| The Start | ||
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| Meeting in Manilla | | I had planned to go out to the Philippines to meet some friends and as it was my Birthday one of my friends (Bernadette) had arranged a party, which due to circumstances I did not go to. However one of my friends (Lucia) travelled to Manilla to meet me and stay a few days there. |
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| Cebu | | My friend had never flown before as she had always travelled around the Islands by ferry. So to calm here nerves at every bump click and noise I was left explaining what was happening. We arrived at the Cebu international Airport and took a taxi into Cebu and as a visitor got taken for my first ride as the Taxi Driver maintained he never had any change for my 100 peso (PHP) note. I was staying at the YHA as i t was only 40PHP and I learnt why and although I had ordered a fan the room never seemed cooler than 45oC. So the night was spent having showers and perspiring profusely. The fan duly arrived for the second night but by the 4th night I decided to move to a hotel Soliman in Town (Manalili St) and I stayed here until my holiday finished. The hotel was tidy and clean but needed a lick of paint. The usual haunt for food was the Visayan Restaurant just a few doors up |
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| Site seeing | | We spent several days looking around Cebu - The Fort San Pedro, Magellans Cross. The Zoo and the Taoist Temple. We were getting on so well that she and her son moved into the Hotel with me on alternate days as she would go home and look after her parents on the other days. After about 2 weeks I proposed to her spoke to her parents who agreed to the marriage. I FAXed to my employer to ask for a holiday extension. We also took a bus to Toledo on the other side of the Island but we missed our stop and as the bus was so crowded had to climb out of the windows to get off and then we had to walk a couple of miles back to Toledo, we found the restaurant and had a meal but the hotel was terrible so decided to go back to Cebu despite the late arrival but at least we still had a room at the hotel on Monalili st. Tambuli Beach resort, because of access to the private beach, became a regular visit having bought Lechon and mangos en route. |
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| Proposal and Marriage | | Before we could get married we had to go to the compulsory 4 lectures, visit the British Embassy in Manilla and then see the judiciary to get the marriage licence. There were the usual things like wedding rings etc to be purchased along with our wedding clothes as I had elected to get married in local formal dress. |
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| Honeymoon | | Having completed all the legal requirements our wedding day (Tuesday) was on the wed at 08:00 with the High Court Judge. It seemed strange as soon as we were finished he was presiding over a murder trial. The whole wedding party was then going for a Breakfast at the restaurant and whilst we were there Her brother suggested we go down the coast to a Nipa Hut at Argao that he had there so having been persuaded we agreed to meet at my hotel and go down the coast for a BBQ and the start of a few days honeymoon. The convoy of vehicles set of and before long we had out first problem when the pick up that we were in had a puncture and no jack!!! Well by proping up the back of the truck landed me in problems with my wife. Then there was the rain storm that left us all soaked and on eof th e girls did not have a bra on so with the wet T – shirt I was caught looking so that was the second problem and I had only been married for a couple of hours. !!!!! When we arrived at this romantic setting it was discovered that the mosquito nets had been left behind so after a quick discussion we decided to go back to Cebu. As there were only 2 rooms and no doors the girls changed first and the boys second so that anyone wanting to go swimming could do so. Of course my wife and I did so as it was the only way we could get any privacy away from over attentive relatives. A swim that was both memorable and amazing. The BBQ was great and soon it was time to pack up and return to the hotel in Cebu. My Problems were not over as on the way back it started to rain again and then we discovered that the road had been washed out and we had to wait for the waters to subside and by the time it was late so during the conversations as to what to do next I suggested the party members with children de dropped of first as the children were getting factious, and we could be dropped off when we were closest to the Hotel Magellan, we had not booked rooms not having expected to be back in Cebu so soon. By now it was about 11pm and we were soaking wet so at the Magellan hotel reception found us twin room and would allow us to go up to our room shower and then register. Well the last problem was to take place as we showered when I was asked for a divorce – that came out of the blue – the quickest weeding and it was less than 12 hours old. Those that are close to me know what happened next but suffice it to say I was extremely distraught. |
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| The End | | The next day I went to her brothers to thank them for their help and that landed me in more trouble. I could do nothing right so the next morning having pulled a few strings with friends at PAL got on a flight home to start divorce proceedings. Later I learnt that my wife had gone around to friends causing scenes at various homes on the Island. |
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