MANILA
THE PHILIPPINES SERIES PT15
Checked into the Lancaster hotel in Manila which is a little cheaper than the usual City Garden. A few of the locals I’ve met are planning on heading up north to a surf town, called La Union. It’s a 6 hour drive which is nothing in Manila but they’ve asked if I want to join which is cool!
WHERE IS LA UNION?
LA Union & hospitalized in Manila
LA UNION
The place has such a good vibe, generally full of young Filipinos who are getting away from the chaos of Manila for the weekend. We arrived at 16:30 and everyone was knackered but myself Alex and her best friend Mitch went to the beach and drank the bottle of patron. I had bought this for Brylle as he was driving but Mitch was keen for us to start it while he gets some sleep haha!
THE BEACH
The beach here isn’t quintessential of the Philippines as the sand is dark but it’s still a cool place to hang out. Drank the rest of the day but up tomorrow to visit some waterfalls. Every town in the Philippines seems to have a waterfall!
DRIVER
As said, Mitch’s boyfriend Brylle drove us but for the other car, one of them brought their own driver. It’s very common in the Philippines for a family to have their own driver, sounds excessive but it can be very affordable. They would have previously be a tax driver and works out better as they don’t need to worry about buying or maintaining a car etc.
LA Union & hospitalised in Manila
THE DRIVE BACK
During the drive back I kept getting a sharp pain and couldn’t sit down for the entire trip. It got so bad that I had to visit a doctor at one of the hospitals who told me that I have an abscess that requires an operation! How long would you expect me to wait for this, a month, 6 months? He was able to do it the next day! It’s a private hospital so I don’t have to worry about the quality but it’s sure going to cost a bit. Which isn’t a good time to mention that my travel insurance has expired.
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HOSPITAL
Anyway I was admitted that day and was kept there for about 4nights. I have no doubt would have struggled had Alex and her friends not visited so often. I had nurses come in every 30minutes to check in blood pressure and temperature and I would get a meal every few hours. On the last day three different doctors (including the surgeon) came in on separate occasions to ask me the same exact same questions. By the time the 3rd came in I was able to rhyme the answers off to him without him needing to say a word.
Was good to get out but I had to sit around Manila for a week before getting the all clear. The last thing I wanted was an operation when I was in Myanmar.
MANILA….
- PEOPLE – 8/10
- BACKPACKING – 6/10
- WEATHER – 6.5/10
- THINGS TO DO – 6/10 I just loved the chaos!
- VALUE – 8/10
SUMMED UP….
- HIGHLIGHT – Just hanging around the city and meeting locals
- LOWLIGHT – Going into hospital uninsured!
- MVP – Alex & her friends
- VISIT AGAIN – Absolutely
- RATING – 8/10 – Most people won’t like it
FINAL THOUGHTS
In hindsight it would have been cheaper to get a return ticket and have the operation at home.
NEXT UP
Burma, country number 37. I cannot wait for the temples of Bagan! Click to read.
SAFE TRAVELS, DS x
36/229
This episode is part of The Philippines Series. Click to view episode1.
