General Info

[Amavida]

i'm looking at spending between 4 and 6 weeks in the philippines. most likely september to about middle oct, may start earlier but would then go until mid oct anyway.

what i want to do is find a nice self-contained furnished place. safe clean comfortable with air con, somewhere to use as a base of operations.

i will not be hunting for pro's but will be targeting normal girls, shop girls, students and unemployed mall rats. i have been looking on tagged and the dating sites and have several possibilities in view. i know that picking them up at malls and other similar places is also a possibility.

i appear to have two options, one is to book a long term place through one of the travel sites but these tend to be more expensive. the upside is that there are traveler's reviews to look at to see what you are getting. the other option is to book only a few nights to get started then look for a place once on the ground. might be cheraper but there is some uncertanity. i could also use the excuse of looking for a place to stary to start some conservations.

i was thinking of either angeles city or cebu to start. both places are big enough to have a good herd of possible targets roaming wild. do not really want manila due to costs, congestion and crime issues.

any recommendations or suggestions on either cities and or places in a specific city. my budget is $us 3 000 per month for living, eating and fun.

i agree, forget manila unless you're on the corporate gravy train.

i can't speak to cebu but in ac the off the cuff recommendation would be la teresita hotel. ask for a 'villa'. this is a standard filipino style 'up & down' fully furnished apartment. air con in the upstairs bedroom, fan downstairs. there is a nice little pool in between the villas & the hotel rooms. it will run you about p35,000 per month or less if you prebook for a long stay.

only problem is ac is arguably the worst place in the phil's to pick up non p4 p girls. there's tons of girls wandering the streets you can hook up with but there is a reason they are not _inside_ the bars. failed hygiene checks, criminal activity, drug addiction or just totally unreliable. ymmv.

if you want to step up to the next level try a long term booking of a large hotel room at the same hotel. not as roomy as an apartment but nice rooms & affordable.

if you want very classy try the big condo development inside clark sez. luxury 1 bedroom condo there will run you about p66,000 per month + maid p1,000 per week. a car can be had for hire also but this would probably in the order of p30,000 per month additional.

you can ask around once here for a short term lease of a conventional apartment but i think you're not here long enough for that.

i'd say just get a big'ish hotel room with kitchenette on a long term rate. tons to choose from. read recent posts.

cheers.

av.

[Kabul Guy]

i'm looking at spending between 4 and 6 weeks in the philippines. most likely september to about middle oct, may start earlier but would then go until mid oct anyway.

what i want to do is find a nice self-contained furnished place. safe clean comfortable with air con, somewhere to use as a base of operations.

i will not be hunting for pro's but will be targeting normal girls, shop girls, students and unemployed mall rats. i have been looking on tagged and the dating sites and have several possibilities in view. i know that picking them up at malls and other similar places is also a possibility.

i appear to have two options, one is to book a long term place through one of the travel sites but these tend to be more expensive. the upside is that there are traveler's reviews to look at to see what you are getting. the other option is to book only a few nights to get started then look for a place once on the ground. might be cheraper but there is some uncertanity. i could also use the excuse of looking for a place to stary to start some conservations.

i was thinking of either angeles city or cebu to start. both places are big enough to have a good herd of possible targets roaming wild. do not really want manila due to costs, congestion and crime issues.

any recommendations or suggestions on either cities and or places in a specific city. my budget is $us 3 000 per month for living, eating and fun.

[Nightrider1]

The latest iPad mini is a very nice device GE. I find today's smartphone web browsers capable of 90% of my needs but there is no substitute for a real desktop web browser sometimes due to shitty web site coding. That's where the Surface Pro 2 (stupid names) steps in & saves me from having to use an insecure 3rd party PC.

I'd love LTE but see enough coverage to be bothered with it yet GE. That also applies in Australia unless your not mobile & sitting right in the middle of a coverage area.

One area if smart phone design / performance that rarely, if ever, gets mentioned is reception. This does vary significantly from one handset design to another. Many of the older Nokia's were good. An old LG Renoir I owned had outstanding reception compared to anything else.

This Motorola Moto G (stupid names) is very good I must say. I had the option of the Moto X, a 4 g variant but I eschewed LTE because of afore mentioned spotty coverage & more importantly battery issues. LTE radios suck way more power. Ill take a slower steady connection to a fast intermittent connection. Long battery life is very important to me also. Motorola should know a thing or two about radio engineering given their history.

Switching from iPhone purity of design to Windows Phone or Android is a bit of a culture shock he he. What Android lacks in refinement it makes up for in flexibility.

I would warn any one contemplating an Android based phone to only go with a Google Nexus or Motorola g / x as these get all the latest operating system bug / security fixes the sane as Apple. Having a device in your pocket always connected to the net its imperative to be right on top of security inho.

I would rule out most other Android handsets because they simply don't get updated in a timely manner. If ever.

AV.

I wanted a smart phone I could use both in USA and Phil because of my three times a year trips there and I picked the Moto G. My last trip was 30 days and it performed flawlessly in every regard. I used a Globe simm and had better coverage and in more places than the people I was with. So I will second Amavida's recommendation.

[Econo Tech]

I sent responding posters (RA, SK and ET) a PM but for those lurkers who might also be interested, here is an informative link for a Meralco innovation.

My experience was with another power company. Seems like Meralco is getting its act together at last, even if the price of electricity is high.

http://www.rappler.com/business/indu...s-net-metering

That's a helpful post.

I will see how to get things going in Baguio.

BTW Mr Guzman's air cons in the report. I believe partly his high bill is due to bad air cons plus positioning. LOL.

Amavida, personally I opted for a Smart pocket Router since my experiments with a Huawei Tablet, a I pad Mini, A Samsung Tab and a Samsung S3, and few devices made me conclude part of the reception issue is on the receiving antenna.

The pocket router got full signal in places where other devices showed low or no signal.

Plus a router means you can share with 'guests ' LOL.

That's my suggestion. And since the pocket routers have a battery to last few hours they are reasonably mobile.

[Red Kilt]

And it is illegal for foreigners to own or operate public utilities, which by a broad definition can mean you generating power and depriving the bloated monopolies of fat bonuses.

I sent responding posters (RA, SK and ET) a PM but for those lurkers who might also be interested, here is an informative link for a Meralco innovation.

My experience was with another power company. Seems like Meralco is getting its act together at last, even if the price of electricity is high.

http://www.rappler.com/business/indu...s-net-metering

[Amavida]

i'm a fairly committed apple addict, so my standard kit is two iphones--one smart and one globe--and an ipad mini with sim card. the only problem for me is that the connection speeds are slow, whether 3 g or lte, and the voice capabilities are unreliable. given the generally poor quality of the cell networks here, there's no perfect solution.

ge.

the latest ipad mini is a very nice device ge. i find today's smartphone web browsers capable of 90% of my needs but there is no substitute for a real desktop web browser sometimes due to shitty web site coding. that's where the surface pro 2 (stupid names) steps in & saves me from having to use an insecure 3rd party pc.

i'd love lte but see enough coverage to be bothered with it yet ge. that also applies in australia unless your not mobile & sitting right in the middle of a coverage area.

one area if smart phone design / performance that rarely, if ever, gets mentioned is reception. this does vary significantly from one handset design to another. many of the older nokia's were good. an old lg renoir i owned had outstanding reception compared to anything else.

this motorola moto g (stupid names) is very good i must say. i had the option of the moto x, a 4 g variant but i eschewed lte because of afore mentioned spotty coverage & more importantly battery issues. lte radios suck way more power. ill take a slower steady connection to a fast intermittent connection. long battery life is very important to me also. motorola should know a thing or two about radio engineering given their history.

switching from iphone purity of design to windows phone or android is a bit of a culture shock he he. what android lacks in refinement it makes up for in flexibility.

i would warn any one contemplating an android based phone to only go with a google nexus or motorola g / x as these get all the latest operating system bug / security fixes the sane as apple. having a device in your pocket always connected to the net its imperative to be right on top of security inho.

i would rule out most other android handsets because they simply don't get updated in a timely manner. if ever.

av.

[GoodEnough]

agreed 4 g is a bit of waste of money in the phil's especially if you travel about a bit.

i was a very long time apple mac & later iphone / ipad user but as a business user i am becoming agnostic to technology. i'm into practicality. nothing wrong with apple's gear in general & i still recommend it to non tech users.

these days my minimal kit is a microfoft surface pro 2 (essentially a real laptop with a full powered usb port + ethernet port shrunk into a tablet) plus a decent 3 g smart phone.

i did have a beautiful nokia 1030 but the screen shattered so easily i can't be bothered to get it fixed. i replaced it with the ultimate work horse smartphone, a motorola moto g. these 3 g android based phones are marketed as a dual sim phone. i find having a globe & smart sim very useful. globe is arguably the most consistent signal all around the phil's but there are black spits where smart is the only way to go. downtown balibago for example.

put a postpaid sim in it or a pre paid + p1000 load & subscribe to unlimited internet for 30 days. this saves me from relying lousy insecure wifi connections in hotels etc.

the tablet can use it via usb tethering or wifi hotspot.

av.

i'm a fairly committed apple addict, so my standard kit is two iphones--one smart and one globe--and an ipad mini with sim card. the only problem for me is that the connection speeds are slow, whether 3 g or lte, and the voice capabilities are unreliable. given the generally poor quality of the cell networks here, there's no perfect solution.

ge.

[Econo Tech]

Yes I have.

Yes there are, and the costs are quite reasonable too (for solar anyway).

I checked out if I could sell surplus load to the grid of the local electric company and that caused a major problem.

The local power companies do not want people generating their own power.

And it is illegal for foreigners to own or operate public utilities, which by a broad definition can mean you generating power and depriving the bloated monopolies of fat bonuses.

[Sam 14]

I find having a Globe & Smart Sim very useful. Globe is arguably the most consistent signal all around the Phil's but there are black spits where Smart is the only way to go. Downtown Balibago for example.

There's no way to tell how many opportunities I've missed not having dual Sim capability. It's a problem for so many of these girls to maintain load. Davao for example, almost everyone uses Smart so they're unlikely to even text outside their network. So I end up packing an extra phone as well as sending an occasional load or two. Man, what a hassle.

[Amavida]

my sim allows alte, but the only problem i've experienced is that the lte speed in he philippines is slow and often intermittent.

ge.

agreed 4 g is a bit of waste of money in the phil's especially if you travel about a bit.

i was a very long time apple mac & later iphone / ipad user but as a business user i am becoming agnostic to technology. i'm into practicality. nothing wrong with apple's gear in general & i still recommend it to non tech users.

these days my minimal kit is a microfoft surface pro 2 (essentially a real laptop with a full powered usb port + ethernet port shrunk into a tablet) plus a decent 3 g smart phone.

i did have a beautiful nokia 1030 but the screen shattered so easily i can't be bothered to get it fixed. i replaced it with the ultimate work horse smartphone, a motorola moto g. these 3 g android based phones are marketed as a dual sim phone. i find having a globe & smart sim very useful. globe is arguably the most consistent signal all around the phil's but there are black spits where smart is the only way to go. downtown balibago for example.

put a postpaid sim in it or a pre paid + p1000 load & subscribe to unlimited internet for 30 days. this saves me from relying lousy insecure wifi connections in hotels etc.

the tablet can use it via usb tethering or wifi hotspot.

av.

[GoodEnough]

took me a few trips but i figured it out. i bring an unlocked iphone and get a local sim card for local texting and calls also for data plan. under the 3 g / data or wifi i can text people back home in us thru imessage to their iphone or ipad for free. also make facetime calls free too. while in us i download magic jack app on iphone and ipad and can make free calls to us and canada from anywhere in the world for free using wifi or 3 g. just thought i would pass this along in case you didn't know.

i've been using that protocol for a few years now, and it works well, particularly since most of my friends and family outside the philippines also use iphones, so facetime and imessage are especially useful. my sim allows alte, but the only problem i've experienced is that the lte speed in he philippines is slow and often intermittent.

ge.

[Dg8787]

Took me a few trips but I figured it out. I bring an unlocked iphone and get a local SIM card for local texting and calls also for data plan. Under the 3 g / data or wifi I can text people back home in US thru iMessage to their iPhone or iPad for free. Also make Facetime calls free too. While in US I download Magic Jack app on iPhone and Ipad and can make free calls to US and Canada from anywhere in the world for free using wifi or 3 g. Just thought I would pass this along in case you didn't know.

[Roll Aides]

I checked out if I could sell surplus load to the grid of the local electric company and that caused a major problem.

The local power companies do not want people generating their own power.

RK, would you be willing to elaborate on what you encountered?

[Red Kilt]

Out of curiosity, have any of you with property in the provinces ever looked into alternative energy sources--solar, wind, small hydro, geothermal? I'm wondering if there are respectable suppliers and engineer-type experts around.

Yes I have.

Yes there are, and the costs are quite reasonable too (for solar anyway).

I checked out if I could sell surplus load to the grid of the local electric company and that caused a major problem.

The local power companies do not want people generating their own power.

[Fred Gold]

I want to thank whoever said (probably several people) that Phil girls like having babies and do not worry about getting preg, in fact many want to get preg. I've been 'fixed' for many years and while video chatting on skype she said how she wants me to cum in her so she can get preg (told her I had a few kids). I am sure if I said that I was 'fixed' she would drop me like a lead balloon. Oh also condoms are only for prostitutes.

So, ty for the heads up. So to speak- oh, she assured me that I was very special to her and that others never see her naked on skype. Just me. I wonder if she also has a bridge for sale?

HAPPY HUNTING FRED.