Let's get started....

There's so much to share about the Philippines---that I hardly know where to start, but I guess the only way I'm going to get details shared is by starting---so here goes...

The flights there went very well. We flew out of Milw. to Det. and then onto Tokyo. 13 hours. Wow. If you've never flown that far, I must tell you that if you are claustrophobic---um, don't bother without medication...lol! I did end up sleeping around 5 hours and watched a movie, finished about 10 crossword puzzles and wrote in my journal. The crazy part was that because we were traveling up over the North Pole, the sun NEVER WENT DOWN. Bizarre or what? After a brief switch over in Tokyo and security we flew to Manila arriving late Monday evening about 11pm. The next step was a domestic flight on Cebu Pacific. Because domestic flights only fly out during the day our flight was not until 8am--so we sat in the airport the entire night. What's funny is that everyone coming in on international flights had to do the same-so there were about a 100 of us just chillin in the airport all night. Now this isn't a huge interesting airport like we have here....this picture shows the room (about the size of a large gym) where we were.


Brother Bob and his wife, Neen, picked us up from the Ilo Ilo airport. They had hired a tour bus company with a van to drive and had brought along 2 men that do odd and end jobs for them along to carry the luggage. We went to a mall to have lunch and the 2 men, Shadrach and Bruce, travelled on to Bro. Bob's house to drop off the luggage. We then went on in a jeepney (see picture below)

The back of the jeepney basically has a bench on either side that runs along side of the jeepney and the back is just an open area with no door. Very cramped and most certainly Philippino size :)
So the jeepney took us to the shore where we moved onto a pump boat. This 20-30 minute boat ride took us across the ocean to Guimaras where Bro. Bob and Neen live. Now the trick to these boats is that you walk down several cement steps to a long plank that leads to the boat. You must walk across the plank to reach the boat, often with your bags, etc. I must admit I was a little worried the first time, but once I realized that I could do it without falling, each time got easier. Here a picture of the steps and the plank we walked across.


After arriving at the Buena Vista wharf on Guimaras our last step was a 3 mile ride on a tricycle to their home. Now. Tricycle does not mean what you are thinking. Tricycles are basically a small motorcycle with a side car. The side car has a front and back seat. So Bro. Bob AND Neen jumped on the back of the motorcycle behind the driver, Marlon got in the front of the side car and I got to ride in the back. Um...the back was basically just a small seat--no seat belt, no door, no handles...just me facing all of the traffic behind us and holding onto whatever part of the back I could to make sure I stayed in. This is another place where after the first time or two when I realized that I wasn't falling off----I was able to get very comfortable and didn't need to hold on at all. In fact I even took pictures and video!


It was about 1 when we finally arrived at their home. The plan was to try and stay awake until 6 or 7 and then sleep through the night, but Marlon and I both decided to take a short nap around 2:30. Well, the next time I woke up was 10pm at night!! After a bathroom break, we ended up sleeping until the next morning!!

So that's a start. Off to have dinner and then I'll be back to share some more.