After a very long plane ride I arrived in the Philipines yesterday afternoon. My plane ride involved few stops and I was essentially travelling for more than half a day. So, needless to say I was very tired when I got here. But I was pleasantly surprised when I got to the NAIA (the International Airport in Manila). There was a VIP reception for me, and the customs and immigration took no time at all! This was a very cool experience for me, because being a Sri Lankan immigration is usually a very torturous experience! I was greeted by officers from PTCAT who had kindly arranged my transportation to the University hotel. Everybody was so cheerful and friendly. This was very refreshing for me, especially since I was tired from my journey. The driver of the car offered some touristy advice, what parts of Manila I should avoid, and was very enthusiastically answering all my questions about the country. All in all, I had a very good first experience of the country, and looking forward to the next two months!
