MANILA, Philippines – Good news: Unbelievable, this fantastic weather of misty dawns and overcast sunsets we are enjoying in the metropolis. Expect lower electric bills as air conditioners are shut and windows remain open for nippy evening breezes. A good time for at-home romantic candlelight dinners and family bonding evenings.

Bad news: For the elderly and those with weak immune systems, doctors warn that the cold weather could trigger colds and heart attacks. The advice for everyone: keep warm, stay away from too much alcoholic beverages, eat light meals and take warm baths. Be extra cautious when driving, as foggy mornings, when the sun does not rise until 6:20, could also cause traffic accidents.

Good news: The markets are awash in vegetables; the deluge of fresh produce has resulted in drastically lower prices for carrots, cucumbers, cabbage, bok choy and cauliflower. Even lowland veggies like eggplants, onions, radish, pumpkin, ampalaya and tomatoes are inexpensive and aplenty. Learn to serve them restaurant-style, in innovative ways that would encourage the kids to eat more vegetables. Instead of ginataan or pakbet, sauté veggies in oyster sauce or drenched with a creamy, cheesy crust.

Bad news: Most of the cheap vegetables are from Benguet, the Salad Capital of the Philippines, where frost is forcing farmers to resort to all kinds of schemes to save their farms. Many are trying to recoup even a small percentage of their investment by harvesting early, and marketing the vegetables in the lowlands long before their prime. That, they conclude, is better than allowing frost to kill all their vegetables on site. Expect higher vegetable prices in a few months, when the farmers will try to recover from this crop’s losses.

Good news: If you have the money, now is the time to see places you’ve always wanted to visit, or perhaps schedule an oft-postponed family reunion overseas. Post-holiday travel ads trumpet dirt cheap domestic, regional and international tickets and tour packages. Even the best hotels in the Philippines are on a promo binge.

Bad news: Unseasonal rains and low pressure areas have marked the post-holiday weather patterns in the Philippines. Travelers are advised to check with the weather bureau when making plans. It’s a real bummer to be in Boracay on a rainy weekend. It’s not fun either to be stranded by landslides in Ifugao or left behind by the last ferry in Matnog, Sorsogon. Always remember to have emergency cash for unforeseen predicaments.

Good news: From April to May, travel season for Filipinos, it is off-season overseas. Bargains are offered for all kinds of tickets and tours; whether it’s a Caribbean cruise, Disneyland, Universal Studios, Europe or Hawaii.

Bad news: Be aware of “extra” charges that could double, or triple, the cost of flying from one city to another. Many Filipino travelers are not aware of this, as we are still spoiled by personalized and free service from airline companies and tour operators. Overseas travel services, however, are no longer free. From booking to checking in, everything -- even a bottle of water, blankets, pillows, earphones, inflight movies, food – has to be paid for.

Analysts claim that the airline industry would have perished but for the invention of these new “extra” charges. These “extras” earned for Flybe, Ryanair, US-based Spirit Air and Tiger Airways an average of nearly 20 per cent of their total revenue.

Passengers are charged extra for everything; easyJet increased its infant fee from £15 to £20, its booking fee from £3.95 to £4.95, and raised its charges for cancelling or making changes to a booking. It currently costs £30 to check in a bag on a return flight with Ryanair (or £70 if you book it over the phone).

Bad taxi news in London: From the official London Transport government website, this advisory on extra charges allowed for taxis.

1. Telephone Bookings -There is an extra charge of up to £2.00 if the taxi is booked by telephone. When booking by telephone, other charges may also apply and terms and conditions may vary so please check when you book.

2. Heathrow extra - There is an extra charge of £2.40 for journeys that start from Heathrow Airport ranks.

3. Christmas and New Year - There is an extra charge of £4 for journeys made between 20:00 on 24 December and 06:00 on 27 December or between 20:00 on 31 December and 06:00 on 2 January 2011.

4. Bank cards - Some taxis accept credit or debit cards and there is a maximum charge of £1.00 or 12.5% of the metered fare, whichever is higher.

5. Soiling - The driver may charge the passenger up to £40 for soiling if it requires the taxi to be taken out of service for cleaning.