You're going to be for it

...I'm from Yorkshire but I knew a fellow countryman working in Germany who spoke German fluently but with a Yorkshire accent.......hilarious.

A friend of my wife's lives with her husband in Birmingham and when we visit its a hoot listening to her speak English with the local accent.

We have a chap running a store outside our subdivision, pleasant fellow and from his looks I would assume Indian. BUT he is originally from Sri Lanka and has Dutch nationality, married to a Filipina and speaks good English and Tagalog
......luckliy without nodding his head ..

Hi my names Bernard and I'm new on here...

I 'll quickly introduce myself as customary here.

Grew up in West sussex but now fly back and forth between UK and Phil. In the past didn't really have the chance to explore Phil as had commitments that tied me into staying in Manila. I am overseeing a Construction project in Manila - so cant really stray out of manila too long - only on weekends.

However, just recently I bought a car so now can broaden my travel area and was wanting to know of good places to see.

I'd recommend Greenhills Mall in San Juan for cheap gadgets

I heard of caving somewhere in Batangas but dont know the location... has anyone heard of this and know where it is?

Starting to miss British currys too so would like to know of more good curry houses. I have ate at the ones in Greenbelt mall and another in Makati near SM (cant remember the names as was like a year ago) but it wasn't the same as the ones in London. I have only found one decent place so far called 'Cuisinier Bistro' in Timog Avenue QC (but thats was because the Chef trained in London) so their curry has plenty of yogurt (not watery like the other too I mentioned).

Pease help as, apart from cinema,... starting to get really bored working here

my best friends pakistani and he has a heavy yorkshire accent and I used to find that funny too

Just to say Hi and welcome to BE All the Philippines gang will be along soon no doubt to chat with you. If you get stuck with anything on the board, give me a shout.

thanks bakedbean!

like the tag... miss the Heinz brand too!

Tried all the various Baked beans and have come to accept the "Hunts" one as the nearest. It still has the sugar in it but less than the others. Maybe some one has the answer to modify it or change to be more similar to UK Heinz

...yes hunts is my stable breakfast diet on toast...

Dont think much of the UHT milk with cornflakes...much prefer the fresh milk of the uk. UHT tastes like slightly off milk so could never got my taste buds round it with cereal.

Driving here is crazy with motorcyclists on a death wish chicaning round you while you drive (like a jedi biker in a star wars movie).

oh...word of advice...If your a UK lady traveling at night..be careful getting into taxi... text the taxi number plate to a friend if going home alone.

Recommend buying dobermans if your an expat too as they make good watchdogs... expats can get a gun license provided they have a business here.

.....gun licenses and Dobermans ...maybe in Metro Manila, living away from a gated subdivision but hardly required in other parts of the Philippines.

Owning these things can make your presence known to the undesirables who think that you are worth some attention

Gated, well lit and organized subdivisions are recommended for foreigners settling in the Philippines. They are also useful for making contacts with the local community if you work at it.

We know 3 UK chaps who have bought land near their wife's family and built modern upscale bungalows. After a few fallout's over money lending they get "sent to Coventry" by the family and become marooned. One chap is marooned in his wife's compound whilst she is in UK working and sending home the money.....not to her husband mind you but her Filipino family. The husband gets an allowance and all his needs taken care of.

rumor has it that the wife has a boyfriend in the UK. This fellow arrived some years ago and is rather naive about life here. He is probably tooooo kind and has been taken advantage of.
All his money has been given to the family for investment ideas etc and now he lives on handouts

for me the best place in pinas is batangas nice beaches countryside and easy to get to manila if you want a taste of british foods theres a shop in the festival mall in alabang called union jack its alittle expensive but sometimes you feel like european foods dont we lol

I always say never mix family or friends out here with money...if I lend money I want collateral in return as a motivator for them to pay promptly and if a large amount... a contract. .. money lending is a business...I used to work in banking so like to feel that when I lend money, as a favour, it will be appreciated, and paid back promptly ... Its good to keep a low profile but, no matter hard you try, the whole neighbourhood will get to know if a foreigner has moved in nearby as Filipinos love gossip... its the national pass time