An Alphabetical Stroll Through Bali and Australia/+ a Bit of Philippines- H is for: Hanging Out High Up (5/4)

[Steppesister]

Your breakfast buffet was fantastic. You really got a good deal at that hotel.

It was amazing! Truly! For $42 it was an absolute steal for what I got. I should have eaten more, but wasn't sure of the day's activities and had been told there was a welcome lunch when we arrived. More on this in the next chapter....

Cinnamon sugar is my favorite coating on a yeast raised doughnut. It looks really good.

Soft, pillowy goodness!!

Wow! I think that is why they have such stringent security measures in the tourist areas.

Maybe? I'd heard different opinions on the safety of Manila, and while I personally never felt on edge, others who'd been there said they'd never go back due to feeling unsafe. Who knows. Different people have different experiences and thresholds for feeling uneasy and I think mine is fairly high. But, I doubt many violent crimes happen in the high tourist areas other than pick-pocketing and such.

 

[Steppesister]

Mmm, tasty buffet for your morning! I am shocked by the low price of your room and the fact that your breakfast was included. If only we could get that everywhere....particularly at WDW LOL. I could afford to move there then!!

In general the Philippines was sooooo affordable. However.... and you will see this in the TR as it unfolds.... for most places that ARE affordable, you have to be up for some inconvenience and "adventure". This hotel was not one of those places, but coming up we do stay at a couple where it was cheap, but were def. not as nice as this one. Stay tuned....

 

[Steppesister]

Love your TR's! So interesting reading about your adventures. Feel like I'm along for the ride. On your way to the wedding! Thanks for sharing!

There's months of stories and photos coming up. Like usual, it's the slow boat to adventure around here. But... stay tuned and I'll keep truckin' along.

 

[Steppesister]

Such a lovely visual of you!

Kinda like Princess Anna.

I rarely start with Google maps, but often find myself there at some point.

I like it because I can always see WHERE I'm booking or AM on the map in relation to other stuff I want to be near.

Never heard of Agoda. What is it? Like Booking dot com?
But... $42/night? Steal!

Yes, it's a 3rd party booking site. I used a variety of them this trip going with who had the cheapest deal at the time: Booking dot com; Agoda; Priceline; Expedia.... However, I try really hard to find the place's ACTUALLY official own website and book through that. Safer I think? Maybe?

Even better! It's like you bought breakfast... and got a free room.

That's a perfect way to look at it!

At first I was surprised by that... but after thinking about it for a second... it makes sense. I mean, they want you to come in and exchange your money in the hopes that you'll leave some (most? all?) of it behind afterwards. They don't need a fee... they have slot machines.

Yes, and are making plenty of cash off of the hopefuls who almost invariable lose.

Now this absolutely does not surprise me. At all.

Because they were near the airport and had early flight? Jet lag? Addiction that probably needs intervention? Why would people stay up ALL night long to do that? Sorry, don't get it! Help me out here.

How so?

I dunno. I'd think most folks would be sleeping or done for the night.

Huh. Even at hotels? Odd.

I guess they figure if you do something illegal or such, they'd have proof and a way of tangible reporting to the authorities?

So... either there's high crime... or no crime at all (due to their presence.)

Probably both, one leading to the other.

I'd actually be happy to hear that. More time to look around and explore... which is exactly what you did.

I took advantage of the extra time for sure!

Wow! So completely different in such a short space.

Yeah, there was absolutely no transition whatsoever and was quite jarring.

I've seen that (in pictures) and even much worse. I guess you just add and add and add to it, rather than figure out where wires go in the first place.

Totally reminded me of the theming in "Harambe" and "Anandapur".

I wouldn't know, never having been, but I'll take your word for it.

So you're saying I could make just about anything up and you'd bite?

Are you Facebook friends now?

LOL! No, but it was a nice interaction that enriched my already interesting morning.

 

[Steppesister]

I’m so excited to hear all about your trip! What a wonderful start and the hotel looks lovely!

Hi Caroline, I've been horrible DISser to be sure; school has been far harder, more stressful, and time-consuming that I ever imagined. I know... excuses, excuses, but it is overwhelming at times. That said, I'm struggling to find time just to write these chapters as it is. I feel super guilty that I can't be on others' TRs right now, but there IS light at the end of this NP school nightmare tunnel. Do know, yours, Susan's, and a few others would be my first go to. Honestly, I don't even know WHO has one going right now.

But! I am committed to writing this Adventure up for you all and hope you enjoy it!

 

[pkondz]

Kinda like Princess Anna.

I like it because I can always see WHERE I'm booking or AM on the map in relation to other stuff I want to be near.

Huh. I look for value or names and then see where they are. Then again, I usually have a car or filter location before looking where it is anyways.

Yes, it's a 3rd party booking site. I used a variety of them this trip going with who had the cheapest deal at the time: Booking dot com; Agoda; Priceline; Expedia.... However, I try really hard to find the place's ACTUALLY official own website and book through that. Safer I think? Maybe?

Always double check with the hotel website. I've sometimes found better deals there or the same... and booking directly is better, I've heard.

Yes, and are making plenty of cash off of the hopefuls who almost invariable lose.

Because they were near the airport and had early flight? Jet lag? Addiction that probably needs intervention? Why would people stay up ALL night long to do that? Sorry, don't get it! Help me out here.

Because casinos never sleep and there are always people ready to try their luck.
Casinos make it difficult for you to leave. At least not before they've wrested every last penny out of you. They are usually designed to be a be more maze-like. Slot machines with their bright lights are always out front. There are never any clocks and you usually can't see outside. That way you lose track of time, and instead of saying "Oh it's dark I should go" or "Gosh, it's that late already? I should go" you keep playing.

I dunno. I'd think most folks would be sleeping or done for the night.

See above.

Yeah, there was absolutely no transition whatsoever and was quite jarring.

I bet!

Totally reminded me of the theming in "Harambe" and "Anandapur".

Hah! I like that thought.

So you're saying I could make just about anything up and you'd bite?

Depends. If you say "In the Caribbean, they gather on the beaches every sunset to wish the sun goodnight" or something plausible... I'd believe you. I mean... why would you lie?

But if you say "In the Caribbean, they gather on the beaches and giant purple whales sprout legs and frolic among the visitors"... I'd probably have my doubts.

LOL! No, but it was a nice interaction that enriched my already interesting morning.

 

[Steppesister]

D is for: Driving with Detours​

The tropics are hot. They are hot and humid and generally uncomfortable. All the time and everywhere. By the time I had gotten back from my morning walk, I’d pitted out my outfit; antiperspirant is an absolute joke. So I sat in the air-conditioned lobby while I waited for a moment I’d been dreading a bit ever since I’d decided to go to the wedding- seeing my ex for the first time since I’d left. I don’t talk about my divorce as a general rule so will only say that I was feeling a lot of anxiety in how things would go being in the same place and meeting his not-so-new wife. Eventually, I moved outside to sit near the port cochere so I could see him, his wife and Anara, my youngest (who you’ll get to know well in the coming chapters!) when they arrived to get on the same shuttle down to Laiya.

It wasn't long before they showed up and there were some admittedly awkward hellos and introductions. Was it horrible? No. We all remained very cordial and mature. I gave Anara a great big hug and we chit-chatted with a little cringe-factor until the van pulled in. Was I uncomfortable? Sure. Was I glad when we got on the 20-passenger van and got on our way? You BET!! The seating was pre-arranged and they’d put myself and Anara in the front row (behind the front passenger seat) because Anara told someone that she struggles with car sickness and didn’t want to throw up. Great, now if she did get sick, it’d be on me. Perfect.

​

The drive south from Manila to Laiya should only take a little over 3 hours. We would not have that sort of luck. Leaving at 10:00, we should have been there in plenty of time for lunch… but, to cut to the chase, we arrived well after 2:00. There was a ton of traffic and the driver’s Google map kept giving him detours to skirt the worst of it and, realizing that lunch at the hotel was not going to happen, the hosts, the Groom’s parent’s, Shirley and June, made the decision to stop at the World’s "favorite place":

​

Advantages: They always have clean bathrooms of which I was well past the point of needing; the “food” is predictable and cheap; and everyone can find something.

Disadvantages: The “food” is generally gross.

I tried to resist the temptation to order something, but June (Leander’s dad) insisted and made sure to let me know he was paying. Not knowing at all when our next meal would even be, I ordered a small cheeseburger and some water. With a deep sense of regret, I ate my pathetic burger watching everyone else scarf down what I should have ordered… the fried chicken strips with the most amazing gravy on the planet. And rice to wash it all down. I’d forgotten that McDonalds all over the world always have local specialties that are usually far better than the traditional burger. Had I known, I’d have 100% ordered that chicken, but mostly as a conveyance for that other-worldly gravy. Soooo good!

Pottied up, we hit the road again, and the scenery and infrastructure grew more and more rural and less developed.

(Still loving the bright colors everywhere!)

​

I tried really hard to take more video on this trip so you could see a bit more in a different medium. I am NOT a very good videographer at ALL. Please excuse the chop, the lack of any voiceover or commentary, and general lack of creativity. I am not a tik-tokker, IG'er, or any other video driven platform.

Sometimes the van had to almost come to a complete stand-still to let other oncoming traffic pass with only inches to spare on each side due to the narrow roads. Hundreds of scooters buzzed by us on our journey, some with babies in women’s arms, loads of goods or groceries, un-helmeted riders of all ages, and even baskets with chickens. Rules of the road are practically non-existent; you just move when you can and get where you’re going as best as you can.

The party bus finally pulled into our resort, and we were greeted with 5 or 6 staff with little welcome keepsake necklaces of beads and a cheery “Mabuhay!” It was a wonderful welcome and our first impression of the Acuatico resort was that this was going to be one absolutely amazing event full of new and rekindled friendships, gorgeous food, incredibly relaxing moments, and fun!

(The beautiful bride, greeted with a huge bouquet)

(Much, much more of the venue coming up later...)
​

As part of the package that Michaela and Leander booked, the family got one free night the day of the wedding. Otherwise, you could book (at the full price of $200) a room for any other nights you’d want. Being a complete tightwad, I opted to book a nearby Airbnb for less than half the price.

And regretted it a little.

For what it was, I paid WAY too much. However, in my defense, I can say that I looked for a LONG time for something better, but never found a listing for less that was close enough to the Acuatico to come and go as we needed to. Sigh… you win some, you lose some. This obscenely basic apartment was $90 for the night, twice what I’d paid for the Belmont which came with that exquisite breakfast. I’ll let you judge for yourselves:

(We slept in this loft on a double bed and the fan blowing on us all night.)

(The kitchen was actually open air, attached through a door from the living room, but open with a gate to the other side.)

(At least the wifi worked.)

(No, the toilet did not flush with a handle. Like most places in rural 3rd world countries you have to pour water down it with a bucket to flush. No, no TP was provided.)
​

The view was very beautiful, however. This jungle-y hill was full of noisy, exotic birds and ever so pretty!

​

And every house/unit had an outdoor eating platform in the front yard like this. The thatch was covered to keep animals out of it and chewing it up.

(I sat on this the next morning waiting for Anara to wake up at our agreed time and worked on my trip notes and enjoyed the birdcalls.)​

Anara had the option of staying with the other bridesmaids that night, but decided not to as she was pretty sure they’d be partying way too hard for her style. She’s a bit younger, but IMHO, far more level-headed and mature than her sister and her friends. Instead, she opted to stay with me in the Airbnb a couple miles away for the one night. The shuttle van was kind enough to take us there to drop off our stuff and get checked in. When we pulled in, the guard of the little development met us and asked for our passports. I gave him mine but was VERY uncomfortable and told him so. He said he’d give it back the next day when we left. I know that can be policy in a lot of places around the world, but I made a note to address it with my hostess as soon as possible. I already wasn’t happy. I emailed the owner about this procedure and asked her to please talk to the guard to give it back that day as I might need to get cash, show authorities, whatever. It wasn’t ok and told her as much.

After a few minutes, Catherine, the local hostess that the owner uses to work with guests onsite, met us and let us in. Entering we nearly suffocated. The AC hadn’t been turned on and it was like a pre-heated oven ready for a batch of snickerdoodles. It was a sparsely furnished, drab, basic apartment. I was immediately underwhelmed and annoyed I’d paid so much for such a simple place to merely sleep for the night. Did I mention that I had to literally ask the owner to please supply towels before we got there. You know, just in case we wanted to shower or wash our hands. We immediately cranked up the AC to max, rung out our sweat-drenched clothes, and changed. I think we may have even laid down for 15 minutes or so before we had Catherine, who lived nearby and cleaned many of the vacation units in this neighborhood, call us a rideshare to take us back to the Acuatico for some pool time and welcome dinner that evening.

I’ll leave off there with my passport in some stranger’s, hopefully honest, hands and wondering if I’d die of a heatstroke in my sleep later that night….

 

[pkondz]

The tropics are hot.

They are? I would've thought they'd be more like this:

By the time I had gotten back from my morning walk, I’d pitted out my outfit;

antiperspirant is an absolute joke.

I feel like I should say something here, but I got nuttin'

I waited for a moment I’d been dreading a bit ever since I’d decided to go to the wedding- seeing my ex for the first time since I’d left.

ooohhh... yeah, that could be awkward.

will only say that I was feeling a lot of anxiety in how things would go

I bet you were. Not fun.

being in the same place and meeting his not-so-new wife.

Not-so-new wife? I'm not sure how long you have been divorced, but I don't think it's been that long? Maybe I'm wrong.

to get on the same shuttle down to Laiya.

I was horrified when I read that... then saw the picture of the shuttle. I don't know where they were seated in relation to you, but... that many people must've created a buffer?

there were some admittedly awkward hellos and introductions.

Yikes. I bet!

Was it horrible? No. We all remained very cordial and mature.

That's good at least.

I gave Anara a great big hug

Bet it was nice seeing her again.

we chit-chatted with a little cringe-factor until the van pulled in.

"little cringe-factor"...

they’d put myself and Anara in the front row

And your ex and his not-so-new wife?

because Anara told someone that she struggles with car sickness and didn’t want to throw up. Great, now if she did get sick, it’d be on me. Perfect.

Are all those people going to the wedding?

realizing that lunch at the hotel was not going to happen, the hosts, the Groom’s parent’s, Shirley and June, made the decision to stop at the World’s "favorite place":

Um... I mean, necessity is the mother of invention, but... I have a sneaking suspicion that the hotel lunch might have been just a bit better.

Advantages: They always have clean bathrooms of which I was well past the point of needing;

Disadvantages: The “food” is generally gross.

Also

With a deep sense of regret, I ate my pathetic burger watching everyone else scarf down what I should have ordered… the fried chicken strips with the most amazing gravy on the planet.

Nooo! Opportunity lost. Maybe you made up for it at a later date.

And rice to wash it all down.

This surprised me more than the gravy. Never seen a McDonalds with rice. But it makes sense.

Had I known, I’d have 100% ordered that chicken, but mostly as a conveyance for that other-worldly gravy. Soooo good!

(Still loving the bright colors everywhere!)

Bright colours... and plenty of wires!

Please excuse the chop, the lack of any voiceover or commentary, and general lack of creativity. I am not a tik-tokker, IG'er, or any other video driven platform.

I don't video at all, so you're one up on me.
(And the videos you did post were just fine. )

Hundreds of scooters buzzed by us on our journey, some with babies in women’s arms, loads of goods or groceries, un-helmeted riders of all ages, and even baskets with chickens.

That must've been quite the sight!

Rules of the road are practically non-existent; you just move when you can and get where you’re going as best as you can.

Not surprised by this.

we were greeted with 5 or 6 staff with little welcome keepsake necklaces of beads and a cheery “Mabuhay!”

That's really nice.

(The beautiful bride, greeted with a huge bouquet)

Oh! I had no idea she was on the bus with the rest of you.

Pretty.

Being a complete tightwad, I opted to book a nearby Airbnb for less than half the price.

And regretted it a little.

Uh, oh...

This obscenely basic apartment was $90 for the night, twice what I’d paid for the Belmont which came with that exquisite breakfast. I’ll let you judge for yourselves:

Dunno... it looks okay to me?

(We slept in this loft on a double bed and the fan blowing on us all night.)

Heat rises. Having the bed up near the ceiling...

(The kitchen was actually open air, attached through a door from the living room, but open with a gate to the other side.)

Wait... you mean there was no wall on one side and open to the outside?

(At least the wifi worked.)

Always a plus.

The kleenex on the sofa is a nice touch.

Wait... tell me it wasn't there before you arrived!

No, the toilet did not flush with a handle. Like most places in rural 3rd world countries you have to pour water down it with a bucket to flush.

I would not have figured that out. Do you pour the water into the tank? Or directly into the bowl? No idea how that would work.

No, no TP was provided.

I just read a "must pack list" article and TP was mentioned. I was thinking "Nah. Not necessary."
Apparently it is!

The view was very beautiful, however. This jungle-y hill was full of noisy, exotic birds and ever so pretty!

Makes up for the room, then.

And every house/unit had an outdoor eating platform in the front yard like this.

Huh!

The thatch was covered to keep animals out of it and chewing it up.

Really! Wow!

Instead, she opted to stay with me in the Airbnb a couple miles away for the one night.

That's nice. You got to catch up, that way.

When we pulled in, the guard of the little development met us and asked for our passports. I gave him mine but was VERY uncomfortable and told him so.

Yeah... I'd not be overly happy about that either.

The AC hadn’t been turned on and it was like a pre-heated oven ready for a batch of snickerdoodles.

I'm trying not to laugh, but your description is pretty funny.

Did I mention that I had to literally ask the owner to please supply towels before we got there.

No. No you did not.
You weren't kidding when you said "basic".

call us a rideshare to take us back to the Acuatico for some pool time and welcome dinner that evening.

Hmm... I'm curious how much the rideshare was. So the room was 1/2 the price of the hotel... and then factor in at least... 3 rideshares? One to the hotel for the swim. Then back to the room. Then back to the hotel for the wedding.

I’ll leave off there with my passport in some stranger’s, hopefully honest, hands and wondering if I’d die of a heatstroke in my sleep later that night….

 

[Wood Nymph]

The seating was pre-arranged and they’d put myself and Anara in the front row (behind the front passenger seat) because Anara told someone that she struggles with car sickness and didn’t want to throw up.

It looks like you had the best seat on the bus.

The wedding hotel looks lovely. I will admit that your AirBnB looks a little grim.

I would have freaked if someone took my passport. How can this be a thing?

 

[Hubie]

Just joining in and really enjoying your TR. Your pictures as usual are great and interesting to view. We did the 14-night DCL cruise from Honolulu to Sydney last Oct. Besides being on the Wonder for 14 days, Sydney was the highlight of the trip for us. But we certainly didn't enjoy the long-haul flights. First to Oahu and then the return from Sydney back to Oahu and eventually from there back to Madison, WI via Minneapolis.
Your bus trip to the wedding location reminds me of when my old climbing partner and I took a bus to travel the 3-Lane Pan-American Highway to Machachi, Ecuador from Quito on our way to eventually climb Cotopaxi. The bus driver preferred the middle lane. Fortunately, oncoming traffic yielded to the bus but not until the last possible seconds, and only after the driver lain on its horn. My partner chose a seat in the back of the bus. I did the opposite and took a seat in the front row. I'd rather see what's coming, even if it's impending doom.

 

[Steppesister]

E is for: Everything’s So Blue!​

Having dumped off our stuff at the hotter-than-the surface-of-the-sun Airbnb, we were anxious to get back to the resort to swim and hang out with the wedding guest gang. If you remember, we last left off with my passport being held hostage for God only knows what ridiculous reason and my having contacted the owner to ask for it back.

Catherine, the local, on-site hostess, called us a tricycle to take us back, and I used Google Translate to tell her we couldn’t leave without my passport. Fortunately, the owner HAD worked things out with either her or the guard, and it was returned to me without further ado. That was the last issue I had with anything regarding it on the trip… to my huge relief!

We’ve taken local transportation thousands of times in our travels around the world and while living in Crapistan, so were familiar with the tricycle mode. In Thailand they are called Tuk-tuks which is such a fun onomatopoeia! But in the Philippines, they are simply “tricycles” and, while perhaps a bit on the edgy side of dangerous, they are admittedly really fun! And CHEAP!! The trip back to the resort was a mere 2.7 km, but the trikes can’t go very fast so it took us a bit longer than the 5 minutes Google maps says it should. Instead, we bounced around in our little sidecar with the wind blowing our hair all around like we’d encountered a Tesla’s Coil at the county fair and, 10 minutes or so later we hopped off and paid the driver a couple dollars’ worth of pesos and made our way to the pool area.

​

Since we didn’t have a room, Mikki offered to let us use hers to change into our suits and covers. She and most of her bridesmaids, along with several of the Leander’s groomsmen, were already splashing around in the pool or on the beach.

​

I took off for the beach to take a few photos, while Anara settled in at the pool.

​

It wasn’t too long before I get a text (via What’sApp, which we used for the whole trip to communicate between ourselves and with many of our hosts along the way), “I got hungry so ordered a pizza!” Not one to pass up a slice, I made my way back to the pool area and ordered a margarita from the pool bar. I had just read on FB a few minutes before that it was National Margarita Day (Feb. 22!), so why not?! Why not? Because it was really gross. I’m a bit of a marg snob, and this was just yucky. Too bitter, not enough lime, and just… not right. Ah well, I still sucked it down with a couple slices of mediocre pizza to fill the void until the dinner later on at the resort restaurant.

​

Everyone was having a great time, chatting in small groups and getting to know each other better or again, but I mostly hung around by myself taking little walks around the resort taking photos of the lovely setting. Truly, it was a really, really pretty resort with well-kept gardens, well-maintained bungalows, and a gorgeous pool area!

In no particular order, here are some of photos of the Acuatico Resort in Laiya, Batangas, Philippines:

​

As evening came on, the photo opps didn’t stop. I found myself enjoying the balmy, tropical evening on the beach and being captivated by the traditional outrigger fishing boats (called “bangkas”) beached on the soft sand. I thought they made for a really nice subject to play with as I strolled alone.

​

Dinner was scheduled for 7:00; when I walked in at 7:05 it was already a bustling room filled with wedding guests making happy chatter around tables and buffet stations. It was open seating and if I recall I sat with a group of folks who were related to Leander’s Dad in some way. It may not come as a huge surprise that 99% of the guests were from his Filipino family. From Mikki’s family, only her youngest sister (Anara), myself, and her dad and stepmom were able to fly over. She did have 5 of her friends also fly over as bridesmaids, which I thought was pretty amazing given the time and expense involved!

I present to you a fairly crappy video of the buffet. I took it to give you an idea of the AMPLE extent of the choices. There was a salad and appetizer station, a full line of main dishes with sides, and a dessert station. I was VERY impressed!

​

Everything I had was really tasty and, of course!, Asian in general. From what I can tell, I took a couple pieces of sushi with dried shredded pork (very common in Asia), some fish with pickled ginger, fried rice with some beef in coconut milk, and Korean stir fry with pork. On my 2nd plate, it looks like I had the cook make me a plate of Pad Thai to order.

​

Anara and I needed a ride back to the Airbnb, so we asked at the front desk what the best way to get a ride there was. What a wonderful thing it was when the hotel’s manager offered to take us back AND to come back in the morning to pick us up again!! We fell into bed about 10:00 PM absolutely wrecked from a full day and the 15-hour time difference. I’ll leave you with these questions… Did we sleep? What time did we get up?

 

[Steppesister]

They are? I would've thought they'd be more like this:

WRONG TR!!!

ooohhh... yeah, that could be awkward.

A bit...

Not-so-new wife? I'm not sure how long you have been divorced, but I don't think it's been that long? Maybe I'm wrong.

He was married within (less than) a year.

I was horrified when I read that... then saw the picture of the shuttle. I don't know where they were seated in relation to you, but... that many people must've created a buffer?

In the back, so no big deal. Honestly, it worked out fine and went so much better than I had hyped myself into what I thought it might be.

Bet it was nice seeing her again.

It really was! I hadn't seen her since our trip to Italy 16? months before.

And your ex and his not-so-new wife?

Yep. They were on the same bus, but sitting way in the back.

Are all those people going to the wedding?

Sure are!! More on the wedding soon... I'd like to get through at least that much before I hit the road again back to Kentucky.

Um... I mean, necessity is the mother of invention, but... I have a sneaking suspicion that the hotel lunch might have been just a bit better.

Of that, I'm 1,000% certain.

Nooo! Opportunity lost. Maybe you made up for it at a later date.

Sadly, no. No more McDonalds in the Philippines.

This surprised me more than the gravy. Never seen a McDonalds with rice. But it makes sense.

I've never been to Hawaii, but do they have rice there? I know I've heard of it in other places too. Hmmm....

Bright colours... and plenty of wires!

I really loved the colors; despite the economy and general lack of development, that added some cheer and beauty.

I don't video at all, so you're one up on me.
(And the videos you did post were just fine. )

Trust me, they get cheesier. I'll never be a YouTuber and make a gazillion bucks.

Oh! I had no idea she was on the bus with the rest of you.

Yes, she, Leander (the groom) and many in their bridal party as well as a few aunts and uncles and Leander's folks.

Dunno... it looks okay to me?

It was just so sterile. And hot.

Heat rises. Having the bed up near the ceiling...

They should have just lined it with cedar and put in a hot stone thingy.

Wait... you mean there was no wall on one side and open to the outside?

Not completely, but yes, there was no door on the other end making it like a breezway. This is REALLY common in SE Asia; most Thai homes are like that too that we saw.

The kleenex on the sofa is a nice touch.

Wait... tell me it wasn't there before you arrived!

No, my allergies were pretty bad over there the first bit, so went through a bit of tissue.

I just read a "must pack list" article and TP was mentioned. I was thinking "Nah. Not necessary."
Apparently it is!

If you go to a very undeveloped country, as the Philippines are, yep, you just gotta have it on you.

That's nice. You got to catch up, that way.

It was a really nice way to start off the trip with her.

I'm trying not to laugh, but your description is pretty funny.

#snickers...

I would not have figured that out. Do you pour the water into the tank? Or directly into the bowl? No idea how that would work.

Nope, right into the bowl and then you HOPE everything you put in goes down. TP is not flushed, it goes into a bucket beside the potty. This is the way of the 3rd world toilet.

Hmm... I'm curious how much the rideshare was. So the room was 1/2 the price of the hotel... and then factor in at least... 3 rideshares? One to the hotel for the swim. Then back to the room. Then back to the hotel for the wedding.

The trike was only like less than $5, an the ones the next day were free!

 

[Steppesister]

It looks like you had the best seat on the bus.

The wedding hotel looks lovely. I will admit that your AirBnB looks a little grim.

I would have freaked if someone took my passport. How can this be a thing?

I did!! I was really able to get a nice view of the passing countryside and start to get a feel for my host country. Plus, I got to sit next to my girlie!

it was just so sterile! Really no color or comfort items at all. Soooo basic! For the price I was NOT impressed.

We've had it done a few times here and there. It's pretty common in the former USSR countries I remember. Having said that, it's NOT okay. Passports are needed to do so much including for emergencies... just in case.

 

[Steppesister]

Just joining in and really enjoying your TR. Your pictures as usual are great and interesting to view. We did the 14-night DCL cruise from Honolulu to Sydney last Oct. Besides being on the Wonder for 14 days, Sydney was the highlight of the trip for us. But we certainly didn't enjoy the long-haul flights. First to Oahu and then the return from Sydney back to Oahu and eventually from there back to Madison, WI via Minneapolis.

We didn't spend any time at all in Sydney other than to transit through, but wow, what a nice cruise! Sounds really nice! I'd imagine that was a lot of sea days though, yes? I always take a baby aspirin for flights over 4 or so hours and am sure to use the bathroom a few times (no problem there!! ) My neck is too trashed to sleep now on flights, so lots of movies and reading.

Your bus trip to the wedding location reminds me of when my old climbing partner and I took a bus to travel the 3-Lane Pan-American Highway to Machachi, Ecuador from Quito on our way to eventually climb Cotopaxi. The bus driver preferred the middle lane. Fortunately, oncoming traffic yielded to the bus but not until the last possible seconds, and only after the driver lain on its horn. My partner chose a seat in the back of the bus. I did the opposite and took a seat in the front row. I'd rather see what's coming, even if it's impending doom.

Oh, I've done those bus rides in Ecuador. Frightening does not even begin to describe my personal terror. (We lived there for a few months in 1997.) One particular bad trip was from Quito to Ototovalo for some shopping. All I could do was close my eyes. At least this bus from Manila wasn't going all that fast, just the roads were so narrow and there are no traffic rules, really. LOL!

 

[Paulaparm]

The photos are STUNNING!

 

[Steppesister]

The photos are STUNNING!

Awww thanks!!

 

[Wood Nymph]

That was really nice of them to drive you back and pick you up the next door.

I hope you slept really good after your long travels.

 

[pkondz]

Having dumped off our stuff at the hotter-than-the surface-of-the-sun Airbnb,

Fire! You're on fire!

Oh. No. Just the Philippines in summer.

the wedding guest gang.

Oohhh... was this like a biker gang? Were they shaking down the resort for kickbacks?

Cool.

If you remember, we last left off with my passport being held hostage for God only knows what ridiculous reason and my having contacted the owner to ask for it back.

Fortunately, the owner HAD worked things out with either her or the guard, and it was returned to me without further ado.

That's good!
I've had my passport withheld once. Got it back fairly quickly, but... yeah, it's unnerving.

That was the last issue I had with anything regarding it on the trip… to my huge relief!

Good!

Tuk-tuks which is such a fun onomatopoeia!

I've never thought of that, but you're right!

it took us a bit longer than the 5 minutes Google maps says it should.

Lies!!!!!!
I'll never trust Google maps again!

Nice photo of your girls.

It wasn’t too long before I get a text (via What’sApp, which we used for the whole trip to communicate between ourselves and with many of our hosts along the way),

I don't have that app. I guess if I start traveling again some day, I might have to get it. Until then, however...

Nope.

“I got hungry so ordered a pizza!”

Who was this from?

Wait... did you just steal some random stranger's pizza who happened to... what's-app you by mistake?

ordered a margarita from the pool bar.

You can't go wrong with that!


Apparently... you can.

I had just read on FB a few minutes before that it was National Margarita Day (Feb. 22!), so why not?! Why not?

Why not, indeed!
And... you quickly found out why not.

Because it was really gross. I’m a bit of a marg snob, and this was just yucky. Too bitter, not enough lime, and just… not right.

Very unfortunate. Did you tell them it was national margarita day? Perhaps they didn't get the memo.

Look at that smile! She sure looks happy.

(Not sure if from the resort or the stolen pizza.)

Nice shot of you with the not so nice margarita.

Everyone was having a great time, chatting in small groups and getting to know each other better or again, but I mostly hung around by myself taking little walks around the resort taking photos of the lovely setting.

Just not feeling like you wanted to hang with a (I'm guessing) mostly younger group? Or...?

In no particular order, here are some of photos of the Acuatico Resort in Laiya, Batangas, Philippines:

Nice place. Nice shots, too.

I found myself enjoying the balmy, tropical evening on the beach and being captivated by the traditional outrigger fishing boats (called “bangkas”) beached on the soft sand. I thought they made for a really nice subject to play with as I strolled alone.

I especially like the one posted below.

It may not come as a huge surprise that 99% of the guests were from his Filipino family.

No, I guess not, given the distance involved.

From Mikki’s family, only her youngest sister (Anara), myself, and her dad and stepmom were able to fly over.

Out of... how many? I seem to recall... 4 in all? I could be (and probably am) wrong.

She did have 5 of her friends also fly over as bridesmaids, which I thought was pretty amazing given the time and expense involved!

Impressive.

I present to you a fairly crappy video of the buffet. I took it to give you an idea of the AMPLE extent of the choices.

That short one of the two of you waving!

Everything I had was really tasty

Great! A far cry from the lousy marg and so-so marg.

some beef in coconut milk

I'll pass on that one...

That looks really good!

What a wonderful thing it was when the hotel’s manager offered to take us back AND to come back in the morning to pick us up again!!

Very nice of him/her.

I’ll leave you with these questions… Did we sleep? What time did we get up?

Sleep... gonna have to think on that. Since you've already had one night's sleep, the jet lag might be slightly alleviated.
Hmm.. but it's hot... I'll say next to no sleep and gave up sometime super early.

 

[pkondz]

WRONG TR!!!

Ah. Snow, but not as windy. Got it.

He was married within (less than) a year.

Um... None of my business!
Carry on.

In the back, so no big deal. Honestly, it worked out fine and went so much better than I had hyped myself into what I thought it might be.

That's good.

It really was! I hadn't seen her since our trip to Italy 16? months before.

Really? It feels like you just got back... heh... did you maybe take just a little while to finish that TR?

Sure are!! More on the wedding soon... I'd like to get through at least that much before I hit the road again back to Kentucky.

Big, fun group!

Sadly, no. No more McDonalds in the Philippines.

Ah. Switched to Taco Bell. Got it.

I've never been to Hawaii, but do they have rice there? I know I've heard of it in other places too. Hmmm....

I have been... three times. I have never been to a McDonalds there. Nor plan on ever.
Rice is pretty common though as a side dish. As is macaroni salad

Trust me, they get cheesier. I'll never be a YouTuber and make a gazillion bucks.

If they're as funny as the one of the two of you in the tricycle... bring 'em on!

They should have just lined it with cedar and put in a hot stone thingy.

But then they would have charged extra.

No, my allergies were pretty bad over there the first bit, so went through a bit of tissue.

Oh dear...

#snickers...

Nope, right into the bowl and then you HOPE everything you put in goes down. TP is not flushed, it goes into a bucket beside the potty. This is the way of the 3rd world toilet.

Sounds delightful.

The trike was only like less than $5, an the ones the next day were free!

Then you done good... price-wise. I can't speak for comfort-wise

 

[Steppesister]

Note: I’m sorry these chapters are coming so quickly! But I do know that once I start Clinicals on May 1, life is going to drastically change again for me. That said, I’m trying to get at least through the wedding part before I drive back to Kentucky here pretty soon. Writing and posting should start to slow waaaaaay down. Meantime, I LOVE your comments and discussion! If you’re lurking- stop it. Don’t be shy; say HI!

****************************************************************************

F is for: Feeling Cute, Might Go to a Wedding!​

Trudging on (do I still have lurkers being too shy to comment?), you may be wondering if we did sleep. I’m sad to say, no. No, we did not. Maybe a couple hours total. I think the AC just wasn’t cutting it, the time difference was taking a victory lap, the excitement of travel and the wedding was too much, added to it being in an unfamiliar place, and jet lag just couldn’t compete. All told, I don’t think I really got over the jet lag/time difference issue until well into the 2nd week of this trip. From N. America to East Asia is no joke in this department!

Unrefreshed, but pretty excited for the day’s events, I got up with the morning call of some extremely loud bird in addition to the ubiquitous roosters letting us know that it doesn’t matter how crappy you have slept, you WILL wake up. That was my first awareness that for the lowkey bird hobbiest in me, this was going to be an amazing trip! I didn’t even bother to change out of my pj’s and took a walk around the little sub-division hoping to find whatever bird was making that racket. The German vacationer across the street probably thought I was nuts, but I thought he was nuttier when he came out of the eating pavilion in his underwear smoking a cigarette. I guess anything goes early in the morning while on vacation. #noregrets It was already more than toasty hot and humid during my little excursion, and I’m sad to say I did not find this intriguing but annoying bird. I did encounter some rather scary dogs advancing at me while barking so made a hasty u-turn and went the other way.

​

I also came across a strange looking plant with some “fruits” on it that I’d never seen so took a photo and did a quick Google lens search and found this: Huh!

​

Back at the apartment, I told Anara I’d like to get going and be at the resort by 10:00. She hadn’t slept well either but complied when I asked her to get up at 9:00 and started getting ready. I will give her kudos and credit, she got up when I asked and was ready to hit the road when I’d have liked to, and we were really good at finding compromise knowing she likes to sleep in a bit more than I do. More on this later in the TR when we get to Australia. We’d agreed we’d take showers at the resort when our room was ready so it didn’t take her long. What did take a bit was waiting until 10:00 when the driver from the hotel was going to pick us up. We waited outside in the little shade/eating thingy and talked to our local hostess, Catherine. She was really sweet and knew just enough English to have a fairly decent conversation. She told us about her kids, like in her village, etc… I took her over to the little fruits I’d found and asked her if she ate them. “Oh no, I don’t think you can!” I showed her the information that I’d found, and she shrugged her shoulders, picked one, and tried it. I think she might have thrown up in her mouth a little and spit it out. Maybe they’re only good cooked, maybe the one she picked wasn’t ripe? Or maybe the locals just know best! Anyway, Catherine and I are FB friends now; collecting friends from all over the world is a wonderful thing indeed!

​

When the driver arrived, we told him that we’d like to pick up a dish that a former Filipina co-worker told me to make sure to try- Lomi Batangas. It’s the local specialty dish that’s basically broad egg noodles cooked in a rich pork broth, thickened with sweet potato starch, and served with boiled eggs, pork pieces, chicharon, and little calamansi limes, spicy soy sauce, and chilis on the side. He took us to one of the roadside “restaurants” (if you’ve ever traveled in a developing country, you know what I’m taking about) where we ordered up a to-go portion.

​

At this point, they told us it’d take 15 minutes, and I instantly felt horrible that the driver would have to wait. Ugh. He was so polite and understanding though and told us, “no problem at all”. Meanwhile, we’d heard that the local 7-11's sell SIM cards and Anara wanted to try and get one while we waited. Sadly, they did not and at that point she decided to just get some gigs with an online e-SIM vendor. There are hundreds of these companies, but she went with Nomad which is very reputable. Generally, the process is super easy, you just purchase how much data you want and activate it in minutes. It’s also super cheap and enough for the uses you’d need like navigating with Google Maps, some social media posting and scrolling, and sending emails.

By the time we got back to the open-air, roadside restaurant, our piping hot portion of Lomi was ready and all packaged up tidy in a takeaway container with all the condiments and utensils we’d need. Our driver got us to the resort by 10:00 and we quickly changed into our suits for the rest of the morning until it was time for our makeup and hair to get done. My first picture was taken at 10:29 and I can remember that this cocktail was MUCH better than the gross marg from the day before. One of Leander’s uncles and I struck up a conversation and he was having a freshly squeezed pineapple juice with a shot of vodka. YES, PLEASE! It was so much fun seeing these girls. Hannah, on the right end is a helicopter mechanic that Mik met when she worked at Dairy Queen through college, and the other girl on the left she met while going to Oregon State.

​

We dipped in and out while Anara and I pigged out on the massive serving of Lomi; we didn’t come close to finishing even half of it between the 2 of us. It was so filling and a family of 4 could easily have shared it- all for $6.00. And yes, that was breakfast. I know it doesn't look very appetizing, but this is a dish that is kinda like the Ugly Duckling of foods. It truly was very flavorful and I'd order it again given the chance.

​

Was I eating 2 hours later? Yep! Lunch was provided in the resort restaurant, but I went very light with some soup and other goodies that I honestly can’t even identify other than the cucumber. Nothing I ate was anything I didn’t care for.

​

After I ate, I went to the front desk to ask if our room was ready and hallelujah, it was! We had just enough time to shower up before the hectic schedule of actual wedding stuff started. Our room was amazing!!! We ended up in a 2-bedroom suite with a huge shower/bath. This was the only time we had separate rooms for the remainder of the trip. Heck, it was one of a very few times we had our own BEDS!

​

Meanwhile, the beach was being transformed by a plethora of workers into a gorgeous, and frankly impressive, wedding space. They’d started around 9:00, I was told, and were still putting the finishing touches on the set up at 3:30 as photos were in progress. The wedding started at 4:00, but that’s getting ahead of myself…. Suffice to say, it was almost mind-blowing the transformation and effort that went into the ceremony and reception areas! I wandered off several times to look over and see the progress. WOWZA!

At 1:00 they called me in for my hair and makeup slots, so off I went to the staging suite. It was an absolutely buzzing hive of activity with dresses being steamed, people changing, sitting in studio chairs under studio lights, others eating as they could. This was really quite the production! I think I counted about 10 folks doing makeup, hair, helping with other logistics like steaming dresses and general coordination. I was not involved in the planning at all as Mikki worked with her coordinator making sure all the details were what she envisioned. I honestly had zero idea what to expect at all for the day, the event, the ceremony, etc… I just took it all in stride and let myself enjoy things as they came.

​

Here's the whole bridal party in the staging suite after everyone is all done up. They're all very sweet and it’s great they’ve been friends for so long even still.

​

I got all fancied up and truly felt like I was a movie star. Too bad I wasn’t getting paid. I was finished well before it was time for family photos but got into my dress anyway just to be ready. All gussied up, I asked one of the other guests (no idea who it was) to take a few photos of just me by the pool. I kept checking on the progress of the wedding area and continued to be absolutely stunned at how beautiful it was becoming.

​

I’ll pick it up next time with the photo session and the rest of the wedding merriment. Suffice to say, I haven’t been to a wedding that grand or beautiful since my eldest daughter’s wedding and certainly not at anyone else's. It was simply put, over-the-top. The best part? All I had to do was show up!