Hello,
I'm in Boracay, Philippines, and here is a quick travel blog of our trip so far. Photos to follow. Left the synthetic biology conference in California after some great fun with Katrina (and friends), Ronen, Mandy, Chris. and a few beers with conference buddies. then went to visit Phil and Ann in Sunnyvale, who are both well. Then took off for a night in Hawaii, which was suprisingly nice, very relaxed place and not too "in your face" as I had expected. From hawaii I flew to Guam and Guam to Manilla. A Ying arrived at Clark the next day and we took a bus straight up to Vigan , staying in a wonderful old colonial spanish house and trotting around the city on horse and cart. 2 days later we headed south'ish down to Cervantes (off the beaten track) and then to Bannaue rice terraces (on the beaten track). the beaten track sucked, the terraces are a bit wobegon, with locals preferring to chew beetlenut and extort money from tourists rather than maintain the fields, but ho hum. Left feeling a little disapointed. Next day caught a flight down to Boracay and have been here for 3 nights. great beach, a little too developed if it wasn't for the fact that we stumbled upon a great little place "ralph's place" high up on a hill in Bolabog at the back of the island. We could hide there when we wanted some piece and quite. back to Manila now and then to Malaysia for a week, before back to USA on 12th, evening.
ciao,
john

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