State Sen. Pam Roach, R-Auburn, is chronicling her travels to the Philippines and China on this blog.

Under a post entitled "They Called Me Brave," Roach recounts seeing military maneuvers during a pre-China visit to the Philippines:

The military was walking down the street. I didn't think too much of it but had read in the paper about the New People's Army. They are kind of like FARC in Columbia. That means they kill people.

and more:

There is danger here. I was given a bodyguard who walks in front of me where ever I go. He is taking his job quite seriously. To put all the community leaders in one room there was publicity about my visit and because of that they are worried for me.

Later, Roach met with a provincial governor. It didn't go well.

Roach wanted to mention that a shipping container with medical supplies had been delayed, apparently by customs agents in the Philippines, for 18 months.

Instead, the governor announced his most important issue was global warming and preceded to talk non-stop about that. And then about how everyone had access to health care (NOT), and how everyone had a free education through college (NOT), and how he was a delegate to WTO and had been to Seattle. He rambled on about being arrogant (Not, Not!) and then told us how busy he was. Pretty busy, I guessed, as I noticed he apparently had no time to put on his socks.

On to China...

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