Alright, so this next update is being written at 3 AM local time (jetlagged, can’t sleep, don’t ask), Thursday at a hotel so there have been a few developments since flying over Mongolia. We touched down about 15 hours ago. I didn’t manage to write anymore during the trip itself but trips are boring anyways. So, I’ve arrived safe and sound on Philippine soil and we have already been around seeing a lot of stuff here in this (hot and humid!) place. Let me skip what has happened since I touched down, however – I’d like to spend a moment to tell you that the most absolutely insane thing has happened to me here before I’ve even spent 24 hours in this place. I fell into an open manhole cover! For real. Shit like that only happens in cartoons, right? Nope. Take a developing country where they don’t bother to put up warning signs for stuff like that on the sidewalk, and there you go. One second I’m walking side by side with Jacob and talking, on our way to check out the shopping area close to our hotel, and the next second I’m suddenly below ground level from the shoulders down in a manhole, not really registering or believing what is happening to me. Right now my leg hurts. I slammed my shin into one of the ladder rungs when I fell in and I’m not quite too keen on running in this state. It could have been a LOT worse though. Imagine if my arms didn’t save me from falling all the way in! Jacob remarked that there was a long way down. Fuckfuckfuck, too scary to contemplate.

Well, there’s nothing quite better than something like that to bitchslap you into understanding that, yes, you are now in the Philippines. Welcome! In all honesty I feel more personally insulted than anything else, though. Stuff like this should happen to other people, not me, and now I’m not really in shape to do kitesurfing or any of the other things Jacob and I were thinking of looking into. No, I’m making it worse than it sounds, I walk with a limp but it’ll go away soon. I’m still psyched about doing shit here for a month and a half before our traineeship begins on August 1st.

What else happened, since we landed? We got picked up at the airport by a former classmate of my mom’s who is working at a research unit of the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources. So it’s real neat, we had a lot to talk about and she’s a friendly lady who had no problems taking us under her arm. A short note on her work – she’s currently doing research on the impact of GMO crops on biodiversity, and doing environmental assessments of the development of the Boracay tourist area. Sweet stuff – the GMO thing surprised me especially as I only originally thought that was something that worried us over at the EU. At any rate, she showed us this house that she had lined up for us as a possible place for Jacob and I to rent. Two-storeys, and with swimming pool, basketball and tennis facilities nearby. Not. Too. Bad. At. All.

Tomorrow we’re having a look at some more houses before we make a final decision. After we saw the house I just mentioned, we drove over to the Laguna Technopark Hotel, at the Laguna Technopark itself (an industrial estate) where Sunpower is located. Here we met our main contact at Sunpower and he gave us a tour of the area, pointing out all the good places. It seems Sunpower is a heavyweight in the Technopark. Area-wise, it occupies one of the largest plots of land. It employs around 1000 people and it is expanding production. 100% of their solar cell production goes to export sales, in markets like Germany. I’ll tell you more about Sunpower as I learn more about it, and if I feel I’m allowed to divulge the information ;)

To round off the day, Jacob and I had a couple of beers (try the Philippine local cerveza, amigos – San Miguel!) and went to the local shopping area where we had dinner for two for around 50 DKK, and that was on the expensive side so I’ve heard. Fuck… I’d better watch my weight while I’m here! Oh, funny thing about the Philippines is their aggressive marketing, hehe… outside where the bars and restaurants are lined up, fiiiiine-looking Filipina ladies have this thing where they all wave to you and call out, inviting you to come over and have your meal or drink at the establishment they work for. They sometimes work in groups, Jacob and I found out, surrounding you and showing you to your table whether you like it or not. I must confess, I suggested a Mexican restaurant after being charmed by a cute thing with a bare midriff I couldn’t take my eyes off.

Er, on that note, I guess I’ll stop it here. Stay tuned to this channel. My blogging will not be very regular as Jacob and I fuck around in this country to do some traveling, but I’ll keep you guys updated as much as I can. Talk to ya!!!