Monday, August 3, 2009

A Quick Update, Summary of the last 2 weeks

ok, so that everyone can stop worrying, here has been whats been going on;

Landed safely in manila on the 21st with Mother, John, and Andy, the flight was made so much easie with the assistane of Luenstra, i'm pretty sure i slept almost 9 hours of it....once we landed in manila we were met by brenda and Andrew and whisked away to the hotel, it was late, but all of us were wide awake (this would be night one of keeping andrew up as much as possible)....we went out to the Cowboy Grill a place Brenda and Andrew had taken me before, they have great live bands there and cold beer, well, sufisive to say, the beer never has the chance to get warm when were together!

The next day it was tours of the ancient city Intramuras, we checked out the walled city, the manila cathedral and took a walk around the grounds, this is someplace i have not been before so it was nice to see (what little of it i was able to, spending 4 hours in the seamans hospital was not part of the itenerary)....oh yeah, and did i mention the 6 stiches (not me) and gauze tied to someones head?....

Thursday, it was off to bataan, oh what fun, after cherrie arrived, we piled everyone into a jeepney and headed off to the Genesis bus terminal to catch the two hour ride to Bataan, and the Crowne royal hotel...what a nice place... we went to dinner at a nice japanese resturaunt and then to the bar across the street for more livation and chocalate cake for my birthday, good job on the cake brenda, it was mighty tasty, although the next bar, the cake didn't mix to well with the birthday tequila shot.

Friday- relaxation in the morning, with a trip to Mt. Samat, much like the chient christ in Rio, this is a giant cross on top of a mountain memoralizing the battle of bataan, with a nice ww2 museam underneath, after the hot sun and fun day at Samat it was off to the rehearsal...the ladies that did the planning moved quite fast, and the maid of honor was a no show, so my part combined with hers was a bit shakey, i was still all set for the wedding, and ready to look gwapo in my barong (pictures to follow when i get back to manila) after the rehearsal, we all loaded back into the jeepney to head off to brenda's for more food than anyone can handle and karaoke...we were feed and watered well there....thank you brenda and your family for the wonderful hosptality that evening.

Saturday.... the wedding day, the festivities started around 10, with everyone all dressed up and ready to go., loaded in the jeepney to head off to the church, and andrew getting his last cigarette as a single man!!!! it was a great ceremony, and it was a wonderful experience to be apart of it...andrew looked handsome in his tuxedo, and brenda look ravishing in her dress....after the ceremony it was a mad dash back to the hotel for the reception where the food was good the beef somthing or other was mighty tasty and the shrimps had just the right amount of spice....after the wedding it was off to get changed, naps in, and if john and cam had there ways another trip to jollibee!!! that night it was gift time and an introduction to tanduay silver....mighty tasty!!!!

Sunday.... a relaxing day at the beach with everyone and brenda's family, the waves were huge and the food plentiful!!! we finished off the additional bottle of rhum we brought with us and then beat up on some koreans in volley ball (Korea number 1 no more!!!) after the beach it was back to the hotel for some much needed rest

Monday..... Manila for some shopping and last minute gifts in china town.....alvin, cherrie, and brenda has there work cut out for them keeping up with mom...damn she can shop!!!

Tuesday.... Manila again, with everyone gone it was nice for some rest without being pulled every which way....mom andy and john made there flights with no problem, cherrie made her flight no problem, and matt made his no problem, as did cam and john so everyone got to the skies with no issues.

Wednesday....off to Tacloban, got there late evening so just a night out to dinner and an early evening

Thursday....Tacloban again...went to the mcarthur park and other sites around, this is the historic "i shall return" landing spot for mcarthur after he left bataan, he landed again in tacloban to expel the japanese

Friday.... tacloban to ormoc, got in early afternoon and checked into the sabin resort, this place rocked for 1800PHP (35US) a night, right on the ocean, with great views, the resturaunt had a great view of the ocean so i got to watch the waves while having dinner and a few cocktails

Saturday....ormoc sight seeing again, not much here

Sunday..... Ferry to Cebu.....never again, i was one of maybe 3 on this ferry that didn't vomic continiously through out

Monday...Cebu, went to mactan island and saw the lapu lapu shrine, this is the cheif that beheaded magellen, then to the city center to see magellans cross, which was erected in the mid 1500's, and then back to the hotel for some dinner and a night out

Tuesday .... catching a flight to manila, where i will meet up with martin on the 7th....

hope this catches everyone up, i will upload pictures when i get to an internet cafe that allows me to!!

peace....i keep living vicariously through myself!!!

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Planning for 2009 Has begun

The next trip has begun to move past the planning stages, with a tentative Itinerary set, and the round trip tickets purchased....This time around it will be just a month with a couple of special occasions mixed in, wheels up is July 20th, landing in Manila on the 21st!

The primary reason for this trip is the nuptials of my brother...this will be a special occasion, not only because I'm the best man, but for the chance to participate in this joyous occasion with him. The Clampets are going to Manila, I just hope no one packs with Igloo coolers and piggly wiggly bags!

The tentative Itinerary is looking as such;

Wheels up DTW - 7.20
Land Manila - 7.21
Brother Wedding - 7.25
Tacloban (Visayas) - 7.28 (Tentative)
Oromoc (Visayas) - 7.31 (Tentative)
Manila - 8.02
Bali - 8.08 (Tentative)
Sri Lanka via Singapore 8.11
Delhi, India 8.12
after India from 8.12- 8.20 is Nepal, Bangladesh, Burma, with an attempt to go to Bhutan, and possibly Thailand to enter Burma...

Visa's are all taken care of for India, got the 10 year multiple entry, and the 5 year multiple entry for Bangladesh, and Burma/Myanmar should be in my hands by the end of this week.

The good news is that Martin will be meeting me in the Philippines and the fun will begin, also will be meeting Joe (a friend from home) in Delhi on the 12th....

Let the fun begin.....looks like the Dos Esquis commercial was right...I'm living vicariously through myself!!!