Manila

We got a bus from Pai to Chiang Mai and had a night there to watch the football before having to catch a flight to Bangkok. We left at half 8 for our 10 O clock flight. After landing in Bangkok at 11 we had to wait until 7 for our flight to Manila. We arrived in the capital of the Philippines Manila. For those of you who don't know Damien Fouracres lives and works there. He gave us his home and work address and it was in a taxi to his apartment. We drove around the block a few times and it was clear the driver didn't have a clue where his address was; so we then had to get dropped to his work. Arriving at a high security building with armed men outside we rocked up in our elephant trousers and our massive backpacks slightly embarrassing as everyone else was in suits! He then called us a cab and we got dropped to his to meet his girlfriend Shardè.

After a cup of tea it was 2am and we thought we may as well wait for Damo to finish work and have a catch up. It was 4:30am before we made the sofa into a bed and got some kip - Bleddy long day!

Manila is massive. High rise buildings everywhere and it mainly just got business. It was obvious that the Filipino people love fast food as other other building as either a Maccies, Burger King, pizza delivery place, KFC or their favourite Jolliebee. Apart from eat fast food and work there isn't all that much to do so this blog maybe short.

We woke up at 11 and Damien was like a kid at Christmas. There is huge indoor trampoline park that he's been desperate to go to since it opened two weeks ago but he hasn't had a good enough excuse to go with just him and Shardè. It was packed full of kids. With Jake and Damien not being the smallest of fellows we thought we may kill someone so we went off to get some lunch instead. Here was where we found out the Filipino people worship us. They will do anything to be of any help. We're sir or madam to everyone and they want to please. They are also very forward as the one of the waitresses said to Jake that the rest of them think he's really handsome. Jake replied started saying thanks and then she said 'O I do too!' Most people speak half Tagalog (Filipino) and half English meaning we can understand half the sentence when they are talking to each other. It's pretty strange! Damien then went to work and Shardè took us to the shopping mall. Now, imagine drake circus. Times that by 20 and you're still not close to how big this place was. It had everything you could think of. The funniest part is you walk out the shopping centre, look across the road and there are two more and walk next door there's another one!

After we shopped around to find a washing basket for about an hour it was time to go home and plan a route. When Jake was off recovering from his leg he had a lot of time to plan our trip, so we've always known where to go next and how to go about it. However because the Philippines was a last minute thing we have no idea! So it was back to plan a route and choose three or four of the seven thousand islands we want to visit, whilst eating Pizza Hut of course. We had a break and went up to the roof top of their apartment. The views were on par, if not better than the ones at Bangkok.

We went to the trampoline park again and this time there wasn't a soul in there. We had it for a good half an hour on our own. The was a foam pit you could try your stunts in, a volley ball court, basket ball hoops so you could slam dunk. It was so good. You'll see from the pictures. If anyone wants to set this up in Cornwall with Jake let him know. He reckons it will make a killing in the rainy summer months!

It was to the airport again to fly to our first island Cebu. We're currently writing this blog very tired in bed at 3am. We arrived at the airport early because you can never tell with the traffic if it's going to take 20 minutes to 4 hours. We walked into what seemed like a shed (as it was the domestic terminal) to see our flight number on the screen next to the wrong time. After we checked in we asked why there's a mistake on the board. She explained that our plane had been delayed. Fair play we thought, we were expecting it as it delayed flights here are the norm and it was only two hours. So instead of half 7 it was half 9. Quarter to 9 comes and an announcement comes through. Our flight as been delayed until 00:05! We don't normally mind lounging in airports but this one literally had nothing. Everything shut at 9 and we couldn't even get a drink. We departed at the new time and arrived at 1:15. Got in a taxi, told him our hotel.... Surprise, surprise he couldn't find it. 2 hours in and Anne Marie shouts 'it's there'! Good from her! I've gone on more than I've intended too. Maybe it's because I'm so tired and I don't actually know what I'm writing. We're moving on tomorrow out the city to Moalboal. Thank you and goodnight