I am in a dilemma whether to brave the powerful Typhoon Kammuri (known locally as Tisoy), which has hit Metro Manila or remain in my hotel room inhaling cigarette smoke.
Yes, my roommate is a heavy smoker and I find it very difficult to breathe. In fact, the room is so smoky that it looks like a chimney 24 hours a day!
Although smoking in hotel rooms in the Philippines is prohibited, my roommate has continued to light up as if his father owned the place.
He does not mind paying the heavy fine of 10,000 peso (RM820) if he gets caught by the hotel management.
Already, two fans from the Team Malaysia supporters’ group, were each fined 10,000 peso by the hotel as the cleaners had found cigarette butts littering their rooms.
Too bad, my roommate did not get caught then. Though travelling from one Sea Games venue to another may be dangerous due to the typhoon, I rather put myself in danger to watch Malaysian athletes than inhaling second-hand smoke (which could be more dangerous).
Don’t get me wrong.I was once a two-pack a day smoker before I kicked the habit about 10 years ago. Yes, I used to upset non-smokers by lighting up at non-designated smoking areas in Malaysia.
But I realised, over the years, that smoking is not cool and only leads to serious illnesses like cancer, and I subsequently quit the cancer stick.
As for my roommate, I cannot tell him not to smoke in the room as he is my ‘super senior’ and a person I admire for his excellent voice. He used to host sports programmes for a national TV station.
Back to the typhoon, I was advised by the hotel’s front desk officer not to take the lightweight tricycle to the venues as the ferocious winds and blinding rain might rip off its tin roof and blow me away.
So, I am relying on Grab to get me around, which is an expensive way of travelling in Manila.
As the terrifying typhoon blows in, flights in and out of the Philippines have to be cancelled while some outdoor events have been suspended to ensure the safety of athletes, officials and fans.
However, things are still under control, there are no landslides and floods yet in Manila.
You had better stay put in your hotel room if Typhoon Kammuri pounds Manila badly.
Having said that, braving the typhoon might be a better option if your roommate is a smoker.