(03-14-2015 07:46 AM)RioNomad Wrote:  Ticket to Manila booked.

Probably spend 1, possibly 2 nights there before heading out to a secret location. Should be in Manila Wednesday night if anyone is around.

Hotel recommendations? Need something cheap, I'm poor for the next few months.

Tune and Sogo are usually decent budget hotel options anywhere you can find them in the Phils.

(03-14-2015 09:46 AM)Corroncho Wrote:  

(03-14-2015 07:46 AM)RioNomad Wrote:  Ticket to Manila booked.

Probably spend 1, possibly 2 nights there before heading out to a secret location. Should be in Manila Wednesday night if anyone is around.

Hotel recommendations? Need something cheap, I'm poor for the next few months.

Tune and Sogo are usually decent budget hotel options anywhere you can find them in the Phils.

Haha stay away from Sogo Hotel. I stayed there for 2 nights in Quezon without knowing what it really is. The hotel chain presents itself as a cheap family hotel but everyone in the Philippines knows that it is a fucking love motel. Everyone there is getting a room for maximum 8 hours. You constantly hear other people fucking, the bed sheets have lots of stains and in the late afternoon you can see dozens of couples waiting in the lobby for a room to be free. Sogo is all about filipino couples who are looking for a place to have sex. I think I was the only one who stayed for 48 hours and didn't just come to have sex. If you stay at Sogo, have fun explaining your girls why you chose Sogo. The adult channels on the TV were good though

(03-14-2015 07:46 AM)RioNomad Wrote:  Ticket to Manila booked.

Probably spend 1, possibly 2 nights there before heading out to a secret location. Should be in Manila Wednesday night if anyone is around.

Hotel recommendations? Need something cheap, I'm poor for the next few months.

Are you talkin Wednesday the 18th? I'll be there the 25th.

(03-14-2015 02:07 AM)CleanSlate Wrote:  Booked the flight! Now the big pieces are in place... the Gramercy unit near Century City Mall, and the flight!

I cannot believe I'm actually doing this.

EDIT: I'm confused...... I thought it was Greenbelt, but it is Gramercy. Map pin says Greenbelt, though. ??

I will be at the tail end of my vacay there Slate so I should have a ton of intel by April 19th. I was going to stay at the Gramercy but I read from another member (I think it was Smashbandicoot) saying to stay in Fort and stay out of P Burgos area cause its littered with p4p. But Gramercy may be an exception to this for pulling some tail.

(03-13-2015 08:34 AM)CleanSlate Wrote:  Who is in Manila now, or will be in April-May?

I'm playing with the idea of staying there for 3 weeks. April 19 through May 9.

I have tons of questions regarding planning and logistics.

1. Day game will be my primary focus, and I'm worried that the heat will be oppressive and hurt my day game. Unfounded?

I don't think so. Even so, expect that it will be HOT and HUMID. I'm not sure what your background is, but assuming you are a white American in Southeast Asia for the first time, you'll have to mentally prepare yourself for culture shock. As a (half) Filipino who grew up there (now living in California), I'd say expect a lot of pollution, poverty and heat in Manila. I encourage you to set out and see the gorgeous provinces after spending some time in Manila to acclimate to your new surroundings. The provinces offer fresh air, wonderful nature-attractions such as white sand beaches, majestic waterfalls and green mountains. The places I'd recommend are Subic (very similar to America in terms of strict traffic rules and cleanliness and it's only a couple hours away by car), Cebu (rich cultural history and foreigner friendly being that it is decently urbanized. It's an hour flight away, check Cebu Pacific Airlines.), or if you are the adventurous type try a week in Palawan (its untouched beauty and simple, honest populace make for a worthwhile experience. Read up on my trip there.) Good Day Game will serve you well anywhere in the Philippines, especially if you have WGF going for you.

(03-13-2015 08:34 AM)CleanSlate Wrote:  2. What are the best hotels and apartments to stay in logistics-wise for both day and night game?

I can't help you much here... I typically stay with friends and I typically stay away from Makati, Manila-proper, etc. due to the crazy traffic. I often stay in Quezon City (Sin City) just because it's where most of my Fraternity Brothers live and it's close to my alma mater, the University of the Philippines. Quezon City is less Metropolitan than Makati and the like, and it's easier to move around. There isn't as much foreigners here so it might be good hunting grounds. Anyways, to answer your question, try to read up on Direct Danger's Living in Manila Thread. They've hashed and rehashed the best places to book Game-wise.

(03-13-2015 08:34 AM)CleanSlate Wrote:  3. How far in advance do I need to book airfare and hotel/apartment?

Just like the West, it depends on demands and the like. Typically earlier is better. Summer time (Apr-Jun) and Christmas time (Dec-Jan) will be more expensive.
Unlike the West, always try to negotiate a lower rate. Inquire if they'd be willing to let you stay there for about 20% lower than their asking price. Tell them, so and so a block away is only charging you such and such and see if they budge. The worse that can happen is that they say no.

(03-13-2015 08:34 AM)CleanSlate Wrote:  4. Do apartments rent by the day or week?

Apartments rent by the month, if you are looking for day to day or week to week, your better bet is AirBnB.

(03-13-2015 08:34 AM)CleanSlate Wrote:  5. How much is a sim card and can I obtain one at the airport when I land?

Yeah, easy peasy. The airports will have sim card/phone load dealers. Just ask around and they'll point you to the local dealer in the airport. Getting unlimited will be worth it for data. Stick to texting as much as possible. Voice calls cost more in the Philippines. One thing to be aware of is that there are 2 major carriers... Globe and Smart. They own certain phone number area codes (for example Globe owns 0926 xxx xxxx and Smart owns 0929 xxx xxxx, so it is easier to distinguish one company from the other) and they have things set up in a way that makes it more cost efficient when communicating Globe to Globe or Smart to Smart. What my friends who live there do is that they have both on separate cell phones, as it could be a deterrent when you give a girl a Smart number and they happen to have Globe. Being that you are only there for only 3 weeks, you can get a Globe number and that should suffice, but just keep that in mind. I'll be getting a Globe number myself once I land.

(03-13-2015 08:34 AM)CleanSlate Wrote:  6. What clothes do I bring, how should I dress?

Bring a set of simple clothes, nothing flashy for low key situations such as traveling and commuting. The last thing you want to do is attract unwanted attention by appearing like a loaded foreigner especially when you are alone in the seedier parts of town. Bring your Game attire for nights out, clubbing, bars etc. or for when running day game at the malls, parks, tourist spots. Bring some beach/swimming attire as well. Chicks will tolerate shorts more when you are by the ocean sands.

(03-13-2015 08:34 AM)CleanSlate Wrote:  7. What toiletries to bring, beyond the usual travel stuff?

Flushable wet wipes. Never has $5 at Walmart ever been so well spent on ass-wipery as it is when you find yourself in a Manila toilet with no toilet paper.

(03-13-2015 08:34 AM)CleanSlate Wrote:  8. Is pipelining necessary if I'm there only 3 weeks? What sites?

No, I'd say it isn't necessary, especially if you have the WGF going for you. But, it's still a good idea since it lets you plan ahead and drum up some leads in case you get a really unlucky day game run. Also, pipelining is a great idea if you plan to do some traveling in the Philippines, i.e. out of Metro Manila and into the provinces. Better to have someone waiting for you when you get out there to the province or "packing lunch" with you and bringing a Manila girl with you to Palawan, etc. (Some of the really remote provinces have slim pickings.)

Other tips and thoughts

On Game:

- Nice guy game works better on Pinays, in my opinion.
- Don't ever be arrogant or appear to be so. Arrogance is an egregious taboo over there.
- When running night game, be aware of pros. If you suspect someone is into you because she is trying to sell you on her services, try to start screening her out to avoid spending any more effort/time by casually mention to her "Oh, so the other night I was at blah blah club and this lady asked me if I wanted to have sex with her and that she was willing to do it for xxx Pesos. I said I never pay for sex, that my mother raised me better than that. Can you believe that!?"
- Learn some of the language. Pinoys/Pinays get a kick out of it when they see a foreigner take interest enough to learn their language and culture. It can help your game out too.
- If your stomach can handle it, be adventurous with our food. Pinays find it attractive when you will bravely eat balut, try our greasy food etc. where as other (inferior) men will shy away and be squeamish.
- Don't show her that the dirt, pollution, or poverty around bothers you (even if it really does.) It will set you apart and she will take mental note of it.

On Comfort and Safety:

- Have presence of mind and be suspicious in the big city. You more than likely will not come across any trouble, but it's better to be prepared and aware. Have a throw-away wallet with a P500 bill in case you ever get held up. Keep your money elsewhere. I have my local tailors create a secret pocket in my jeans for cash. Or you can get one of those money belts or ankle belts.
- We Americans usually laugh at dopey, fat tourists with fanny packs, but in the Philippines they really are very very useful. The fanny packs, I mean... Not the dopey, fat tourists. I carry a fanny pack on one shoulder like a backpack, and use them to hold my stuff like phone chargers, wet wipes, etc etc.
- Buy or bring a set of handkerchiefs with you. Trust me on this.
- Keep your cellphone out of sight while in public. Keep it in your front pocket.

On Customs and Culture:

- Tipping is not mandatory nor expected, like in restaurants in the U.S. If I get really good service though, I'll go ahead and leave P50 or P100 to show my appreciation and possibly get similar service next time.
- Always try to bargain (Well, except for restaurants where the price on the menu is final.) For products and services at flea markets, bazaars, etc... they'll pad prices up expecting that people will try to bargain them down.
- Expect that you'll often encounter more expensive pricing simply because you look like a foreigner. White folks will get the most expensive pricing (even so, it's usually still cheaper than U.S. prices.) If budget really is an issue and you have a Filipino friend with you, have him or her do the bargaining before you even show your face. This will let you avoid Presyong Puti ("Price for the Whites.")
- Above all, aim for a well rounded trip. Mix in some adventure with all that poosy-chasing (you'll come to find poosy will likely be chasing *you*) Take your bucket list hobby of choice and go do it. Scuba diving? Mountain climbing? Surfing? Handgliding? Para-sailing? Biking? There are plenty of chances to do all that. Try to go to Subic and go deep in the rain forests with the experienced Rangers who teach jungle survival. That was one of my best experiences there, learning how to make fire from the bamboo trees. Or take a tour of the 4 kilometer long Underground River in Puerto Princesa, Palawan. Or just chill with your sexy, feminine Pinay on an uninhabited islet in the Hundred Islands of Pangasinan. I believe that a more well rounded trip will create a better experience.

With all that said, I wish you a happy and exciting journey. I'll be in town around the same time as you so if you have any questions or want to meet up, shoot me a PM. Also, looking forward to seeing the rest of you RVFers Pinas-side!

(03-14-2015 11:09 AM)Dipar Wrote:  Haha stay away from Sogo Hotel. I stayed there for 2 nights in Quezon without knowing what it really is. The hotel chain presents itself as a cheap family hotel but everyone in the Philippines knows that it is a fucking love motel. Everyone there is getting a room for maximum 8 hours. You constantly hear other people fucking, the bed sheets have lots of stains and in the late afternoon you can see dozens of couples waiting in the lobby for a room to be free. Sogo is all about filipino couples who are looking for a place to have sex. I think I was the only one who stayed for 48 hours and didn't just come to have sex. If you stay at Sogo, have fun explaining your girls why you chose Sogo. The adult channels on the TV were good though

However, if you ARE looking for a 'Love Hotel' try out Victoria Court. They have very classy themed rooms for that special bang/s. Or, if there's a bunch of you, you can rent one of their party rooms. I am traveling to the Philippines with one of my American buddies and along with a couple of Fraternity Brothers and a bunch of girls we pipelined/met the last time, we are planning to rent the Oval Office room. Ever wanted to pull a Bill Clinton and bang someone on the Presidential Table? Well, here's your chance...

Scott Free, WOW this is the one of the most informative posts I've seen on Phils! Thank you for taking the time to write all that, and I will definitely get in touch with you since you'll be there at the same time as I. I'll need to sift through this information and plan a couple more getaways... I'm interested in the hundred islands and the jungle survival camp.

I do have plans to go to Boracay for 4 days (Apr 25-29), so that will be one of my jaunts away from the city.

One question for now, what does WGF stand for?

I'm sure I will have more later.

(03-15-2015 07:15 PM)CleanSlate Wrote:  Scott Free, WOW this is the one of the most informative posts I've seen on Phils! Thank you for taking the time to write all that, and I will definitely get in touch with you since you'll be there at the same time as I. I'll need to sift through this information and plan a couple more getaways... I'm interested in the hundred islands and the jungle survival camp.

I do have plans to go to Boracay for 4 days (Apr 25-29), so that will be one of my jaunts away from the city.

One question for now, what does WGF stand for?

I'm sure I will have more later.

No worries man. Boracay is popular, but overrated in my opinion. Depending on when you go, it will probably be full of drunk tourists. The normally amiable Filipinos turn into hordes of rude vendors trying to pawn off their wares during tourist season. There's a chance you'll have a nice time though if it is still off season when you go. At least you'll experience Boracay. Next time, I think it's better to make the trek to El Nido, Palawan. Far better experience there, I believe.

WGF = White God Factor. It's a by-product of Spanish Era Philippines. We call it "Colonial Mentality" which can actually include a lot of other aspects in current Filipino culture. WGF is a subconscious programming in the Pinoy/Pinay mind that essentially makes them treat anyone with lighter skin better. In our minds, lighter skin is equated to more wealth, higher status and superior offsprings. After all, the whiter skinned Spanish conquistadors were wealthy, handsome and technologically superior. And we were their colony for 300 some odd years. But aside from that, a half-breed offspring of a Filipina and a foreigner is known as a 'mestizo' and has unique features from both parentage's racial make ups. To a Filipina, this represents a chance for her kid/s to have higher status and thus wealth and power. Mestizos tend to become very charismatic and successful and are sought after by others. They can end up becoming Showbiz Celebrities, Politicians or Models. So, you can just imagine how much a regular Filipina can raise her station just by having them... Growing up as a half Pinoy, half Persian... I can relate so many advantages that I've had along the way. Perhaps better to share it in person over some beer, but anyways, it is a very real advantage just as many in this forum can attest to. Even as a mestizo, Colonial Mentality is still in my programming. It still beckons my sex drive to seek out blonde and blue eyed white women as vessels for my future progeny. With the state of the West as it currently is, it seems Ukraine or Russia will be my best bet towards that goal. To that end, the more you guys spend time in the Philippines, the less competition I'll have in the Slavic countries and that's my real motivation for being so helpful... Hahahaha! (I kid, I kid... but kinda not...)

(03-15-2015 07:51 PM)Scott Free Wrote:  No worries man. Boracay is popular, but overrated in my opinion. Depending on when you go, it will probably be full of drunk tourists. The normally amiable Filipinos turn into hordes of rude vendors trying to pawn off their wares during tourist season. There's a chance you'll have a nice time though if it is still off season when you go. At least you'll experience Boracay. Next time, I think it's better to make the trek to El Nido, Palawan. Far better experience there, I believe.

WGF = White God Factor. It's a by-product of Spanish Era Philippines.

Kinda too late since I already booked my flight to boracay... maybe I can invite a Manila chick to come along with me, though. Think that will fly?

White God Factor? hahaha that's one of the funniest phrases I've seen! Well, I'm not *exactly* white... I'm middle eastern, but I can be (and have been) mistaken for a light skinned Spanish person. Think I'm still good?

I have some more specific questions, but I'll PM you.

(03-15-2015 07:58 PM)CleanSlate Wrote:  Kinda too late since I already booked my flight to boracay... maybe I can invite a Manila chick to come along with me, though. Think that will fly?

White God Factor? hahaha that's one of the funniest phrases I've seen! Well, I'm not *exactly* white... I'm middle eastern, but I can be (and have been) mistaken for a light skinned Spanish person. Think I'm still good?

I have some more specific questions, but I'll PM you.

No worries, Boracay may still prove to be a nice experience. I would try to "pack lunch" and bring a Manila girl, unless you are looking to try to hunt for other foreigners who might be there. Just watch out that the Manila girl would probably expect you to pay for her way there. I've done this before with girls whose company I enjoy and have already banged. Cost of living is really tough in the Philippines and the Pinays have a harder time trying to save up for vacations. The last time I was there, I convinced this girl to go up to Subic with me and it proved to be a good decision. The time before that, I took a couple of girlfriends to Palawan and we all had an amazing time. By doing so, you don't have to spend so much time Gaming and can enjoy your freed up time on what the local trips have to offer. From her perspective, it will be more 'romantic' and it will make the bang more enthusiastic on her part, since she is isolated with you in some Paradise.

You are Middle-Eastern? It should not be much of an issue. I recommend you be clean shaven (or just keep a goatee). Anything that can make you look more Muslim in the eyes of a predominantly Catholic Filipina will likely turn her off. That said, I think you can still enjoy some WGF. I do and I'm a half breed at that.

Enjoy your trip - here's the Boracay trip report I wrote - trip was over easter holidays 2014. The beach and ocean itself is beautiful but quite crowded and overbuilt with restaurants and crap between Stations 1 and 3. If you're going with a girl, consider staying on the other side of the island where the kitesurfers go, its absolutely stunning.

http://www.rooshvforum.com/thread-26237-...#pid707287

(03-15-2015 07:58 PM)CleanSlate Wrote:  

(03-15-2015 07:51 PM)Scott Free Wrote:  No worries man. Boracay is popular, but overrated in my opinion. Depending on when you go, it will probably be full of drunk tourists. The normally amiable Filipinos turn into hordes of rude vendors trying to pawn off their wares during tourist season. There's a chance you'll have a nice time though if it is still off season when you go. At least you'll experience Boracay. Next time, I think it's better to make the trek to El Nido, Palawan. Far better experience there, I believe.

WGF = White God Factor. It's a by-product of Spanish Era Philippines.

Kinda too late since I already booked my flight to boracay... maybe I can invite a Manila chick to come along with me, though. Think that will fly?

White God Factor? hahaha that's one of the funniest phrases I've seen! Well, I'm not *exactly* white... I'm middle eastern, but I can be (and have been) mistaken for a light skinned Spanish person. Think I'm still good?

I have some more specific questions, but I'll PM you.

(04-05-2014 02:58 AM)Tenerife Wrote:  I'm back in phils again for the third time. the initial excitement and anticipation has worn off slightly and now all the things that irritated me before come flashing into my mind.

I was walking through a mall the other day doing some shopping, and out of about 300 girls I saw there, not a single one was as good looking as my regular girl. I mean, the average attractivenness here is really in the pits. Luckily a foreigner has a good shot at the upper tier.

I have to agree with you 100%. I used to walk through the malls in Manila and think the same thing. You have to look at 300 girls to find a great one. My friend and I said there are NO 9s and 10s in the Philippines! Overall Philippines has a lot of small girls. Most lack curves, have small boobs and mediocre faces. If want quality, then go to FSU.

Just thought I would share. Uploading pics take OUTSIDE not INSIDE and of a particularly nice looking outdoor background showing your eventful and well off life suddenly assures me to go from getting sparse interests to literally a non-stop stream of interests being sent, even on the low part of the day. And removing the "I am a student" to I am working in Chicago really also helped, but it was the pics that really made the huge difference. So to make interests go from almost nothing to heaps of them in no time, make sure you put working in your city in the US and pics with a nice background showing a high quality of life, preferably outdoors. In the time I wrote up part of this text, 14 notifications already built up, the vast majority of them interests. That's more than I have ever seen this time of day.

I am literally shocked at the difference only changing the photos did. And I was getting several rejections of messages sent before I made the change. I bet I will see much less of that now.

(03-15-2015 08:16 PM)Scott Free Wrote:  No worries, Boracay may still prove to be a nice experience. I would try to "pack lunch" and bring a Manila girl, unless you are looking to try to hunt for other foreigners who might be there. Just watch out that the Manila girl would probably expect you to pay for her way there. I've done this before with girls whose company I enjoy and have already banged. Cost of living is really tough in the Philippines and the Pinays have a harder time trying to save up for vacations. The last time I was there, I convinced this girl to go up to Subic with me and it proved to be a good decision. The time before that, I took a couple of girlfriends to Palawan and we all had an amazing time. By doing so, you don't have to spend so much time Gaming and can enjoy your freed up time on what the local trips have to offer. From her perspective, it will be more 'romantic' and it will make the bang more enthusiastic on her part, since she is isolated with you in some Paradise.

You are Middle-Eastern? It should not be much of an issue. I recommend you be clean shaven (or just keep a goatee). Anything that can make you look more Muslim in the eyes of a predominantly Catholic Filipina will likely turn her off. That said, I think you can still enjoy some WGF. I do and I'm a half breed at that.

After reading the latest comments about how Boracay is over-commercialized now, I reduced my trip there by one day, so I will be coming back to Manila tues morning Apr 28th instead of the evening of the 29th. So now it's just a "weekend trip"... which is good because it opens up other things for me to do like going to Subic and Hundred Islands.

Land in Manila in about 14 hours. Spending one night there. YardDog I know is around. Anyone else?

Also, I'll have about 20k Thai baht I need to change. Where should I change it to get the best rate? Or should I exchange it in BKK?

Rio,
I'd change your Bahts in BKK to get a decent rate. I'm sure you could change them in MNL but you'd have to go waste 2-3 hours at a bank and get lousy rate. Better to do it in BKK.

You'll love MNL. Enjoy man.

Looking forward for your report on it.

Hey guys, I'm new to the forum. I lurked here for a while to help plan for a recent trip I had to the Philippines. I spent 2.5 months there, half of which was in Manila and the other half in Davao.

I wanted to give back to the forum but there really isn't much left to be said about the Philippines other than debating people's personal opinions and preferences.

So, the one thing I will say is wrap it up! I'm back in EE right now and have realized over the past few days I have an STD - likely gonorrhea. I have greenish / yellowish discharge oozing out of my cock constantly and it burns like a mother fucker every time I take a piss. I'm in constant pain. I went to the hospital here in Bucharest today to get tested and they shoved three separate swabs up my cock. Hurt real bad and pissing was even worse after the swabbing. It takes 5 days to get the results back so I won't be able to have any anti-biotics prescribed until then. Just waiting it out in extreme pain wondering if this will cause any long term issues (infertility?).

For context, I porked somewhere north of 20 broads while I was there. I was using condoms initially but I busted them a few times so I just said fuck it and started raw dogging for the rest of the trip. My cock is a full 6, which is nothing to brag about, but it's enough to bust those little asian condoms. Bring condoms from home to be on the safe side - like a whole box.

To summarize my experience in the Phils, it's a place that annoyed me in many ways (traffic, pollution, stupid girls asking stupid questions, shit internet, lack of walkability in Davao, etc) but I also had a great time. I haven't been to every country in the world but it's safe to say this is the easiest place in the world to get laid. The abundance you have in Manila is off the charts. There's no faking abundance until you make it - it's there in your face, waiting to suck your dick. The more time I spent there the more I found the girls attractive. They were like wine, or coffee , or beer. The more you have it the more you want it. The best part was the amount of 18-22 year olds I got to fuck. I'm in my early thirties and that just doesn't happen back in North America (for me anyway).

On a side note - Jesus Christ are Romanian asses ever nice. Best ever. I've been here before but I forgot just how hot the girls here are. It's like being on viagra walking around the streets.

Cheers

PS - something just came to mind. If you're into surfing there's an awesome beach 2 - 3 hours away from Davao called Dahican. It's beside the town of Mati. Mati is a shit hole but the beach and surfing was amazing (for a beginner).

^Any guys out there who went to the Philippines and didn't catch anything?

@ Stompin_Tom
I have officially decided to change the whole way I go about this. If I want to stay in this country a long time, and I really do, I am going to put an end to this whole getting laid every day with a different chick. As amazing as it might sound with all I read in your "To summarize my experience....." paragraph and how tempting that makes it to enjoy it for a long time, I am reminded to back off and look for safer long term alternatives for enjoyment after reading your first large paragraph discussing the STD. Not worth the risk. So my new way of enjoyment is substituting my interest for notch count with my interest of simply getting laid a lot still, but with less risk and less new girls,, a good choice if you want to stay a very long time. Maybe rotation/harem building or even stick to one girl for a while and not seeing other girls for a while. I am packing up and leaving Manila. No need to be here. I will stick to province. It is easy to browse the provinces and tell based on profile who is more conservative or less conservative and therefore less difficulty. Look at the way they pose in the pictures, their clothing style, are they a nurse? (lol those are often easy) and other certain ocupations like call centre, and filter based on who drinks and who does not and look for certain profile descriptions with shorter entries just saying something positive about themselves instead of those complaining about what they don't like. Filtering through these things seem to help pick out the less reserved province type I find so you can enjoy province without necessarily being held back by its common conservativeness. now enjoy province if you can.

Stay safe everyone!

(03-17-2015 08:07 AM)CleanSlate Wrote:  After reading the latest comments about how Boracay is over-commercialized now, I reduced my trip there by one day, so I will be coming back to Manila tues morning Apr 28th instead of the evening of the 29th. So now it's just a "weekend trip"... which is good because it opens up other things for me to do like going to Subic and Hundred Islands.

Glad to hear that man. Let us know how your trip goes. I'll reach out to you to check in and see how things are going once I get settled upon touchdown.

(03-17-2015 06:29 PM)Stompin_Tom Wrote:  Hey guys, I'm new to the forum. I lurked here for a while to help plan for a recent trip I had to the Philippines. I spent 2.5 months there, half of which was in Manila and the other half in Davao.

I wanted to give back to the forum but there really isn't much left to be said about the Philippines other than debating people's personal opinions and preferences.

So, the one thing I will say is wrap it up! I'm back in EE right now and have realized over the past few days I have an STD - likely gonorrhea. I have greenish / yellowish discharge oozing out of my cock constantly and it burns like a mother fucker every time I take a piss. I'm in constant pain. I went to the hospital here in Bucharest today to get tested and they shoved three separate swabs up my cock. Hurt real bad and pissing was even worse after the swabbing. It takes 5 days to get the results back so I won't be able to have any anti-biotics prescribed until then. Just waiting it out in extreme pain wondering if this will cause any long term issues (infertility?).

For context, I porked somewhere north of 20 broads while I was there. I was using condoms initially but I busted them a few times so I just said fuck it and started raw dogging for the rest of the trip. My cock is a full 6, which is nothing to brag about, but it's enough to bust those little asian condoms. Bring condoms from home to be on the safe side - like a whole box.

To summarize my experience in the Phils, it's a place that annoyed me in many ways (traffic, pollution, stupid girls asking stupid questions, shit internet, lack of walkability in Davao, etc) but I also had a great time. I haven't been to every country in the world but it's safe to say this is the easiest place in the world to get laid. The abundance you have in Manila is off the charts. There's no faking abundance until you make it - it's there in your face, waiting to suck your dick. The more time I spent there the more I found the girls attractive. They were like wine, or coffee , or beer. The more you have it the more you want it. The best part was the amount of 18-22 year olds I got to fuck. I'm in my early thirties and that just doesn't happen back in North America (for me anyway).

On a side note - Jesus Christ are Romanian asses ever nice. Best ever. I've been here before but I forgot just how hot the girls here are. It's like being on viagra walking around the streets.

Cheers

PS - something just came to mind. If you're into surfing there's an awesome beach 2 - 3 hours away from Davao called Dahican. It's beside the town of Mati. Mati is a shit hole but the beach and surfing was amazing (for a beginner).

Ouch! Dude... It sucks to hear that... You are absolutely correct though. Folks traveling from the West, definitely bring your own condoms with you. I've always done this. I use Bareskins and I love them. Quality is pretty good and it hasn't failed me yet.

Romania huh? Man... That is on my list... I'd love to try living there in a couple years or so. Are you living in EE full time?

(03-17-2015 07:17 PM)Brodiaga Wrote:  ^Any guys out there who went to the Philippines and didn't catch anything?

*raises hand* Four trips in the last few years... Various girls each time, never raw dogged it though.

I can't help it.

I find it very difficult not to return to the Philippines. This is going to be the fourth time now in a span of just a few years. The place just has SO MUCH to offer. Before moving to California, I lived there for over a decade... yet only now do I realize how much of these islands I haven't experienced yet.

   

The first time I went back was after almost 9 years of being away from my Motherland. I pretty much just kept it local to Manila, except for a quick trip to my old university in Los Baños, Laguna. I met up with relatives and old friends, not really doing much in the way of sight-seeing. But it was that first trip that sparked a curiosity in me. To the Westerners, you will find that the cost of living there, the prices of locally made goods, as well as that of labor and service to be very affordable. This makes Geo-Arbitration a very potent and efficient way to stretch your money. The efforts put towards earning Dollars or Euros but choosing to spend them as Pesos allows you get a whole lot more out of it. It's being able to get about 50% off on the things you normally buy; That Happy Meal your kids bug you about, the monthly deep tissue massage at the mall, your weekly groceries, and don't even get me started on housing rent or mortgage... It was this initial trip back to these breathtaking group of Pacific Islands that brought these facts to the front page of my mind. And it wasn't like I didn't already expect prices to be cheaper, but there I was bewildered with the fact that I could take a trip there with a few thousand bucks, drink, eat and party like a king and still fly back to California with a good third of my pocket money left untouched.

On that first trip, before even setting foot out of the country, I had already made up my mind on when the next Philippines trip would be. It was in part to attend my best friend's wedding, but also to satiate my lust for adventure, that I set my sights on the target. The legendary Palawan: A truly wild and green part of the Philippines that kept me living in the moment. What a delightful expedition that turned out to be!

During this time my good friend and fraternity brother (we'll call him NWA) cast off his chains and lived up to his code name: Never Winter Again. He moved back to the Philippines after working in the U.S. and is now living there full time while taking complete advantage of Geo-Arbitration. I admit, I am very jealous of his situation and am constantly striving to achieve a similar lifestyle. A journey which I hope to document here. What he was able to pull off is a big inspiration that has guided me to my current belief system. It was some time after my second trip that he spoke to me of "A diamond in the rough," -his exact words. I made it a mission to go there and see this island called Camiguin (kah-mi-GEEN) with my own eyes and share it with you here.

   

Camiguin is one of the smaller islands in the Philippines but is considered its own province. It is divided into 5 municipalities, with the largest, Mambajao (mam-bah-HOW) serving as the provincial seat where it's governor takes office. Due to it being located right off the northern coast of the second largest island in the Philippine archipelago which is Mindanao, Camiguin is technically part of the Mindanao Region and not in the Visayas, at least politically speaking. It has a round shape and is often imagined by the locals to look like the delicious lanzones fruits for which it is nationally well known to produce. Heck, the culture there is so tied to the fruit, they even have lanzones festivals to celebrate the harvest season.

If you've never seen one before, the lanzones is a small, spherical, yellow fruit that grows in bunches on a type of mahogany tree. The fruit itself has a thin skin that you can easily peel off to get to the edible part. Watch out for the seeds, they're bitter if you bite into them. Normally, lanzones have a sour zing to them however the ones I've tasted from this island have a much sweeter tickle to my taste buds... which is perhaps due to the nutrient rich volcanic soil they grow on.

Speaking of volcanoes, Camiguin has seven of them! That's right, SEVEN. The last recorded eruption was back in 1951, which killed about 3,000 people with pyroclastic lava flows and poisonous gases. Something about that fact still gives me a tinge of adrenalin rush when I think of it... The entire time I was there, at the corner of my mind lofted the fact that I could very suddenly find myself in hot water (literally!) at anytime. I came across several tourist guides that referred to place as "the Island born of Fire," I also found out that this was one of the few provinces that had a dedicated outpost and research station operated by PHIVOLCS, the national entity that monitors volcanic activity. To me, both were subtle reminders of how short life is, cementing in my mind why the lifestyle path I've chosen to take, that of living in each moment, is thus far the correct decision.

NWA had a lot of good things to say about the place and having been there ahead of me, he had made some connections with locals. To my surprise, he said a good number of foreigners had decided to settle in Camiguin. I sought out to answer my question of why; what made this place so settle-down-worthy?

We planned to take a quick jaunt over to Camiguin during the latter part of my third 'Pinas trip ('Pinas is the affectionate nickname that comes from Pilipinas which is what we Filipinos call our country.) We took a Cebu Pacific flight from Manila to Cagayan de Oro, the most urban area in Misamis Oriental which is the nearest province in northern Mindanao to our destination. After arrival, you have several options. We took a 2 hour shuttle van ride to a ferry terminal still further north of the province and traveled by ferry for about an hour to one of three ports of entry, this one being Benoni, in southeastern Camiguin. In hindsight, it turned out to be a mistake since the more time-efficient way would have been to take a flight to Cebu and make a connecting flight to the small airport in Mambajao. Ah well, as my uncle always said: charge it to experience.

NWA, helped plan the details of the trip. He brought along with us his girlfriend (we'll call her Maya) a sexy little darling just a bit over half his bloody age, and her friend whom she used to work with, let's give her the code name Inday (in-DIE), both of whom proved to be such sweethearts during the trip and were representative of the compassionate and caring nature which epitomize the Filipina character. Inday was born in Camiguin and was eager to revisit her family and she was to be our guide and translator. Even though a good number of the locals could speak English and Tagalog (Filipino) it's still very useful to have someone who could speak the local dialect. If anything, as a good way to haggle or negotiate for good deals. It caught me off-guard that Maya and Inday had never been on-board an airplane before. Having been in the air as early as I was three months old, it was easy for me to take something like an hour-and-a-half flight for granted. The mixed excitement and apprehension in their eyes gave me a glimpse into what it must be like to, for the first time, find yourself in a fragile can of metal and plastic and be thousands of feet in the air as you are propelled forward by aviation science. I chatted with Inday to ease her mind. It turns out that she had left her province a couple of years ago for the allure of the career opportunities in Manila. This is a very familiar story to most Filipinos, as there are many who set out to the big city to seek out their fortunes. Personally, I think it's a mistake for everyone to crowd into the capital when there are so many other places in the country that could use development from the enterprising and ambitious provincial. This sort of Centralization mentality can have it's uses, but the glaring disadvantage is that it keeps the poverty line at status quo, creates more pollution as well as crime. Anyhow... that's a conversation for another time.

~

Once we set foot on the island, we were picked up by a shuttle van courtesy of the resort we were booked to stay at, a place called Dayon sa Cabuan. We embarked upon Camiguin's main artery of transportation which is called the 'Circumferential Road' because it encircles the entire island along its coast. Shocking, I know. It took about 30 minutes to traverse there from the port. Upon arriving, we found it to be a modest resort, very easy on the pocket and had great service. It sprawled over a rather large strand with a lawn that led to the coast. There was a simple wooden fishing pier that jutted out to the relaxed waters. The fruit trees that dotted the resort swayed to the calm sea breeze. Rooms were in separate housing that were spaced apart from each other for ample privacy. We set our belongings down and asked the driver to drop us off to meet a college friend of NWA's who lived nearby.

The meeting place was at a local open air bar, known as the Northern Lights. It was a gorgeous little place. We were greeted by Paul who met us at entrance to the charming restaurant/bar (commonly called "resto-bars.") He was somewhat popular around town and had a long family history tied to the island. It turns out that he and Inday knew of each other. Ahhh, talk about the simple life on the small island where the people are pleasant and nice. Imagine that! I was slowly beginning to see why foreigners were opting to settle down here.

After feasting on good food and a few drinks, Paul drove us to the middle of the provincial capitol for some souvenir shopping. We got to finally taste another enjoyable edible that Camiguin is well known for, a pastry called Pastel. Pastel de Camiguin, is a bun baked with yema filling, which is a sweet derivative of egg yolk. It's history goes back more than a century ago with the birth of its creator, Agrepina Gultiano who turned it into a successful commercial business. Today, the pastries are filled with authentic Filipino flavors such as Ube (purple yam), Makapuno (a sweet product of coconut flesh) or Leche Flan (baked custard), and now you can even try strawberry and mocha flavored Pastel. Though I still think nothing beats the original yema filling. Each of us loaded up on boxes of Pastel and along with our lanzones in tow, we would randomly snack on them for the rest of our stay. NWA and I got into the habit of taking bites out of the Pastel bun until we've eaten most of the bread and all that's left is pretty much the yema filling. Saving the sweetest part for last, we'd would drown out our palettes with these overpowering flavors! It's in line with one of our guiding principles in life: Delaying gratification. i.e. Work hard, play hard.

At the market, Inday made plans to meet with her younger sister. She was from a big family and had numerous brothers and sisters. This one was the closest in age to her and was holy-fuck-cute. She was well known around town as a beauty queen winner. Blood was slowly getting diverted from my brains...

   

*ahem* ... Paul then drove us up into the volcanoes and tropical jungles towards one of the tourist attractions there, Katibawasan Falls. We parked along a gravel lot surrounded by souvenir stalls. Paul went over to one and bought a local treat for all of us. The name escapes me right now, but I think it was called kiping. It was a crunchy type of hard wafer that was shaped like a bowl or plate. Sweet, chocolate-y syrup is sprinkled over it. Be careful as you walk up the path to the water falls, a brood of hungry chickens will follow you around hoping to have a peck of your delicious kiping! Pesky chickens. After a short stroll up the hill, we looked down towards a majestic pool that collected the cold mountain waters. The view was spectacular. We made our way down cautiously while making sure the chicken assault team stopped following us (they did.) NWA immediately checked in to the cool pond and stepped under the thunderous falls to shower. Looking up from the pool, the mountains and trees encircled us as if we were gladiators in an arena and they were the spectators. The girls and I took the mandatory photos posing by the waterfalls.

   

Maya, despite her absurd fear of sea monsters, decided to brave the pool with her boyfriend. She cautiously stepped in and was feeling the waterbed with her feet for anything alarmingly weird. NWA held her hand as he gallantly led her deeper. I really did not expect her fear to expand the borders of irrationality, so I jokingly called out to her "No need to fear [Maya], there are no sharks here. Sharks are afraid of crocodiles..." It took only a split second for her to go crazier than a sack of bees. She hopped on NWA's back and cried out as she flailed about with one hand while the other covered his vision. I felt so bad after the initial chuckles wore off. Note to self, don't joke to Maya about sea creatures lest a brother loses an eye. The moral of this story my dear friends, is never underestimate the irrationality of a woman.

   

After consuming our fill of unique treats and pure mountain spring, we loaded ourselves onto Paul's van and were dropped off at the center of town. Paul had to go home and check on his kids while we accompanied Inday to her family who had prepared dinner for us, partly as a custom of hospitality, but also to thank us for bringing their daughter back home to visit them. The four of us each took one of the numerous scooter bikes, used by the locals to shuttle people around town. The operators would charge a small fee to ferry passengers sitting behind them to anywhere nearby. Alternatively, you can also rent a scooter/motorbike and move around more easily. Eight people and four scooters set off towards Inday's home. We would goad each other with jeers into a sort of race whenever one scooter overtook the other. Inday won in the end. I think she whispered something to her driver in their language because he suddenly sped up and finished first.

Soon the pavement ended and we were dropped off. After paying our transport, the exciting moonlight hike started. It was dark and the only source of luminescence was the full moon above and the twinkling stars. We'd pass by the occasional nipa hut along the grassy path. It was remarkable how Inday could navigate through the fields, she still remembered the place like the back of her hand. Once in a while we'd pass by people who greeted her along the way. NWA and Maya were walking hand in hand, so I put Inday's arm around mine and flirtatiously joked around to keep to the mood. I teased her about whether her dad would accept me or bring out the shotgun... She returned the jokes by saying not to worry "darling," that her dad had poor aim. We laughed all the way to their humble residence. Inday's brothers and sisters all ran out to greet her. It was quite the happy occasion. She introduced us to them one by one and we greeted her parents, snickering about our earlier private jokes. A bead of sweat would always be present over my brow whenever her dad, a strong and silent type, would disappear behind the plain cottage. It abruptly occurred to me that you really don't need to aim well with a shotgun...

Again we feasted in the abundant local food. Fish, pork, shrimps, string beans, and of course rice. The laughter and merriment were thick in the air around us as the local kids, Inday's brothers, sisters and their cousins and friends fed their curiosity at the sight of their visitors. We chatted with her parents, who were farmers and caretakers of the local land. Theirs was a simple, happy life far removed from the smart phone obsession and social media frenzy the rest of us were up to our eyeballs in. It was very refreshing to escape the complexities of urban living, even if for a little while.

With full stomachs we said our goodbyes and left Inday to spend the night with her family. Paul picked us up a short while later right by the paved road, the night was not over yet.

~

Casa Roca was an exquisite bed and breakfast, an island mansion nestled upon the top of wave-defying cliffs. Damn! Had I known about this place before booking our resort, I would've insisted upon staying here. We found ourselves in the resto-bar that lounged from the front door on the main floor of the mansion to the open air courtyard outside. We were warmly welcomed by the owners, Jim and Evelyn whom Paul knew and NWA had previously already met. Jim was a Canadian expat who resided there with his lovely fiancé, Evelyn (I hear they've now since gotten married.) She was just oozing sex appeal and feminine charm. Evelyn excitedly gave us the grand tour of the upstairs where all the rooms were nestled. The master bedroom was like a picture torn out from the front cover of some ultimate romance novel. Tropical style ceiling fans made of rattan, pearly-white veils draped over the king sized bed, open air windows inhaling the fresh sea air. I think I'll stay here next time and bring some company. We sat by the table where Jim and Evelyn were entertaining an American expat and began to socialize. The cold beer was a perfect compliment to our earlier food fest while we traded stories. NWA held one of Jim's guitars and Paul and I chatted with the American who lived in the city of Cagayan de Oro (CDO) with his Filipina wife. He had a standing agreement with her that he would visit Camiguin for a week out of every month for relaxation. That seemed to be the theme around here with the men and women. Paul was no exception as his wife would similarly crave the urban setting and trek out to CDO every now and then for a shopping mall run. I'd heard a rumor which a decade ago would've surprised me. It goes like this: "If you ever sleep at Paul's guest house, don't lock the doors... His gorgeous wife may just pay you a visit..." It seems that those shopping mall runs might really turn out to be her hypergamy kicking in. With the Red Pill securely ingested, it's easier to expect these things happening to people you know who are still plugged in. In what other way could you explain why a woman who is living in a tropical island paradise while being married to a hardworking, well-to-do, attractive husband who helps raise their three kids, yet she still decides to cheat on him? Island life must have really bored her. Hmm... How many other island ladies are bored, I wonder?

Next thing I know, my head was swimming in beer and we laid down to sleep for a bit back in the resort where Paul dropped us off at. He'd return the following morning. We got up early to maximize our last day, NWA and I had a motto to live up to: "No Rest, No Shame." Inday came by to the resort after staying the night with her family and soon we were off to our first stop, White Island. If Camiguin were to ever be compared to a planet, it would have been like Mars who had two satellite moons. White Island being one of them, was so called because it was a sand bar composed entirely of strikingly white sand and shells. It was about a thirty minute boat ride off the shores of Camiguin. The boat operator would drop us off there along with the other tourists for about an hour while we walked around, took pictures, and had a picnic. They would return a few times to shuttle over other tourists and take us back when we were ready. One thing the city slicker should keep in mind about island life, is that schedules here are not set in stone. NWA and Maya took pictures by the beach and enjoyed the warm pacific waves. Paul, Inday and I laid down our beach towels and snacked on Pastel and Lanzones. Shortly after, a vendor came up to us selling sea urchin. (I know, right?!) They dove into the nearby waters and would harvest them, selling three for about 50 Pesos. Now, since I'm the type of guy that is very adventurous with food, I'll try anything at least once and so I bit in. The vendor took one of the sea urchins from his wicker basket. They had a variety of dark colors. Some black, some grey and some even purple. He would carefully lay them on the beach and as if they knew they'd be eaten soon, they would try to slowly roll away by moving their spines. The vendor would chop off the spines so that they could be held safely and he would crack them open like an egg. The hollow insides of a sea urchin have a trail of yellow sand-like goop in the shape of an asterisk with five points. It is precisely those yellow innards that is scooped up with a plastic spoon. If you frequent a sushi bar, you will recognize it as the edible sand grain looking substance that the Japanese call Uni. The difference here is that this is fresh off the sea and the vendor offers to add some vinegar to neutralize the briny taste. It was weird holding half the "shell" of the sea urchin, sort of like a cup, to scoop up the edible part soaked in vinegar. I could *feel* the rest of the chopped spines wriggling in my palm. It was such a unique "dining" experience that I'm always eager to try out and share similar stories. Even the girls sucked it up and courageously tried some uni. Before departing, I walked the stretch of the island and took a picture of some of the locals. Standing on the white beach, the back drop of the Camiguin volcanoes and the waves in between were a Facebook worthy cover photo.

   

On the way to the next tourist stop, Paul took us to his home to pick up his kids. They were very excited to join us for a play day at the beach. He introduced us to all three of them plus one of their cousins. They were very well behaved and so charming. As they got their gear ready, Paul showed off some of his wood working skills, a sofa and a bed that he made with his own hands.

At this point in our adventure, I was still not satisfied with the white sand we'd seen so far. My fetish for all things white seems to extend, not just to white chocolate and white women, but to the friggin' sand as well. Having been to Palawan the year before and marveling at El Nido's gorgeous islets surrounded by the light yellow beaches, I was beginning to get disappointed with Camiguin's drab, dirt-brown shores during our first day. But fortunately, there was another island nearby that would satiate my lust for everything alabaster. Mantigue (man-TEE-geh) was a fair sized circular island which you could walk in about thirty minutes around back to the point you started from. From our earlier Camiguin-Mars analogy, Mantigue would be the other "moon" just to the southeast of her mother island. The beach was as white as the previous sand bar and there was a jungle of sorts in the middle. It was the kind of deserted island you'd dream about getting stranded on... except... well, it's not exactly deserted. On the eastern side of the island are some transients that have settled there, building a small community of huts. From what I understand, they are typhoon victims from another island called Bohol, further north. Mantigue Island is a nature park of sorts, with a bridge-path through the jungles and plenty of coral preservation around it where divers could explore.

   

After diving into the warm embrace of the aqua blue clear waters, Paul let loose the kids who were eager to join in with us. The waves were very welcoming and after about a half-hour we walked back and sat on the picnic benches where our food was prepared for us. Pork and fish with rice, prepared right on the island. After chowing down and stuffing my face, I laid down on one of the benches and took a nap while the others explored the vegetation inland and took a holy-sh*t-that's-a-ton-of-photos with my phone. As for the nap, oh, how it was glorious. I relaxed into a smile as I tucked away all those office day memories in some closet at the farthest corner of my thoughts.

(Note to NWA: For the record, bro, I was *not* resting. True to our motto of No Rest, No Shame, I was very busy enjoying doing absolutely nothing.)

The time to leave was nearly upon us. We decided to take the second to the last ferry out of Camiguin. A very prudent course of action given how the locals view time and schedules as not something that is constant or had to be adhered to, rather, something that is lucid and flowing like the palm trees in the wind. When someone tells you that the ferry will leave at 3:00 o'clock, allow a thirty minute change in the schedule to occur before or after... Probably after.

As we waited for the ferry, we dined at the nearby J & A Fishpen Restaurant. They have floating huts interconnected by wooden bridges that wallow over their fishpens. The sea food was very fresh and delicious. They also had aviaries where hawk-like birds-of-prey know as "kites" were perched. Which meant, you guessed it, mandatory picture taking.

   

We left Camiguin soon after, but we had only touched upon the tip of what this enamoring island had to offer us. We didn't even get to explore the wonders of the Sunken Cemetery, the Soda Water Pools, the hot and cold springs, Mt. Hibok-Hibok and other attractions. I was left wanting more and this would not be the last time I'd be there. Even at this very moment while I type up this article with the words to describe my experience in Camiguin flowing from my memories, I can feel the firm tug of wanderlust pulling me back. My fourth trip looms just over the horizon in a little over a month, promising me another chance to uncover other hidden gems in the Philippines. It holds captive my attention and lights a burning desire under my imagination. I have my eye on Cebu, cradled in the bosom of the Philippines. I vow to plunge forth to discover its secrets and quell this hunger within me as it roars once more for adventure...

I really can't help it.

Just a little extra 2 cents. casuallly ask them when their birthday is. Any you will be meeting soon, make sure it is not right when they have a birthday. You know how they are with their crazy pasalubongs, all year Christmas and wanting presents. They will look for any excuse to get free stuff. So again, AVOID birthdays!!! lol

One asked me "can you buy me a laptop?"

...wtf?
Uh sure, americans go around the islands so they can buy laptops for every girl that asks for one cuz everyone with a US passport is supposed to be soooo rich.


UPDATE: after the changes I described earlier I made to my profile, I am getting bombarded with emails (never mind just simple views or interests) so much it is getting annoying! Every time I log in (thus bring my profile back to the top view of search results) I log back in to find new emails. Noone can deal with this many emails at once. And it is annoying to decide who to ignore and who to reply to, knowing most of them I will never have time to meet. This means you are garnering a higher level of interest than you even want, cuz more than 50% want to get immediate contact and message instead of sending interest and waiting. I don't like it too much. If I try logging in every 2 minutes to keep bringing my profile back to the top of results, I get flooded with messages lol I might share that one other thing that might have done that made a difference was putting in capital letters the part of the Philippines I am interested in in the profile heading but at the same time, keeping my profile as my home city in the US (Dallas, Texas, USA). This exact technique seems to have lead to a flood of emails from that particular region of the country: Dallas, Texas, United States. Heading: "Eastern Visayas ONLY Pls, Thanks " All this is working. Trust me it works wonders! try it!

Hey all, here are a few of my notes from the Phils. I've been here on and off the last 6 weeks, mainly for my business, but having some fun in between as time permits of course. I'm not going to cover game, others have done that really well, but merely some logistical lessons I learned so far.

Cell Phone
As Scott Free mentions, people usually fall into the Globe or Smart camp. This may matter to the girls you are texting as its much cheaper to text in network, but for you it won't matter at all as texting other networks is still really cheap. Globe is the safest bet I think, as that is the majority in my experience. If you have an Android phone, it will show you which network the other person has as you text them (kinda cool). Iphone doesn't do that, but like I said it rarely matters.

Data Plans
Globe has a 1000 peso unlimited data plan where you can signup right at the airport kiosk. However, when I got off the plane slightly hungover and totally tired, I just told the Globe girl at the kiosk thats what I wanted and she put a card in my phone and I was good to go. EXCEPT, please note that the regular SIM cards they give you do NOT work for LTE. You have to get a special LTE sim card (usually 75 pesos for the SIM itself), otherwise you will be stuck with 3G. I didn't know this and was stuck with 3G at first and had no idea why. The unlimited LTE plan is the same exact price, 1000 pesos a month, with a 2 gig limit per day. But the SIMS and plans are not compatible. So if you blow 1000 pesos on the regular plan, well you just got 1000 pesos lesson like I did. And, if you get a new sim, its a new number. So if you switch, you have to text everybody your new number then change your SIM. Overall, a giant pain in the ass that is easily avoidable. Same thing with SMART. Oh and SMART's LTE plan is called "SMART bro" haha, I kid you not...but despite the clever naming I went with Globe instead.

Cafe Culture
There are a ton of cafes here, but surprisingly a lack of Wifi. I couldn't even believe Starbucks doesn't offer wifi in many of their stores (at least in Manila thats the case, I found in Cebu one that had it on Mactan island, maybe the tourist demand). Since I work in cafes a lot, this kinda sucks for me. The best place I found to work was usually The Coffee Bean and Tea leaf, if you buy their loyalty card for about 200 pesos you get free wifi, for what its worth. Bo's coffee is a local chain that uses Philippines sourced beans and usually also offers wifi. And in the fort area there is UCC, a japanese chain, that offers wifi as well. Speeds may vary, so getting the LTE data plan and using your phone as a mobile hotspot or buying a mobile hotspot device will be a big help.

Makati vs The Fort
It seems the forum is pretty much recommends these two places for where to stay. Definitely its either the fort or makati for sure. I stayed at the Gramercy in Makati the first 3 weeks I was here, and it has its pros and cons (haha...it def has its "pros" thats for sure). Bad puns and hookers aside, its a great building with a lot of very reasonably priced studios. It has two grocery stores right nearby: SM and the aussie one in Century city that has better quality. Plus it is attached to a small, useful mall called Century City, which has both a starbucks and coffee bean for those inclined to get some work done during the day or grab a bite to eat. Also, there is an ongoing night market in the parking lot in front that goes on every night Tuesday-Sat that has decent cheap food and beer and live music a lot of the time, not to mention Gramercy 71 on the top. Overall, a pretty good location for the price. Oh, and the sisig at the night market (sizzling pork bits with an egg on top, can be made spicy) is the best I have had in the phils and is only 100 pesos, FYI.

That being said, when I moved to the fort my quality of life increased significantly. Traffic is a nightmare except middle of the day and late at night, so where you live plays a big role on where you can actually go, and the fort has more bars and restaurants than any other place I have been in Manila. Plus, NO jeepnies belching out black smoke and as a bonus, has actual sidewalks for walking. I like roaming around a city on foot, and honestly that is miserable on Makati ave with its lack of sidewalks, near constant traffic, crazy pollution, and insane motorcycle drivers. If you are going to be staying in the fort, I would recommend a building as close as possible to high street. Despite that, there are a lof of condos there, and most would be acceptable as the fort really isn't that big.

Anyway, I'm around the next two months or so, in and out of Manila, hopefully I'll get a chance to cross paths with a few forum members here before I take off!

(03-18-2015 08:04 AM)GeneralMacDaddy Wrote:  Anyway, I'm around the next two months or so, in and out of Manila, hopefully I'll get a chance to cross paths with a few forum members here before I take off!

I'll be in Manila April 20-May 9, will you be around then?

Also I want to visit the Fort often... I'm staying at the Gramercy residences, and from what I see on the map, the Fort is only a couple of miles away. How difficult is it to get there and back?

(03-18-2015 08:51 AM)CleanSlate Wrote:  Also I want to visit the Fort often... I'm staying at the Gramercy residences, and from what I see on the map, the Fort is only a couple of miles away. How difficult is it to get there and back?

Quite easy, although there will be traffic along Makati Ave. much of the day.

Can be as fast as 10 minutes, about 100P in a taxi.