I'm back

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I made it. I'm back in the Philippines. If anyone's been following my blog, they'd know what a frustrating ordeal it was being stuck in Australia. But I'm back, feeling thoroughly healthy, and even hungrier than before. All tests have come back negative and I don't have the slightest of symptoms.

It was a big and even arduous decision as to where to spend the final 2 months of my trip. I pored over and did an exhaustive comparison of Asia vs Europe. I eventually resolved to leave one week, and stayed up until 4am weighing up the options. As you can see in my earlier blogs, the plan the whole time was to eventually get to Iceland. So leaving that out of the itinerary would be a significant change. I eventually chose the Philippines for a number of reasons (although I'm sure I would have had a blast in Europe too, as I love the place dearly):

- I've been here before, so have contacts and starting points. I know my way around Manila somewhat and feel comfortable getting around here.
- I 'like' the Philippines Tourism facebook page, and literally have a list of about 20 places here that I'm desperate to go to, based on amazing paradisal photos that are posted up.
- It's significantly cheaper here than most places in Europe, meaning I have much more choice in where to stay accommodation wise. In Europe, I'd be all but consigned to hotels, with all the drunken backpackers that go with them. Not that I'm against that scene, but it's not what I want from this particular trip. In Philippines, I can stay solo and what's more, I can stay in a place with a kitchen and gym. That's a big plus.
- the family is planning to go to Europe for a holiday next year. In a sense, going there now would be kind of doubling-up.
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I've secured a condo near Malate for a whole month, which has been just a vastly different experience to the hotels I stayed in at Hanoi. This has not only added to my travel experience, but completely changed it. Where you stay has so much bearing on the feel of your trip. I'm glad, because I feel that I've learned lessons from my previous trips and incorporated them into this one. Here's how the experience differs to a hotel:

- I don't have to hand my key in every time I leave the condo. I know it's a small thing, and you don't even notice it when you stay at a hotel for a few days, but eventually hotel staff out of politeness ask you what you did today and whatnot. It feels like you're explaining yourself the whole time, especially if you were doing a lot of regular instead of holiday things such as going to the gym.
- Kitchen. This is massive. It means I don't have to go out 3 times a day looking for meals. In a place where hygiene is a good couple of rungs down from Australia, this is very important. I can prepare my own meals and make sure I get a clean feed.
- Gym. It's not a massive gym, but again, I don't have to leave the place just to go to it. Big, big difference. I can save my time and money for the really cool things like beaching or island hopping, rather than regular things like gymming and getting a protein fix.
- Security. I don't have to think about accommodation for a whole month. That is really cool, and a big factor in making it feel like you're living somewhere rather than just holidaying.

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That's all I'll write for today. I'm absolutely thrilled to be back in the Philippines, and have lots planned already. I'll leave you with a link to this guy's Youtube, an American guy called Travis who lived in the Philippines for a while, I find him to be a good due and very informative

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1712XEXMIRQW1-spPVK0Ng

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