|
|
|
|
|
|
If you haven't been to the Philippines... book
your flight now! The Philippines, also known as
the pearl of the orient, is an archipelago located
in southeast Asia. It consists of about 7,000
islands; a little more if it's low tide. It's
quite hot all year round, and it seems that the
heat only dissipates sometimes during the monsoon
season or "wet season." During this time a series
of typhoons slam the Philippines with strong
rains. Apart from typhoons causing occasional
floods, the Philippines also experiences volcanic
eruptions every now and then; Mt. Pinatubo, Mt.
Mayon, and Mt. Taal are some of the more active
Philippine volcanoes in the past century.
Filipinos are some of the friendliest and most
fun-loving bunch of people you'll ever meet.
However, some of these same people will not think
twice to fool, steal, or take advantage of you in
some way if they think they can profit from it.
Unfortunately, the Philippines is still a third
world country for the most part and so the
majority of the people are very poor and struggle
in their daily lives. The country also has its
fair share of litter and pollution. Top of the
line sky scrapers can be found in metropolitan
areas such as Manila and Cebu, and straw huts are
still being used in provincial areas. Food is
exceptionally delicious in the Philippines, but
most of these are high in fat as is usually the
case for great tasting food. Most things in the
Philippines are cheaper in price than what you
will find in more developed countries. But
Filipino wages are also very cheap. If you plan on
visiting in the Philippines you will probably land
via the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in
Manila, although an airport can also be found at
Clark Air Base and Cebu City. You will probably
want to arrange for ground transportation
beforehand for taking you to your desired location
within the Philippines. Otherwise, you may find
yourself getting ripped off by the taxi drivers.
One of the first things you will notice when you
step out of the airport is the intense heat, the
crowds of people and traffic, the manner in which
the people drive, the litter and pollution, and
the humongous billboards. You will also notice how
everyone calls you sir, ma'am, or boss and acts
overly polite. Some are being friendly but don't
be fooled, most of the time it's just a facade to
hide their less presentable intentions. You will
be approached by old beggars, young hustlers, and
tugging children, so prepare yourself. Although
you may feel sympathetic, I wouldn't recommend
giving them anything as they usually don't spend
it as they should.
Read on... |
|
|
|
|
Brazil
China
Peru
Costa Rica
Thailand
Philippines
Caribbean |
