anyone flown on cathay pacific?

it seems to always be the cheapest and shortest flight time with no long layovers, i dont really wanna spend a night waiting around in another country if i dont have to

Not been with them for a couple of years but they were always good when I did, I would use them no hesitation.

Perfect airline.

Thanks mate I'll have a think about it, u got any accommodation recommendations there?

good to hear about cathay, definitely not the answers i was expecting since they are the cheapest

i think ive noticed by checking on some sites from time to time that its actually better to wait up until a couple weeks before your flight or even less to book it, unless u can book it like 5 months in advance

im 3 months out now and a one way is like $810, but a one way for tomorrow or in the next week can be had for $665

its a gamble, but probably worth the risk

TILT



Hi to everyone and hope you're all doing well. I'm optioning a bit before I can get back, as I do not exactly want to play cards full time. Anyhow.

VV - You've been around a bit now, Cubao is cool for a little while. You can find places to stay in Aurora (yes Aurora, gumaaa described it properly but it's fine as a foreigner, no AC style hustling they leave you alone). Medium/low to medium/decent hotels and rooms ranging from p300-p1500. You get to ball the MRT if u want, plenty of shopping options and plenty of positive attention. Wouldn't recommend more than a couple days because it's a somewhat uninspiring area. They have a rare Taco Bell branch if for some reason you like that. Decent night life, some 24/7 drinking options. It's common that people are sipping SML opposite Coliseum in the morning. They have weird red light joints there that are really cheap. It's a chill location for a short while. Low tourism has many upsides.

GL all, enjoy! alex: rather shocked to read an earlier post, will pm you sometime soon


Edit: Watching this 20 reasons movie, I think some of it is unintentionally funny but either this is way too scripted in a negative bias or the guy just massively fails to see connections/logic of why some of the things are just like that. LOL buying gum@mercury and getting the plastic bag wrap/receipt staple, classic. But wow that foreigner is tilting, like wtf is he doing there if every day stuff like incompetent security guards "pisses him off"...

fanapathy ive appreciated all the questions youve answered, my other post was a joke since everyone here always talks about how travel noob unfriendly PI is and we were in a thread about scamming........

Hi that's cool, a bit touchy as of late, I've definitely made some bad decisions and been exploited too easily - a bit self conscious because of it. GL with your trip

Happens to all of us sometimes man, I know I've certainly had my fair share of bad decisions, and bad results because of those decisions.

Life, like poker, is filled with variance. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.

But, just as in poker, it's important to try and remain process oriented, and not results oriented.

If we strive to learn the right processes that will gain as what we want in the long term in poker, and once learned we execute them, then we know we will profit long term, and we don't need to worry about the random bad beats, suck outs and coolers that occur in the short term.

Because they are just results of short term variance.

Life is exactly the same way. Find out what you want to be happy, and then go about doing what you need to have it/achieve it. If you figure out the correct processes, and remain process oriented instead of results oriented, then, long term you will be happy with the results as well.

My analogy is somewhat corny I know, but it's also spot on, and very apt.

So don't let the short term variance of life get you down, even if, for the time being, it is taking you on a downswing.

I use a Chase Bank debit in America. Im going to the Philippines for 1 month, arriving on April 20th. How convenient is it to withdraw/deposit from ATMS/banks in manila? Im assuming ATM fees will be very expensive.

Here in america, I feel safe carrying $300-500 USD. How much do you guys normally carry in PHP cash when walking around in manila and feel safe at the same time?

I'm only paranoid about carrying money if I have my all my atm cards on me as well, for example traveling from one hotel to the next. Where if I either lost my wallet or bag then it would be a major problem.

I always carry at least P4000 but would still feel safe carrying 20,000. Anything more than that i would probally be annoyed about if i got pickpocketed.

Try to avoid atm fees by bringing as much US dollars as you can and keep in the hotel safe using a money changer when necessary.

ITT666 - thanks for the encouraging words. You're right about that, and results oriented thinking in life - is something we as poker players can probably avoid or understand for the better, the analogy is fair because also a good decision at any time in life may not always get a positive outcome.

Hello Dr Green, without knowing exactly what Chase Bank is, this is what you should generally expect using foreign debit/credit cards in the Philippines

-Withdrawal fee p200 (~$4.50)
-Maximum withdrawal amount per ATM p10,000 (~$230).

Some have a higher daily cap, others lower. You might have to go "ATM hunting" a bit when you need larger amounts. Try to stick with major banks with good reputations such as BPI, BDO, HSBC or others you trust.

As for feeling safe, that's gonna vary on your comfort zone. Muggings are rare, pickpockets are about average for a city like this I guess. I suggest you carry what you need and then some for transportation and food. No need to carry more than $100 equivalent unless you're shopping or eating fancy etc.

I would say only carry as much as you're fine with losing, and that includes creditcards. Leave them at home if you don't need them imo. If carrying large sums, try to keep travel distances shorter to reduce variance. GL
Edit: I would say I'd carry about p7500 for a day I intended on eating a couple of resto meals, coffee shops, a bunch of taxis between places and all night out drinking/barhopping (no "extra expenses") and probably come home with 3-4000 or so. The extra is because of randomness, afford a room, get too drunk, unexpected bills, cover costs for friends, random girl snaps 2k out of your pocket, accidentally break something, etc.

Lol gotta take the easy option of staying in resorts world after all I think, might play some poker.

What the situation regarding shipping in Republiq? Mostly normal girls or are there a lot of freelancers wanting $$$$? Bearing in mind I'm a bit older that most of you guys, late 30's.

I haven't been there in forever and it was "classy" at the time. It has changed.

I have them on my FB, a few days ago I went through a ton of the weekly photos they upload since I saw someone I recognized from way back. Lot of familiar faces from Havana, Icon, even LA I think, and lots of the same girls every week means plenty of FLs. Some LBs. Some amount of white girl tourists as well actually.

Here, check it out, you might have to "like" first

http://www.facebook.com/REPUBLIQ.CLUB/photos

FLs imo



Regs imo





The "Purse with change" -tell? + WTF


Etc.

TR? HF

On the topic of safety, I'd say read up as much as you can, don't stay in or go to sketchy places, and don't flash any cash or bling. Guard your pockets when there are lots of people around. FWIW there have been 3 pickpocket attempts on me in my 3.5 years here.

Which hotel are you planning to stay at? I almost booked a room for 5 nights at Resorts World Remington @PHP 4,750/night (tax included), but I backed out due to bad reviews on tripadvisor.com. Im thinking of of booking for 2 nights instead and then switch to a better quality/cheaper for the rest of the nights of my stay in Manila.

Mate I have just had the same thought and backed out too, howzat in makati is full although not especially close but taxiable, stayed there couple of weeks ago and it's good for the price. I'm just investigating an alternative right now.

I might be forced to stay at Remington for 2 nights because it's a walking distance to the casino. It's more convenient, say I want to gamble all night, drink, or even bring a girl upstairs to the room.

Speaking of girls, anyone got pics of girls they took pics to post ITT as a thread saver lol.

VV are you gonna be around manila this weekend?

Also what the hell does 'gwopo' mean? Hear that everywhere i go! Is it their version of Farang? for us white folks?\

St. Giles hotel is pretty good, smallish rooms but clean and modern.

It means handsome.

So I've looked into prices for nice apartments in Cebu. But just curious, how much would a cheaper apartment be in Cebu if you're living more like a local? Like what are some of the cheapest prices you guys have heard out there for monthly rent? It's hard to find that online

Have you lived in any SE Asia country before, or at least, some, third world country in the past?

Lived, not visited briefly mind you.


Reason I asked, and it's been echoed a ton in this thread, is, it's really not advisable to live in conditions just a step or two above the conditions the locals are living in, and to live among them, unless you have some experience doing so?

A catch 22, I know.

Thing is, if you do decide to go down this road, it's much better to start off in a place like Thailand, then the Philippines.

If you have little - no 3rd world experience, and still want to go to Philippines I'd suggest you bring more money, and live in a nicer condoesque room, in areas where other foreigners live as well.


If you do have a decent bit of 3rd world experience, then, disregard everything I just wrote, and, definitely, you can live in a cheaper room among the locals, although it won't always be fun.


Either way,

http://www.sulit.com.ph/

This is the website you want to use to search for rooms.

It has a very user friendly interface (few other things in the Phils will though ) and you can search for rooms in any part of the city/country, in any price range.


btw, Cebu is also cheaper, over all, then Manila is, so you might be surprised at how nice of a room you can get for what, to you, might seem like pretty cheap.

Yes mate am around Fri/Sat night, let me know if you want to meet for some beers or anyone else for that matter.

Am staying on P. Burgos st in makati in the end, didn't know where to book so just went for a safe option in the end where I at least
knew the area.

Also stop bragging about gwopo, I think you probably knew exactly what it mean't

Funny thing isn't it, even though the say it to all of us foreigners, somehow we all let it get to our heads as well.

I think were probably all suckers for a pretty girl saying something nice to us. Maybe we should get it into our heads that it really means 'ahh nice rich foreigner who could take me to the land of gold'