sydneyjohn57

20 minutes for 2,500 yen? That's about $30AUD, $22USD, 725 Baht or 1170 Philippine piso. Can't really see the value as I know how far 1170PHP goes and its a lot longer than 20 minutes

The guy who used to run Southern Cross shutle is now working as a manager at Phillies and said the cost of running the business outweighed the benefits so closed down late 2017. The Fly The Bus shuttle running between Swagman hotels in Angeles & Manila is still running but only in mini buses price used to be around 650 PHP. The Victory Liner with stop at SM could have been their new P2P to Olongapo or Dagupan https://www.victoryliner.com/P2P.aspx

As of yesterday October 28th all Qantas flights will arrive and depart from NAIA terminal 3. For those arriving and going directly to Angeles, the Genesis P2P bus by exiting terminal using the bus and taxi exit and turning right. Bay 14 is only 1 - 2 minutes walk and clearly marked. Price to SM Clark is 350 PHP. From SM trike mafia want 100 PHP . The day I arrived Grab taxi was 120PHP which I showed trike driver who wouldn't budge on fare. If weather was cooler I would have walked but took the Grab who arrived in 30 seconds just to pissoff the trike driver

A few changes to Phillies. The stage and bands have gone, replaced by giant TV screen for sports. They have covered over the opening above pool table where you could look down from upstairs so more seating is likely upstairs. On the outside patio there are now panels under the counter so vendors, street kids, lbs etc can't reach under and are in process of jack hammering away some of the concrete and widening footpath a bit so no one is able to sit under the counter

Apparently the new barangay rules are that no LBs are allowed on walking street or environs between 10pm and 3am unless accompanied by a foreigner or are already in an establishment. If they leavethe establishment unaccompanied they have to go home by avoiding walking street. The 2 nights I have been here the whole area is quiet with hardly anyone in walking street at all and only 1 or 2 lbs on the street and a few each in Bretto's, Phillies and Margarita Station

Bugger, would have been nice to get together for a drink.

I'll be in Phils from this Sunday 14th until Nov 11th. The plan is to spend 3 nights in Bohol (booked) then travel on to Dumaguete for a few, Cebu and then probably Angeles to arrive around last weekend of Oct. Final 2 weeks not planned but likely to be north Luzon. Happy to catch up with any BM who is around. Cheers

Where is @Stealth007? I haven't seen him here in the forum for around 6 months which is unlike him as he usually keeps the forum updated with goings on, natural disasters, politics etc etc. I sent a message to him here a few days ago and have not had a reply. Anyone have news of him?

Pdoggg, I am assuming you are now in Angeles? Did you use the Genesis p2p bus from NAIA to Clark and if so was it easy to find?

Can you not use your current Cambodian or Thai number when registering on the website? If you can you can always update online when you change from one to another.

all good.. great job done by the Thai authorities which will continue until all kids are home

Rescue has begun, this from Sydney Morning Herald a short while ago: The Thai Governor has confirmed the rescue mission has started today at 10am (1pm AEST). The children and their coach will be taken out one by one, but operation could stop at any time depending on conditions. “If we don’t start now, we might lose the chance,” he said. An Australian doctor checked the medical health of the boys last night and gave them the all clear. Outgoing Chiang Rai province Governor Narongsak Osottanakorn said that water levels in the cave had reached their lowest levels yesterday but that storms were expected in the next couple of days. "The boys confirm they are ready [for the rescue]" and that also the families have acknowledged and agreed with the mission starting. "Now 13 of them, their health and their minds are ready and they all have knowledge of the mission. They’re ready to go out." The Governor said that much of the path was now walkable into the cave - it has been walkable to chamber 3, about 1.5km in, for several days. The next update on the rescue effort is expected at 9pm local time on Sunday night, which is midnight Australian eastern time. Governor Osottanakorn said the diving rescue team consisted of 13 international divers and five Thai Navy Seals. "We can say they are all international all-stars involved in this diving operation and we selected five of our best who can work with them,” Governor Osottanakorn said. Deputy Commander of 3rd Army Chalongchai Chaiyakum said the plan "has to be clear, easy and perfect. By now they choose the best solution to use." "The mission might end within a couple of days," Doctor Thossathep Boonthong said. "We are 100 per cent ready.'' The huge international media contingent were asked to leave, the Governor said, to make room for medical and evacuation teams.There will be two divers per child during the rescue operation, and the 12 kids and the coach will come out one-by-one.The operation could be halted at any time because of weather and other factors and it could take a couple of days to complete.

The boys have been found, all alive with medical teams now on way to assess their conditions and once that is done the rescuers will try to formulate a plan to get them out. As the entrance to the cave is flooded and rescuers needed to use scuba gear to get into the caves they may have to teach the boys how to scuba dive. They were found about 400 metres past 'Pattaya Beach' which had been flooded as well.

Today Australia's Fairfax Media (newspaper and online news organisation) has a great in depth report on whats happening in Sihanoukville and includes videos, maps, photos etc. A must read for those interested in what China is up to not only in Cambodia but elsewhere in the world as well. https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/the-next-macau-china-s-big-gamble-in-cambodia-20180615-p4zlqg.html

Glad to have been of assistance

Not just in Thailand, same same Cambodia. My first night in PP I found a seat outside in Corner 136 Bar and was immediately mobbed by 5 bargirls who wouldn't leave me alone even though I told them multiple times that I just wanted to have a look at the action on the streets and get my bearings. I ended up finishing that 1st beer and went straight across the road to the Ostro Bar where there were no bar girls and had a great view up and down 136 St.

She really is a beauty, wish I was in town

Tex, Sorry to hear about your mishap. Wish you a speedy recovery.

Hint: right hand half of picture is in shadow, cover it up and see if you can work out what the left half is. Note that it is correct orientation, no need to turn at all.

After 6 weeks solo travel I finally have got sick of my own company nd heading home from Saigon. I have had a great time and will continue where I left of sometime in the next year or so. Probably picked the wrong time to travel as temperatures hovering in mid to high 30s with real feel much hotter and high humidity. Forecast for next week is thunderstorms and hot humid weather so will plan next trip in cooler times. Hope I haven't bored you too much. Cheers

Finally did arrive in Saigon, only 2 hours after advertised arrival time which was'nt tpp bad considering. I should note that immigration at depatures in PP and arrivals in Saigon were both empty and flew through at either end. I took advice that I had read online to catch the metered taxi and not the taxi counter and it was not until I had got to hotel and read their warnings advice to only use either of 2 taxi companies Vinasun or Mailinh asthe taxi industry is unregulated and taxis can set up their own meters to run at whatever rate they want.. The meterd taxi I took was not of those 2 and at destination wanted to charge me 860,000 VND plus ariport access fee of 100,000 VND. I knew the fare should be between 150K to 170K but as my luggage was in the boot (trunk for you in US) he had the upper hand and I finally got it down to 350K so blew approx $10 AUD. So anyone wanting to go their take note to only use the 2 companies mentioned and when outside museums, touristy places etc never take one parked outside and hail one driving along the street. I have been using Grab on my trip to date except when arriving at airport as often its hard to find a location where they are able to pick you up. Checked Grab pricing when at hotel and was 115,000 VND. Hotel stayed at is The Beautiful Saigon 3 Hotel in a laneway just off the entertainment street which luckily was faorly quiet as another of their hotels is in the main "walking street" and apparently sleep is impossible until after 3am. Saigon's walking street Bui Vien St is the only walking street that I have been to that allows traffic. It's a one street but that doesn't stop the motorbikes from going both ways. Venues are a mix of loud volume bars, restaurants and footpath plastic tables and chairs with beer prices for a small bottle of Tiger ranging from 20,000 VND in the plastic charis to 55,ooo + at high end. Lots of backpackers around, the usual array of street merchants, beggars etc with some FL GGs but no LBs that I can comfirm although saw what might have been one running down the street about 10 npm one night. I went to a couple of the musuems and the War Remnants Musuem was very interesting giving the Vietmanese view on th 'American War'. Among my researd prior to arriving I had read an online warning about scam happening at parl close by where I was staying (2nd September Park) whereby unsuspection farangs get lured into befriending a local who claims to know them, befriends him, intro's him to some of his friends and card game starts and farang loses all his money. In another article I read that students also sometimes approach farangs and want to have conversation to improve their English. I had a couple of hours to kill one afternoon and sitting in the shade on a hot day was nice and relaxing while watching locals and tourists enjoy the park when well dressed local walkied past and stopped, turned around and said he recognised me as he is supervisor at immigration and saw me at the airport. I asked what day and he couldn't remember exactly however I congratulated him on his memory of a face which he said he is trained to do. He told me that he is now on holidays from the day before and at the park with some of his colleagues nodding his head further down pathway. He queried from where I was and when I said Sydney he said that is such a coincidence as my sister is starting at St Vincents (a big hospital in Syd) next week and would I mind telling him and his friends more about Sydney so he can pass on to his sister. Unfortunately I had to tell him I was due elsewhere and again commended him on his powers of observation. I walked away and so did he but I had noticed another well dressed local on another pathway which intersected with mine seemed to have been watching us and when I was at traffic light to cross the road and go the green to walk I hesitated for a few seconds did an about turn and the 2nd local was forced to cross the road first and when he went straight ahead which was where I was looking when he glanced back I waited a bit and headed left. So whateverr may have been planned fizzled out. Its a pity really as I was hoping to help a student learn English

Flight from PP to Saigon today left 25 minutes early! Crossed into Vietnam airspace and captain announced we will circle for 20 minutes, after doing that for 40 minutes announcement was due to heavy rain in Saigon we are returning to PP, so after sitting on tarmac 45 minutes we are almost ready to try again.

Haven't taken anyone back in PP, however, don't think any problems taking anyone back to hotel. When I walked in last night the bloke at the desk didn't glance up from his phone.

Room that I booked was a balcony room with breakfast included and cost around $US40.00 per night. There is plenty LB action around the intersection of 136 that has 136 corner bar, madam butterfly, mr butterfly and ostro bar. Ostro is a great place to watch the action as not a hostess bar and beer 0.75 in happy hour and $1.75 other times.