In Shangri-la did Kubla Khan A stately pleasure-dome decree

So I finally have arrived. Sorry I didn't post from Manila, but I did not have access to the net. So let's hit the highlights...

Manila - Japan Air was cool - again people were always surprised when this white girl says Arigato instead of thank you. Go figure. The flight attendant, Suzuki, kept waking me to offer me food and beverage - very sweet.

The Manila airport was a bit odd. Customs was fine (really strange that through 4 x-rays, no one stopped me with my epi-pens). We hopped a cab to the "Old Domestic Airport" to wait for the flight to Cebu. Okay, this terminal was sketchy. As Jessee put it, it was like an old 50's era laundromat. We waited in the warm air watching very odd TV with a bunch of Filipinos. The funniest was, and I still crack up about this hours later, was this commercial for the sitcom Friends. Okay, we all know this show is a comedy, but they are clearly behind in the schedule here because they are talking about the triangle of Joey, Ross and Rachael. But it was all serious, and acting like a soap opera. Tune in next time on Friends! You had to see it to believe it. Also Hilary Duff is apparently a big deal out here - every 5 seconds was something about her.

Onto Cebu. This flight was only an hour on an old plane - board from the tarmack, etc. So the flight was uneventful (Jessee and I slept while Dave worked and flirted). So we get into Cebu, and Dave sort of starts worrying. Clay better be picking us up, he better not ditch us, etc. So the weird cabbies were trying to take our luggage - they all wanted to give us a ride to the hotel. We weren't having it. They are pretty bizarre and don't usually take you where you want to go. So Dave called the hotel, and they sent someone to get us.

So now I am at the Shangri-La in Cebu. Very nice, kind of a fancy room. Vanessa has been going on about slippers since May, but I don't see any lying around...very interesting.

So we are on the "Flam Plan," which is to say my nutty boss wants us to act as if we are still on Eastern time. So "NO SLEEPING" he says as we head up to our rooms at 3:30am Cebu time. Meet me for "dinner" which is breakfast at 6am and then you can sleep...whatever dude! I've been travelling for about 30 hours and I need a nap! Did I mention I'm starving too? FOOD! So I need to shower and erase the hours of grime on me from the travelling, close quarters with strangers and my claustrophobia causing me to perspire - ICK!

I'll try and stick to the "Flam Plan," but I'm not holding my breath! Now if only my parents would look at a computer and respond to my AIMs!

Later all