Cebu Island Travelogue: Typical Philippines Experiences

I was able to spend a relaxing time on Cebu Island. Now, I am heading back to Japan. I have traveled to the Philippines over 10 times, and in total, my stay has lasted several months. I have been captivated by the charm of the Philippines and keep coming back.

I will write about some typical Philippines experiences.

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When returning home, I used a taxi to head to the airport. I needed to leave the hotel at 5:00 AM.

When I asked at the front desk the day before to book a taxi, I was told that they couldn't make advance reservations and that I should ask the security guard.

The hotel I was staying at is a mid-range hotel in the city. In Japan, it would be like a business hotel such as Toyoko Inn. Well, I figured that was just how it was, and left it at that.

They confirmed my room number and name, so I returned to my room with the expectation that they might have passed the message on to the security guard.

The next morning at 5:00 AM, when I went to the front desk to check out, there was a sign saying that service would be available from 6:00 AM onwards. No one was there, and it was pitch black. I rang the bell, but there was no response.

Hey, hey, you should have told me that yesterday!

I had no choice but to hand my key to the security guard and ask him to tell the front desk that I had checked out. He found me a taxi, and I was able to head to the airport safely.

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The message about the taxi from the front desk clerk yesterday was, of course, not passed on to the security guard. I suspect that the fact that I checked out won't be passed on from the security guard to the front desk either, lol.

The Philippines is just like this.

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A friend of mine used a day-use service at a fancy resort hotel on the way back from island hopping. He laughed and told me that the shower didn't have hot water, and on top of that, the water pressure was just a trickle.

The Philippines is just like this.

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Another friend told me a story about enjoying his vacation by ordering a hamburger and three mango shakes by the poolside. When he went to pay at the end, the mango shakes weren't on the bill, so he laughed and said he got lucky.

The Philippines is just like this.

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Now, let me return to the story of the taxi I took to the airport.

The security guard politely told the taxi driver twice, "The passenger is going to the international terminal, so please turn on the meter." As I got in, the driver...

negotiated, saying, "Is 200 pesos (500 yen) okay?" I, of course, firmly instructed him, "Turn on the meter!" The taxi fare for the 20-minute ride to the airport was 120 pesos (300 yen).

The Philippines is just like this.

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