Travel Recap: Southwest Beaches of Mahe

On a personal note: 

Shipment:
Our 20 ft container arrived safely and to those who are curious how much custom tax will be charged, it averages at Php 45K (USD $ 1,016) . This excludes temporary storage fees at the port and delivery transport arrangements to areas where a 20ft container vehicle cannot access.  Tax exemptions? Calculations show that it still comes out cheaper to pay duties and taxes than using OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker) Tax exemptions. Paper work is also faster. We were happy with the service by Global Relocations and Bridge Worldwide. They made the entire logistic experience stress free. How much did we spend for a 20ft container door to door?  AED 16,500 ( USD$ 4,495). We also had to pay insurance on top of that.

Detox Updates:

Detox diet is over...haaaa..and it ended with a buffet dinner at Yakimix Prime in Bonifacio Global City. 

Getting around the city:

I spent the last two days taking public transportation to get to Angeles City, Pampanga and going around government agencies in Manila. Despite doing internet research and asking people on their exact locations, these offices seem to have relocated so I spent a lot of time commuting and trying to find my way around.  

I was feeling quite low lately because it's a really big change. The heavy commute and the completely different system is something I need to get used to. I try to reassure myself, it will take time to get adjusted. 

Apparently, Google Maps navigator do not work accurately here. They use an app called Waze and guess what, I have not subscribed to an internet data package as yet, since we'll be away again soon. So without this technology, I find my way around the traditional way - asking people. 

My husband and I hate being late.  We walked along Ayala Avenue in a sour mood on a Friday night, because we were almost 2 hours late for a dinner appointment. The mall was swarmed with shoppers due to a 3 Day Mega Sale,  the taxi queues were ridiculously long. We found an alternative route and we were stuck in traffic, we missed our stop and we walked for several kilometers because cabs were all taken.  Thank God, the night ended up nicely , as we decided to treat ourselves with a spontaneous drink date at our favorite bar, Niner Ichi Nana at Globe Tower. A glass of Pinot Grigio melted everything away.

If I were to describe what my days are like in a short phrase, well that would be "Ask lots. Walk lots, sweat lots." On a positive note, I seem to be gradually trimming down as I perspire buckets.  Okay, I'm off to use my new favorite toy, a rechargeable mosquito swatter. I swear it works!