Manila

Makati city, Manila Metro. Looking suspiciously like the opening shots in Blade Runner...
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My worst nightmare... thick thundery clouds clearing occasionally to reveal mountains a thousand or so feet below. Yes, a bumpy ride to Manila but we have arrived to the only airport I know where they actually check you have picked up your own luggage, ie, no one else has run off with yours, or you with someone else's. And let me tell you there were some nice bags on that carousel.

So here we are in an internet cafe in a mall complex that never ends. In fact, it is its own district. The Ayala Centre has malls coming out its mallhole. But we are here simply to pick up tropical strength deodorant, water supplies, food and breakfast and, most importantly to email my bank as my card has been thrown out of every ATM in Asia so far. Lloyds Bank sucks. Or don't I have enough money in it, er...

Malls coming out of its mallhole.

Slightly grimier here so far after glittering KL but hey, we're out of here tomorrow at 5am and off to the South China Sea for some doggy paddling and to negotiate (well, sit in a boat in), the world's longest underground navigable river (probably).

Fi on Justie: no culture shock so far. In fact, he blends in rather well. And is of course stylish and handsome (thanks for the ATM handouts xxx)

Justie on Fi: what a pro! Wafting around like Meryl Streep in Out of Africa. But in Asia. And in, not out. But wafting all the same. Completely unflappable and undeterred by our Indian tablemate in a KL greasy chopstick joint trying to use her as an Orchid/Furniture/Semi-Precious Gemstones/Laughing Buddha Mascot mule. We only went in for a coke!

PS He lost all chance of business when he flicked spit from his straw into Justie's environs.

Ciao for now, unsere Freunde. Mach schnell mit der Komments! Tschuss!