manila: first impressions

Like SAF-style, my overseas trips seem to have settled into some kind of formulaic pattern: in-processing, training, exercise, out processing. No exception now, other than a very grumpy first day.

This time, thought I would go budget and try Tiger Airways, so I got to experience the Budget Terminal as well. I didn't like the place, even if they had 3 for $10 watches, which is really a very touristy price; I suspect it's $10 for at least 5 elsewhere. It feels very artificial and contrite, like a person trying to be nice by following a checklist of niceness - smile, tone of voice, eye contact, body posture- etc. and the result is niceness alright, but the person seems to have gone elsewhere.

Flying Tiger Airways was also one of my biggest mistake. My past 2 trips were on SIA,and I felt I was becoming abit too pampered for my taste, so for $200 savings from SIA and $100 savings by Jetstar, I choose the Tiger. Big bad mistake. I didn't mind that their seats were like made of wood but because I was sitting next to the exit, the stewardness refused to let me have my handbag by my side and insisted it be stashed in the compartment. I need my handbag for peace of mind; incase the plane goes down I have it with me. I think I was so pissed I forgot to off my phone as it was taking off.

And even though I got the lowest price from Tiger, the end result was not cost effective. I will even go so far to say that I was deceived into flying Tiger. The plane dropped us off at Clark Airport, which on one hand I don't think counts as being in Manila because it is a 2 hours bus ride away; including the waiting time and what not, we touched down at 1 pm, cleared customs by 130 pm and reached Manila at 5.

And taking a taxi to the hotel, the driver decided to do abit of deception of his own. At the end of the journey, he demanded 1200 pesos, which is like $36SGD. We argued, and the good thing was the locals was on our side.

Traffic in Manila is really scary though. There doesn't seem to be any sound sets of signals for anyone to stop. People and cars just go; crossing the road is like a dance, driving/walking and taking turns to stop except at a very frantic pace. In Manila, I think boasting of a 100% safely crossing road record is an achievement. Followed locals mostly, but when they're not present, knowing how bad my timing is, I just dash across the road.

The nice bits: Manila is a really nice city. It's not as clean as Singapore is but it's definitely alot more real, so real that currently I have no pictures because nothing really stands out.

The people are really really friendly. The people on the bus, all locals, approached us when they realized I was local, with the map and all and 2 of them even left their contact number in case. Walking along streets and shopping centres, I don't feel the tendency for onrushing crowd behind breathing down your neck.

There are guards everywhere. Armed guards. In every store, every corner, every underpass. They do everything. They handle queries, they are walking directories, they open doors, they are the store's frontline PR, they count how many customers come into the store, they help settle disputes. Let's just say if our guys were half as talented as these people, a certain someone wouldn't have escaped.

The cost of living really is really really cheap! Just a comparison, for 100 pesos [about $3SGD, you get a Big Mac meal]. For dinner, I had a set meal for 86 pesos [$2.50SGD] which consisted of a big pile of rice, a big pile of vegetables, a mutant sotong stuffed with more vegetables and a pile of pork. For 8 pesos [almost nothing in SGD], I hopped onto one of those jeepneys that took me around the country. For 3 more pesos you can take the MRT. And there's krispy kreme! I bought a dozen yesterday, to last us the whole trip, and because Krispy Kreme seemed to be a little far from the hotel, and it's really cheap. One dozen costs like 250 pesos, which is about 20 pesos each. There's like less than a dollar SGD per dollar. Good thing Tiger didn't kill me because I think I just died and went to Heaven.

Ending on a sad note though: well those expecting Krispy Kreme can kinda forget about it because I don't think the donuts would last the 3 hour bus ride plus 4 hour plane ride. If it did, I don't think the horrible people at Tiger will let it onto the plane.

Thank you Tiger.