OK. So I've now been riding my motorbike over 12 months / 20,000+km here searching for "The Top Spot" to retire in. All over all the major and medium islands. Even 3 months around magnificent Mindanao. I had thought I'd found it in Dgt/Valencia until the Iloilo ferry docked in Palawan. (Do NOT take that ferry! Trust me.)
Back in the states during two years of online research, I always knew Dgt would be the place I'd end my ride and hang my hat. PPC "Puerto" seemed too much like Alaska to be considered. Remote, isolated, impractical. But after over two weeks exploring the island and city I must say I'm pleasantly surprised and might reconsider my top pick. The entire island is awesome and since its the least densly populated province in the Philippines its easy to get away from the crowds. I had no idea it was such an international tourist destination, a boom unleashed the last few years by travel rags such as CNN traveler, Conde Nast, etc.. Heres some comparisons in no particular order;
Both DGT & PPC are provincial capitals. Similar size 150-250k people. Both have huge mountains just behind them with cool little motorbike/bicycle roads. Ppc's roads are far less crowded out of town. Both a 1+- hour flite from Manila. PPC = tagalog, DGT = Visayan. DGT 7 colleges, PPC 2?. DGT a small mall with another coming. PPC a larger Robinsons with a big SM coming. Dgt has better food choices. Ppc has an international airport thats being enlarged, with direct flites to Korea, Japan, Taiwan, I hear. Ppc has way more hotels and way more euro-hippy tourists. Dgt has closer proximity to Cebu. Dgt has coolerish lovely Valencia, Ppc has nothing comparable up high. Both are equally close to scarey terrorist kidnappers from the south. Dgt probably has better health care. Dgt has 5000+- expats, Ppc has about 1000 or less. The expats in Ppc seem more friendly and approachable, and the girls are by far easier to meet it seems. Dgt is oversaturated with us. Ppc has so many backpacker tourists they're seldom overly chummy. Both seem to have similar living costs. Both have a looming water crisis unfolding. Province girls come to both capitals for work, as their first step into big city life. Both have equally cute baywalks along the seawall. Palawan is not volcanic so less earthquake danger. I hear its also off the typhoon belt. Palawan obviously beats all challengers for beaches and cool islands. Both have excellent diving sites relatively near.
In Puerto the gov tolerates the "business" of girlie bars/KTV/hookers much more than in Dgt. A good thing or a bad thing is up to debate, but I hate a gov telling me I cant go share a brew with the "musical assistants" (GRO's) as they're called here. There are quite a few clubs here ranging from top talent/fancy down to local dives. Dgt has the Why Not, Ppc has the Tiki. Ppc has 1 mcDo, 3 Joli's, a shakeys and others. Dgt has more and also favs such as the True Love, Tommys Tacos, Taco past Robinsons, the Pasta King, and more. Both have an immigration office. Ppc has timed street lites that usually work and that everyone usually obeys. Both are clogged with tricycles.
So, before you all beat me up, I think its a tie. I'll try Dgt/Val soon, then maybe move out here awhile later.My other top choices for livable cities here are; Malabalay Bukidnon (small but friendly and cool climate), Mati Davao del Sur (really pretty area but zero foreigner infrastructure yet) and Dapitan/Dipolog just across the big river there. My favorite small livable islands are; Biliran (go there, see it), Camiquin, Marinduque, and of course Siquijoir, tho I doubt I'd actually live on any of them. What say yee, O bretheren?
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Just happened to me a few hours ago. I was walking through Piapi at night on my way home (I was up early to grab something to eat before hitting up contacts in N. America). I felt a push from behind and my bag flew off from my shoulder. I then waved bye-bye to it at as it went away with the back-rider on the motorcycle.
Actually, a few seconds before waving bye-bye was a rush of oh-sh** inventory and an instant creation of a checklist for things to do when arriving home.
Luckily nothing was in it (I always carry my bag, even empty) which usually isn't the case. They carried off with like $8, some keys and my quickly deactivated debit card. The bag was new and cost $25. Silly me, I didn't have a back-up card, so the card is the biggest pain. I now have to coordinate WU / Xoom with people at home while I arrange something else.
Ultimately, this was probably a cheap call to take care of some stuff (have back-ups, make sure info is up to date on everything so that getting replacements is easy) and make sure to observe personal security.
Lessons...
- I should probably avoid walking at night when there isn't traffic. I hadn't been too worried about it until now, but I suppose it was only a matter of time before someone gave me problems.
- Walk facing oncoming traffic. I usually do this anyways because I get paranoid of someone swerving into the side and taking me out.
- At times, take a pedicab. I walk as a way to unwind my code brain and to get some blood moving. So, I don't want to stop completely. But it's probably good to take a pedicab outside of those cases (and maybe when I'm carrying something valuable.
- Carry only what I anticipate I'll need when I walk out the door. On a "break" walk, this should be nothing but some pocket change.
- Carry the bag with the straps going over both shoulders (as opposed to loosely hanging off one shoulder) and possibly even strapped at the waist (this bag had those straps.)
- Electronic devices need to be backed up, encrypted and setup with remote tools which may be helpful for disabling them, deleting data and tracking. I haven't looked much into some of this, but I'll be doing that now.
- Practice. Setup a random reminder which goes off maybe once a quarter which gives me a random scenario. For example, lost my wallet. Maybe lost everything in a flood. What would I do? Run through the steps as if this actually happened to make sure all systems work.
- Optional. Pull the golden cord on my privilege parachute. I could just exploit my unearned privilege in life and get a cushy tech job in an ivory tower in the heart of the empire. A place where people either work or flee leaving little room for poverty and the problems which come with that. Maybe a bad attitude on this one, but it's still an option.
- Just the opposite of the above option. Embrace it. I just paid my dip-sh** tax. That is, thieves making their living also. Lord knows that's just a drop in the ocean of money I have paid out to help others in this town. Some deserving, some not (some maybe even less deserving than these thieves.)
- Research for other tips and options.
Note: I didn't take this to the police station. Why bother? I also didn't even think to try to get any identifying info. The first thoughts to run through my head was to generate an inventory of what was in the bag.-
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Well, we are now back in Oz, well and truly permanently, and so happy to be so.
What a great Country, I really missed it. Being away increased my already good appreciation. My years in Phil were very interesting and educational to say the least, and it was good to see the other side of the coin. I achieved my goal there, and that was to find the best Filipina available, which I did, and also to learn about the Country and Culture of my wife to better enhance our relationship and Marriage. All the best to you guys who are permanent there.
Thanks to any and all on this Forum who offered information and assistance.
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