HOW far and long you've flown. You won't have that problem as you're staying Manila area.  Chances are very remote you'll get ripped off, but in Manila, I always note the license plate # of any taxi I take if my bags go in the trunk of the cab before we leave and make sure we know what the cost of the fare before we leave is going to be--chances are they won't use a meter if it's from the airport, for some strange reason and at airports there anyways, they get away with it. It's the same almost everywhere--be careful with taxis.

I was sooo nervous about everything the first time, what with the US State department's highly over exaggerated 'advisories' and I was expecting a lot more, exotic differences that'd hang me up, but then, as in subsequent trips, everything was actually pretty cool and pretty ordinary in a lot of ways. If you can handle JFK, Atlanta and O'Hare, you'll be fine...

I was kind of bummed out when I got to my hotel room, turned on the TV and Oprah Winfrey's show came on--I was expecting someting different...

[thekfc]

KFC, You probably noticed that there are even weight restrictions on the piece of carry on luggage they let you take.

Yep I notice that too.

PAL is usually very cool  about things as are international airlines (like Cathay) in general, versus USA  carriers on international flights.

My choice right now is Cathay. Too bad that PAL do not fly from the east coast. For a future trip (when I am traveling lighter), I plan on flying into Vegas & taking PAL from there. 

You won't have that problem as you're staying Manila area.

My girl and her sister recommended Makati and Pasay to me. I was upgrading laptop/computers to Windows 7 for friends all week so I didn't have much time to be online (last one is being done right now), so tomorrow, I  will start  looking at hotels in these two area. I would love to rent a place there but I very likely will be staying for less than 21 days.

Chances are very remote you'll get ripped off, but in Manila, I always note the license plate # of any taxi I take if my bags go in the trunk of the cab before we leave and make sure we know what the cost of the fare before we leave is going to be--chances are they won't use a meter if it's from the airport, for some strange reason and at airports there anyways, they get away with it. It's the same almost everywhere--be careful with taxis.

I hear that a lot so I will be on the lookout. My girl and/or some of her family members may meet me at the airport so I may not have to deal directly with the taxi drivers.

I was sooo nervous about everything the first time, what with the US State department's highly over exaggerated 'advisories' and I was expecting a lot more, exotic differences that'd hang me up, but then, as in subsequent trips, everything was actually pretty cool and pretty ordinary in a lot of ways. If you can handle JFK, Atlanta and O'Hare, you'll be fine...

I too was nervous my first flight after 9/11 but everything turn out to be ok.  I can handle JFK, I always say that I will use either Laguardia or Newark "next time" but I usually end up using JFK. Once I get to Taguig City & after a day or two I will be ok.

I was kind of bummed out when I got to my hotel room, turned on the TV and Oprah Winfrey's show came on--I was expecting someting different...

 

[Dave H]

I was kind of bummed out when I got to my hotel room, turned on the TV and Oprah Winfrey's show came on--I was expecting someting different...

Hey Rob,

You have probably heard by now that Oprah will end her show in 2011. YES!!!!...but then there are those damn reruns! 

Dave

[thekfc]

Hey Rob,
You have probably heard by now that Oprah will end her show in 2011. YES!!!!...but then there are those damn reruns! 
Dave

Not just those damn reruns................but those marathon reruns.

[robert angel]

Maybe it was just high priced Makati hotel cable TV that had too many channels, but when I changed the TV channel from Oprah, I got the Brady Bunch! At that point, I took a handful of sleeping pills and upon awakening, had 'breakfast' at Dunkin Donuts and later, lunch at McDonalds. Is it any wonder you're more likely to find me in a remote province or a smaller Mindanao city over there instead?

[thekfc]

Hey Jeff - I have also flown on China Air without any problems and I would rate the experience as not bad. One thing to note which most people do not seem to be aware of is that China Air is not a Chinese airline - it is a Taiwanese carrier. Many of my best flying experiences have actually been with Chinese carriers - the planes are all brand new, the service is outstanding (with the added bonus of having extremely good looking flight attendants and I have never been on a Chinese flight that has been delayed.

I just got a price email alert for China-Airlines $726 (RT/tax included) from JFK to Manila, wow that is cheap.

[robert angel]

That's a smoking hot deal for NYC to MNLA, RT airfare, especially if the taxes and extra fees are equal to the Cathay price.

It's been a while since they really were bashing China Air for maintenance and other areas and usually when that happens, the airlines shape up. The USA govt's FAA keeps lists of all international carriers that fly to and fro the USA--in fact the really bad ones can't even fly here. I haven't seen any Aeroflot flights from Russia lately--maybe a shortage of duct tape and crazy glue.

Maybe take a few minutes and see what the FAA is saying and keep in mind they're rarely charitable in their evaluations of non USA carriers so they might not even be as bad as the govt. says--to an extent.