NEW MOG TRIP REPORT!!!!!!!!!

[The Mog Finally Returns]

Wells guys, im here for 3 weeks. Party time. Ill try to make this the most detailed trip report that I have ever written -- maybe some new people make get something out of it. This was probably my least agonizing trip in, no excessive delays or stopovers, 12 hours from the midwest usa to Narita Airport in Tokyo, then 4 hours to Manila. Not sure why, but that last 4 hours can seem as long as the first 12...lol. First trip for new travelers -- saving some money right off the bat. Once you get off the plane you will hand your Health Statement to the people in the hallway (not sure if thats what it was called, basically the yellow form that asks if you have been in any high risk H1N1 areas in the last ten days), then proceed to the visa clearing stations. Visitors stay in the middle. OFWs go right. Have your visa and disembarcation filled out and ready to present  ( you will get this form, the health statement form and customs form from the flight attendant on the plane). Passed right through, didnt bring any checked-in luggage, passed right through to customs on the other side of baggage pick up and im out of there. If you didnt get any pesos there is a money exchange right before the doors leading outside. I had about 600 pesos left from my last trip. Ok, now heres the trick, it took me 9 trips to perfect this. Once you walk out those doors, its very confusing if its ur first time. The big buck hotels have stations and hotel shuttles if you have a big bankrolll. Me, im cheap. The only other
appears to be the "metered taxi" station to the left. Well, last time I took one, you take the next one available, it was 800 pesos. Now thats about $15. And ive paid that many times just because I was so tired and wanted to get checked into a hotel, shower and lie down after that long flight. BUT, there is one other option, ive done it a few times now. You need to get back upstairs to the departure level. Its a little tricky, and after consideration im certain they designed it that way to screw foreigners..haha. Once you walk out the departure level doors to go outside walk directly RIGHT, then you will see what looks like a short metal barricade, if any guard asks where you are heading just tell them you are trying to go upstairs to departures.
Walk around the barricade, no guard there you just walk through and up the steps and you are at the upper level of Ninoy Aquino Airport. I had a cab flagged down in all of 3 seconds, they are just leaving after dropping people off and they dont charge the rip off fees. Standard 300 peso fare. And i was on my way to the hotel. I always go to Hotel Swagman, they always have clean safe cheap rooms, breakfast buffet. Roxas and Flores across from the US emabassy. Wireless hot spot is nice, thats where im typing this and LA cafe and Robinsons Mall Malate are walking distance.
Lots to plan, im going a lot of places. I feel good, not too affected by jet lag this time. Try to get your fluid levels up big the week before your trip, drink a lot of water, pop, juice whatver they serve on the plane. It will help. Ill stop at Robinons supermarket and get some mega bottles of water and gatorade to rehydrate. I brought some melatonin -- Ive read this helps reset your sleeping clock. Last time I went right to bar and got drunk until 5 am, I dont think thats a good idea lol. Ill walk down to Robinsons here in a few minutes, already bought a Smart Sim card for 40 pesos and 200 peso load, so im wired. Stopped at LA Cafe for a few minutes, didnt feel like drinking -- havent got any pesos yet. DO NOT get your money changed at these hole-in-the wall places. Trust me. Go to the Malls to exchange. Bring tons of US currency and u dont need to pay ATM fees. Or remit it to yourself before you go, its free from US banks now cuz of the typhoons, then just pick up ur pesos at any big Pinoy bank. Ok, Got my netbook, Nokia smartphone, digital camera and all asst chargers adaptors. If you dont have an adaptor Swagman has them, or the Ace hardwares also do. I need to buy a few things at mall, some nice new Nikes (they have cool styles we dont get in the States) some Cuban cigars, shapoo, shave cream toothpaste etc. Its just as cheap and easy to buy this stuff here and less weight in your bags coming here. They actually have a bus leaving for Puerto Gallera in a few minutes, its tempting...Ive wanted to go down to Palawan, Boracay is boring ..and still might El Nido this trip if I can fit it in. Ive gotta get out my map of the Philippines and check it out. I want to go to Tagaytay, its a nice cool one-day trip, also wanna hit up Embassy Superclub in Fort Boni tonight if I can find someone to go...enough for this post. Will post Part 2 later today or Tomorrow

[Bear]

Kewl!   I remember a lot of the places your talking about.  Sounds like you really planned this one well with the exception of one thing - no ladies waitng for you?

The Bear Family

[piglett]

wow MOG good to get a boots on the ground trip report.
can i ask how much the swagman is asking for their rooms?

i plan to be in manila in Jan. my girl wants to go to Baguio for a few days but i would like to try to get a good nights sleep B4 we head up there. I can stay at her apartment for free but........
she has no A/C & i don't know if they make enough fans to keep me cool.
It will be a big change in temp. for me since it is bound to be below freezing that time of the year in
New Hampshire. Can i tough it out for just 1 night?
how would you play it if money was tight ?


thanks
piglett

[bcc_1_2]

Sounds like you really planned this one well with the exception of one thing - no ladies waitng for you?

cough... cough... not if he went to the LA Cafe. 

Seriously for those taking in the trip report and looking for things to do and places to see. The LA Cafe is not just a little corner Cafe for some food. It is adult oriented (nice way to put it). Probably not where the average PL member wants to hang. Would be no different than going to a freelancer bar in San Jose. You'd get hassled.

[piglett]

cough... cough... not if he went to the LA Cafe. 

Seriously for those taking in the trip report and looking for things to do and places to see. The LA Cafe is not just a little corner Cafe for some food. It is adult oriented (nice way to put it). Probably not where the average PL member wants to hang. Would be no different than going to a freelancer bar in San Jose. You'd get hassled.

Well maybe he went there for that type of "hassle"

[thekfc]

i plan to be in manila in Jan.

Piglett, I too plan on being in the Manila area in January - very likely the end of January / beginning of February. I am currently looking for places to stay, my girl is also looking too - she found a few nice & cheap places but they had no furniture & the ones with furniture had no A/C. So right now I am looking at hotels in Makati & Pasay.

[Capstone]

Piglett, I too plan on being in the Manila area in January - very likely the end of January / beginning of February. I am currently looking for places to stay, my girl is also looking too - she found a few nice & cheap places but they had no furniture & the ones with furniture had no A/C. So right now I am looking at hotels in Makati & Pasay.

Hey KFC,

It looks as though several of us will be traveling during that time then - I will be making a trip to Hong Kong & China in early February for 3 weeks. Have a great trip!

[robert angel]

The Midtown Hotel in Cebu is pretty nice and is probably middle of the pack pricewise for hotels that cater to westerners. It's got good amenities and is attached to a mall w/ a grocery.

Makati and Pasay are nice--so is Pasig--all pretty close into a nice area for shopping etc. I wouldn't want to stay too long in places w/o AC, but a fan does make it bearable. I have stayed a while wayyy out in the province w/ my wife's family, but under a net with a couple fans going.

I hear Baguio is one of the cooler places temperature wise and is worth seeing the rice terraces and such.

My wife has to get her sleep also, so I didn't ask her to to fan me with those great big banana leaves, although that does look pretty, shall we say 'cool' in the old movies...

Wish we were there in January, we're looking at 'maybe' going June or July -- back to Davao and then into the province, hopefully side tripping to Bohol somewhere along the line...

[Dave H]

My wife has to get her sleep also, so I didn't ask her to to fan me with those great big banana leaves, although that does look pretty, shall we say 'cool' in the old movies...

Hey Rob,

With the frequent night time brownouts we have been having since September (lasting for hours) I seriously considered hiring a couple banana leaf fanners!  Instead we just head over to a local hotel (free...it pays to have Filipino friends!). The weather is cooler now, but we are still w a i ti n g for a company to come install our window screens.

Dave

My pigs have their own fanner 

[piglett]

I hear Baguio is one of the cooler places temperature wise and is worth seeing the rice terraces and such.

Baguio is where Marily & i am going when i visit her.
Her sister has been there so now of course she wants to go too


piglett

[thekfc]

Piglett, I will be close by you - in Pangasinan.

That is where the family farm is.
She haven't been there since last March and want to visit next year.

[piglett]

Piglett, I will be close by you - in Pangasinan.

That is where the family farm is.
She haven't been there since last March and want to visit next year.

Not sure exactly when I'll be there but, maybe we can tip a couple of cold ones back if the timing works out rite.


piglett

[thekfc]

I am not sure when I will be there either.
I plan on leaving NYC on January 20th/21st & return on February 7th/8th.

I am happy that the air fares are dropping a bit - I though that they would be increasing with the Chinese New Year's falling around the same time.

[The Mog Finally Returns]

Wells guys, sorry for the sporadic updates..Its was quite a whirlwind tour..quite possibly ranking up there with one of the best times Ive had in my life!! Last day here in Manila then flying back to the States tomorrow. Wow has the dollar dropped since I got here..on the second day of my trip it looked like it was starting to creep up -- I actually in line at the Currency Exchange booth on the first floor of Robinsons place when they changed the sign to 47 pesos / dollar! Since then its been dropping steadily, i got only 46.30 last night. So plan on spending a little more than usual guys.
To answer pigletts comment, Swagman has rooms starting at 2450 Pesos, I usually get a deluxe for 2950. Decent safe rooms, LOTS of Austrailans here, and the restaurant for filled with Russian tourists yesterday morning, im not sure where they were heading. Pretty nice all you can eat Breakfast Buffet in included for only 99 pesos. And you get a pass for a free shuttle van ride to the airport. They have an in-house travel agency, tour buses leave for Angeles and Puerto Gallera every day. I like it because its fairly close to the airport, I never need to make a reservation-- just show up at the desk and in five minutes im checked in and up in my room, nice restaurant (open 24 hours) with wi-fi hotspot. Its walking distance to Robinsons Place, there is a Wendys and a 7-11 about ten feet out the front door.
And..hehe, yeah Piglett was right..I most certainly did enjoy the "hassle" of LA Cafe..guess we all have our different tastes and agendas.
Not to be "mayabang" but I did have quite a few girls waiting here for me Bear..hehe...actually I may have had too many, but thats ok. Thats the terrible price one pays for being single I guess..hehehe ;-)

Ill fill in the blanks once I get home and review some emails to my buddies, of course we wanna keep this all "G-Rated" right? LOL.

A few takeaways..I truly feel that when girls ask me where I am from there is no feeling on earth like the pride that comes with saying "USA". You will receive a LOT of respect from these friendly and cultured people, so I always thank them for their
graciousness to have me as a guest in their beautiful country. Always I treat everyone, no matter what their status with the highest level of good manners. Remember, you represent our great Nation, so be proud, humble, considerate and generous --- this will go a LONG way.

I have met some extremely attractive women here..I guess Ive stepped up my game a little. After so many trips here I guess im more into the nightlife, drinking and dining and cavorting with women that "hassle" me...hehe, as opposed to trying to court some probinciana. But hey, to each his own right?

A little breakdown on the trip report I will file when I get home..

1. Starting in General Santos City (three days after the Maguindinao Massacre)..wow, talk about bad timing hehe..
2. Gen San to Davao City...(awesome city, one of best times of the trip)
3. Davao to Cebu... (always a beautiful city)
4. Cebu to Manila
5. Back out of Manila to Calbayog Samar
6. Samar back to Manila...

One other trip tip, next time ill get a broadband USB CARD from Smart and you can get high-speed wireless anywhere in the Pinas at anytime on your netbook or lappie..

Guys have fun on your trips...remember this is heaven...but there are a lot of old stereotypes ingrained in the thoughts of closed-minded people..on both sides of the planet.
Stand proud, keep smiling and present your best image!!!

[Ray]

Wise words Mog!

I'm looking forward to your trip reports. Don't worry about the 'G' rating... I think we're all adults here...   

Ray