Updates

Yep, im leaving on Tuesday the 24th and will stay in the Phils. for almost a month. Will be back here in Phuket on May 22nd. Booked everything already. I cant believe how cheap the flights were….10k pesos for 3 countries!!!!!.. yup all one way! Bangkok-Manila, then Manila- Kuala Lumpur, staying in Kuala Lumpur for 2 nights, then Kuala lumpur- Phuket. No more business class flying for me this year. Im kinda proud of myself coz i booked everything myself via the internet hehehe. I have been spoiled for a long time coz Paul always sorts out everything for me including packing my suitcase. Guess im growing up at 36!!!(ok 37 this year!) Whooopeeee!

Im feeling guilty to be leaving Paul and the dogs again. But i really need to go home to sort some things out in Philippines (excuses.. excuses!). So im starting to cook big batches of his food again and giving him a pep talk not to be naughty while im away…….eating the wrong foods!!!!! But honestly, I really have to visit and see how things are in the house, among other things. Apparently I have termite problem in the house and i have to do something about it now before it eats up any wooden structure of the house. I Dont really fancy coming home one day and found only the concrete structure left standing! We dont see us staying in the Philippines for months on end, in the next 2 years. But once the project/new company that we are setting up will take off this year, then we can start the project that we are planning for the Philippines. Only then we can see ourselves going back and forth. Im really looking forward to that coz that is also the start of our semi retirement. But it will still be a longgggg way before the actual retirement! We still have to work our asses off before it happens. ahhhhh, the joys of living!…………… NOT!

My stuffs are now on the way to the Philippines from Cyprus..yup all four boxes! I really pray i will get them all. Im really really worried about the postal system having heard many horror stories about missing stuffs coming to the Philippines from another country. Not only in Phils actually, it happens here many times as well having read many stories on the local paper, mostly accounts of the expats living in Phuket. In fact we lost a few packages in the past as well from England when Paul’s sister sends us our Xmas presents.( It makes me wonder if those people who nicked them actually acquired a taste for Christmas pudding!!! ) In the end it was sent via the Postal office of Northern Cyprus as that was still the cheapest way to go. DHL was quite expensive.. more than the cost of my ticket coming back! The captain didnt bother trying the other companies i.e FedEx or Ups etc. thinking the rate would almost be the same. I cant say i blame them.

Some people would probably feel that its not worth sending it over. It costed a lot to get them back, plus there is no amount on the anxiety im experiencing now if i will get them all, not to mention the effort put into it by the captain and the pinay crew by lugging it around Famagusta and ended up bringing it to Nicosia. Is it worth it? …For me it is.. coz those were bought from the places i have been to and even if i can buy them again here or in the Philippines ( the wonder of globalization!), i dont think it will ever feel quite the same when i look at them. The stuffs i left are not really expensive, but its a reminder of my travels and i know that if i look at them in the years to come, there was a story behind every little item… and i guess that is really the value of what im paying for now….( yes im talking to myself trying to justify and hopefully feel better about my own reasonings! It was really expensive i want to cry!!!!!!!!!!!)

Another reason for going home is to be with my nephews this summer. I will get them to stay with me.. all 3 boys.. on the whole duration i will be there. Take them swimming and take them out to Mcdonalds or Jollibee, if they behave! Dont you just love them at that age? It takes ( and yes costs) so little to give them fun and hear their laughters and see the look of glee in their naughty little faces. My consolation is that when they reach the age that it will be expensive to give them fun, it wont really be my problem anymore but their own parents hehehehe! Kinda like the grandparents, they want to enjoy their grankids and when the kids act up they can always shoo them back to their own parents!