Indian Samurai इंडियन सामुराई

 This trip, rather incredible, reconciled me with India!!

To live here taught me how to decipher a foreign “psychology” and I believe I was able to understand more quickly what the Filipinos actually meant when they said something than Shiv.

 

Ok, when I saw all the Indians in the waiting room in Singapore, I wouldn’t have minded going back to Philippines for a little while longer… But this is good to be back at home!!

We travelled like backpackers, and I felt rejuvenated!! Buses, jeepneys, tricycles, no Internet (with great surprise, the majority of the travellers had notebooks, ipads etc), rooms without electricity, for ten days, I did feel younger!!

 

Some photographs here:

 

 

Philippines - June 2011

 

At the time you will be reading this article, I will be somewhere in Philippines!!

 

The first thing I came across when I decided to go there is that there must be very few Indians visiting Philippines!! And how did I get this feeling?? I visited about 10 bookshops and there was no travelling guide!! I had to order it online…

I have to say, since I am going on holidays, and anyway carrying a walking reminder of where I live, this sounds quite good!!

 

And figures prove it – anyway it is not too difficult to figure out why Indians do not go to Philippines: Indians who travel have money (lots of money) and Philippines has not so good a reputation (quite poor and unsafe, no electricity etc.):

 

In 2006 they received 18,000 tourists from India (whereas 8 millions of Indians had travelled abroad – 0.22%). Reciprocately, only 5,000 Philippinos went to India that year.

In 2010, they received 34,800 tourists from India (whereas 12 millions of Indians had travelled abroad – 0.29%).

 

Apparently Philippines are now targeting Indian tourists, starting with a direct flight from Delhi in March 2011… Let’s see!! After ads on TV for Malaysia, maybe we will see Philippines soon!

 

And if you wonder what are the top abroad destinations for Indian tourists:

 

·          Colombo

·          Singapore

·          Kuala Lumpur

·          Fiji

·          Maldives

·          Bhutan (Thimpu)

·          Paris

·          Hong Kong

·          Rome

·          Geneva

 

Sources : http://www.india-forums.com/news/travel/10427-philippines-joins-the-race-to-attract-indian-tourists-lead.htm ; http://ezinearticles.com/?Top-10-Travel-Destinations-for-Indians&id=6220216