We have been having a bit of a heat wave as of late, with temperatures hitting 92 during the day and only going down to about 86 at night. Those numbers don’t sound too bad, but when you factor in the tropical humidity, it can be a bit torturous at times. I have been running the aircon about 12 hours a day, and with electricity costing about twice what it costs in the USA, it is running me about $3.50 a day (and that is with the aircon set to only bring the room down to 85 during the afternoon and 82 at night). So, with these hot summer weeks, I am looking at an electric bill of about $100 a month; that compared to about $60-70 when it’s not so hot. A bit expensive, but with rent so cheap here it still balances out in an “economic refugee’s” favor. Some expats don’t use aircon at all, but at this point, I can’t join that club; I need my aircon at night in order to sleep (somewhat) well.

House Hunting and Insomnia in the Philippines
Driving around and looking for signs is how you house hunt here. Ain’t no Craigslist……..
Speaking of sleeping, insomnia continues to kick my ass, as it has for the past few years. I get to sleep OK, but I wake up at least three to four times a night – and these are “wide awake” wakeups where I have to get up and later read myself to sleep. I brought some Ambian from the US, but I seem to be immune to them. Alas……
Michell finished up her first full week at work and is loving it so far. Her training shift is from 4 AM to 1 PM and she gets up to go to work around 3 AM. Quite the trooper, my better half. The company she is working for provides virtual assistants to Western real estate firms and is run by an expat friend. He was taken with her smarts from their first conversation and the employment negations started about a week after that. I’m proud of my girl, and I hope she is proud of herself as well.
We are back in Dumaguete and looking around for a two bedroom house or apartment. My Filipino amigo John Paul told me yesterday that there is a house near Hypermart (big grocery store) for about 8,000 pesos ($180) a month, so I will check it out today. As long as it has window screens and decent security fittings (and provision for aircon), I am not too picky. So, we’ll see how it goes.
Got to head into town in a bit to hit the gym and pick up some SCUBA gear (vest and regulators) that my German buddy Sam shipped to me from Manila before he headed back to Germany. He asked if I would hold onto it for him until he comes back in November, and I told him I would just so long as I could use it. I still haven’t gone scuba diving. Doh!
Take care all and see ya next time!