Manila 101
MANILA 101
To all my faithful friends and readers, sorry it took so long, internet is a finely tuned beast here, we have only just mastered consistency (despite hubby’s best efforts) and as for uploading photos “phsst” a raspberry…..but we will be going to a cafe soon and will add then there. Here is our first installment……more to come
Well we are finally here!
All I can say is “I am so glad!” as soon as we touched down I was glad. As soon as I got to our new home I was glad!
TRAVEL
Packing and cleaning went well I really did not feel out of control or overwhelmed…
we were met at the gate by an AMAZING taxi driver of our 12 seater bus!! He was actually a Seventh Day Adventist Missionary (short term) he talked to James the whole way to the airport then offered to pay for our fare once we got there PRAISE GOD. The kids were pumped!! Dear Dave Kenny from church saw us of on our adventure and treated the kids to a Hot Choc each (a rarity in our family!!) Our plane was delayed due to bad weather so we waited and Sarah rested she had a foul headache. Once boarded she had a quiet spew (masterfully done I must say) and was fine (poor hot choc!! and of course poor Ra)
- Can you believe that after this bomb the house was clean when we left!!
- On the way to the airport in the bus
The delay caused us to be extremely late in Sydney for the flight, we were met in customs by someone calling for the Troup family (we were not hard to miss). We all raced to the gate discovering to my horror that we left the new Dora trolley bag back at customs…oh my all her little toys!! Sarah recovered by then, hiked back to the desk and found it PRAISE GOD for fit kids!! Racing into the plane we sat huffing and puffing glad to be there and so glad they kept the plane for us!
Mark and Marco met us at the airport with a big Jeepney,
- The kids piled in the jeepney
HUGE, decorated, silvery and shiny, very open and extremely noisy……cool………… we piled the bags in and jumped in and ABSORBED our first glimpses of Manila in the dark but hey still the first. There was not much we could see but we saw CARS….heard HORNS and smelt some interesting smells, admittedly NOTHING like India!! Esther was trashed by then this was after 12 or so hours of traveling and not including getting up early, she just fell asleep on my lap amidst the cacophony of noise and smells, kids are amazing!
- The shiney jeepney
We arrived to the welcome of our dear Nani-Christine who has worked tirelessly to get us here…..cleaned and shopped and MOVED house. Our new home is awesome (by Baseco standards at least, balcony, aircon in one room (the boys), toilet, kitchen, running water very safe and lockable too) I am happy and content
We went to bed exhausted and hot, too hot to think……and woke at 4.30am (prewarned) by the dear rooster across the road (where is a spud gun when you need one!!) like LOUD!! We had breakfast and lazed explored and absorbed…….
Our first day on our BIG adventure over, and successful.
Thanks God you are just good!
