Across the South China Sea

I got such a scare in Bangkok airport. The staff refused to check me in unless i show a ticket out of Manila. But I only had this bloody round the world ticket, but she said booking reference is not enough. I honestly dont suggest anyone to take a round the world ticket, but if you still have to, not with the Round the World Experts. As i see it, it only brings more hassle. Today I got to know that before March I need to tell when I want to fly out of Australia. If I then want to make further changes, it will cost 3100 pounds! WTF?? That was not the deal at all. But thats another issue.
So with my heart dropped down to my toes I had to rush over to the airport internet point and make a ticket happen. Its hard to make it happen with the airline that does not have a booking confirmation page. Damn i was sweating. All my zen was gone as the horror of being flown back to London from Bombay is still quite fresh. Best i could come up with is to print out online check in page, which at least showed my name together with the date and destination of the flight out of Manila. After some suspicious investigation of that, she let me in with words "immigration office is very strict in Manila". I could not do anything more that eat biscuits in the "taste me" jars in various shops in the airport. But because of my hippy clothes the shop assistants were keeping a close eye on me and I could not solve my nervous attack with sugar coma. Better this way anyway.
11h later (with tickets from Round the World Experts you end up making a tour in the airspace over the whole continent) I landed in Manila. Immigration did not say more than Hello to me. Soon I was on a taxi to Pablo's place. It was so great to have an address to go to even though to a complete strangers place. Thank you Victor for putting me in contact with your friend!
So here I am now, in his condo on the 14th floor and went for a swim today afternoon on the 7th floor. On the same floor there is also a gym, laundry place and a shop. And a view from my bedroom is to the Manila bay. It's ok here.
In the morning we jumped straight on a pedicab. Pedicab is a bicycle with a sidecar of metal construction covered with oilcloth. It fits 1.5 europeans and probably 3 locals. The guy was paddling standing up to move us around. He earned half a euro to get us to the metro station. Well its not a metro, more like a skytrain. And its full. We got in the third one that passed. After breakfast and advices on where and how to go I was on my own. Half an hour later already 5 kids had asked to make a picture with me and group of 3 made a video for their school project. I guess its the blond hair. Soon I will glow at night or they will fall off altogether.
Distances between the main sightseeing places are not so long, so its possible to walk. But you cant see almost anybody walking! While enjoying my solitude I was wondering if this is because the alleged dangers and criminality. I decided that probably not. Most of the people I saw on the road from point A to B to C, were just sleeping either on the pavement on carton or on the grass or on the chairs put next to each other or on their(?) pedicab in most uncomfortable positions. So I did my tour until my feet and lungs where black from dirt. Gosh the pollution here. Its worse than in Kathmandu! And the rubbish everywhere. Not like Thailand. Later I learned, that people dont walk in order to avoid suntan. Poor people working on the fields have really dark skin from the sun. If you are tanned, you make an impression you are poor.
I need to come up with a plan. I dont mind tanning, but are not in a rush yet to the beach neither. Volunteering organisation i contacted has not answered me. Im also waiting for news to see if one german guy i met in bangkok will come to philippines so we could join forces. I have looked into trekking possibilities, but it seems its better with company as you need to hire a guide and often some private transport...I also visited Red Cross centre in Manila, they have 5 day courses for first aid and basic life support. That would be interesting, but I dont want to stay in Manila, even though its great here in Pablo's place and he is so amazingly kind and very interesting man. And it's interesting that I have come in contact precisely with him.
When I left Brussels I was looking forward to getting out of the western culture and values. Wanting to open spiritually, learn about Buddhism, be open. I did not learn so much, but however much I did learn, appealed to me. And now I have been meeting people who, lets say, are spiritually more enlightened and I have been having conversations that somehow are hard to imagine in Brussels context. Pablo is one of them. He says the answer lies in a good question.
Do I stay on this island or choose another one of the 7000?
Hmm, I think it wasnt a perfect wording as the answer did not yet come. But it will. The time I have.