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From Monsoon -- to Typhoon.

The Philippines.  July 7th - July 9th. 

Three jobs.  Nine weeks or 63 days of being on the road.  33 Airports.  Twelve cases of camera gear and baggage.

Well, we finally made it out of India and woke up in our hotel in Manila this morning and guess what . . .  It is still raining.  But for the moment we are happy.  Hot showers.  Clean sheets.  Coffee in our room we didn’t have to brew ourselves.  And last night - Sushi !  

The traffic, at a minimum, is better.  Better roads, driving on the right, and a much cleaner city.  It was a harrowing drive out of Bombay - 1000s of trucks and they all were passing, all the time. 

We can see daylight at the end of the tunnel now.  Home in a few days. 

Here in Manila, it seems Habitat is very active.  We met our local liaison last night and he told us at one site alone, just about 15 minutes from our hotel, they are building 1000 homes.  We have the morning off and will do a tech scout this afternoon, and maybe begin shooting if the sun comes out. 

Finished homes at the Manila site.

There is a Typhoon that skirted the outlying areas in the past few days and it is headed north towards Japan.  We are still in the remnants of the outer bands and they expect the weather to improve today and tomorrow. 

Getting here took over 30 hours.  From Mumbai, through Bangkok, to Hong Kong.  What a contrast it was to walk out into the modern airport in Hong Kong – after leaving the crowded environs of Mumbai.  Super bright, ultra modern architecture and amenities, and very, very clean. 

One thing this odyssey will surely change in our lives:  We will never take the word Clean for granted again.  When compared to developing countries, Americans just don’t have any idea how blessed we are in our standard of living when it comes to such basic things we take for granted:  Clean public facilities, clean roadsides, clean markets and sidewalks, food service, transportation – just basic things like restrooms.  And sanitary habits of people themselves.  Michele Young, our travel agent who arranged all our flights, told us we would come back from this trip forever changed.  We have been talking about that amongst ourselves.  We think we will be changed by this experience.  

At the Manila build site, people live in one-room huts constructed of just about anything they can scavenge from the landfill.  A wide-angle shot doesn't do it justice - but believe me, there are thousands of these dwellings adjacent to the 1000 new homes being constructed.  But it is One home, One family at a time.  That is the way Habitat does it. 

Our crew is lucky in other aspects too, assuming we make it home safely.   Nine weeks or 63 days of being on the road.  33 Airports.  12 cases of camera gear and baggage.  Lost:  one  Palm Treo, two pairs of prescription glasses, one pair reading glasses, one raincoat, two neck pillows, and one sweater.  Not too bad. 

Actually it would have been much more than that except for Eagle-Eye Sam.  After I lost my Treo in Moscow, Sam started looking after me – keeping me from losing countless things, including my passport.  I don't know if it is pure exhaustion from being on the road so long, my age, or just me being Captain Space Cadet.  Anyway, thanks Sam. 

July 9th. 

Last night, they told us there is another storm coming.  So I guess the Sun God has forsaken us.  When we returned from dinner, the moon was nearly full and we could see stars.  So we got up at 4:30 and headed to the location.  It is a site that is adjacent to the Port of Manila – one of the busiest ports in the Pacific.  It is formerly a swamp. 

Driving through poverty-lined streets on the way to the Manila Build Site.

The site is built on a landfill that the government donated to Habitat.  So it is a challenge to film there, due to the amount of debris on the ground.  But like all Habitat sites, the families are grateful for the very small homes that they are getting as a result of their partnership with Habitat.  It has been true everywhere we have gone.  People who seem to be at the end of the earth, in terms of material possessions and humane comforts -- seem to be totally resilient and their spirit is undeniable.  Laugher abounds.  Children run and play and no one complains. 

The children of a family about to receive a home in Manila. 

Although the homes are very small (9 square meters), they are clean, have running water, power and indoor toilets.  It makes for an astonishing transformation when they move in.  They begin to take pride in themselves almost instantly and quickly become entrepreneurs -- setting up shops and selling each other food and supplies. 

A market at the site.  Hundreds of them line the entry street.  Fresh fish from the port, fresh vegetables.  Grains.  Rice and fresh water. 

An unusual method of public transportation is the Jeepney.  (a cross between the words Jeep and Jitney)   Each one is uniquely adorned with the owner’s accoutrements and personal style.  Charles Goshen of Nissan recently visited and he was so enamored with them, he spent the afternoon, riding in them and talking with the drivers and passengers. 

The ubiquitous Jeepney. 

Two of our proud homeowners in Manila. 

At our farewell brunch in the Philippines at Manila's version of the Dock.    Great meal on a covered pier overlooking the downtown skyline. 

I'll post a re-cap when we get home . . .  Soon !    We are in the airport in Seoul, South Korea waiting on our 13 hour flight to Atlanta.    What a trip!  

Jim Susan and Sam