Philippines Pictures!

Back to the grind

My flight ended up being delayed last night because of typhoon Ondoy so instead of leaving at 5pm I ended up taking off at 6:30 and then landing in Hong Kong at about 9:10. We ended up sitting at the unloading dock waiting and waiting for our external power to be hooked up so we could get off the plane, finally we switched to a different area and they still couldn't do it. They ended up killing the engines and letting the emergency power come on, then manually opening the door. The attendants looked a little confused on how to open the main hatch, which was a little concerning...

Today we had a school group come in ready for 3 days and 2 nights with us just doing support for them and the teachers taking care of the activities. However, because of Ondoy they ended up staying just for the day and rescheduling for another time. So we just watched Nimh's Island while i took a nap, hehe. Then it was time for us to run an hours worth of games with the kids and most of them seemed to enjoy playing in the rain. After the games we rolled in to an early dinner and then it was off to the bus to catch the 6:10 fast ferry back to central. We didn't have any cleanup to do so we ended up going home. A pretty good start to work after a week of vacation. I'm busy installing a new version of Ubuntu or else i'd have my pictures up. I'll install Picasa soon and get them uploaded...

Back from Bohol

I just arrived back from "the second greatest island in all of the Philippines" Bohol :)

I left early Wednesday and took the 2hr ferry south to the 11th largest island in the Philippines. When I arrived the usual deluge of people offering rides and tours emerged, but I knew what I wanted and got a tri-cycle ride right to the bus terminal. I went to the ATM at the mall nearby and bought some dried mango and jack fruit along with 3 liters of water. I hurried back to the bus and we began at noon. We rumbled down the sometimes gravel, sometimes cement and often rugged roads for about 2 hours before getting a flat tire. The crew had the tire changed in less than 10 minutes which was quite a relief. At the 3rd hour we arrived in Danao where I jumped on a motorbike (habal-habal style) and made my way towards E.A.T Danao. I had called them before I left Tagbilaran, right after getting off the ferry and getting their number from the motorbike driver.

I'll have to post pictures for this when I get back to Hong Kong

I reserved one room there for 600 pesos (about 12 USD). So I arrived and checked in to my room with double bed, ceiling fan, and bathroom. I placed my things down and went up to the "extreme adventure area" I decided to do the "Suislide" so they strapped me in and sent me down the cable. It was the most amazing feeling, almost exactly like flying because you can't see anything but the ground underneath you and your entire periferal vision is just the gorge and river underneath you. They send you down the first slide, which is almost 500meters then they unhook you and you walk up to another part and they hook you up and send you back. Totally amazing, the entire thing took about 5 minutes and cost about $7 US. They were trying to sell me on "The Plunge" which is a freefall and swing, which cost 700 peso, but I didn't really think it was worth it, so I went back to get my camera and got a personal tour on a short nature walk and learned about Fransico Dagohoy "the hero of Bohol." After the walk I headed back to my room and took a shower, the accomodation is pretty far away from the city so the only things going on were with the workers cleaning and preparing various things. I showered and read and then went out to order some dinner.

I ordered rice and a pork dish with fried vegtables, it was a nice meal. I also asked about how to get back to Tabilaran and as luck would have it someone from EAT Danao was driving back there in the morning. Tata had to drive back early, i.e. leaving by 6am, I took the opportunity, not know what other options were available (besides a 3hr bus ride back at who knows what time) So I finished my meal and had a early night, mostly because there was nothing else to do and no other non-workers around...

I awoke early, had a breakfast of dried mango and water and was off in the small cab of the yellow jeepney back towards Tagbilaran, the place I arrived the day before. After two hours we arrived, I was dropped off at a mall and had to wait about an hour before it opened. I got a cup of coffee and a cookie to hold me over. Once it opened I ordered some breakfast at "Jollibee" and then caught another tri-cycle ride to Hinagdanan Cave. Another wonderful place, I wandered around there for a while and then walked out to the main road in search of transportation to Alona Beach on the end of Panglao Island. After walking for maybe 20 mins another tri-cycle went by and brought me to a place James and I stayed last time we were there. 480 pesos a night. I rested/read in the room for quite a while and then emerged to walk the beautiful white sand beach for a while and then eat some grilled dinner on the beachside. After a meal of baked potato, pork, chicken, and chorizo I headed back to my room, ordered breakfast to be ready at 8am and then went to bed.

This morning I woke up and had breakfast and met my tricycle driver that brought me to Alona the day before to head back to the ferry pier in Tagbilaran. I arrived pretty early, but had a nice surprise while I was waiting. A tri of musicians benefiting the disabled persons of Bohol were playing a set of music for the crowed that waited. I read and drank more coffee and listend to an awesome version of "Tie a yellow ribbon around the old oak tree" and then boarded the Weesam Express back to Cebu. I arrived at about 1pm and went to SM mall watched "Surrogates" and then got a taxi to where I'm sitting now....

phew.... I guess it's good that i put this all down now (seeing how good i've done with transcribing the events of my last trip to the Philippines...It's coming I swear!)

Tomorrow is my last full day here and then it's back to the ol' HK

The Departure

I'm going to be catching the 5:40 bus out of Mui Wo towards the Airport via Tung Chung.
I made up a little plan for this trip, first off....
I will have my SPOT Tracker (http://tinyurl.com/drbones)

Second.....
My very tentative plan goes like this: Tonight I will take a taxi from the airport in Cebu to Missy's house and then stay either there or at Glenda's Monday and Tuesday night, depending on what happens I may go to Bohol and probably stay in Panglao near Tagbilaran City on Wednesday, Thursday, and/or Friday night, This all depends if I'm able to meet up with Irvin's friends in northern Bohol (Danao) or not. Then come back maybe Friday or Saturday and be around Cebu (maybe scuba diving if I can fit it in and give myself enough time to readjust before flying) again until I fly back to Hong Kong next Sunday evening around (7:30pm should be landing here)

Take care everyone!

T8! And a whole lotta randomness...

Prepare for this post it started out as just the first paragraph and eventually evolved into a crazy random mess. You've been warned...


Here's a picture of the storm track (5000?) that everyone checks incessantly around here. This doesn't mean much really, it's a t8 if it has 60kmph winds or 150 kmph winds... I just looked and this one has 90kmph winds or 50 mph winds --thank you iPhone conversion app--

It does mean that we might get some decent surfing waves rolling into Pui O over the next few days.

Meaghan is leaving tomorrow to go back to the US for two weeks and then to Chile to start her new life.... That just leaves Bryan and I left or just me left since I'm the only one of the original spring crew that's been here the entire 7 months. (I wonder if that says anything about this company...)


I'm leaving for a week long trip to the Philippines this Sunday night, it should be pretty awesome. I've also gotten pretty heavily back into my nerd side, with installing new operating systems. Yo Dawg! I put an operating system inside your operating system so you can nerd while you nerd! I've also been getting more into networking and wireless setups. I just bought a new wireless card off from the Hong Kong eBay so now all 3 of my network cards can have a party and they don't have to keep inviting that mean external hard drive. You know the one that shocks you and leaves static electricity on everything.

I also got my iPod replaced this weekend but only after a multi-floored battle royal that started with a bare-knuckle street fight with several lowly interns. Then I made it to the computer techs level which ended very quickly considering the only weapon they used was pretentiousness. After several mini-boss battles it all culminated with a no-holds-barred octagon match with the brain behind Apple Computers, Steve Jobs himself. He may be fresh out of a liver transplant but that doesn't make him any less vicious. The match was held inside a white and black ring with brushed aluminum accents...

OK, as much as that might have actually happened, that was a really just a long way of describing how I walked in to the service center and walked out with my fixed iPod less than 5 minutes later...

I've also found a place that sells real Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and Gummi Bears! In fact here's a picture Katy took of me eating my first Reese's cup in over 7 months, pretty appalling I know.
I also found "The Thru-Hiker's Bounty" aka Lipton Pasta Sides. Ahh they bring back some awesome memories. I also bought a nerds rope, I couldn't believe it nerds rope! They had soda with corn syrup in it too! Now I can by my own inferior tasting carbonated beverages right here in Hong Kong! What a wonderful place...

This post just got really crazy and sarcastic but I just can't draw it to a close, it's probably lack of sleep coupled with massively heightened blood sugar levels.

For some reason I never got a text or email notification from my Skype voicemail, sorry for not getting back to you mom!

Change of style

I just made some changes to the formatting of the blog, I got rid of the crap on the right side and expanded the usable area for the text. I hope it doesn't mess anyone up. It should make it better to see the picture slide shows that I post on here in the future. Let me know if it's bad and I'll put it back the way it was or make some more changes

This is what is going on outside at the moment:

Sai Kung Traing Camping Trip Pictures

Gorge Day Video Journal

Here it is, it took all night to finish the video uploads to YouTube, I hope it works (and that my commentary is ample and audible...)




Meaghan and Bryan at top of waterfall 8:47am


Bryan Climbing 8:57am


Waterfall Again 9:12am


Jumping into the gorge 10:35.06



Crossing the Handline 10:35.26


11:51


1:45


1:48


1:58


2:19


2:20.16


2:27


2:52


4:16


4:28.24



4:29.32


4:30.36


4:34



4:40


4:51

Gorge Day Pictures

"Burmese Python" Live in Pui O beach