Miss Mureena travels again!

It was about 3 weeks ago, when I purchased my next flight ticket to the destination above. 

This time the trip will be  a bit different, since I have a non diver companion with me. J says, he don´t mind me being exited about the World War Wrecks under the water. We´ll see. I have already done a part of the planning, and our first destination after Manila will be the island group of  Palawan. And to be even more precise, Coron. But more about that a bit later. Now first some older news; 

Most of my FIN friends still remember the huge "thing" that happened during Easter time in 2000. Two Finnish guys (Fränti and Vahanen) were kidnapped  from Sulu Sea, Sipadan island area in Borneo, Malesia (nearby where I was diving only 2 years ago) among the 20 international tourists by a Islamic terrorist group Abu Sayyaf and taken to Jolo island in Southern Philippines. The hostage was about 5 months long and needed negotiating between EU, Philippines and also Libya, which was said to have connections to the kidnappers. All in all, most Finnish are always quite concerned  when I tell that my travels will be in that part of the world, even though there has been nothing going on in Sipadan over the years, on sightings of the great underwater life. The Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs says in their " travel information" (released in June 2012)  to avoid the Southern Islands and big crowds, also in Metro Manila area. 

Then to a bit nicer old news. It was year 1952 when Finnish young lady Armi Kuusela won the Miss Finland beauty pageant and traveled after that to the worlds first Miss Universe competition- and was crowned! What makes her special to my blog, is that she gave up her crown before her year as Miss Universe was over to marry a Philipino business man Virgilio Hilario in Japan. They owned hotel business that later turned  to be condos and  the places is nowadays called the Twin Towers in Manila. 

 

Armi is beautiful. 

Coron, on Busuanga island, is the ultimate diving destination and the waters nearby are filled with treasures. lots and lots of wrecks and I am exited of that, since I have only been to one wreck destination, Yongala, in Australia. 

So, on the 28th of December 2012  

Tampere--> Helsinki- Vantaa --> Amsterdam-->  Peking-->  MANILA, Philippines

after 22h 25 min flights and changes.  

Destination for one month, starting 2 nights in Manila, new year in Coron. 

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