Brisbane-Australia to Dumaguete - First-time Traveler.

G’Day, better pour your self a Coffee & make yourself comfortable as I have some questions for those better traveled…


I am looking at visiting my Girl next year (2013) at some stage, we have known each other the past 3 years as Best friends speaking daily, sharing many deep & meaningful times until finally the penny dropped, we cannot go a day with out each other, yeah ok sounds a little cliché but I am an Old School type of guy & having been burnt already I know she is a keeper… :D


I am Disabled living week to week on a Disability Pension which really does not stretch far, I am in my early 50’s & have never traveled here in Oz or elsewhere for that matter, I have never hired or stayed in a Motel Room, never flown & I am about to shed the Hermit Shell & spread my wings for the first time in my life since leaving home in my teens.


But where do I start?
I can normally find anything via Google, but over-information can be worse than lack of information & then trying to traverse Flight tables to try & work out a budget & time for Travel, calculate what would be considered typical Expenses (also unexpected Expenses) & Medical Insurance etc; suddenly I feel everything spinning beyond my control like I am sinking FAST in the quick sand for the unwary… :(


I have spoken to my Girl & we have decided it is best I stay with her Family for a month, I do not want to go to the Philippines & live it up in Air-con relaxing by the Pool, I want to experience the REAL Philippines! I know they are a poor family who graciously has accepted me to stay with them during my stay in their small home. I am 99% sure of what I am up against, & look forward to meeting my new family who I can say are great in that they have expected nothing from me in the past 3+ years I have known them despite hard times, unlike many others I have encountered & been burnt by...

I do not expect my host family to carry me of course; I want to go there & be a member of the family, not a guest & not the cash Cow which most end up becoming when meeting their host Family; I KNOW this is a proud hard working family who work to eat & believe those who hold their hand out tarnish the Pinoy reputation, simple as that.

I have started saving for my trip abroad; I would like to leave here with at least $2,000 in the Bank to cover my stay as well as the unexpected, (after paying for my Return Flight hopefully including any of the usual Fees) but where do I start? O-|


I want to travel by reliable Services; not some 2-bit Paki Kite held together by Gaffer Tape… Does QANTAS or Philippine Airlines fly direct from Brisbane to Dumaguete?

I have tried working out Flights that show up in Google Search as ‘Fly Brisbane to Dumaguete Direct’, but having to input specific dates which I have not worked out as yet; nothing really seems to match my search query once I get to the nitty-gritty of it…

If not; what is the quickest/ shortest most direct route to get from Brisbane Airport to Dumaguete?

I would LOVE to live there, but due to my disabilities I am tied here for medicinal reasons including the fact I am not reliable enough to work full-time there having had a broken Leg (next to my Hip) since 1984 which cannot be rectified by Surgery.



I would like to travel during the winter season if possible keeping in mind that I am not staying in Air-con accommodation; I do not have Air-con here in Ipswich QLD which is hotter than hell in summer & akin to frog’s hollow in winter talk about extremes!

I am sure despite the above mini-novel, I have left out the important questions, this is why I am asking those better traveled than my self so that they may inform me as to what am I up against in my new venture in life…


Any advice will be much appreciated… Cheers, Brian.

 

Hi Brian,

Welcome to DI, great intro !!! Thanks a lot.

I am on the way out and can't give you many answers for now, but I am sure you will get good insight and answers by many members here.

I will chip in my 2 centavos later when back

cheers

rhoody

 

Thank you Rhoody, I do tend to over explain things a tad...:o

 

don't worry, the more Info, the clearer the picture !
way better than saying:

that is a original quote of a recent post, which is hard to answer with 170 countries and thousands of options...

 

Very true Rhoody

I have touched on this subject also with a couple of Immigration Agents & the gist of it is I will need huge wad$ of Ca$h…


Speaking to my Girl, I am considering an all in one deal, after around 3.5 years we are sure of what we are doing, I know she is genuine, I have already been stung while she has stayed my closest friend & never wavered in her feelings towards me, I would be stupid to pass her up it is as simple as that.

I need advice on going there, as well as the process of marriage as we have toyed with the idea of me going there, spending 2 or 3 weeks of the month organizing to marry her before my return, then trying to follow Australian immigration procedures to fly her & her daughter (4yo) here under the Spouse Visa.


So much to do, so many conflicting stories, confusing Agents & Government Departments that will not freely give up much needed information for a legitimate immigration process while they are flat out processing all the illegal Boat *ahem* Refugees flooding our shores here.



So I figure it is best to ask the people who have done this already, are doing this now & who are willing to part with good advice from past experience. Hoping that the final pieces to my puzzle fit for a lifetime of happiness…


Cheers, Brian

 

Brian, one option is you can fly Qantas Airlines (QA) from Brisbane to Manila, and then a domestic flight on Philippines Airlines or Cebu Pacific Air from Manila to Dumaguete.
Be aware the QA Brisbane flight leaves at 1:20pm and arrives in Manila at 7:05pm, you will then have to spend the night in Manila and wait for the morning flights to Dumaguete. There are posts on this forum regarding hotels around Manila airport.
Your return flight is easier as you can take the afternoon Dumaguete to Manila flight and then the Manila-Brisbane flight leaves at 6:25pm arriving in Brisbane at 3:50am.

We can help you with other questions you have including getting married here. Good luck.

 

Thank you PatO; everything is a mystery to me, my biggest adventure to date has been going to the local Mall each fortnight to pay my Bills & do my shopping so this will really test the agoraphobia... May have to wear a pair of 'depends' under the Jeans when I hit the Airport I think? :Dhehe

IF it is possible; I would love to marry Melinda there, she was my final choice; before I was dazzled by a little beauty with killer eyes who took me for a roller coaster ride to the tune of 250,000+ PHP... Deep down I knew it, but there was always that benefit of doubt that held her in there by a thin margin until Google led me to her other Date/ Facebook and eMail profiles... A fool and their money huh? O-|

Hind sight is 20/20... I could have already met & been married to my lil bottler genuine Melinda had I taken my own advice & stayed with the older mature 'Woman' instead of falling for the "Boyfriend Free since Birth Good little Christian Girl with killer eyes"... *shakes head*

I have known Melinda now for 3 1/2+ years, we remained Best friends while I was engaged to my 'other' yet in the back of my mind I always knew I had made the wrong decision, expensive mistake but no use whining about what is done when the future is a whole lot brighter...

As far as I know for Australian Immigration purposes; we are supposed to meet face to face & spend 7 days getting to know each other, that is correct yes? But I do not know if I am able to go there & meet & arrange to marry in a 4 week period as it will take me a year to save the Fare & spending money to go there, then another 12-18 months to save the funds to fly Melinda & her daughter here under the Spouse Visa which I am told is best to use a reputable Immigration Agent so as all applications & paperwork is correctly filled in & submitted.

Am I close to being on the right path?

I prefer the idea of flying Qantas, a shame there are no direct flights from Singapore to Dumaguete, that is what I was hoping so I could stop over in Singapore & fly direct to Dumaguete. Do ALL International Flights 'have to pass through Manila' before heading to other areas in the Philippines?

Thanks, Brian.

 

^^

You can take a Qantas flight to SYN or MEL then a Philippine Airlines flight to Manila then to Dumaguete. Transfers are easier with PR from an international to a domestic leg since its under one terminal. You can opt for a same day flight to Dumaguete so you don't have to stay overnight in Manila.

 

Not exactly clear language for someone who has never been in an airplane in his life.
From Brisbane to the Philippines there are no direct flights.
That means that you will have to change airplane halfway.
The cheapest round trip flight may cost around 850 Australian $, but be very careful because the cheapest flights may take 30 or more hours to reach your destination.
look for connection the same day as arrival within a few hours.
This is not always very clear in timetables but you still have time to practice in buying a plane ticket.
To avoid Manila you may consider Cebu as destination but this is more expensive (Malaysian air)
From Cebu to Dumaguete you can fly, but a land trip by bus is also possible.

 

Some websites to compare flights:

Skyscanner
Kayak
Farecompare
Gocompare
Momondo
Diyflights
Webjet
Travelzoo
Compareflights