Lamp floor footswitch
1/4 Inch Jack Female to Twin Mono
Soldering iron and solder wire
Cutter
Superglue
Phillips screwdriver
Procedure:
1. Open the lamp footswitch using Phillips screwdriver. Put loose screws in a pot to avoid losing it.
2. Cut the 1/4 Inch Jack Female to Twin Mono and strip the wire.
3. Prepare your soldering iron and always make sure that you got a holder to avoid fire or burning certain objects.
4. Solder the wires to the footswitch. Don't you worry there's no polarity on this one. Then superglue it so that it will hold the jack in place and avoid pulling the wires.
5. Close the lamp footswitch and tighten the screws. Then, you're good to go.
All you need now is to plug your amp and you will need an extra guitar lead to plug the footswitch into your amp.
1. Price - One of the most affordable multi-effects pedal in the market. To be blunt, it's really a cheap pedal (cheaper than buying a single branded stompbox). If you are a beginner and you are relying from your parents to buy your first effects pedal, I recommend that you ask for this one. It is very affordable that you can ask them to buy it for you and then you just pay them back on an instalment basis.
2. Battery option - Zoom G1xOn uses 4 AA batteries and can stay up to 20 hours of continuous play. Most individual stompbox pedals use 9V battery which is expensive. Another thing that's very useful when you got the battery option is when you have outdoor gigs and there's no power output for your effects pedal, you are safe with this one. Also when you're busking or small events outdoor in the garden or outside a shop, no need to look for power outlet.
3. Size - Small and lightweight, meaning it's good when you travel. It can fit in your gigbag or backpack. You can easily bring this anywhere. It's only the size of a netbook. You can buy a netbook bag and surely it will fit. Or, like what I did, I used an empty biscuit tin as a DIY hardcase for this pedal.
4. Headphone out - If you are a beginner and you don't have an amp or you only got practise amp and your mum or neighbour is complaining of the noise, well this is the answer. You can jam anytime. Just plug your guitar and connect your headset and you're good to go (you might need a 3.5 mm to 6.5 mm adapter). No need to buy or use a guitar amp.
5. Aux in - Another lovely feature of this pedal. All you need to do is to buy a 3.5 mm aux cable (earphone lead) to connect your phone/ipad or mp3 player to the effects pedal and start jamming along to a backing track or full track of the songs you like. You can even use your computer to jam along or learn songs by connecting it to your effects pedal.
6. Looper - The built-in looper allows you to record up to 30 seconds and your can overdub/overlay as many loop as you can. Also you got the option to use the built-in drum machine in combination with the looper. You can be a one-man band. There are lots of demos/tutorials online on how to use the looper.
7. Expression pedal - Normally, you will buy this separately. Good thing, it's already built-in on this pedal. If you are a beginner, you can save a lot of money because not only it's already there but you'll get the chance to explore and experiment on how to use this pedal. There's lots of option for this pedal, you can use it as Volume control, WahWah, Whammy pedal or even to adjust certain settings like modulation, gain, delay or tremolo. Very versatile pedal option.
8. Built-in tuner - Most of the multi-effects pedal and even new amps got built-in tuner nowadays. But, it's still handy if you got it on the floor. Especially during live performances. It's good to have a tuner ready anytime. And the tuner got option between bypass and mute mode. Meaning you can tune your guitar discretely on stage.
9. Amp simulation - Again, as mentioned above, the headphones out. The amp simulation is very good because if you dont have an amp yet and you're planning to buy one in the future, then this is the answer. You can choose between 22 amp models. You get the idea of what amp to buy in the future. Also when you are just jamming using the headphones out, you got a lovely jam because you can select an amp that you like most or amp that you need on a particular song.
10. Pedal chain - This is another neat option especially if you are a beginner. You can experiment on the arrangement of your pedals. You will learn a lot and also understand that changing pedal positions can have an impact on your tone and how your guitar would sound through an amp.
We bought this dehumidifier because this is what's available at the time and it's winter time, so heating system is on, we badly needed it and lastly, price point that we can afford.
Out of the box, this is straigth-forward, no need for manual just connect stuff or put reservoir on, making sure everything's connected and intact like the adaptor and plug it to the socket then turn it on. That's it. Good to go.
Mind you, this unit is small.... really small. But not to worry because the reservoir got 500 ml maximum capacity. We use it overnight and in a week's use it's about 1/4 or a bit more of the 500 ml water tank. The water tank is transparent, so you can always check how much water is inside. Plus, it has got a full tank indicator and an auto cut off. Meaning, when the tank reached its maximum capacity it will cut off to avoid overflow and spillage.
You need to manually extract the water from the reservoir once it is full or if you are keen on emptying it every so often. It's really up to you. The dust filter is removable and can be access easily. There's a little bit of noise in the night but not loud to disturb your sleep. I think this suitable for small rooms judging from its size. It says on the box, suitable for room size 15 square metre.
So far, we are happy with this tiny dehumidifier. We will update you in the future, if there's something wrong or we noticed something bad about this product. For now, it works well for us.
Indoor/Outdoor Christmas Light Chain and Projector
Two weeks ago we saw a Christmas projector in the shop and we were interested to buy on but it's a bit expensive ranging from £50 up. Then, we looked online, Argos and Ebay, for outdoor garden decorations and lighting, still way above our budget. So we bought a different one from Argos. It was an outdoor Christmas Cane that lights up and a window snowflakes that is battery operated.
After a week, we brought home a brochure from ALDI and saw Christmas outdoor light chain battery operated and a Christmas projector. But, when we went to buy from the shop, we only found the light chain and didn't see the Christmas projector. So, we bought one light chain and installed it in our garden as well as the snowflakes and cane. We loved the effect so we decided to buy another light chain and that's when we saw the projector. We bought the snowflakes projector but before we install it, we had to go back to ALDI to do some groceries and found a snowman and other colourful xmas character projector, so we decided to buy that one as well and decide which one to use.
It is very easy to assemble, you won’t be needing the manual. But it is always good to browse it and keep it handy because you might want to read something. These lights have a timer function. Both are 6 hours on and 18 hours off.
The light chain is battery operated and batteries included when you buy it. The cables look durable. It has a button that will let you choose between continuous on or timer. Press once for timer function to activate and the lights will be on for 6 hours and off for 18 hours. Press twice for continuous mode. Press three times for off.
On the other hand, the Christmas Light Projector is indoor and seasonal/temporary outdoor. It is mains operated. Once plugged in, it will automatically set to light for 6 hours and switch off automatically for 18 hours. Here's the sample of the lights that we bought.
iTrack Pocket is designed for YouTuber either your a presenter, a musician, a singer or someone who needed a decent audio quality for video recording that's done simultaneously. Like when I do most of my video recording, the audio is recorded separately. For example Im using Quicktime player for the video and Garageband for the audio, then put or mix it together using iMovie. The challenge is to make sure that the audio goes with the video and there's no noticeable delay. So the perfect solution for this is the iTrack Pocket. It so so portable that you can record anywhere, anytime.
Here are the list of questions to ask if you want iTrack Pocket:
1. Are you a singer who wants to record yourself or your ideas instantly and with decent audio/video quality?
2. Are you a musician who wants to record your instrument, your performance, your ideas?
3. Are you an iPhone user or planning to buy one? Because this gadget uses IOS platform. You will be needing either iPhones or iPad.
4. Do you want an easy setup, portable, and can be used almost anywhere?
5. Are you a vlogger, YouTuber, presenter?
6. Do you want a recording studio that fits in your pocket as well as your budget?
If you have two or more yeses to these questions, then iTrack Pocket is for you.
This mini gadget is an all-in-one solution that will do all the trick and save you time and money. No need to buy expensive condenser microphone, mic stand, camera, tripod for your camera, audio interface, recording software and loads of time and effort in editing. iTrack Pocket is literally a studio in your pocket.
Where to buy? Loads to choose from online. I bought mine from Gear4Music and it was Black Friday that time so I got a good deal. It was only £14.99 plus £3.49 delivery.
What's included in the box? Just the iTrack Pocket itself, the lightning cable and the manual. The box itself contains the instruction on how to install, register, etc. So don't lose the box, you need it for the bundle code and serial number.
Is it easy to install or use? Well for me it was a bit tricky, because Im not an iPhone user. Im lucky because not only my other half bought me an iPhone for xmas, she's been using iPhone ever since so I got a private tutor on how to use iPhone. iTrack is sort of plug n play. It doesn't come with a CD or installer. All you have to do is download Impact by Focusrite from App Store and plug your iTrack using the lightning cable then connect it to your phone and open the app after you downloaded and install it. Don't forget to register your iTrack. Instructions are found on the box as well as your registration code, etc. You are all set. Just hit record.
What iPhone is it compatible? iPhone 5, 5S, 5C. Apple devices using iOS 6 or 7.
How to record instrument? You can either record using the built-in stereo mics or plug your instrument (guitar, bass, keyboards) using the 1/4" input. Then adjust the volume knob on the side. Make sure it doesn't clip. Then, you're ready to record.
How to add effects? You have the option to add effects either before recording or after you record your video. Just simply click/press the FX icon and swipe to choose what amp/effects to use.
How to edit/cut video? There's a strange looking icon on the bottom next to the FX icon, click that and then a film strip will appear on top of the screen. You can drag either ends to edit the length of your video.
How to delete or discard recording? I really struggled at first to remove or delete the test recordings that I did. It was because, I couldn't find the delete button. Being new to iPhone didn't help as well. Or perhaps, it was my eyesight. But eventually I found the icon. First, you need to go to file/recording library or folder. Then on the top right corner, you can see a word SELECT, press that one and then select a video or videos you want to remove. After you select or click the video/videos you want to delete, the margin or borders will become highlighted. Then at the right bottom corner or your phone, you will see the bin icon. Press it to delete.
How to upload recording? The upload icon is located on top, click it and select where you want to save or upload the video.
After going to church this Sunday, our family went to Southampton to have fun and guess what we did, Ice Skating. Mind you, we don't know how to skate how much more skating on ice. We grew up in a country where there's no snow and definitely no ice skating rink. But, no matter what the odds, we still went ahead.
First obstacle was getting a ticket, the day before we already went and check. But, we did not manage to get a slot because it was sold out that day. So, what we did was book online. Again, even booking online was difficult. Seems like everyone wants to go skating. We got the 2:30 PM session. No penguins available when we booked online.
Now going to Southampton was traffic that day and it was really horrendous. We opted to park in IKEA because it seems like everyone was parking in West Quay. But, even there, it was jam pack too. Straight away, we went to the ticket booth and showed our booking confirmation online. It was straight-forward. They will just give you token and direct you where to go or what to do. We enquired if there were penguins available and the lady at the ticket booth said there were two available. So we took those.
Went inside and there are bench and lockers plus loads of friendly staff to assist us. Again straightforward, shoes off and hand it to the staff and asking what for your shoe size. Then, they will give you your ice skates. You can ask for helmet and wrist support/guard, and it's free. We noticed that all the staff are jolly and you know that they really love what they're doing.
We waited for about 5 mins or so because they were cleaning the skating rink and making sure that it's good to go. Then, queue started to buildup and the excitement as well from the room was just going higher and higher. And, when they announced that the skating rink was open, every was just too keen to go.
Coming in was really difficult because apart from lots of people on queue and getting penguins, the ice was really slippery. After we got our penguins, we were just moving slowly and holding on the sides. We managed to go around counter-clockwise, following everyone. There were lots of people who fell and bump their bums on the ice but staff were there ready to help and also most of the people were helpful to assist each other. It was generally fun. Just be mindful because there were loads of people and kids, so you don't cause accident or if you are looking after a couple of kids or more, keep an eye always because there are really loads of people. The music was also added attraction. It makes it more energised and fun to skate.
I thought that we were only gonna go for one round and that's it but we managed to go about 4 or 5 rounds. It was tiring though because most of the time, I was holding on the rails and looking after my little boy. So, after the session was finished, we headed back and return the penguins and the skates. We were really exhausted and hungry. But that's not a problem because there are lots of restaurant/fastfood nearby. We went to Five Guys. There was a queue but it was not that bad. The peanuts there was free and it taste nice, just be careful and mindful of allergies. The serving was big. Because we ordered little burger and I don't think it was little. The chips was also delicious. Hotdog was lovely as well and tons of choices for your drink. Also it's drink all you can.
This is a 4-in-1 men's grooming kit (beard, stubble trimmer, hair clipper). Waterproof, can be washed directly under the tap but make sure that the charger wires are not hooked. Skin-friendly, high-performance blades for a gentle trim. Really soft and smooth to the skin. Up to 60 minutes use on a 10-hour charging. Really good wireless shaver.
We love singing, and our family bonding would always be KARAOKE. Such a shame our next door neighbour is not a big fan of it and will bang our walls each time. We can't do it even if it's only 3 in the afternoon or even on Christmas eve. Party will never be complete for Filipinos when there's no Karaoke or Videoke. Good thing I found this Q7 Wireless Handheld KTV karaoke bluetooth microphone when we went home in the Philippines. Saw it in the mall. Actually, one of our friend already mentioned it to us that there's this bluetooth microphone that they are using and their neighbour now is not complaining because of this bluetooth mic. So, I looked online and bought one for my wifey through eBay. It's quite cheap but it did arrive and delivered on time and complete.
Unboxing: It came with a softcase. It was not as secured as I would expect. But I guess you get what you pay for. The unit is fine and it came with two leads. One USB lead for charging and the other one is the earphone lead for your phone so you can connect the microphone and sing and record using your Android or iPhone. You can operate this microphone even without reading the manual. But it's good to browse the manual so you got a better idea of what you can do about this microphone.
It is rechargeable, so when it came I had to recharge it first before I can use it. Also at the bottom of the microphone there's a USB input. I used my USB flash drive which has almost 1000 mp3 songs and it converted the microphone into a Hi-Fi speaker system. It is much louder than using the microphone speaker as your karaoke monitor. The USB option for flashdrive is amazing. I love it. The sound quality is a lot better than when you are singing through this mic.
The only downside that I can think of is that.... they could have put an earphones out. So you can connect your headset to it as your monitor. That way your speaker system can be private at times and also when you're singing, you can connect it to a portable recording device because it has an earphone line out.
I was looking for a headset that is cordless but not bluetooth connectivity because I will be using it for my guitar effects pedal or when Im doing home recording using my Native Instrument Guitar Rig Session IO. That's when I found this Hi-Fi S-XBS MH2001 5-IN-1 Wireless Headphones on eBay and it's quite cheap. So, I said to myself, I will have a go and buy one. Anyways, it's cheap what can go wrong.
Parcel Arrived: Well packed and it's not bad. I mean cheap but decent. I then tried it, followed the instructions on the manual which is quite easy and straightforward. They call it RECEIVER and EMITTER. Before, we use to call it Receiver and Transmitter isn't it?
The box contains the Receiver and the Emitter, one mono 3.5mm short earphone lead and manual. The Emitter already got the necessary lead connected to it. Also there's option to use 4.5v adaptor or batteries which doesn't come with the unit when you purchase. Good thing I always got batteries. The Receiver needed two AAA as well as the Emitter also needed two AAA batteries.
It is quite easy to use. Just follow the polarity of the batteries when you install it to the Receiver and Emitter. Only problem was when I was opening the battery compartment of the headphones, it's a bit hard because firstly, locating it. Although it was illustrated on the manual but sometimes we are not sure or what we don't care to read what's on the manual.
The battery compartment is located on the Left side opposite to where the volume and on/off control, reset and scan buttons. Slide to open the battery compartment. Once batteries are installed, turn volume control up to turn the unit on. Press reset and then press scan to use the FM function of the the headset. I enjoyed the FM functionality of this headset.
By the way, the headset is lightweight and comfortable. Fully adjustable, it even fit my 7-year-old boy. The materials are cheap but acceptable, I can't complain because the price is quite cheap. Sound is decent, got low bass sound as well as high trebles. However, when I tested the wireless functionality, it was not as loud as the FM volume. And, to pair your headphones to the Emitter, you have to press RESET first and then SCAN. Otherwise, it will still function as FM headphones.
I haven't tried the WIRELESS NET AUDIO CHAT and WIRELESS MONITORING because these weren't the reason why I bought this unit. I've tried the Wired headphones and I liked it. It's much louder and clearer compared to being wireless. I didn't like the lead that came with it because apart from it's short, the quality is cheap. So, I decided to order on eBay a longer and much better quality lead.
So far, I am quite please with this unit and will be using this most of the time; around the house whilst washing the dishes, ironing clothes, before going to sleep and of course jamming with my guitar and doing some home recordings. This time there will be no annoying cord/lead hanging in the way when I play my guitar.
It started as a callus on the ball of my left foot. I thought at first it was due to my very old shoes and the sole of the shoes that's wearing thin. It felt like I was stepping on a nail or something sharp that's poking my foot. It was like that for a while and then later on, it's getting worse in terms of discomfort. So I had to investigate and check what's happening in my foot. It looks like it was forming into a corn. I didn't know about this stuff, I just looked on Google and searched for symptoms that I was feeling at the time. I didn't take photos of my foot, but the ones on the net looked similar on what's happening on my foot.
Remedy: I didn't seek any medical advice. Just looked online and also went to pharmacy and looked around. I bought corn removal plasters. Used it for about a week and it relieved some of the discomfort and I thought it was helping. Then I started using file and just keep removing the callus around. Unfortunately, after a while, it came back again and the discomfort was getting worse.
To cut the story short, I didn't seek medical advice and just keep researching online and doing a lot of home remedies. Any thing that I can put into it, I would use. Even pain relief gel. Worse thing that happened apart from it was not healing and I keep doing something to it like I opened it using nail clipper because I thought there's just a splinter inside or trapped blood or something. So, that made it worse. And the pain was getting intense.
Another remedy: Corn removal (all-in-one pen). This one again, set my hopes high. I thought it was helping and I thought it will heal my corn. But, it didnt. It only scratched the surface. Again back to the usual habit of nail clipper and rubbing it off using file.
Then we went on holiday and the pain this time was unbearable. I think I got a very strong pain tolerance or I just don't want people especially my family to know how I suffer. But, they can notice that Im already limping. Then we went swimming in the beach. I thought that the salt water will help. But, what happened was, I stepped on a sharp rock or something that it bled. That's it, made it really worst. It was then that I looked closely and researched more online about it. And that's when I came across the word Verruca or Plantar wart. The pain Im experiencing, the look now on my foot. The white round thing and the tiny black dots. I can now confirm it was Verruca.
Treatment: After my own diagnosis, I now researched for treatment. There are a lot of treatments online and home remedies from Apple Cider, to Urine, to banana peel and a lot more. Anyways, I said to myself I wont give up. So I looked again in the pharmacy and that's when I found WARTIE advanced (Wart and Verruca remover).
The instructions very easy. There are even videos online on how to use it. So I didn't get lost on what to do. However, I was still skeptical and I bought a separate Verruca removal plaster with Salicylic acid. So after I used WARTIE advanced, I still covered it with the Verruca removal plaster. It says on the Wartie instruction to wait for 14 days before using it again and can be used 3 times as long as you wait for 14 days to take effect before you use it again.
One week after I used it, the pain was gone. I can now walk properly. There's still discomfort because of the callus and all but it was a lot better. However, when it was nearing the 14th day, it started again. A little bit of pain and it looks like the wart is still coming back. So I said to myself, I will give it another dose. And so I did it, but this time I did not use the salicylic acid plaster. I just covered it with the corn relief pads and at times just cover it with band-aids. Then one week after my second dose, pain was gone and even the discomfort was gone. It was also looking better but still raw. Probably because of the band-aid. So I left it open now to dry. Peeled a bit of skin around. After the 14 days was complete, I can say it's healed. Thanks to Wartie.
NOTE: No one in my family got it even though we share bathroom. I've had for about 3-4 months. Also it was a bit nerve racking to use Wartie because I just relied on the instructions and haven't asked anyone who have tried it and what was their experience. I already had so much pain in my foot so I told myself, what could go wrong. I got scared obviously because I was anticipating that the freezing effect is going to be painful when you apply it but No. There's a little bit of strange feeling but not painful.
Please follow the instruction carefully on the leaflet.
1. First is to apply 1 drop of the conductive gel on the wart.
2. Put the can upright on the table or flat surface and remove cap.
3. Put the cap back aligning the arrow icon with the freeze icon on the can.
4. Press the cap firmly down for 3 seconds. (Do not exceed 3 seconds).
5. Take off the cap and precisely apply the frozen metal tip on the wart (if it is hand - 20 seconds), but in my case (it's on my foot - 40 seconds).
6. Apply protective paster that's included in the pack. (In my case, I applied Scholl Verruca removal system). But in the end, I just relied on the Wartie.
The story of my guitar Lyon by Washburn HSS strat type black. I can vividly remember almost all the details when I first bought this guitar. I went to Southampton with my other half to look for a guitar. We first went to The Guitar Store (Home of Tone) in Southampton. Went in and look around, during that time (about 7 years ago), staff wasn't too friendly. They look at you as either you want to buy or just messing about. They didn't entertain me and when I look for a staff to ask around, I didn't get much help either because it was like what he wanted was I need to know what I want to buy and just get it and pay. No help whatsoever so I went out and went to the next shop which is Becketts Music Ltd. The moment I went in, the guy was so friendly, smiling and help me all throughout. He first ask what Im looking for and I said, Im interested in buying a guitar. So he asked me what sort of guitar. And I said electric guitar. Also I asked if I can pay using credit card and he said "absolutely yes." He asked me what sort of budget do I have in mind. And I said, Im on a really tight budget and it was between £150 to £200. So, he said I can give you a package where an amp and gigbag is included. He pointed out which guitar I can try. I've tried a couple of guitars, one was Fender strat copy and the colour was mint green, very nice but the tone, action and feel of it was far for my liking. Then, I tried this Lyon by Washburn, which got a nice look, lovely tone but again it didn't feel like that's the guitar I wanted to get stuck with. But I know for a fact that it's within my budget and will do the job.
So, in short I bought that guitar, and it came with a Stagg 10-watt practise amp, gigbag, strap, lead, allen screw and a tremolo bar. Oh, by the way, I bought the guitar because, I met a guy named Mike and he invited me to join his band. So, I needed gear to use for rehearsals and potential gigs.
Came home, really pleased and was over the moon. I don't drive so we used the train back to Romsey. Unpacked my guitar and amp, plugged everything in. Enjoyed it. Action was really high and the bridge of the guitar was a bit pointy, I can't explain but I mean the screws on the saddles were sticking out and it's hitting the heel of my hand. But, eventually I got used to it. Also I told myself I needed to buy an effects pedal. Originally, I wanted to buy individual stompbox even just one distortion pedal and that would do me. But, when I looked at the prices, it was a bit too much for me. That's when I found Digitech RP55 multi effects processor which is the cheapest effects pedal that time. Bought it only, through Amazon. I think it was around £35 to £40 that time. And that completed my gear.
I've rehearsed, did online videos, gigged and even recorded using this gear. From Romsey all the way up to Norwich. Did a support act in Colchester for a famous local artist from the Philippines named Bamboo. I joined the band from Norwich which is Crossedwind. We then had loads of gigs after that and able to record at Ashwood Recording Studio. Also, mostly, we rehearsed at Earth Studio.
Eventually, I learned a little bit on how to setup my guitar. I mostly look online especially YouTube. So, I adjust the action and intonate the guitar. Still I was not very satisfied. I also improvised and made a DIY pedalboard using my Digitech RP55 with an M-Audio universal expression pedal. Then, I started to look around for different amps, different pedals and even looking for a new guitar.
I sold my Stagg 10-watt practise amp and bought loads of different amps from an old Ashton solid state combo 30-watt amp to a tiny BB Blaster 15-watt practise amp. But I always love the tone Im getting from Panther by Hohner TEGA-10 that I always borrow from Mike during rehearsals and gigs. I never get the chance to buy one that time. Also I got stuck with Roland Cube Street. I love the tone of that amp plus it's portable and can be operated using batteries. However, when I joined Subtle Culprits, I was surprised that this amp can't stand out with the other guitar and the drums. That's when I decided to sell it and bought the Roland cube monitor CM30 but still couldn't managed the volume during rehearsals. Then I bought Belcat V35RG, it was a lovely amp and gigged with it for a couple of times and decided again to sell it. Until I found a cheap Hohner Panther TEGA-10 online. Used it a lot until I burnt the speaker. So I changed the speaker with Celestion eight 15 and up to now I still got it.
About the pedal, I sold my Digitech RP55 and bought online Boss ME-33, I love it because I got everything I needed but it was a bit big and the sound that I wanted during live gigs wasn't there. I find that during live gigs my Digitech RP55 was a lot better. So, I decided to sell my Boss ME-33 and changed it to Korg AX100G. Again, this was a lovely effects pedal. Very portable and lightweight. Battery operated. Lots of nice settings, but it got me confused if it was my guitar that's need changing or my amp. And that's when I found Zoom G1xOn, which up to now Im still using.
I bought a different guitar this time, it's Silvertone SG copy. I had lots of problems with this guitar but managed to sort it. This time, I left my Lyon by Washburn in Norwich and told them Im selling it. I posted it on Gumtree as well as eBay. I even wanted to just give it away because I was really not happy with that guitar in terms of playability. But, no one wants to buy it. Until I got it back again when my new band Subtle Culprits had a gig in Norwich Bario Fiesta.
Then, the upgrade started. I bought new Stainless Steel Saddle Set - 52.5mm Spacing Guitar Bridge through eBay and this changes the feel of the guitar as well as sustain. It is much smoother now to put the heel of my hand on the bridge. Then, I decided to change pickups. I only changed the neck and the bridge. I bought Wilkinson Vintage 60s for the neck and Wilkinson Hot Humbucker MWHB for the bridge. I installed it myself. Again it changed my guitar. And the last upgrade that I did was when my friend Dave from work, offered to spray paint my guitar. And that's it, the looks was changed. But overall it's the same guitar I bought from 7 years ago.
I bought a cheap multi-effects pedal but very versatile and tons of good tones on presets available for use. However, there's no expression pedal for WahWah and the auto wah option that came with the preset is good but not satisfying. So I did a bit of hack on my Digitech RP55. And with that I converted it to a Whammy pedal and Wah pedal. All I did was bought from eBay a generic expression pedal. It was an M-Audio keyboard universal expression pedal. It's also cheap so I thought to myself, what can go wrong. I can always open it up and change circuitry inside. So I plug it in, then turn on the wah option and when I tried it, it was the wrong way around. I think the polarity of the keyboard expression pedal is different from a wah pedal.
Sol I tried reversing the polarity by inverting the jack’s wire. But nothing happened, it was still the same. Then, I moved to rotor inside and reversed the polarity. Although there were three wires, I was lucky and managed to reverse the polarity. My pedal now is working properly as a wah pedal. I even tried it on the whammy patch and it did work as well.
What I did next was improvising on making it a proper mini pedalboard. First I look for a flat wood or something that I can put my Digitech RP55 as well as the expression pedal next to each other. I found our old wooden square placemats. Then, tried putting the effects pedal and expression pedal together and it was perfect fit. Next, I bought some arts and crafts materials like glue and coloured foam sheets. Glued one on top and one at the bottom to prevent the wood from slipping or sliding. It served as a cushion. Then, I created a bit of designs like stars, etc. I also bought velcro so that I can remove my effects pedal if need be and stick it back to my improvised pedalboard again. So I glued one part of the velcro on the effects pedal and expression pedal, then the other part was on the pedalboard itself. Perfect fit and very handy.
The quest for tone is endless. Like what amp to use, what pedal to buy, what type and/or brand of guitar, what brand and/or gauge of strings, what pick, what lead or cable to use, etc. etc. etc. The simple answer to it is.... You are the tone. It starts in your brain as a concept or idea then it translates to your ear as an aural perception. Then that's the time you buy stuff and try to tweak, adjust, setup to your liking. Your fingers are the accessories because there are people that use their toes to play guitar or some appendages to strum or pluck the strings for example Tony Iommi got prosthetic fingertips. But, it didn't stop him from playing the guitar or hindered the tone that he wants for his guitar. Right, having said that, let's crack on and get your gear out, whatever it is.
Plug your guitar to your amp and start tweaking your amp. Normally, amp got Master Volume, Equalisation either Treble, Mid and Bass or just Treble and Bass and at times just one Tone control. Then some amps got a Gain and a separate Volume control for that gain. Other times, amp got channel control or switch for Clean and Crunch or Overdrive.
Master Volume: This determine the loudness of the amp so it depends on the room size your playing or the person your jamming with. So adjust accordingly. Start at low level especially when your practising on your own. When you want to get a decent Clean Tone, put your volume between 4-5 or 10 to 12 o'clock. If you want a bit of dirt/overdrive, lower your Master volume to 1-2 and increase your gain and volume.
Gain control: Some amps as I've said earlier got 1 gain and 1 separate volume control. Others got two gain controls like this practise amp Park G10. But I guess, Gain 1 is your volume and Gain 2 is your overdrive or actual gain. I suggest you turn gain 1 up to 1/4 or about 3 and gain 2 on 0. Just to get the right volume for the amp. Then, try to fiddle with gain 2 and decide on how crunchy or dirty you want your amp. If you are a blues fan, perhaps put gain 2 on 1/4 to 1/2 (between 9 to 12 o'clock) and if you are more of a heavy rock or metal fan then turn your gain 2 to 3/4 or full blast.
Equalisation: This is where the fun begins when you are looking for tones. The most common EQ setting is putting the treble, mid and bass on 12 o'clock. Then, from there, start turning the bass up to 3/4 or 3 o'clock and then try it full, and see how the amp as well as the speaker handles it. Next, try and turn treble starting from 0 all the way to full blast. Listen and find out which one you like it the most. Then, same goes with your mid, try to turn it down to 0 and work your way up to 1 o'clock. I never put mid full blast but I suppose if you put bass and treble full blast then surely you can with the mid but then again it will just be the same as putting it all on 12 o'clock.
Your Guitar: There are a lot of factors on your guitar, like the pickups, the height of the pickups. Also the strings albeit the type of strings ang/or gauge. The neck length or the scale length. The type of wood from body to fretboard. If it is solid, semi-hollow or hollow guitar. And a lot more. But, will talk about the obvious like the volume control, the tone knobs and the toggle switch for the pickups. Start on which pickup you like the most, i.e. neck or bridge, both or just the middle pickup. Then dial the tone knob of your guitar from 0-10. Find which tone you like the most. Also volume knob plays a great role especially if your amp is a tube amp. You can push your amp's gain and then lower your volume from your guitar. There are tons of techniques and information to learn and know. Keep trying, keep experimenting. Good luck!
One Master volume, Three band EQ (treble, mid, bass), Overdrive and a separate Volume. One input, Headphones out, a Line Out and Footswitch input. Speaker changed to a Celestion Eight 15 at 8 Ohms. Just a bit confusing on what is the exact wattage of this amp because it's called TEGA-10 and then at the back there's this 40W and the original speaker was 20 watt at 4 Ohms. So I don't know exactly what is the wattage of this amp.
As for the sound of this amp, it's not loud as in piercing loud but surprisingly enough, it can cut through a loud drummer and a really loud guitarist. Although the sound is a bit too dry and tight and obviously with the 8-inch speaker there's no low end to this amp it more of treble that you will hear.
About the overdrive, I haven't tried the footswitch jack input at the back as I don't have any footswitch pedal. But by turning the overdrive knob all the way up and the volume knob half way or even all the way up as well whilst putting the master volume to a minimum between 1-2, you can achieve that distorted sound. I think this amp is more of a clean tone amp, very nice for ska or reggae.
It is small and portable but I wouldn't say it is lightweight. I mean, when you pick it up, it's sort of manageable but if you carry this for few minutes, you can feel its weight. I have gigged with this amp but it was mic'd in and gigged this on its own without mic, and it managed to cut through. I think this amp is a very nice amp and can stand the test of time. I tried selling it, but I decided to keep it for a bit.
Park Designed by Marshall Amplification PLC. 15 Watt RMS at 8 Ohm. One channel. Two gain control. Three band EQ (treble, middle, bass). One Master Volume. Headphones out. No Line Out or Footswitch output. No effects. No reverb. Straight forward practise amp. One input for your guitar. Opened back, good for putting leads plus lightweight to carry.
Tone is really nice because it sounds like tube amp. And then even though there's no reverb or effects, it still produces a very nice clean sound. I don't know how they do it. It doesnt sound dry at all. And when you push it like putting everything all the way up especially the two gains and just limit the master volume to 2 or 3, the distortion that's coming out is really nice and it sustain nicely.
I can't say much about this amp because I haven't tried it yet gigging or even use it during rehearsals, but judging from this video recording, I think this amp has got a lot to offer.
If I were to recommend, I would buy and use this amp mainly for recording and/or rehearsals. I cant imagine this amp during gigs yet but who knows, it might be a good amp to gig with.
Bought this with a lot of stuff before like Mic stands, mic holder, and SubZero 300W portable PA system. I haven't use this microphone as much as I could because it won't fit on the mic holder that I bought with it. And then, I got my old wired microphone that's handy because I don't have to setup, plug to a power outlet and put battery on. So, recently I got the chance to open it again and really look into it. This is what's included in the box and how to setup this Dual Wireless Microphone System.
I just recently found out that you can use this wireless system with only one lead. When I opened this unit before, I was surprised that it has only one mic cable so I looked for another cable that I bought from Maplin and used it. But to my surprise, when I browse the manual, you can use the unit with just one lead. And it worked.
Another thing that's new to me, was that, when I used this before with the PA system that I bought with it, the Subzero 300w portable PA system, it seems like the two mics tend to absorb the signal. Mind you, I plugged a guitar and mp3 player to that PA system plus these wireless microphones so probably that one of the causes. But when I did this review using my NI Guitar Rig Session IO USB interface, it seems to work fine.
Overall, the sound quality that this mic produces, is decent. It may vary on what amp or PA system you are using but the mic itself is very good. There a nice balance between treble and bass. When I did this review, I don't have EQ (treble, mid and bass) to mix or adjust and also I don't have effects like reverb or echo. So it really plain, straight-forward mic to a recording device.
Juice Power Station extra high capacity portable battery power. We bought this two days before Camp Bestival. It's because we desperately needed it for our camping. We didn't know exactly how this thing works apart from what's written on the manual. We were a bit disappointed on our first few usage of this device. But eventually we got the hang of it.
We also brought this home during our recent trip to the Philippines and that's how we discovered a lot of things about this portable power bank. In order for you to check the battery levels, you need to connect your phone first and shake the device. That way it will wake up your power bank from standby mode. It's very handy because of it's size and weight. Overall rating is 8/10.
Specifications:
Power capacity 11200 mAh.
Outputs: Two ports (2.4A rapid charging and 1A normal charging)
Charging time: 6-7 hours
Can charge two devices simultaneously.
Comes with a bag/pouch and a micro USB lead.
It was already August in the Philippines but it was still hot as in very muggy. So, we decided to look for a place to swim -- to cool down. My mum and auntie recommended Islands Hotel because it is near and because it's a hotel then probably it's not under the sun.
Off we went to Pueblo de Panay. The swimming is separate from the hotel but you will have to book from the hotel reception. It's not a big swimming pool but it's nice. Kids enjoyed it. Also you can get a package where you pay 500 pesos something (I forgot the exact figure) and you get a pizza, iced tea and 3 kids and two adults. Swimming and food included. Isn't it a great value for money? There's a function hall as well for hire for birthdays and other events.
Also we decided to dine in the evening. They got a nice lounge. On the ground floor, they got a grand piano near the reception, mini stage and there were two guys performing using backing track. They were singing combination of pop and folk songs. It was a bit loud for us so they recommended for us to go upstairs in their quiet lounge and we love it. It's a lot better, we can chat and have some photos, selfies and groupies.
Please if you have enquiries, you can contact them directly at Islands Hotel facebook.
Next, we went to Espacio Verde. This one is a lot better and bigger with slide and lots of changing rooms and shower rooms. They got hotel as well or rooms to stay. Bigger place to eat. We enjoyed the swimming and forgot to ask if they got sort of package where you can book a group or family and have meals included. But anyways, we went there to swim and we really enjoyed it. Also it wast late in the afternoon, almost evening when we went. So, there's no more sun and we enjoyed the lights in the pool.
If you got questions about Espacio Verde, please contact them directly on their facebook account.
Heathrow London Airport: Start of our journey. As usual, you can't avoid the traffic. The motorway was fine apart from when we were entering the road to Terminal 4. There was a car that stalled and I think it was just an overall traffic congestion. Checked-in easily, no stress, whatsoever. We waited for a few minutes before we went in. We had some coffee and bread at the lounge area, relaxed for a bit. The food and drink were a bit expensive. Kuwait Airways: Boarding was a bit of challenge. Even though there's an area for priority passengers i.e. elderly, babies/kids and wheelchair-bound; not everyone knew about it. The place got crump up because not only there were loads of passengers but also no one really knew where to go and what to do apart from waiting until the gate was opened for boarding then that was the time the queue start to move. Anyways, we finally boarded the plane.
About the service and facilities inside the plane, it was okay. But, if you got kids or youngsters that are particular with food -- I think, in my opinion, Kuwait Airways is not your best choice. My little boy enjoyed the flight, enjoyed the mini touch screen t.v. He enjoyed the movies and even the on-board games in that mini t.v. He enjoyed watching Flash series on our way to the Philippines and back. And another thing, the landing was really smooth. Kuwait Stopover: We waited for 3-4 hours. There's free food at the airport in the waiting lounge. You just have to present your ticket/boarding pass. The toilet (male) was small plus there was only two to three cubicle working that time. It was also wet. Airport nowadays are very strict. Because, although, we were just a stopover and flight transfer, we still had to queue again for another inspection. Apart from their scanner, they will ask you to open your hand luggage. Same rule again, no food or liquids, obviously no sharps. Also if you got laptop, ipad or other devices, they will ask you to get it out. They will ask you to turn it on or open it. Kuwait to Philippines: There were loads of Filipinos from the crew to passengers. Even on the plane announcements they got Filipino translations already. The service again was excellent. My boy didn't eat much but the Filipino stewardess offered us biscuits for my little boy. Also another stewardess, she's got European accent was also very good. Offered water to passengers even though the plane was a bit dark that time and most of the passengers were asleep. She went around and offered. Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL):Touchdown Manila airport. We went straight to immigration. The guy on the counter was a bit grumpy. First, he was telling off people on queue to move more towards the left side. He looked as if he was going to eat us alive. Then when it was our turn, he asked for the arrival card. We didn't fill in one because before our landing, it was announced on the plane that there was a change in Aviation procedure that passengers don't need to fill in the arrival card. But we didn't realise that our passport was already British. So we need to fill in one of those card and when we went back, we did not go back to his counter. We went to a younger guy and friendly and smiling person.
Straight to baggage area. There were group of foreigners who were getting luggage that was not theirs. Good thing the staff from Philippine airport was quick to notice because they were already trying to open the luggage. One of the staff, standing and watching at the baggage area, said to them "is that your bag?" And, asked for their baggage claim ticket. And saw that it was not the same name. So, they had to put it back. It looks like they took it by mistake but nowadays it's really difficult. So you need to be more vigilant and watchful with your stuff.
Our uncle didn't know we were coming, good thing he got a massive car, we all fit inside. Initially, the plan was that he was going to pick my brother and the family. Then, me and my other half and our boy were going to transfer to the domestic airport and wait for our flight to Roxas City. But, my uncle said no, will try and fit in the car, I will take you to Greenbelt and have some food (Jollibee) and he prepared a room for us. Then he dropped us the next day to the airport early morning.
The excitement was getting so intense. We didn't even sleep waiting. Going to the airport was fine, no traffic because it was early hours. But again coming in, there was a bit of traffic even though it was only half past two or 3 am. And then queue was horrendous, there was even a guy who tried to cut and bump his trolley to my sister-in-law. He can clearly see that we were on queue but because there's loads of us, and stuff to attend to i.e. tickets, kids, etc. he just suddenly cut and then when he bump my sister-in-law, he just said go on first anyways it's still early. Funny bloke. We are already on queue, so we should be first. He should go behind us. Manila to Roxas City: Boarded Philippine Airlines. "Mabuhay!" It was a lovely flight. They also served meals and it was a smooth landing at Roxas City Airport. We stayed in the plane a little bit longer and let my brother and the family go down first. We want to surprise them. There were to cars who picked us up. One was my sister-in-laws family but they already got an idea that we were coming. The other one was my brother-in-law's car. My sister knew that we were coming but our auntie who came with them didn't. She cried when she saw us. It was a surprise.
We drove to our house. We let my brother and the family to come down first. You can hear everyone cheering. My mum got busy with the grandchildren. We were still inside the second car. They called my mum and said that go outside, they still got package in the car plus my sister-in-law's family was still outside. So my mum went out by the gate, me and my family hide behind the car and suddenly showed up. My mum screamed and shouted, "you are all naughty!" Then she cried. She couldnt believe that after 6 years we are again complete. Because 6 years ago I had my vacation but my brother wasn't there. Then a couple of years back, my brother and the family had a vacation and I wasnt there. Also during my sister's wedding I wasn't there. And during my wedding, which was done here in England, they were the ones that was not here.
The fun starts, everyone cheering, there were loads of food waiting, had to open packages, etc. We were really pleased to see our Nan. She looks great for her age. Smiling and beautiful as usual. Our auntie arranged a room for us to stay. We had fun. Few days after one of our cousin arrived from Japan. And she brought her most precious and well-loved possession which is Katana. And then our cousin from Manila came home too with his girlfriend. And we had more fun. We did a karaoke night and that was great because even my little boy joined the singing.
Not long and it was wedding day, time was so quick. We went to a lot of places in Roxas City. We went to the newly opened Robinson's place. We also went to Gaisano in Roxas Boulevard and did a bit of shopping from pocket Wi-Fi to vests (because it was very hot), to flipflops and shorts. We did groceries especially food that we miss i.e. purefoods hotdogs, corned beef, crisps that we love, etc. We also went swimming. This will be on my other blog/review -- Espacio Verde and Islands Hotel Swimming Pool. Wedding day: Everyone's busy from makeup to dressing up. At the church, everyone's very excited. There was something that we missed. The gifts for the offertory. One of my cousins had to go back to the hotel and look for it and then eventually he went back to our house to look for it. Us, whilst, the wedding was happening, kept asking our family members if they knew where it was and what happened. But eventually we found out that it was left in the car. And also my cousin who looked for it knew about it and everything went back in order.
The wedding was beautiful. My brother's bestman was amazing. His family was lovely and very supportive. The bride was dashing and gorgeous. All of the people that participated and attended looked lovely and they felt the ceremony. The priest was very good and delivered everything nicely. We really appreciate all the hardwork from the wedding facilitator to the florist, videographer and photographers, choir, etc. They were all lovely and made the wedding a memorable one.
At the reception, it was also lovely. Food was delicious. The fun and romance and games were awesome. The band was very good. We even had the chance to jam with them. The staff and crew at the reception were spot on. It was a lovely evening. Roxas City to Mactan Cebu International Airport: The next day, we had to fly in the afternoon to Cebu. Our good friend here in England got a house there and let us stay overnight. The only problem with our flight was that the weather wasn't too great that evening. And, halfway during our flight, the turbulence was so bad. It shook the plane like we thought it's gonna go down. We were even flown side to side. To be fair, apart from the bad weather, the plane was a bit small. We landed safely. Thanks to the pilot and the crew.
There's Jollibee in the arrival area. But the entrance was outside. We bought a takeaway. Then head to the taxi area. Got into the taxi. The guy said if we can give him a bit extra because there'll be no passenger back from where he's going to drop us because it is sort of an exclusive village. So we said yes. It took a little while to reach the place because it was raining, there was a little bit of flooding as well but nothing major. There was a maintenance on one of the bridge and we had to re-route. Eventually we reach the place and couldn't find the house. Called the caretaker and she was happy to meet us. She live just down the road. When my other half paid the taxi, the driver was not pleased because we didn't have much extra and we gave him 20 pesos extra. He said that the minimum we can give him should be 50 pesos. You can see from his face even if it was dark that he was angry and also his actuations. So I looked in my wallet and lucky enough I found 50 pesos. So I gave him that and said thank you. I also pat his shoulder and said we enjoyed your music in your taxi. He smiled. But I think he smiled because instead of getting just 50 pesos extra, he got 70 pesos instead because he also kept the 20 pesos that we initially gave him and he ran off as quickly as he could. Clever lad.
Our stay in Cebu even though it was overnight was lovely. We ate our Jollibee takeaway, bought Coke 2L from next door neighbor mini store. Bought shampoo and coffee as well. We had a lovely shower and enjoyed the airconditioning in the house. Thank you so much!
Early morning booked a taxi using Grab. Uber was not working that time. And then we head back to the airport. Taxi driver was very good. Didn't ask for extra money. We were on time. He also got a lovely music in his taxi. Filipinos are really music lover, you can always tell. It was free sing-along whilst riding a taxi or any commuter vehicle in the Philippines. Cebu to Pagadian Airport: We were hungry. We went back to Jollibee near the arrival area. Such a shame, their scanner was not working and we got with us our Pasalubong (package of goodies). One of us could not go in because they weren't able to scan what's in the box. My other half, wasn't please and said that we'll find another place to eat. We ended up back at the Departure area and there's a small restaurant/coffeeshop, I can't remember the name, but my word it was very expensive. We got no choice, we're hungry, so we ate there. Check in and boarding was straight-forward. We arrived at Pagadian Airport.
My other half's family we all waiting. We stop by again in another food place because it was almost lunch time. We had a lovely soup and meal there. Chat and had groupie. It was fun. Journey continued and finally we reached Tukuran. Visited auntie and uncle's place with the cousins. Also visited my other half's grandma. They were all pleased. In Tukuran: We were mostly busy eating hehehe. There's this massive Mango which was bigger than a Skippy container. It was taken from their garden. Also time and again, we had to go to Pagadian to shop or do groceries as well as sort something from Metrobank. It was mostly the bank that kept us coming back to Pagadian. We didn't have money during this vacation. Mostly it went to our airfare and stay plus food during our travel. Also I manage to sort of play keyboards in Tukuran which I didn't get the chance when we were in Roxas City. Because my old guitar was borrowed, the keyboards was broken, my aunt's keyboard doesn't have an adaptor, so yeah didn't get the chance to enjoy playing music in Roxas apart from last few days where I borrowed my cousin's guitar and played a little bit for few hours there. Also whilst in Tukuran, I managed to teach keyboards to one of our niece and later on she brought home her sister's lyre and we played that as well. Lyre is like a xylophone but played upright. I used to play lyre in school during my younger years. In Iligan: We visited the clan in Iligan. It was 2 to 2.5 hours journey. Loads of checkpoints. The one before you enter Iligan was the one that's a bit strict. They will ask for your IDs and check the car and faces of people. I can't remember all the places but few that stick in my head was Kapatagan, Lala, Kolambugan, Maigo, Bacolod, Kauswagan, Linamon, and even saw a place called Munai. Anyways, we reached Iligan. We visited the clan. Had lunch. We went to Robinson's place in Iligan. Had some photos there. Shop a bit for necessities. Then went back to their ancestral house which is just almost in front of Robinson's place. We did a bit of karaoke and had supper. Then the night was still young we went to a pub. And this is literally next door. Imagine that, only wall's apart. We managed to jam. The house band let us jam. I played about 4 songs there. Before they realised that we were taking over their gig. hehehe. Also there's a police patrol car outside the pub because there's curfew. So we went home early. The other thing was, a family friend let us stay in their house. My other half's cousin was the caretaker. So she rang the owner of the house whom close to the family and asked if we can stay in their house. So really there's loads of kind people around. Del Carmen Beach and Swimming Pool:The next morning, another journey to Del Carmen Beach Resort in Lagonglong, Misamis Oriental. This will be on my next blog all about the experience and fun. See blog review about Del Carmen Beach and Swimming Pool Birthday Party Prep: After our overnight the Del Carmen, we went back to Iligan and stayed overnight at our family friend's house. Then head back to Tukuran. We then arranged something for my son's birthday party. It was unplanned, we are short of budget but we pulled it through. With the help of everyone from Mamila and Dadilo to brother-in-law and sister-in-law and to auntie and uncle and the cousins. We even surprised my other half's grandma, because her birthday and son's were one day apart.
After the party, starting packing again. Followed up Metrobank again. And finally, it was sorted. Managed to pay things bought ticket for our flight to Manila. At first, we wanted Pagadian Airport because this was the nearest but then a bit expensive. So we decided to use Laguindingan Airport in Cagayan. Last minute groceries and shopping for stuff that we can bring back here in England like the famous iced tea, some of the crisps that we crave, new hat for me and my boy, new shirt for my other half and then a bit of souvenirs for our family. Journey back to England: Travelled again from Tukuran to Iligan. As I've said before, loads of checkpoints but the one that's really strict was the one before you enter Iligan. We stopped and funny enough, randomly they asked private car passenger to step down from the vehicle and head to their chekpoint. Normally they do this to all public transports and their commuters. I was the only that was asked to step down and walk with other guys to their checkpoint area. I couldn't get out of the car. I was a bit anxious. But I took my passport with me and just walk naturally and head to their checkpoint counter. The guy in front of me was struggling with his rucksack so I was called in first. I handed over my passport and this army guy said British Citizen? And I replied in our diaclet "Yes Sir" he then said to me; "go, go move forward." What a relief. Got in the car and we stopped over again as usual in Jollibee. Bought takeaway. Ate in the car on the road. And, straight to Laguindingan Airport. At the airport, there's another checkpoint. But it was just routine check. Window down remove hats and sunglasses then straight in. We checked in. No problem whatsoever. We went out of the airport again to spend time with Mamila and my brother-in-law. We planned to eat but we're still full up so we decided to buy bottled water and I chose to buy a cup of coffee. We didnt stay long. Because they had to travel back to Tukuran and we got a plane to catch. Cried a bit, sad to go back but that's it. Holiday's over. Laguindingan Internation Airport: Went in the toilet first and to my surprise, I can hear my name being paged. So I went to the check in counter and the lady there said there was a problem with my luggage. But it was just the wrong weight. She said the she printed a wrong label. So I need to go to the gate where we are suppose to go and there's a guy waiting there for me to swap labels for my luggage. Again usual airport routine, take off shoes, coins, watch, celphone, etc. Then hand luggage to the scanner, etc. I was panicking. Oh we also paid terminal fee. Then I rushed to that gate and said to the staff that my name is Vincent and I was paged. They just took my boarding pass and stick a new label for my luggage and that was it.
Whilst waiting, I checked the label and then I found out that the other label, because we got two luggages was also wrong. So I went back to the staff at the gate and explained. But they were very good and sorted it out. It was just a matter of getting the weight and putting the right label. Then boarding time, about 1 hour and 25 minutes and we were in Manila. Took our luggage and asked customer service about the free shuttle transfer from Domestic to International Airport. They direct us where to go and it was handy. It was just inside the airport. There's a bus to transfer us from one terminal to another.
We were a bit early, the check-in time for Kuwait Airlines was 6pm. We were there around 4ish. There's no chair to sit because it was all occupied. My boy had to sit on our luggage. It wasn't long when we started to queue. We were second, however, there were two lines but when you go in they attend to you one at a time. Meaning it's like one queue only but two lines. So it's like done alternately. Good thing they prioritise passengers who's got kids and the ones bound for London. Everything ran smoothly apart from the travel tax. My other half had to go to a separate counter which was nearby and queue there (not a long queue), and pay for it and show it to the till again and gave us our boarding pass. Went in, straight to immigration, showed passport and boarding pass. Then the usual story of removing shoes, phones, watch, coins, etc. and finally we were in. We got hungry afterall the journey in one day and the kerfuffle. We look for a place to eat. My boy wanted pizza but we wanted a proper meal because we were really tired and superhungry. We asked a domestic guy who's cleaning and he said that if we wanted soup and a proper meal, there's a restaurant upstairs. By the stairs, there were ladies offering massage (proper massage) and then we went up and found the restaurant. But my word, we can't afford the price. And my boy was so adamant he really wanted pizza. So we went downstairs and bought pizza. We ended up eating bacon and egg with toast. Manila to Kuwait airport: It was a quick and an easy fly to Kuwait. It was probably because we were tired and sleepy that's why it didnt take that long. My boy didn't even eat his meal. He was asleep the whole time. At Kuwait airport again stopover, offered free meal, we looked around. Found there was another toilet facility to avoid queue from the other toilet near the waiting lounge. Time was so fast that before we realised we had to queue again for our next flight. By the way, there's no free internet at Kuwait airport.
We had a thorough check again at the airport. Hand luggage needed to be opened. We were checked apart from the scanner. My other half had to go to a room where a lady officer to check all lady passengers. Also they were checking us using a gadget scrubbing my hands and clothes as well as our hand luggage and it was being analysed by a portable computer device that they got. Don't know if it was random or all of the passengers. That was one that caused the delay. The queue was never ending. But in the end, we got in. Kuwait to London Heathrow: Our flight coming back from Kuwait airport to Heathrow was not great. The staff were grumpy. Probably they were tired, it was early morning, or something. Like it was very cold that time and most of the passengers were asking for blanket. They could've organised themselves and prioritise that instead of their usual routine of changing uniform and prepare food trolley, etc. Like myself, I asked for a blanket and good thing she's got one available blanket. There were three of us, myself, my little boy and my other half, so I decided to give my blanket to my little boy. Then my other half shared with him. After few hours, the coldness became unbearable and still people were asking for blanket. So I asked the lady as well for another blanket. And she replied to me pointing at my boy... "you already got one." That was not customer service, that was rude. She could've said that we will sort it, we running late or busy or something. She meant that even if we paid for three tickets we were only entitled for one blanket. Then a lot of things, for example scrambled egg, they ran out of it. The way they reply to you is that you're a refugee asking for your food. And lastly, there a young girl desperate for toilet, the stewardess didn't allow her because of the seatbelt light on. But the way she handled the situation or talked to that girl and the parent was not right. It was like her tone of voice and facial expression was saying that look at this stupid passenger, the seatbelt light is on and still won't listen. Anyways, we landed and we were back in England.
Toilet first then straight to immigration. UK residents got a separate queue from non-EU and non UK residents. Then, there's a machine where you just scan your passport and an on-screen instructions to follow. However, because we are family and got a young child with us, we had to queue to an immigration officer. And, I gave him our passports, he look at our face, took photos and said to me "Welcome back, sir!"
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