Manila and Stoopidity
13th April 2006
So, there I was. Tapping away on my laptop in a Manila hotel. I had been there for four days. I just wanted to spend some time by myself after the emotional turmoil in Iloilo.
I hadn't done much in Manila. I had:
-
Been to the mall.
-
Ate mall food.
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Watched mall movies.
Not very interesting, but that suited me just fine.
What was most interesting about my stay in Manila was the things I was offered on the street. "Rolex" watches, Viagra and good exchange rates for American dollars all figured prominently.
Manila is also one of the sex capitals of the world. Guys approached me on the street and offered me ladies and cheap entry in strip bars. The ladies themselves chased after me shouting "Honey! Honey!".
I walked past one particular place and a gaggle of five or so scantily clad young females attempted to
corral me into the bar.
I'm usually pretty relaxed about travel. I did a lot of travel during my time at enabling technologies and it just became routine. The thrill of flying was the same as the thrill of catching a bus.
I decided to check my ticket one more time to make sure I had it right.
Shit.
I realized that I had misread the ticket. I thought I was leaving Manila at 9 pm, but I was leaving
Singapore at 9 p.m. and had missed my flight. I was very angry and upset. I let the curse words fly while I quickly packed up and kicked some furniture.
I may have kicked a little too hard though. My right big toe still hurts...
I rushed out of the hotel and flagged down a taxi. I usually like talking to taxi drivers, but I was in a filthy mood.
The driver prattled on nevertheless about his sexual exploits with Thai prostitutes.
It
didn't help my mood.
I was still fuming by the time I got to the airport. I told the airline
representative what I had done and what I needed to do next. She
said to just take the next flight and there would be no charge.
Easy peasy lemon squeezy. Much easier than my last attempts at changing
a flight.
I would end up arriving about a day later than what I had hoped for and would spend a night in Singapore, which is where I am now. Tapping away at an internet station at 4:55
a.m. waiting for my 7:40 am boarding call.
I don't really mind this dead time in Singapore. I figured I'd have to spend at least one night in an airport during my travels.
What is annoying though is that I will miss my connecting flight to Dunedin. There are so many things I wanted to get done in Dunedin. Seeing my psychologist was top of my list. Sorting out medications for Africa with my GP was another. Seeing friends was yet another.
This will all have to wait to the start of May now.
Meh.
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(c)
2005 and 2006 Malcolm Trevena.
All the stuff on this site is written by me, Malcolm Trevena. Feel free to
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