Four months in Manila next year.

[Kaz1983]

So I've decided to go back to the Philippines, Manila to be more to the point. I know it's not everyone's cup of tea but I suppose I have a really good reason to go back there. Last time I only stayed 2 weeks but even though I had limited time there I had a really, no doubt in part to the girl I was meeting for the first time - if I'm honest going back is a no brainer for me but this time I plan on staying for longer and unlike last time I have a bit better idea what to expect which will no doubt help.


See I want to find a 2 bedroom apartment but I'm open to a townhouse near but yeah somewhere with easy access to shops/places to eat/things to do etc etc... something 60 plus square meters/that has decent floor space and not a tiny little bathroom. The reason like some here may know I'm a wheelchair user, so a bit on the small side is ok but tiny little bathrooms are a no go... see I'm not sure if it's a city thing because this newly built apartment was great in this regard but that was in Dumaguete/Negros, it's just from what I've seen, bathroom door ways in apartments/condos in Manila are smaller than your bedroom doorways for example. For me (to get thru/clearance in wheelchair) the idea a doorway needs to be 27 1/2 inches wide or 65 centimeters, all the door ways to bathrooms I've seen are between 22 and 23 inches. It's also why I want to look for a place that has decent floor space. Even though Makati first came to mind, the main area I'm considering looking for something is Tagiug City- thats probably why this post caught my attention, haha:

It would be cheaper to rent a house or an apartment -  on my January trip in 2010, I paid about $300/month for a 2 bedroom house in Taguig City (south east of Makati) - furnished with A/C.
Have your girl inquire about houses/apts in a nice area AND it would be cheaper renting from within the country than from the outside.
An other option is to not rent a location just yet but pick few candidates,  book a hotel to stay in for a few days, then go to each location to have a first hand view and choose one to your liking.

As of now for the first 2 and half weeks I've booked a place to stay in Manila, 10 minutes from Makati and as I plan to stay till May I've got 2 and half weeks to find something for 4 months. The reason why I've booked a place for 2 and half weeks is because for various reasons which have now changed I was only going stay in Manila that length of time to begin with, that said after reading thekfc's post above it might turn out to be perfect in that I've got 2 and 1/2 weeks to find the right places to stay for the next 4 months... I'll have time to see them in person, pick one that suits etc etc.


So for someone looking for a 2 bedroom apartment/townhouse, with easy access to shops/places to eat/things to do etc etc... something 60 plus sq meters/decent floor space and not a tiny little bathroom - anybody got any advice? .... somewhere in Taguig but anywhere that fits the bill would great (2 bed, easy access to shops/places to eat/things to do/decent floor space/not a tiny little bathroom...)


.... after I find a place everything will fall into place no doubt, I just wanna dot my i's and cross my t's as much possible before I get there...

[thekfc]

Take a look at Fort Bonifacio & the surrounding area.

It is a nice area similar to Makati & also a bit pricey. 

There is McKinley Hill with 4,700+ condo complexes in 34 buildings as well as other residential areas.
The American Cemetery and Memorial & also Heritage Park are located in Fort Bonifacio.

With Global City, there is easy access to shops, plenty of places to eat, visit & things to do.  It is also a short drive to Makati and Pasay - both borders Taguig. But with that much time you should get out of the Metro Manila area.

[Kaz1983]

Ta mate for that, sounds kinda like what for - will deffo check those areas out.

[Kaz1983]

These are the 3 sites I've looked at thus far.


http://rentinmakati.com/
http://www.housinginteractive.com/
http://www.fortbonifaciorent.com/

[Kaz1983]

So it's been nearly four weeks now and everything is going great, I'm staying near Mall Of Asia in Pasay.... even though there is a 6 lanes main road that is always busy out the front of where I'm staying, out the rear where my balcony faces/and there town houses are located its very quite 24/7 and considering Manila's reputation for being a busy, noisy type city -I'm very happy with my apartment but with my lease running out at the end of Febuary I might find somewhere else for the last 6-8 weeks, somewhere closer to bars and nightlife........... we will see.

Here are some photos from the other night:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.537426376270641.133903.100000098501313&type=3

[Calipro]

Friend of mine recently got back from Manila and wrote a great post on another forum.


http://www.rooshvforum.com/thread-23656.html

[Kaz1983]

Nice one.

[thekfc]

That other forum that was linked to is nothing but a sex tourist site - good for you if that is what you are looking for.

Anyway Kaz, how are things going for you in Luzon? I couldn't see the FB page as it is unavailable.

[Calipro]

Nice one.

Yeah met the guy in Cali...works in the oil sands in Cananda six months out of the year and travels the other six. Never pays for sex...in fact the whole board is pretty much against that kind of activity and will call you out as a loser if you mention it. Last I checked having sex while aboard doesn't make you a sex tourist only if you have to pay for it. Of course the feminist view is probably if you go aboard in the hope of getting some you are a sex tourist. jajaja

[thekfc]

By definition: Travel taken for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity. The activity can be either paid for / unpaid for.

There are many different forms/reasons but they all fall under the umbrella of "traveling to engage in sexual activity".

[Calipro]

By definition: Travel taken for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity. The activity can be either paid for / unpaid for.

There are many different forms/reasons but they all fall under the umbrella of "traveling to engage in sexual activity".

Sorry but I don't know any guys that don't want to have sex....either here, there or anywhere.
We live in different worlds.
Do the guys you know really get dressed up to go out on a Saturday night just to drink beer?

[thekfc]

Sorry but I don't know any guys that don't want to have sex....either here, there or anywhere.
We live in different worlds.
Do the guys you know really get dressed up to go out on a Saturday night just to drink beer?

Read my post again, I didn't say any such thing - all I gave was the definition of a term. 

[Kaz1983]

That other forum that was linked to is nothing but a sex tourist site - good for you if that is what you are looking for.Anyway Kaz, how are things going for you in Luzon? I couldn't see the FB page as it is unavailable.

Yeah there, things are good - I'm back in Australia now tho, been back for 5 weeks now...... I'm gonna be going back in November, this time more permanent but still come back every 8 months or so - so not not 2 years straight but you get the idea. I've started renting a 3 bedroom house over there, my girlfriend is living in it as we speak ...... I prefer this time to be staying in a house, with own backyard rather than a condo ........ plus it works out to be cheaper as well... so yeah everything is going good, its taken a while to get use to not being around each other everyday and the other trap feeling the need to talk, talk, talk all the time - gotta mix things up, keep things fresh and includes modes of contacting each other too but its all going good.........

[Calipro]

Yeah there, things are good - I'm back in Australia now tho, been back for 5 weeks now...... I'm gonna be going back in November, this time more permanent but still come back every 8 months or so - so not not 2 years straight but you get the idea. I've started renting a 3 bedroom house over there, my girlfriend is living in it as we speak ...... I prefer this time to be staying in a house, with own backyard rather than a condo ........ plus it works out to be cheaper as well... so yeah everything is going good, its taken a while to get use to not being around each other everyday and the other trap feeling the need to talk, talk, talk all the time - gotta mix things up, keep things fresh and includes modes of contacting each other too but its all going good.........

My friend's report on Manila.


http://www.rooshvforum.com/thread-22906.html?highlight=manila

[Calipro]

By definition: Travel taken for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity. The activity can be either paid for / unpaid for.

There are many different forms/reasons but they all fall under the umbrella of "traveling to engage in sexual activity".

I think I could live with the definition of travel taken for the exclusive propose of engaging in sexual activity. My friend also dives, fishes, did Mai Thai training among many other things while in Asia. If you read all of his posts you will find that he clearly isn't into Asian women that much and if his only motivation to travel was to have sex he would have chosen another destination altogether.

[Kaz1983]

My friend's report on Manila.


http://www.rooshvforum.com/thread-22906.html?highlight=manila

Nice one.

[Zonia84]

Did you enjoy staying in Manila?

[Ray]

 
Oo, enjoyed many short trips there but wouldn't want to live permanently in Metro Manila.
 
 
Welcome aboard Zonia!
 
 
Ray
 

[robert angel]

Oo, enjoyed many short trips there but wouldn't want to live permanently in Metro Manila.
 
 
Welcome aboard Zonia!
 
 
Ray

Second the notion. My wife showed me a film the other day that among other interesting things about Manila, states that it has the oldest 'Chinatown' that's actually outside of China in the world!

But it's too busy, crowded and polluted for me and my wife feels very unsafe moving about Manila. Only place I ever felt very unsafe in Manila just happened to be in Chinatown there--the Tutuban Mall. Takes a lot to make me nervous, but that place gave me the heebie jeebies....

We only go to Makati because her brother, his wife and child live there. They want to move back to Davao, or perhaps Bohol though--Manila's just too much of a grind, people move there mainly for the money, I think.

[thekfc]

During my various trips, I have been to a few parts of Manila - Taguig, Makiti, Pasig, Pasay, Quezon City, San Juan, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Taytay and Caloocan city to name a few. On my first trip I was nervous going to certain area but as I got more familiar with the place I became more comfortable with every visit.

I have been to Binondo (Chinatown) and didn't feel unsafe or the likes - we even bought our wedding rings there. Though I would say that the traffic there was very terrible on our visits.

After my first visit I have seldom been nervous or fearful visiting places in Manila & I have seen the good and bad. There are places I (we) wouldn't dare go after dark but that goes with anywhere in this world.

Maybe I had very good company (protection) going to those places or maybe it just me adapting/assimilating; they say that a Filipino can adapt to just about anywhere - well so can I.

While visiting a foreign country and exploring a lot of people forget to use one thing or simple lack it - common sense.

There are places in Manila I could see myself living in; I would be more fearful living in Mindanao than some places in Manila.

[robert angel]

During my various trips, I have been to a few parts of Manila - Taguig, Makiti, Pasig, Pasay, Quezon City, San Juan, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Taytay and Caloocan city to name a few. On my first trip I was nervous going to certain area but as I got more familiar with the place I became more comfortable with every visit.

I have been to Binondo (Chinatown) and didn't feel unsafe or the likes - we even bought our wedding rings there. Though I would say that the traffic there was very terrible on our visits.

After my first visit I have seldom been nervous or fearful visiting places in Manila & I have seen the good and bad. There are places I (we) wouldn't dare go after dark but that goes with anywhere in this world.

Maybe I had very good company (protection) going to those places or maybe it just me adapting/assimilating; they say that a Filipino can adapt to just about anywhere - well so can I.

While visiting a foreign country and exploring a lot of people forget to use one thing or simple lack it - common sense.

There are places in Manila I could see myself living in; I would be more fearful living in Mindanao than some places in Manila.

If you knew Mindanao a bit better, you'd probably say basically the same things you said about Manila. I walk around Davao City along deserted back streets and don't even worry--unlike in most crowded US cities where I occasionally pat my ass to make sure my wallet's still there. But in the Muslim controlled areas/regions that are pretty clearly defined by specific geographical boundaries, I wouldn't dare go--I certainly wouldn't be welcome. There are some pretty nice areas of Manila too--once you get through the traffic to get to them if that's not 'home base', they're quite a pleasure.

[Jhengsman]

During my various trips, I have been to a few parts of Manila - Taguig, Makiti, Pasig, Pasay, Quezon City, San Juan, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Taytay and Caloocan city to name a few. On my first trip I was nervous going to certain area but as I got more familiar with the place I became more comfortable with every visit.

I have been to Binondo (Chinatown) and didn't feel unsafe or the likes - we even bought our wedding rings there. Though I would say that the traffic there was very terrible on our visits.

After my first visit I have seldom been nervous or fearful visiting places in Manila & I have seen the good and bad. There are places I (we) wouldn't dare go after dark but that goes with anywhere in this world.

Maybe I had very good company (protection) going to those places or maybe it just me adapting/assimilating; they say that a Filipino can adapt to just about anywhere - well so can I.

While visiting a foreign country and exploring a lot of people forget to use one thing or simple lack it - common sense.

There are places in Manila I could see myself living in; I would be more fearful living in Mindanao than some places in Manila.

I was there in January and the scariest thing about Chinatown was looking at the electrical wiring that seemed to be still tangled from when the Japanese were there. I don't think any wire has ever been replaced they just add more and more to the tangled mess. I was expecting to open the TV news and see an electrician killed "working" on them at anytime

[Ray]

I was expecting to open the TV news and see an electrician killed "working" on them at anytime

I think they have built up an immunity to electric shock over the years...
 
 
 
 
Ray
 

[robert angel]

I was there in January and the scariest thing about Chinatown was looking at the electrical wiring that seemed to be still tangled from when the Japanese were there. I don't think any wire has ever been replaced they just add more and more to the tangled mess. I was expecting to open the TV news and see an electrician killed "working" on them at anytime

I didn't think about it at the time, but yea, the electric lines were real raggedy lookingand  the whole place seemed gritty gray--even the red dragons and other 'Chinese stuff' was worn and dirty. I guess other memories were in the forefront--the memories of heavy traffic, our driver paying off shady looking people for 'safe passage' and the creepy feeling that a million eyes--eyes like needles, were staring at me and not because I looked handsome either!

I was happy to be out of there, no matter how good the bargains were!

[thekfc]