Manila

Thanks for the link. A very good read indeed. I have to admit, in one of my less lucid moments of insanity, I brought a fold-up bicycle to Manila, and Cebu. Oddly enough, if you read the link, I rode it from Ermita all the way to Quiapo and M. Palace, places David Byrne also visited.

[QUOTE=Goatboy55; 1279094]Oh, I don't know. This read made me laugh.

[url]http://journal.davidbyrne.com/2005/12/philippines_mar.html[/url][/QUOTE]

Guys,

Any massage parlours with extra in Alabang area that you could recommend?

[QUOTE=FreebieFan; 1279158]And fourth, its so nice to know that on cebu pacific, we are "guests". Were not passengers as we are on every other airline worldwide, here we are "guests".

If only we were treated as such. Guess the airline run by children wants to be different, so yes, in cebupacificworld we are guests.[/QUOTE]Freebie,

At the end of the day it comes down to one thing and that is money. The margins an airline operates on are VERY slim, and since almost all of us look for the cheapest fare first. Well you get what you pay for in almost everything. (This does not apply to the most popular male purchase / rental. Pussy, where the most expensive rarely turns out to be "worth" the price paid. At least in my experience)

I will guarantee that if you pay for a first class seat on Cathay you will have an entirely different experience. I am not trying to be "flip" about this, but I am trying to make a concerted effort to bring my expectations more in line with the price paid for my ticket. The other thing I am realizing is that with all the add on fees now,"low cost, ain't what it used to be" and in many cases winds being more expensive (that word again) than one of the legacy carriers.

There is no problem for driving inside Metro Manila if you're used to that.

As a foreigner living here in Metro, I drive every day and there is absolutely no problems.

-Yes, the roads are bad.

-Yes, no one has actual driving skills.

-Yes, there is beggars everywhere.

-Yes, during typhoons and heavy rains everything floods.

Still if you know how to go with the flow (don't mean the river flow) , it will be just fine.

And guys, if you need a car with or without a driver, just pm me.

[QUOTE=Asian Rain;1279024]Having driven a bit around Manila, I can tell you getting a bike would be an exceptionally bad idea. Travelling distances across Manila are generally long and the roads are very poorly maintained. A large portion of the driving population (including my good self) has no driver's license and even those who do have one don't display the driving skills to merit a license. If you stop at traffic lights, the beggars and roadside merchants will accost you. During typhoon season the roads become rivers. And a close-to-retirement kano riding a scooter will make a ripe target for crime. The whole concept is risky to say the least. Enjoy, AsianRain[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Sky Ryder; 1279369]Freebie,

At the end of the day it comes down to one thing and that is money. The margins an airline operates on are VERY slim, and since almost all of us look for the cheapest fare first. Well you get what you pay for in almost everything. (This does not apply to the most popular male purchase / rental. Pussy, where the most expensive rarely turns out to be "worth" the price paid. At least in my experience)

I will guarantee that if you pay for a first class seat on Cathay you will have an entirely different experience. I am not trying to be "flip" about this, but I am trying to make a concerted effort to bring my expectations more in line with the price paid for my ticket. The other thing I am realizing is that with all the add on fees now,"low cost, ain't what it used to be" and in many cases winds being more expensive (that word again) than one of the legacy carriers.[/QUOTE]Sky, you are totally right. We pay for what we get. I spent a long time in KL so used Airasia a lot, and whilst they too have their shortcomings, at least the airport experience wasnt as bad as terminal 3. I guess my whinge about Cebu Pac was that it could be so much better if someone looked at seeing low cost improvements. The design is the design, its done, but the booming voice in the announcement could well be regulated. Anyways, totally agree, I get what I pay for not what I hope I pay for.

[QUOTE=FreebieFan;1279598]Sky, you are totally right. We pay for what we get. I spent a long time in KL so used Airasia a lot, and whilst they too have their shortcomings, at least the airport experience wasnt as bad as terminal 3. I guess my whinge about Cebu Pac was that it could be so much better if someone looked at seeing low cost improvements. The design is the design, its done, but the booming voice in the announcement could well be regulated. Anyways, totally agree, I get what I pay for not what I hope I pay for.[/QUOTE]To freebie fan.

I just fly from KL to Manila with cebu pacific this week one way cost is 139 USD not a bad 3 hr flight plane is 70 % full, I was going to take Air asia but the flight is 6. 30 am to Clark too early for me, cebu pacific is making profit I do understand high fuelcost but problem is the online reservation system and all the hidden charge they have.

Fast Eddie 48

[QUOTE=Fast Eddie 48; 1282284]To freebie fan.

I just fly from KL to Manila with cebu pacific this week one way cost is 139 USD not a bad 3 hr flight plane is 70 % full, I was going to take Air asia but the flight is 6. 30 am to Clark too early for me, cebu pacific is making profit I do understand high fuelcost but problem is the online reservation system and all the hidden charge they have.

Fast Eddie 48[/QUOTE]All the low cost airlines have their ways of getting you here and there if you are not very careful from booking the ticket all the way through the end of your trip. Charges on seat selection (seat selection is a joke with Ryan Air) , priority boarding. Last week, I paid a hefty 50 Euro fine for a hand carry bag that is 1 kilo over weight with Ryan Air in Europe. They even punishyou around 60 Euros if you don't check in on line instead check in at their counter before the flight. Agreed "You get what you paid for", but with Ryan Air, I think dignity was not included in the price either. At least I believe Cebu Pacific is a little better on this category.

[QUOTE=Fast Eddie 48;1282284]I just fly from KL to Manila with cebu pacific this week one way cost is 139 USD not a bad 3 hr flight plane is 70 % full, I was going to take Air asia but the flight is 6. 30 am to Clark too early for me, cebu pacific is making profit I do understand high fuelcost but problem is the online reservation system and all the hidden charge they have.Fast Eddie 48[/QUOTE]The 6:45 Air Asia flight is a ball buster, to be sure. I plan on taking a girl ST from BC or TC the night before, then having everything packed and ready to go for my 4am wakeup. I will get some more shut eye on the plane, but the good part is $78 Kul to Clark and I go through immigration at Clark not Manila. Arrival is 10:30am so I will have the entire day to relax and get geared up for the evening festivities. I am also taking an Air Asia flight from Clark to Palawan. I don't know; if I can avoid the madness at MNL then I will. I feel the same way about Suvarnabhumi.

[QUOTE=Natty Bumpo;1283458]The 6:45 Air Asia flight is a ball buster, to be sure. I plan on taking a girl ST from BC or TC the night before, then having everything packed and ready to go for my 4am wakeup. I will get some more shut eye on the plane, but the good part is $78 Kul to Clark and I go through immigration at Clark not Manila. Arrival is 10:30am so I will have the entire day to relax and get geared up for the evening festivities. I am also taking an Air Asia flight from Clark to Palawan. I don't know; if I can avoid the madness at MNL then I will. I feel the same way about Suvarnabhumi.[/QUOTE]Immigration at Clark is becoming painful as well based on what I read and what I have been told, especially if you have a lady with you (she gets the grief mainly but there are reports of some expats / visitors getting some grief as well). Clearly the immigration officials are not able to earn their commissions as before so are taking their frustration (jealously) out on tourists and pinays

I flew back to Manila today, on a flight fromm Bangkok that left LOS at 11:35 PM (12:35 AM Philippines time) and landed at 3:30 AM at the PAL terminal. I was surprised and quite pleased that passport control took all of 5 minutes, and within 20 minutes after deplanning I was trudging to the domestic terminal to begin a 4 hour wait for the flight to Davao. All in all however, it was a smooth, painless experience. Apparently, my views of Suvarnabumi differ from that of my friend WR. I find the Bangkok airport attractive, remarkably efficient and also painless. Given that my knees are beginning to creak, I also appreciate the multiple people movers. The transporation arrangements governing my recent trip were totally hassle-free.

GE

[QUOTE=GoodEnough;1283503]I flew back to Manila today, on a flight fromm Bangkok that left LOS at 11:35 PM (12:35 AM Philippines time) and landed at 3:30 AM at the PAL terminal. I was surprised and quite pleased that passport control took all of 5 minutes, and within 20 minutes after deplanning I was trudging to the domestic terminal to begin a 4 hour wait for the flight to Davao. All in all however, it was a smooth, painless experience. Apparently, my views of Suvarnabumi differ from that of my friend WR. I find the Bangkok airport attractive, remarkably efficient and also painless. Given that my knees are beginning to creak, I also appreciate the multiple people movers. The transporation arrangements governing my recent trip were totally hassle-free.[/QUOTE]I took the very same flight plan as GE except that I travelled the day before his flight.

I can wholeheartedly concur with his views regarding Suvarnabumi. I spent 10 hours waiting there after my connecting flight from Vientiane, and it was as much a pleasurable experience as waiting in an airport for 10 hours can be. I love the range of coffee shops and food outlets so my time was well spent.

My negative was the rather poor PAL in-flight service and "delivered" by several of the ugliest and fattest flight attendants in the fleet.

Having experienced Thai Air service from Manila to BKK to Vientiane and back to BKK again, it was a definite drop in class to find myself on PAL for the final leg.

I note with some glee that the new majority (or near enough) owners of PAL (San Miguel no less) , plan to revamp the airline.

I chuckled to notice in the press release that, in defiance of being politically correct, they stated that they will buy more new planes and "employ young, attractive women flight attendants and outfit them in attractive uniforms".

I certainly cannot complain about that. One of the attractions of flying Cebu Pacific is the plethora of young, nubile flight attendants wearing those very attractive T Shirts and shorts.

My balloon of elation at being back got deflated today, almost as soon as I got into the country. The PAL flight from Bangkok to Manila left on time, and, though I flew Business Class, I declined the meal service having eaten fairly well at the Royal Thai lounge, to which PAL Business Class Travelers have access. We arrived only to be told, that because we arrived "early" (by about 40 minutes), there was no one to operate the passenger bridge, so we would have to take a bus. At that point I knew I was back, and I suffered being crammed like an extra sardine into a shabby, un-airconditioned bus that took us to Immigration.

Passport Control and Customs were no hassle, and by about 4:10 AM, there I was, outside the international PAL Terminal, trying, in the absence of any signs, helpful personnel or announcements, to make my way to the domestic terminal. I finally figured it out and, with my declining knees, it was a hell of a long walk.

By 4:30, I had received my boarding pass for the 9 AM flight, and was seated in Tinderbox, having a capuccino and a cigarette, and wondering if I would be able to stay awake for the next four hours until boarding time. At about 8 o'clock, PAL made an announcement that free lunch vouchers were being handed out to Davao-bound passengers, which I knew did not bode well for an on-time departure. So I walked to the gate, since PAL hadn't announced any delay, only to be told by the contract service provider staff that the plane was now scheduled to depart at 11:40 due to some vague "mechanical difficulties." Without belaboring the point, the flight finally took off at about 12:15. The the delay had nothing to do with mechannical difficulties unless the inability to manage an airline effectively can be attributed to such. Given that the 747s PAL flies are shabby and about 30 years old, I guess that mechanical difficulties would recur fairly often.

What totally pissed me off was that one of the young cabin crew told me that he and his colleagues had received calls / texts at 4 that morning informing them of the delay. Yet PAL couldn't be bothered informing its passengers. For the first time in my life, I actually saw Filipino passengers exploding at the gate agents and demanding to see a PAL Manager, who was, strangely,"not available," so the poor contract gate agent had to take the brunt of the vitriol.

My driver on the Davao end of things told me the flight was also delayed by about 4 hours yesterday. PAL apparently simply doesn't care at all.

Welcome home GE.

Not sure where to post this, but this thread seems the most appropriate.

I'm trying to get an item from the UK to Manila. Does anyone have any personal experiences with the following balikbayan box services?

-balikbayan-box. Co. Uk.

-belwooduk. Co. Uk.

-highlightexpress.

-forexcargouk.

Prices are similar across the board, so I'm just trying to pick out the most timely / reliable service.

Most services are reliable, but NEVER pack anything expensive ( $100) , it may not get there.

[QUOTE=Peter Gun; 1283684]Not sure where to post this, but this thread seems the most appropriate.

I'm trying to get an item from the UK to Manila. Does anyone have any personal experiences with the following balikbayan box services?

-balikbayan-box. Co. Uk.

-belwooduk. Co. Uk.

-highlightexpress.

-forexcargouk.

Prices are similar across the board, so I'm just trying to pick out the most timely / reliable service.[/QUOTE]

I've had good luck at the MB Cafe lately. Seems like the service level is up and the girls are pretty cute. And I don't even pull from upstairs since I've met too many snobby girls up there. I've met several that I would recommend and have phone numbers for if anyone is interested, including a twosome that is up fr some lesbian action.