Nige, what a stunning place. I look forward to hearing all about it on your return.
Yes, it is quite a shock to the system here. The city I'm in now, Baguio, is high up a mountain and subsequently a lot cooler. It's heaving with people, and just like Manila has modern shopping centres etc. I'm sitting in a cafe in the hotel foyer by a very busy main road drinking San Miguel Regular beers. (We're 7 hours in front of you lot in the UK). Hardly ever see a European here. Those I saw in Manila were like big fat elderly Gary Glitter lookalikes with young Filipinos on their arms. Quite revolting really. The girls are beautiful - it's the fat, old European men that are ugly!
I'm here with Lucy, who's Filipino and a lot younger than me. She lives on Bute. You'll meet her soon Roger.
I'd be totally lost without someone who knows the country, can speak with the locals, and can organise the excursions! Paradoxically, if that's the right word, signs, newspapers even are written in incredibly accurate English, even using terminology and usage that might be a little archaic in the UK, having been lost through laziness.