Sunday 10pm

I was up early as usual at 5am to watch England play New Zealand, it was a great day for cricket but an even better day for England taking 7 wickets in the afternoon session (Anne you can tell Keith I was right as I did say to him that England would do the same to NZ but admittedly I didn't think it would be the 2nd session).

Manila is still quiet and I think it will be for a few more days yet. I've had a quiet day, cricket and just doing bits and pieces, now i will just get some sleep before I get up again tomorrow morning for cricket again.

I spoke to my sis Anne on the phone yesterday, we spoke about a few things but one of them was about Filipinos going on holiday outside of the country, I'm sure that a lot of people in the UK just take it for granted.... if you want to go on holiday you just go into a travel agent and book it, if you are traveling far you may need a visa, this is usually a done deal if you live in the UK.

It's not the same if you live here in the Phils, if you want to go abroad it isn't so easy, you have to get a visa not only from the country that you are visiting but first of all you need permission from Philippine emigration before you can go ahead.

Most applicants are turned down, they may allow you to travel more freely in Asia but if you are thinking of the U.S or the UK then it is more difficult. You have to prove that you will return, if you have a good business and property you will probably be OK but other than that you can forget it... you will be refused permission to leave. Even if a UK or US citizen gave you the money for the air fare and even agreed to sponsor you when you are abroad, your chances would be so slim as to be negligible.
We constantly hear people complain of immigrants and how easy it is for them to get into the UK and taking our jobs etc..... well please don't include Filipinos in that, the only Filipinos that you meet in the UK will be bona fide, usually well off ones that are allowed to visit for a holiday or others that have been granted a work permit whenever we need more nurses.

Hope you all had a great wekend..................