Letter from Manila - Santol - of course!

[luckyseven]

I thought of you today... I trundled past the unresconstructed Battle of Britain class 34067 "Tangmere" in full steam at Preston Park and thought "I bet George could do with that to modernise Manila's railway"

In more serious vein, it's great to hear Madam is recovering so well. When I worked on the armours a mate got shot through the face during a robbery; only an air-powered ball bearing gun but it still shattered his jaw and broke a load of teeth . When I read the first lines of your post I feared the worst, but it seems the lady is a very lucky gal. Add my best wishes to the Sweetpea ones... she's going to think you've got a right bunch of loons for mates with all their piratical nicknames

Cheers, Nik

[georgeb]

Dec 5, 2015 0:28:13 GMT colnerov said:

Hi, Just caught up with this. All the best to you and yours. Never a dull moment there isn't it.

Colin

Colin, we could really do with a dull moment!

Dec 5, 2015 9:09:08 GMT igor said:

Dec 2, 2015 20:19:52 GMT blower said:

Jesus ...

Unbelieveable bad luck is that

Makes me glad theres no guns in the UK

And as for the family of rats ...

Call me a cynic but I think you mean no honest people with guns.

Firearm carying is widespread here and many shops, banks and bars have signs saying either no firearms or firearms must be handed over on entry. Like it or not, I chose to live here so I guess it's all part and parcel.

Dec 5, 2015 9:18:04 GMT igor said:

Will be thinking of you and yours George. All the best, and good hunting when you go after her family.

Thanks, I'm looking forward to that.

Dec 5, 2015 10:53:08 GMT jerseyci said:

Been reading your stuff for a while, and so thought that it was only polite to send best wishes to your better half for a speedy recovery

Thank you.

Dec 5, 2015 16:42:09 GMT paulmakin said:

thoughts with you all - hope the recovery continues apace.

is a bit bizarre this news though - last week we also got well acquainted with ICU on Tobago and then Trinidad. reason being that after being dropped home in town one of our assistant instructors disturbed an intruder and got shot in the face !!

we lucky though - we now have the shiny new hospital which has been in the planning/development/construction phases since i first found tobago. in 1989. erm, no staff though and the ones we have got haven't been paid for 3 months. seems to run on US interns who come down to undertake their electives.

paul

Sounds about right! Trust your man makes as good a recovery as Madam seems to be doing.

Dec 5, 2015 16:56:57 GMT luckyseven said:

I thought of you today... I trundled past the unresconstructed Battle of Britain class 34067 "Tangmere" in full steam at Preston Park and thought "I bet George could do with that to modernise Manila's railway"

In more serious vein, it's great to hear Madam is recovering so well. When I worked on the armours a mate got shot through the face during a robbery; only an air-powered ball bearing gun but it still shattered his jaw and broke a load of teeth . When I read the first lines of your post I feared the worst, but it seems the lady is a very lucky gal. Add my best wishes to the Sweetpea ones... she's going to think you've got a right bunch of loons for mates with all their piratical nicknames

Cheers, Nik

Funny you should say that. When I was on a job in Kalimantan on Indonesia, steam was suggested and even better, using wood! Indonesia is the largest producer of palm oil in the world and the trees have a finite life so are constantly being renewed, so tons of wood goes to waste. Only problem is that palm wood burns all wrong, it's far too fast when dry and gives off little heat when damp. Shame though, a nice idea.

Yes, I don't think any of us can get over how little damage was caused. Thanks for the good wishes.

We have a military operation planned for this morning as the 'family' were camped outside the hospital again yesterday.

Basically a dawn raid at 07:00hrs to extricate Madam, before any of the cockroaches are awake and active. Then she'll be home, safe and I can stop worrying.

[SmokeEm]

Have I missed something George? I remember that Madam's family were lazy scrounging scumbags but I don't remember reading a reason that they'd be camping outside the hospital?

[bstardchild]

Dec 6, 2015 10:57:54 GMT SmokeEm said:

Have I missed something George? I remember that Madam's family were lazy scrounging scumbags but I don't remember reading a reason that they'd be camping outside the hospital?

Probably wanting to return stuff already taken

Dec 2, 2015 0:20:32 GMT georgeb said:

One upsetting thing I found when I was there, is that the minute she was taken away, a certain flock of vultures (aka her family) turned up and started helping themselves to stuff from the house, including the gun.

[SmokeEm]

Dec 6, 2015 11:12:39 GMT bstardchild said:

Dec 6, 2015 10:57:54 GMT SmokeEm said:

Have I missed something George? I remember that Madam's family were lazy scrounging scumbags but I don't remember reading a reason that they'd be camping outside the hospital?

Probably wanting to return stuff already taken

Dec 2, 2015 0:20:32 GMT georgeb said:

One upsetting thing I found when I was there, is that the minute she was taken away, a certain flock of vultures (aka her family) turned up and started helping themselves to stuff from the house, including the gun.

I saw that but it doesn't make sense? Trying to return stuff?

[bstardchild]

Dec 6, 2015 14:34:12 GMT SmokeEm said:

Dec 6, 2015 11:12:39 GMT bstardchild said:

Probably wanting to return stuff already taken

I saw that but it doesn't make sense? Trying to return stuff?

Sorry - poor humor - no idea why they'd be camped out - I'm sure George will put us right

[flyingphil]

Hope all has gone well today.

[georgeb]

The convoy slowly negotiated the mean streets of Tondo, Range Rover leading, it's muted V8 throb bouncing off the houses on either side. It was H-hour - 5 and the target was in sight. The whole plan revolved around speed and stealth. In and out, minimum fuss. Everything was arranged with agents on the inside to ensure no foul-up. If enemy reinforcements could be mustered before they could get clear, the results could be catastrophic.

"Ah, doctor not here. You wait one hour" Well that's the end of that then!

Having arrived at seven on the dot, it was ten before we finally got away, carrying Madam back to the safety of Malate. Fine Philippine planning.

Anyway, she's home, along with over 140 tablets of various shapes and sizes. I reckon if you shook her, she'd sound like a baby's rattle.

Dec 6, 2015 10:57:54 GMT SmokeEm said:

Have I missed something George? I remember that Madam's family were lazy scrounging scumbags but I don't remember reading a reason that they'd be camping outside the hospital?

Dec 6, 2015 14:46:40 GMT bstardchild said:

Dec 6, 2015 14:34:12 GMT SmokeEm said:

I saw that but it doesn't make sense? Trying to return stuff?

Sorry - poor humor - no idea why they'd be camped out - I'm sure George will put us right

I have to be honest in admitting that I really don't have a clue.

When the accident first happened, they were full of unrighteous indignation at the driver. I reckon that was to make them feel better about going into the house and stealing stuff, rather than from any concern for their sister. History shows there's been little of that down the years. But over the days, that seems to have transmuted into something more sinister entirely. We've received SMS accusing madam of having an affair, me of having an affair, the driver being a drug addled rapist and all sorts of other pleasant stuff. This, coupled with hanging around outside the hospital, often nine or ten at a time as led to a bit of a tense few days, hence the dawn raid. That wasn't!

But I just can't see what they are hoping to gain and let's face it, they'll be money at the end of any motivation, but I'm puzzled as to how they see this happening. Madam has put the Tondo house and another property she has there on the market, so they'll never get to go back and live there. I admit to being completely stumped.

The eldest Bottle Opener got an SMS (bizarrely via my mobile) from her father, Madam's brother, on Friday saying how much he really loved her and that she should come back to live with him and he'd look after her (he can't look after himself without nicking stuff) and she should leave these evil people. He said he wanted to meet her outside the hospital, "To talk" and, as you can imagine, this set me on edge a bit, although I've always said that it is her choice to live with us and that if she were to change her mind, although broken hearted, I would understand. In this case though, given what was going on, I had a funny feeling it could go a bit further than "Talk", perhaps as far as "Grab". So I showed her the SMS without saying anything, she smiled and immediately responded with a long reply that seemed to revolve around the premise of F.R.O!

But you can see why I was keen to get everyone away.

Anyway, now Madam's home we can set about dealing with them.

Moving along, I've got a meeting at eleven this morning with PNR and DOTC which hopefully is the last, last one before they put pen to paper on the track access agreement. I've just got to talk them through the payments so they can see they will have a financial benefit from us running on their tracks - although why they can't work this out for themselves defeats me a bit. Let's see how that goes

[paulmakin]

ah, "grab". the second most popular pastime in TnT (after cricket, but only if there's drinking involved). oh, and sex. that's the third most popular pastime then

i'm feeling a curious affinity with the Philippines - i believe there's some good diving to be had. may come a knocking on your door one day.

glad M's home - ours isn't yet but, again bizarrely, no lasting/significant damage. makes you wonder just how tough a skull really is - i mean, get shot in the face and i would previously have imagined that death would certainly follow (present company excepted of course).

mind you, i did once treat a guy who'd effectively given himself a bilateral frontal lobotomy, with a crossbow, who was A-OK after surgery to remove the bolt and some cognitive neuro-rehab. paranoid schizophrenic with delusions of immortality but that's a different story that i've dined out on for at least two decades.

you know that gun? you still have it? i could suggest a use. got a patio ?

paul

[MonzaPhil]

Glad you've got madam home ok George.
Best of luck with phase 2 of top secret stealthy plan of planningness

Never a dull moment eh!?

[georgeb]

Dec 6, 2015 23:24:49 GMT paulmakin said:

ah, "grab". the second most popular pastime in TnT (after cricket, but only if there's drinking involved). oh, and sex. that's the third most popular pastime then

I'm feeling a curious affinity with the Philippines - i believe there's some good diving to be had. may come a knocking on your door one day.

You know that gun? you still have it? i could suggest a use. got a patio ?

paul

‘Grab’ was a popular sport a few years back in Manila, mainly local Chinese businessmen, but seems to have died out a bit of late. They don't do cricket, but they do do sex, and looking at the amount of people, a lot more than most folk.

I hear the diving is excellent, but as one who prefers to look at the sea from a waterfront bar rather than actually getting into it, I have no first-hand knowledge. But you’re welcome to come knocking.

I have a balcony which probably isn't much use for what you have in mind, unless the folk on the 15th floor wouldn't object to a growing pile of corpses on theirs?

Dec 6, 2015 23:27:20 GMT MonzaPhil said:

Glad you've got madam home ok George.
Best of luck with phase 2 of top secret stealthy plan of planningness

Never a dull moment eh!?

Thanks buddy.

As I think I've said before, I'd love a few dull moments just now.

So, yesterday we met with PNR to discuss the proposed track access fee. They have a consultant working for them who tends to ask all the sensible questions that the board doesn’t bother to. Anyway, he’d been doing some benchmarking (always dangerous in the rail game) of rates and dug up some numbers he was keen the share with us. These were of the cost of hauling freight per tonne kilometre in Europe and he pointed out that it was way more than we had offered.

“Here we go”. 

I said that I hadn’t seen the document he was referring to, but was that not the rate that someone sending some freight would expect to pay, rather than that which the infrastructure provider received? I also pointed out that if I could charge the same as in Germany for shipping a container, he could willingly have more money. However, in case he hadn’t spotted it, we were in Manila and therefore he couldn’t.

It was suggested that rather than trying to look at other countries where all costs are invariably much higher, you don’t know if the rates include handling by third parties, have a portion of multi modal transportation, or are with or without taxes, how about looking at what we were proposing on a purely commercial basis for PNR. In coming up with our proposal, that’s what we had to do, take a commercial decision, wouldn’t that seem reasonable? And theirs is, does what we are offering per annum, minus PNR extra track maintenance costs, = a nice little earner, or not?

“Well, yes”

“There you go then”

Another hurdle jumped and a good lesson on the dangers of glibly taking numbers from other countries and trying to apply them locally. That’s why I hate it when someone asks me to benchmark anything and wriggle and squirm as much as possible to avoid it!

The upshot being is that we are now due to attend the PNR board meeting on Wednesday where it is promised that they will finally sign the agreement and we can all get on with some work.

In the meantime, have a pic of a finely tuned PNR loco blowing it's brains out the other day. And they keep talking about my trains delaying theirs!

[Frankenhealey]

George,

Excellent news about Madam but I'm waiting with bated breath for Episode II : Revenge on the Relatives. Not so good news on #1 Daughter's loser biological father but she seems to be a sensible lass. He might need to be warned off though. Just finished watching the rest of 'Metro Manila' (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1845838) and I still think you need a medal for living in such an 'exciting' society. Every time you add to the story I think 'Blade Runner'! Round here we've had a shed broken into, attempted sheep rustling and a push bike stolen. Guess where I prefer to be living?

Cheers,

Ian

[grizz]

Morning George.

2000 posts at this moment.... Congrats.

Your life lately has all the hallmarks of a Tarrantino movie.

In a moment of normalcy, here is a quote from Garage Journal for you.

Hey Rian, received the plate yesterday from the Philippines. Loved the plate, its a 2000 and the number is 111. I have a picture but some reason I'm having trouble getting them to post, still working on it. Thanks to you and the person who sent it. Not sure if he wants his name on here.:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

Thank you for taking the time to send it off.

You made Herb a very happy man.

And that is saying a lot for a man who has this sort of set up.....

Not just one, but two garages, filled with a lifetime of collecting,many number plates is one of his weaknesses along with aircooled VW's







Of course, I still need to figure out how and when to buy this car off him.

[marinanut]

Ruddy 'ell George, you've been through it a bit!!! Best wishes to Madam and I won't whinge about my broken tooth so much now...

[luckyseven]

Dec 8, 2015 0:03:38 GMT georgeb said:

In the meantime, have a pic of a finely tuned PNR loco blowing it's brains out the other day. And they keep talking about my trains delaying theirs!

lol

To be fair, one of ours did this a few weeks back... and it wasn't even a diseasel

I'm irresistibly reminded of the great Aaron Slight who when told to toe the Honda Racing Corporation line that their bikes never broke, it was always an electrical problem explained the failure of his works RC45 at Monza thus; "You could easily see it was an electrical problem. That's why the bellypan was full of bits of crankcase and burning oil."

[georgeb]

Don’t really know where to start with this. It’s certainly not how I’d have liked my 2001st post to kick off for sure…

You may remember me being a tad disparaging in the past about the glorious Philippine Department of Transport and Communications? Well I stand by every word and then some!

There we are at the PNR board meeting yesterday with their GM and my client fully expecting to sign up the track access agreement. This would be followed on Friday by a contract between ourselves and the port to haul their containers. In around 26 months, the first train would run.

Then the DOTC guy, who sits on the board pipes up along the lines of, “Oh no, we’ve got a far better idea. We’re going to take this over and do it a completely different way that will add at least five years to any programme, if indeed it ever gets that far. More likely we’ll cock it up so badly that it’ll never happen at all” and sat back satisfied. Obviously, he didn’t actually say that, I’m giving a rough translation.

So that’s that. Job stopped. The port will continue to struggle to operate efficiently, the Philippines will become less and less attractive commercially and Manila will remain gridlocked with crappy, broken-down container trucks for the foreseeable future.

All I can hope for now is that some serious pressure can be brought to bear on them, enough to get this half-wit to either resign or at least back off (seeing sense isn’t an option here), otherwise that’s two years of my life down the drain and a superb project, with huge positive implications by any description, bites the dust.

I really can’t convey how pi55ed off I am at the moment as the second the DOTC get involved in anything, it crumbles to nothing (I’ve seen this on several other projects I’ve worked on here – so I know whereof I speak) yet they still have the arrogance to think they actually have a clue, when recent history tells a very different story. They’ve fouled up project after project and there’s no reason to think this will be any different.

Let’s see what the next few days brings, but with recent events and now this I'm very tempted to up sticks and join my son in Cambodia!

[Sweetpea]

Ah curse word. Sorry mate, don't know what to say. curse word.

Hmmph. Seems the naughty word filter doesn't like words beginning with a 'B' if they also end with 'ugger'...

[georgeb]

Dec 9, 2015 22:57:32 GMT Sweetpea said:

Ah curse word. Sorry mate, don't know what to say. curse word.

Hmmph. Seems the naughty word filter doesn't like words beginning with a 'B' if they also end with 'ugger'...

Thanks James, but maybe all is not lost. I've seen the first few opening e-mail salvoes of a counter-attack.

Knives are being sharpened and it appears a lot of quite powerful folk have become a tad upset at yesterday's stupidity. There's an extraordinary meeting been called for next week, so fingers crossed.

[SmokeEm]

Fingers crossed for you George. Like you, I am surrounded by imbeciles at work!

[rod6e]

Wow, that's crazy, but lets hope you have convinced enough people in a better way of thinking so as to not just let this idiot ruin everything for everyone.