Back In Australia For A Few Weeks Mmmm

[Adventurer]

I love the Philippines but I will make the most of my unexpected return by....

enjoying a real beef steak for dinner with real mushrooms

drinking real fresh milk

my favorite beer

i can buy a real cappuccino with real milk

the Internet & phone might be a little more expensive but at least I know what I'm getting for my $30 prepaid and there is support if anything goes wrong

It feels weird walking down the street though with no tricycles to give me a lift and I had better watch crossing the road here as it's a lot faster but at least when I cross at lights or a crossing I can be assured everyone will stop for me (except some crazy lunatic being chased by police, never assume your safe even in Aussie).

at least when a girl looks at me and smiles she probably does like the look of me and I don't have to wonder if it's just my money she wants, the problem though this happens less and less each time I come back :( i think I would prefer many girls smiling at me and I can just believe they all love me for me :)

At least if I'm annoyed with someone I can tell them to their face and not be so worried about been shot, I can yell at them too if I want and tell them they are ###$$$ and I'm not going to have all their family and half the town after me :)

If I don't like a service etc I can complain and something might get done about it... not that I have had to yet

Now I do miss the nice weather, it's damn cold here right now. I miss walking around in shorts and no shirt, sunbathing and swimming each day

I miss the friendly smiles and being able to walk up to nearly anyone and enjoy answering their questions or make a conversation about anything...

I miss the cheap prices for food etc but I don't miss some of the bad quality and the limited range of what I can buy out in provinces at least.

One big thing I miss is my lovely girlfriend, nothing can replace her :)

I can't wait to get back,screw the steak and mushrooms....

Edited May 27, 2012 by Adventurer

[sonjack2847]

I can't wait to get back,screw the steak and mushrooms....

I could have some fun with this comment. But I don`t know you so I will leave it alone. Good luck mate

[Classic Dry]

........mmm....... Never tried it with mushrooms, I prefer it with heaps and heaps of fried onions. :whistling:

[Bundy]

At least if I'm annoyed with someone I can tell them to their face and not be so worried about been shot, I can yell at them too if I want and tell them they are ###$$$ and I'm not going to have all their family and half the town after me

Not so sure about this one. Just depends where you are.On the Gold Coast you may very well get shot, in Bankstown Sydney you probably would get shot,in Bundaberg you'd be turned into mince meat :hystery: :hystery: :hystery:

[Bundy]

I can't wait to get back,screw the steak and mushrooms....

I could have some fun with this comment. But I don`t know you so I will leave it alone. Good luck mate

Thought you might pickup on this one :hystery: :hystery: :hystery:

[Bundy]

Reading the OP again, it made me think maybe i should be making a list of things to do over the comming weeks before we move to Cebu.I got out my pen and paper but you know what, i really struggle to write anything down :hystery: :hystery: :hystery:

Steak has become a luxury to us and we never cook it at home, it's just too expensive and i only eat it when i take Mrs Bundy to a resturant.I can do the same in Cebu.Fresh milk is a problem but i did get used to Alaska UHT before to the point where it just became "normal" so i can do that again.Beer is not a problem either.Being a Queenslander i enjoy my XXXX Gold, but once in the Philippines i enjoy the SML just as much!

Adventurer does mention internet and phone services, well i agree the performance of both here is way ahead of the Philippines services but i dissagree about the "support" given and think it rates not much better than in the Philippines if at all. Have you ever tried to ring Optus or Telstra with a complaint or a service problem? What a joke that is trying to explain your problem to someone in India who barely understands english let alone Aussie english!

Getting annoyed with someone or "mouthing off" at someone is something which i've long grown out of.Nothing too much bothers me these days and i can easily "walk away" and maybe have a little giggle to myself.

Service complaints of goods purchased yes i do agree on that point however once you've been in the Philippines for a while you do know what to expect.

I think Adventurer is somewhat younger than me,i'm in my mid fifties and if i do attract a smile from a woman here, she will be well over 40 :hystery: :hystery: :hystery: Certainly not what happens in the Philippines.Yeah it might be good for the ego i suppose but i've got a great wife and me good boy!

Honestly the only thing i can write on my paper at the moment that i will miss from here is being able to have a good conversation with another Aussie or native english speaking person.I know many Filipinos speak good english, some i've met are excellent, but it's just not the same is it.

I have several more weeks yet, i'll keep working on it.

Edited May 28, 2012 by Bundy

[Adventurer]

yeah good post Bundy.. to be honest I never really get upset much either these days and even in Australia I keep my cool. I guess in the Philippines I avoid all confrontations like the plague so i never even get to the stage of considering arguing. I have to say my first few trips were not like that and I was fuming mad with some things but you soon learn to adapt and I have my mantra when things go wrong "welcome to the Philippines" and just smile and laugh.

Well I will be approaching 50 soon too but I do keep healthy and apparently look much younger and probably act a lot younger too. :)

I just went and stoked up on groceries, I hope by the time I finish most of them in 3-4 weeks I can fly back but for now I will enjoy the food here ;)

[sonjack2847]

I can't wait to get back,screw the steak and mushrooms....

I could have some fun with this comment. But I don`t know you so I will leave it alone. Good luck mate

Thought you might pickup on this one :hystery: :hystery: :hystery:

Like I said Bundy I don`t know him so will leave it alone. You know he could be one of those sensitive rugby blokes.

[Jollygoodfellow]

I can't wait to get back,screw the steak and mushrooms....

Well as you said, you are approaching fifty and sometimes things get a little confusing. So; look don't worry its not too late to re direct you to what your meant to be screwing, perhaps hang around at the fish market and get your bearings from there!

We are here to help. :thumbsup:

[Dave Hounddriver]

If I don't like a service etc I can complain and something might get done about it.

I am in the middle of a similar trip to Canada. Let me tell you what happened to me and ask you if this would ever happen in OZ.

I went to a deep discount department store, picked up a basket, and shopped for a few things I missed while in Phils. Then I get to the till, I put my items on the counter, and I put the basket on the floor. The clerk at cash just looked hard at me and said: The baskets go over THERE (pointing to the stack by the door where I had found it in the first place.) I put it back and smiled but all the time I was thinking: What the frig are them paying staff for if the customers have to take their own baskets back. \

is that the kind of service you get in Australia too?