General Info

Cute answers CT, but I think they are not quite what HM was looking for.

General traveler's safety is the first suggestion. Don't flash a lot of cash, and don't carry a lot with you. There are pick pockets around the area, and maybe worse.

My first trip to the Philippines, I was freaked out when my gf and several family members went out to a local club (I was the only non-Filipino there). One of her male family members would follow me in to the bathroom whenever I went to take a leak. I asked her what the guy's problem was, and she said "I asked him to go with you to make sure nobody would attack you and take your money." Needless to say, I didn't go back there after that.

I would lock up valuables anytime someone other than yourself is in the room. That includes girls, hotel staff, and anyone else.

I don't think there is any guaranteed method for preventing runners. It's a chance you take.

As for LE, stay out of trouble! If that doesn't work, don't be confrontational with them. It will only make things worse.

My two centavos worth of advice.

HW

[QUOTE=Hank Moody; 1124436]This is my first trip to the Philippines, but not my first trip traveling alone. Anything beyond the normal "don't walk down a dark alley at night" kind of recommendations?

What is the best way to prevent a runner?

Do you lock up your personal items in your hotel room when you are there with a girl?

How to best avoid street crime, like being mugged or assaulted?

What is the best way to deal with an encounter with LE? [/QUOTE][url]Http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfBzNrviIjM[/url]

As for the rest. Play safe. Though I never had any girl stealing from me. I practice basic safety. Lock my expensive phone and carry a cheap phone, carry a wallet. Slim and small enough to stick into my shirt pocket and only my real essential card / little money. And a 1000 peso hidden in a small envelope. Folded till it is like a small scrap paper. In my other pocket.

Shit never happened, but I like to be safe. The closest I came to being waylaid was when a few teenagers started to surround me- they just forgot that the girl next to me was my unofficial body guard (it was in Malate. Walking back from LAC)

[QUOTE=Cuba Tourist;1124443]What is the best way to prevent a runner?[/QUOTE]Put her cell phone in the safe.

[QUOTE=Skeetm; 1122805]Making my first trip to the PI in August. Competing in 70. 3 Ironman at Naga City / CamSur but can not find Hotel info. Can anyone point me in the right direction? Thanks in advance.

Skeet[/QUOTE]Villa Caceres is reasonably priced and safe.

[QUOTE=Hank Moody; 1124436]This is my first trip to the Philippines, but not my first trip traveling alone. Anything beyond the normal "don't walk down a dark alley at night" kind of recommendations?

What is the best way to prevent a runner?

- negotiate well, ask questions, pay after the deed.

Do you lock up your personal items in your hotel room when you are there with a girl?

- it's always safe to locked important valuables. But don't leave them in the hotel vault as staff have access. Buy a secure pouched on ebay.

How to best avoid street crime, like being mugged or assaulted?

- stay in well lit areas, don't entertain people. If someone on the street approach you, ignore and go the other way. Filipinos are friendly people, but it's never rude to play safe. Never talk to strangers specially on the street at night. Be careful in riding a taxi, be sure the doors are locked. Carry just enough money.

What is the best way to deal with an encounter with LE? [/QUOTE]What is LE? Sorry.

Ha ha ha. Best solution ever to avoid a runner. Nicely put WC.

[QUOTE=Westcoast1;1124491]Put her cell phone in the safe.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Nolz7;1124592]What is LE? Sorry.[/QUOTE]Law Enforcement.

[QUOTE=Westcoast1;1124626]Law Enforcement.[/QUOTE]Talaga? I thought he was worried about having a "Ladyboy Experience."

My bad.

The "10 questions to ask" video was great. Cherry Boy, I guess that's me.

Let me give you a little more back story. I was supposed to go to the Philippines with a girlfriend, but she can't make it at this time and I have to use the time off so I booked the trip anyway.

Now she thinks something bad is going to happen to me traveling alone and is arranging for relatives to be my escort. I have a feeling this is going to get expensive. Although It's nice to have some contacts in the country, I am not The Bank Of America and I am resisting.

Off course something "bad" is going to happen. You may upgrade your girlfriend and she knows it. Get ride of the relos, just tell her you will be fine and you are more comfortable on your own.

[QUOTE=Hank Moody; 1124710]The "10 questions to ask" video was great. Cherry Boy, I guess that's me.

Let me give you a little more back story. I was supposed to go to the Philippines with a girlfriend, but she can't make it at this time and I have to use the time off so I booked the trip anyway.

Now she thinks something bad is going to happen to me traveling alone and is arranging for relatives to be my escort. I have a feeling this is going to get expensive. Although It's nice to have some contacts in the country, I am not The Bank Of America and I am resisting. [/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Hank Moody;1124710]Now she thinks something bad is going to happen to me traveling alone and is arranging for relatives to be my escort. I have a feeling this is going to get expensive. Although It's nice to have some contacts in the country, I am not The Bank Of America and I am resisting.[/QUOTE]In the "you're kidding, right?" category. Don't let her relatives get near you. They will bleed your wallet dry, and they are there to see that you aren't fucking around.

[QUOTE=Hank Moody; 1124710]The "10 questions to ask" video was great. Cherry Boy, I guess that's me.

Let me give you a little more back story. I was supposed to go to the Philippines with a girlfriend, but she can't make it at this time and I have to use the time off so I booked the trip anyway.

Now she thinks something bad is going to happen to me traveling alone and is arranging for relatives to be my escort. I have a feeling this is going to get expensive. Although It's nice to have some contacts in the country, I am not The Bank Of America and I am resisting.[/QUOTE]Just call and email your gf back home regularly and she will get over it. If you let her family tag along they will report back your every move to her and you won't have a chance to worry about a "runner".

Have fun!

[QUOTE=Westcoast1;1124818]In the "you're kidding, right?" category. Don't let her relatives get near you. They will bleed your wallet dry, and they are there to see that you aren't fucking around.[/QUOTE]Another possibility is that they will be setting you up, to see if you take the bait and do fuck around. I had the god father of a gf try this on me during a visit. He convinced the gf to let me go out with him and other male family members. They took me to a local strip club, brought a girl to the table, and told her that I wanted to take her to the hotel across the street. She was all over me at that point. And the next morning the gf was questioning me about the details, many of which the god father was the only one that knew.

Best advice, stay away from the family!

[QUOTE=Hairy Wonder;1124450]My first trip to the Philippines, I was freaked out when my gf and several family members went out to a local club (I was the only non-Filipino there). One of her male family members would follow me in to the bathroom whenever I went to take a leak. I asked her what the guy's problem was, and she said "I asked him to go with you to make sure nobody would attack you and take your money." Needless to say, I didn't go back there after that.[/QUOTE]I was in a small town in one of the rural provinces with my squeeze, visiting her relatives. Every night when we'd go from a relative's home or a local bar to our hotel the women insisted on walking us to the hotel. Yes, the women. On at least two occasions it was an attractive 19 year old female cousin who accompanied us. She'd get close to our hotel and then turn around and walk home alone. They insisted they were afraid I'd be mugged and so keeping me company made everything safer. It didn't make sense to me: if there's danger out there for a foreign man and one local woman, isn't a young, attractive woman at greater risk on the last leg walking home alone? This 19 year old woman wasn't very big and couldn't have offered much if it had come down to a fight, and I tried politely to point this out. But they insisted. I kept after my squeeze about it and she explained that even in rural areas, foreigners are susceptible. Locals go after them because 1) they assume the foreigner has lots of money to have been able to travel to their town in the first place, 2) foreigners don't know their way around, and 3) foreigners don't know how to get help (LE) if they need it.

So maybe the escort to the CR is in the same vein. Either that or he'd heard rumors about the size of Westerners' equipment, was dying of curiosity and just wanted to get a look at what you were going to be using on their sister / daughter. Or your gf wanted to show off what you were working with. Brings a whole new meaning to the idea of penis envy.

[QUOTE=Hank Moody; 1124710]The "10 questions to ask" video was great. Cherry Boy, I guess that's me.

Let me give you a little more back story. I was supposed to go to the Philippines with a girlfriend, but she can't make it at this time and I have to use the time off so I booked the trip anyway.

Now she thinks something bad is going to happen to me traveling alone and is arranging for relatives to be my escort. I have a feeling this is going to get expensive. Although It's nice to have some contacts in the country, I am not The Bank Of America and I am resisting. [/QUOTE]Just ask her if she has a cute and sexy cousin and / or sister and say you would more comfortable if they accompanied you LOL.

Sometimes the sister will take over the duties. If only to make sure you don't stray outside. But this can be a non too frequent occurence (twice for me only) so more likely the relatives are there for cash, to make sure are a good boy or both (and they could be fuglies).

Why don't you tell her you won't go as she is not there and then go all the same. How will she know if you are there?

But then I always have kinky motives so maybe am not the best person to advise you :D