A bit of a contrast after much contrail

Yeah, a marathon day-long displacement with flights from Chch to Sydney to Brisbane to Manila, Philippines really took it out of us yesterday. We got in late and ended up in a pretty sparse guesthouse. Manila is most of what Pole is not: hot, wet, loud, crowded, etc. The people seem pretty friendly when you talk to them, which is nice. We saw the Manila Hotel's oppulent lobby today, and I couldn't help but be reminded of "The Shining". The old Intramuros district and the raucous walk back trying out the old navi-skills without my nose in a map went well. Looks like the trip to Mt. Pinatubo isn't happening tomorrow, but whatever. We'll find something to do.