Finally planning trip!

[CyberGlitch]

Travel wallet with just DL, CC and CashBanks called
Multiple copies of passport, dl, cc, passport etc. Including leaving a copy here.
Multiple copies with details on what I'm doing and where in different bags.

Meds for just about anything with some in my carry on laptop
Power adapters and plugs
Have global cell phone that's activated with a little data, enough till I get there and get a sim there. So can text or chat when I get to Incheon and let her know almost there.
Gifts, Candy, Liquor etc.
Enough clothes and such for at least 2 weeks Including hankerchiefs and a few sports wear type shirts My favorite pair of shoes, my vibrams, and then a regular pair as well. Will get some flip flops or others there if I need them.
Laptop with any work I can think I might need. Plus a external hard drive with 20+ movies she wanted to watch and a few in there for me to watch on the plane. It's also fully backed up, password protect and encrypted.


Sad but good timing for me. Friend broke up with her bf and is moving out. So she's going to stay at my place for these 2 months and take care of the house and dogs! More money saved not having to board them and more to spend while down there now! Need to find some really good gifts to bring back for her now.


She's already went and registered for the hotel and paid for it herself. She's also already been out looking at houses and town homes. Even has a few she likes and wants me to look at.


Sunday and Monday are total rest days. Just go through everything a few more times but let my body relax and eat well.

[robert angel]

Since I'm still going to be doing some work down there. Can anyone recommend a nice place to lounge, preferably on beach or with a great view. Lapu-Lapu or Cebu, don't mind taking a 20-30 min taxi to get there. All I need is electric plug and Internet. Don't want Starbucks or something like that, don't drink coffee anyways.


Sunday and Monday left before I'm out of here. Think I've got 90% packed and ready to rock!

Most of the beaches and accomodations around the CC area ( and a lot of restaurants) are owned by Europeans, who married Filipinas enabling them to buy the land, including the beaches. It's not like in the USA where almost always, the beaches are free for everyone.
 
In that area, the best and 'better' can get a bit expensive, especially compared to other islands just as beautiful beaches. Cebu City has always had a bit of a feeling of being superior to other parts of the Philippines, although it's not remotely like some places in the rest of the world, like my birthplace, NYC. Filipinos generally do take pride in being a Filipino and enjoy bragging on their area. C.C. struck me as having more Filipinas than most areas who wanted Kanos to come live there with them--not automatically go to the guy's nation and to Disney World.
 
I'm not sure of the expense involved at these beaches, as they're probably tied into resort accomodations, but if you can and want, negotiate a better rate for long term. Here's a recent list of of nice ones around there (there aren't beaches in CC persay) that you can reseach:

http://www.lakbaydiva.com/philippine-beaches/top-five-recommended-beaches-in-cebu/

It's really hot in the Visayas right now, so a beach breeze would be welcome!

[CyberGlitch]

Even if it was 1 of the resort/restaurants or something that would let me sit outside on a deck or somewhere. I'd pay a few bucks to sit there all day and if they served food and stuff of course would get that too. I've gotten spoiled doing that here in the city I guess. Since I can work from anywhere I'll go to random hotspots and sit there all day working. The best here is this office park that has a few lakes and a nice picnic area with outlet plugs and the buildings wifi reaches out that far! I brought a hammock 1 time and the people looked at me like I was crazy. LOL

[robert angel]

You might want to research the beach situation a bit, especially if you really hit it off with the girl you plan on seeing in the Cebu City area and feel obliged to stay close, meet the family etc. The beaches on Mactan--again unless you pay high prices for the best (and then they are still small and not as pretty as other island's) can be nasty. I remember needing swim shoes and there being broken glass, plastic bags and other trash in the water. They have to cordon off the water with floating barriers to keep trash from floating in, then they have to groom the sand in the water and on land--not very natural.
 
If I had to drive 4 or 5 hours to world class beaches that are outside CC, I'd just hop a jet cat and head over to Bohol in half the time. Once you've done what you have to do in CC, maybe start looking at some of the other nearby islands, which have much better, more reasonably price beaches. You can always spend a week or a few days here and there and come back to CC for few days in between if need be. If you hit it off with that woman and she has a job she can't leave (jobs are that way there typically) that complicates things.
 
Once a Filipina gets her grips on you and especially if you meet the family, breaking away will be hard. Even though it's a big city, it has a strange way of people from various parts finding out exactly what you're up to. After I broke off with one girl there, I was geting serious with a Dentist there and through the grapevine, she found out I had been seeing another gal, where we had stayed etc--and they didn't even have mutual friends.
 
So I am just preparing you for a possible let down about beaches and resorts in the Cebu City, Mandaue, Mactan, Lapu Lapu area. Maybe I expected too much, but I was let down.
 
And before you oblige to stay anywhere, you  might want to check the wifi signal, assuming they have one. Internet upload and down load speeds are typically slow there and overall, service can be touch and go. Save your on-line work whenever possible.

[CyberGlitch]

Yea, I've read and been told by her the beaches there aren't great for walking or swimming. While in Cebu I wouldn't be doing that much anyways; just the scuba certification really. The way it's going to break down is Cebu will be "home". I'll do a little work during the day if I can find a nice relaxing place with a decent view. Some day's she'll still go to work and the evening and nights we go out and have fun. Then I'm planning a 1 week vacation just the 2 of us, right now looking at Palawan for it's beaches and dive spots. That's when I'll get the swimming, diving and beaches. Another plan is a couple 3 or 4 day weekends and I'm looking at Oslob, Bohol and a few others. Would love to go swimming with a whale shark and looks like they are still being spotted in Oslob. Then we have the 5 day trip traveling from Cebu, to CDO, to Davao to meet the family. She's promised only 2 days with them and only for a few hours each day at most but we'll see how that goes. Not going to hold my breathe lol.


So really anything I do in Cebu is more straight relaxing, smaller activities like jetskis, zip lines, any good pool halls in the area? Small stuff to do in the evenings and nights. When we island hop is when I'll get everything else. 

[robert angel]

 we have the 5 day trip traveling from Cebu, to CDO, to Davao to meet the family. She's promised only 2 days with them and only for a few hours each day at most but we'll see how that goes. Not going to hold my breathe lol.


So really anything I do in Cebu is more straight relaxing, smaller activities like jetskis, zip lines, any good pool halls in the area? Small stuff to do in the evenings and nights. When we island hop is when I'll get everything else. 

Time, namely puncuality in the Philippines, is viewed very differently than it is in the USA. I think the ladies are actually fairly timely to arrive for a date, but when it comes to transportation, planes, buses, as well as parades and festivals, few things ever start on time. Even if you and your girl are 'on time', if it's a a family gathering, chances are it wil start late.Many people may make plans for a certain time and yet have a mindset that 'when it happens, it will happen. Most folks don't watch the tempreture, humidity or forcasts closely.

[CyberGlitch]

Yea, have gotten that feeling reading up on trip advisor.      oh well, it's nearly 2 months. what rush am I in anyways? 

[Ray]

Since I'm still going to be doing some work down there. Can anyone recommend a nice place to lounge, preferably on beach or with a great view. Lapu-Lapu or Cebu, don't mind taking a 20-30 min taxi to get there. All I need is electric plug and Internet. Don't want Starbucks or something like that, don't drink coffee anyways.

When you get over there and feel the heat and humidity, you will probably want to re-think sitting outdoors relaxing or using the laptop.
 
If you're anything like "normal" folks, you'll be looking for an air-conditioned spot to hang out. Most Filipinos usually hang at the large indoor malls (SM or Ayala in Cebu). They are air-conditioned and the view is fantastic! But you might not get much work done with all of those "views" strolling by all day... 
 
I would forget about Filipino pool halls. They probably aren't what you would expect and some rather unsavory guys that hang out there would just hustle your arse anyway.
 
Ray
 

[Ray]

 

She's already went and registered for the hotel and paid for it herself. She's also already been out looking at houses and town homes. Even has a few she likes and wants me to look at.

 
I know it's too late now, but just for reference, you shouldn't need to pay for any hotel accomodations in advance. I never paid in advance. A standard reservation for a day or two works good for me. Always check out the room closely and try the A/C before registering. It's much easier to change rooms before you are signed in or paid up.
 
If you don't like something about the hotel, it's easier to leave and find another place if you are only booked for a day or two, and you can often get a better rate as a walk-in.
 
Ray
 
 

[CyberGlitch]

Yea, I as telling her that to but she wanted to go ahead and get the reservation since I land around midnight. That way I can go straight to my room. She only got it for 1 night, so should be fine.

[thekfc]

Yep, it is best not to pay for the hotel accommodation in advance - reserve but don't pay.

The first hotel which was "recommended" to me I went to Bohol was "crap". I ended up turning right around and find another hotel. I ended up at The Bohol Tropics which turn out to be a much better choice.  And the rate we got in person was much cheaper than what was offered online.

 
A few more hours left......enjoy.