Philippines Day 1: Manila and a Hangover

Ugh… Yeah a groan now. My body aches as try to move a muscle; my head is foggy and feels like it pulled down by a weight; and I have a headache that seems to throb ever 3 seconds or so. Who would have thought Filipino Beer could pack so much punch. But let us go back in time a bit.

So yesterday I landed in Manila, a place I do not know, never been to, and don’t know anyone. For the first time in a long time I was frightened. It was the first time I was frightened on a trip since my first trip to India. But this is not India, it is Philippines, and it is Manila, known for a lot of good pick pockets and thieves. But as I was wandering around that was not the case.

I walk out of the airport and I was bombarded by hotel touts and taxi drivers. I just walked on until I saw a prepaid taxi stand (which I think I should have gotten a metered taxi instead). Everyone there was asking for tips, funny coming from a country who does not tip, but they sure do expect it from tourists. One guy kept asking and eventually got which should have been the price of my cab fare if I took a metered taxi. Lesson learned here. So my driver took me to my hostel where I was staying. The driver was really nice and gave me some good tips.

Now that I am at my hostel, I need to be armed. I ask where I look for things to do, like a SIM card a lock and a USB cable (since I forgot to pack mine). I wander off to the Robinson Mall, which is swarmed with Filipinos everywhere. Mostly kids in Uniforms. It was 12 pm by now. I am assuming people are out and about for lunch. I pick up the things I need and walk back to my hostel.

As I enter the lobby I whipped out my trusty travel companion, my iPod Touch. I log in and get start my chat application and get a message from a friend who lives in Manila area. She tells me she would like to go out. I am relieved, because I now have some one I know and can feel a bit comfortable now in Manila.

With plans to meet up with my friend later, I still had to find out what to do until that time. At this point I wander off to a direction. My plan was to find Rizal Park, also known as Luneta Park by the locals. I wander around for a small while and then walk off another direction. My intent was to find myself to Intramuros, a walled area of Manila. In this area there is a lot of tourism, there is some poverty too. But there are some of the nicest people I have come across. Like some boy and some girls who offered me some food. They called it bat meat, but I am sure it wasn’t (it was just rice and vegetables).

I also take some nice photos as I wander around, while shoo-ing off the touts and trike drivers. At this point I realize it is hot, I am sticky and I want to head back. It is about 4pm and I am lost. I ask for some help and people point me in the right direction, which was to take a Jeepney to Mabini. I get a strange look from the locals there in the bus.

I get off on my street and walk down and find a small hole in the wall place to at some fried bananas, which were delicious. The owner was very talkative and knew a lot about computers, more so than the average person.

I wander back to my room and get myself ready for a night out with my friend, who was running late. We finally meet up, the cutest little girl who looked to be 16. She was actually 23. We head off to a chain restaurant/bar and eat. I am introduced to a beer known as Red Horse. I start taking down a few of them. My friend informs me, after my third beer, the alcohol content of 7% in a Red Horse. At that point I realized that 1. I don’t drink beer as much as I used to, and 2. that the beer has started to hit me.

We head on out of place called Cowboy Grill, and wander back to my place, where we pick up another Red Horse for me and a beer for herself. We spend some time just relaxing and just having a good time. She left to go home late and I went to sleep. Then I woke up to what I said before UGGHH. After a fun day, I paid for it all.