How to build your own liferaft

So what's the big deal! Just a bit of water after all. And the shower really only lasted a few hours... so just roll up your pants and keep shopping!

Today the promised rain finally fell - ooooh did it ever! I was stuck under the awning of a restaurant for the worst 30 minutes of the downpour, then I continued onwards to scenes like the ones in the image above & below. Actually, people seemed to be enjoying themselves! Laughing at the plight of others or taking advantage of it, like the man below, who had fashioned a bridge across an unavoidable puddle - and stood by to cash in a "voluntary" bridge toll of 1 Philippine peso - or about 2 cents.

My plan today was to go and purchase a ticket for a night bus the hell out of here for tomorrow. Manila really doesn't have that much going for it. The highrise buildings aren't really high or interesting, the streets not particularly pictoresque, the people not wearing colourful national costumes - dammit, what's a tourist to do?
Well there is one good thing - the Philippinos! Great people, happy-go-lucky nature, very laid back and honest. It's just that Manila has a little too much of a good thing. With over 11 million Philippinos packed into one town, there is a lot of poverty, pollution, traffic and problems with safety. It's one of very few places in Asia, where it isn't totally safe to walk around after - or even before - dark. So after just one and a half days, I am ready to kiss this town goodnight. As I will tomorrow evening, on boarding a bus to take me to the mountains in the North of this island, Luzon. Heading for the hills - and unknown internet connections.

As I said, my plan for the day was to go to the bus station. Since it's only some 5-6 kilometres away, I thought I'd walk it and take in the sights as I go. Well... This is not really a town for pedestrians, as I found out. Sidewalks, as in many places in Asia, crop up only to disappear suddenly. Often you have to walk on the side of the road and in the dark and rain, this is not a happy proposition. So after bravely walking around in search of the elusive bus terminal for hours, I turned to the professionals. In this instance, one of these things seen below.

The transport, a sidecar and a ... motorcycle? Not quite - moped? Well, the engine looked like, sounded like and was started by pulling the cord like a lawnmower... but let's be charitable and call it a motorized vehicle. My motorized vehicle sidecar was slightly smaller than the one in the picture, but similarly the only opening to my plastic cocoon was a small doorway on the side away from the driver. In the clogged up, multi lane traffic, I found out the cocoon entrance was at exactly the same height as the exhaust pipes on the jeepneys and trucks - and trust me they ain't burning unleaded! So choking was an option - as was being rammed into by cars or trucks... I couldn't help noticing I was seated conveniently on the same level as their bumpers. The Oooohs! and Aaaaah!'s I couldn't help breathing out loud at times may have been interpreted by the driver as signs of appreciation for his skills and daring, but they were merely me deciding that if I was going to draw my last breath, I would make it a loud one!

Anyway, tomorrow I head for the hills and the fresh fresh mountain air! If you don't hear from me for a while then you will know connections haven't quite made it up there yet. But I bet they have!