Shangri La heaven

The Shangri La in Cubu

Hey there, just got back from my first weekend away in the Philippines. It was AMAZING! We stayed at a 5* resort called the Shangri La Mactan Resort and Spa. There was 10 of us and we had a brilliant time there. I would never be able to afford to go to a 5* resort at home.

We flew down to Cebu after school on the funniest airline I have ever been on called Cebu Pacific. They play games on the flight to get people in a cheery mood, for example...Who can take off their shoe and hold it up first, who can stand up and show their most dazzling smile, who can be the first person to show me the most 20 peso notes etc etc. Very funny! The air hostesses/assistants/attendants or whatever they are called are always super polite and pleasant it is like being on a plane in the 50's.

The actual resort was stunning. It took ages to get from the gate to the hotel up a windy path through tropical gardens and had ocean views from 3 of the 4 sides. What was good was the private beach so you could sunbathe without the gizillions of people trying to sell you jewellery and other rubbish on the beach that you get in Asia. I went snorkeling for my first time and I was amazed by the fish I saw, really beautiful ones with bright colours and unusual bodies. I even saw Nemo!!

We went out into Cebu city on Saturday night after drinking waaaaaayyyy to many cocktails. After being used to the rubbish customer service in Ireland and the UK I was amazed that if you said (after 10 cocktails) !I can't taste any alcohol in this any more" they apologise and put enough to sterilise your stomach in next time. It was a very messy night, at one stage I phoned Travi, one of the other girls and said, (Hiccuping)

"I've lost Jess, she was with some dodgy Filipino guy and hasn't been seen for an hour and a half, Jane is so drunk I think she has a concussion and has lost her shoes and bag, Mark is asleep on a red velvet couch in a gay bar (he isn't gay) and Rachel is snogging a pretend pilot from India"

It was a fab weekend we had a ball, roll on the next one.

Invasion of Manila!

Well I arrived safely in Manila after a monster journey 33 hour door to door journey!!! But thankfully i didn't get shrek leg like I did in Thailand last year. We were picked up by all the senior mamagement team and the head and shown to our flats which are amazing.

I have 3 bedrooms, 2 of them have ensuites and I'm using the other as an office. I have 2 other bathrooms as well which is great for when I'm hungover (wee laura knows....) I have a big kitchen and a huge living/dining room. All the rooms have floor to ceiling windows with great viwes as I'm on the 25th floor!!! There are loads of skyscrapers around me and its beautiful at night especially as there is loads of thunder and lightening this time of year. (Manda you would LOVE the storms) There is also a maids quarters with a small bedroom and bathroom for her as well in case I want her to live in.

My maid is amazing she is called Vaneza and does all the cleaning, laundry, ironing, shopping, cooking and anything else that I need. She works Monday, Wednesday and Friday and i love her... really its true love. I have only been here 2 and a half weeks and I am finding that I can no longer do simple tasks for myself. It's really sad but expats are pampered so much here I don't know how thay cope when they go back to the uk/Ireland. In the staffroom at work people leave their tupperware containers with their lunches on the counter and the full time staffroom workers heat them up at the right time for your lunch break and put it on a plate ready for you with your name on it!!!

We have been going out loads. The shopping malls here are amazing they are so big and you have loads of shops from home and the US - even topshop! I am in a deli across the street from my building eating yummy chocolate cake. We are planning our trips away online at the mo we are going to stay at a 5* resort with a private beach in 2 weeks time then we are going away to a diving resort in Boracay for half term then to some Island for a long weekend in November. We are hoping to go to Bali for Christmas and new year if anyone wants to come!! Go on go on ya will ya will!!

The weather is hot all the time, my TA (who is good but not as good as Manda) turns the air con off in class when I leave the room cause she is so cold! We have arrived in rainy season so we have the occasional downpour and everything gets flooded!!

So... to sum up then, I am having an amazing time we are living an amazing lifestyle that we could never do at home. There are loads of things to miss though... Look after yourselves, email me and tell me the craic!