After a few days with the boys I have itchy feet!
Passport, credit card and a much lighter backpack I'm headed back Miri Airport and a flight to KK and then Clark, Manila, Philippines.
How random is this.....??
I've met some great people in my two months travelling but this takes the biscuit.
After the flight to KK I was in the line to check in for the onward flight to Manila. I turned around to a wide charming grin.
I smile back, of course. I have learned by now, it costs nothing and a big grin in a great ice breaker. The recipient either opens up to you or thinks you are a retard and graciously moves on embarrassed.
In the line adjacent, is a guy having a debate with the check in staff. He only has a ticket to the Philippines and apparently immigration insist you have a return ticket...
That's at 2.30 in the afternoon.
At 8.00 in the evening we are all checking into a hostel in the backpackers area in Manila, sharing the same room.
That was almost a week ago.
We are now on the beautiful island of Boracay having a great time. More of that later. Back to the story......
If I had any doubt that I wasn't a 'proper' backpacker that is long past.
The hostel in Manila was a 'proper' backpackers place.
As I arrived in Clark, I did have a bit if a plan.
Clark is an old US airforce base. It's actually about two and a half hours outside Manila. I originally planned to stay in the nearby city of Angeles, them travel on to Manila the next day.My new travelling companions were travelling straight to Manila so I decided to join them.
Once in Manila we headed for the Backpackers quarter 'Malate' this is probably one of the more 'seedy' areas of the city. Our home for the night was the 'friendly' guest house.
Not before we had scoured the rest if the neighbourhood looking for a room.
Friendly it was
A) we were all in the same room
B) Benji, the owner went out if his way to make us all welcome.
After a couple of beers and a burger at. Local bar across the road from the hostel we headed back to the roof terrace of the hostel for a night cap. It turned into a rather 'big' night. Beer, Brandy plus a nice bottle of red wine graciously provided by our host 'Benji'
My new 'Roomys' were Sabbi and Liz, flight attendants with Royal Dutch Airlines, KLM and Kipp, a guy from London.
Despite the glamour of nice hotels and big cities, the girls were somewhat 'spunky' and enjoyed the 'backpackers' life. Kipp had given up a job as a sound man in TV and Film and had been travelling since April in Asia. We say in that rooftop bar till 4am chatting to our fellow travellers and listening to the expert advice if 'mein host' Benji. I'm really not sure at what stage a decision was made but by midday we were all in a cab (not Benji if course - he still has a hostel to run) and on our way to Manila international airport and a 'Cebu Pacific' flight to Boracay.
Don't you just lurve 'budget'. Airlines?
The price was OK but at every point there was something else to pay.A 10k baggage allowance so excess baggage applies, A get out of the airport tax, etc etc. However ..... We paid and it was well worth it. The Island if Boracay was great fun. My time there was significantly enhanced by my fellow travellers.
And an explanation to all my blog followers as to why I haven't updated the blog. I've been far to busy having a laugh. In reality I've also been far too pissed to string a sentence together, never mind write it down.
We stayed in Boracay for just over a week. Loads of sun, beer, swimming. Saw some spectacular sunsets and tropical storms. The people were great. I was sorry to leave but there is loads to see......
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Location:Malay,Philippines
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