the world is not enough

Are you drugs?

2007-02-28T17:52:00.000+08:00

So were on our nth round of tong-its, swapping chips, twenty peso bills, cigarettes and downloaded TV episodes. It's a Friday night and were thinking its gonna be another weekend of futile attemps at entertaining ourselves. Even in a state of fiscal crisis, we knew that a burgeoning feeling of escape was lurking amongst all of us. So I popped the question: "Wanna hit the road?"

"Are you drugs?" Carms asked quizically. "I'm giving you guys an hour to pack." I replied. Sometime between 2 and 3 AM we popped out of Manila and into the North Luzon Expressway. We all knew this wasn't gonna be an epic road trip, but we all felt that we were taking the right direction.

Cruising northward at daybreak is one of the best road experiences. With nothing to mind and nothing to beat we arrived at La Union just after breakfast time.

La Union is home - where I was born, where I spent my childhood summers, where I learned to drive, where I take my friends for vacations. There's nothing quite like my Lola's Igado - pork stew cooked in an Ilocano way, I think. Coincidentally, it was my Lola's birthday so that meant food was gonna flow liberally from the kitchen. Shet, sarap. Haha.

We were supposed to surf. But then again, we were drugs. So, we just soaked up the good old sun. Hot. Hot. Hot. Sunsets like these are best downed with bottles and bottles of beer. Dinner is looking good!

Happy birthday Maying! That's my loving, lovely Lola! I'm a Lola's boy! Haha.

Tada.

I Left My Heart

2007-02-13T22:55:00.000+08:00

Downtown SF

Phone Pals.
San Francisco Bay, Pier 39...
Golden Gate

Parking Meters

The Bay Area

2006-12-24T07:41:00.000+08:00

So I'm just fresh out of the airport. By now, I'm more than 24 hours awake, battling jetlag and fatigue. Jojo and Roberto are late and the weather is freezing. Finally, after more than an hour's wait, the two appear from behind.

It's been a while since I last saw these two. It kinda wierded me out at first that we were hanging out all the way here. But it was a funny, wonderful, wierd kinda thing.

The last time I've been to America was like, 12 years ago. I was a kid back then and the whole experience is now a blur to me. This time around, I'm determined to get the most I can from this trip. I've been anticipating this vacation for a long time now and this one is quite special - it's my first Christmas away from home.

The first thing that they took me to was IHOP (International House of Pancakes). It's quite a popular breakfast place around here. I ordered the breakfast sampler which included sausages, ham, bacon, hash browns, eggs and pancakes. Oh. And the ice tea here tastes like, well, iced, tea.

After that, we went to Roberto's apartment in Daly City so that I could freshen up. It was a gonna be a long day for me. First up was the Golden Gate Bridge.

Oh wow. It was really a site to see. But really, cold and windy. They said I was lucky the weather was great 'coz usually the Gate is covered in fog. Rumor says, also, that the Golden Gate Bridge is home to the most number of suicide jumpers. It even has placards which have 1800 numbers for those thinking of making the plunge. Three things will kill you: the impact, the cold and the sharks.

Next we went to Lombard St., so called the crookedest street in the world. The street wasn't that beautiful as it should've been because it was winter. Too bad.

You know the scene in The Rock wherein Sean Connery meets his daughter. That's in the Palace of Fine Arts! It really is a cool place for picnics, dates and pictorials. Haha!

After that, we went to Fisherman's Wharf, a huge complex built for parting tourists with their money. Well some of them aren't that bad. Like the clam chowder served in sourdough bread. It was really, really good.

I'm getting sleepy. I'll just post the pictures next. Okay!

Merry Christmas!

some photos from Japan

2006-12-19T10:18:00.000+08:00

I can't read.

In flight entertainment rocks.

Tokyo, Tokyo

Hello Panda! Bakit mukhang kuala?

Oh Tokyo!

2006-12-18T22:04:00.000+08:00

Feeling a little bit druggy and definitely hungover, I went to the decrepit Ninoy Aquino International Airport at about 5:30 in the morning. Since it was so early, I expected the airport check-in stuff to be fast and breezy. But no.

So there I was, standing in a long, long line just for the check-in. Then I went to the long line to pay my travel taxes, the slow line for the immigration clearance and the intermittent security checks.

By the time I reached the boarding gates, they were already making the final boarding call and I couldn't stop the funny, queasy feeling happening in my stomach. Alright, it wasn't funny at all. I made suka all the beer, Gran Matador and all that I drank from last night. Lesson learned: If you have a long-haul flight the next day, don't drink.

I hate it that you can't bring water to on board. 'Cause I really needed it. Anyway, I spent most of the 4 and a 1/2 hour trip going to Narita half-asleep - concentrating on regaining my sobriety.

Narita Airport's security couldn't be much tighter. They x-ray your shoes, make you turn on your laptop; they even frisked by hair. But through it all, I felt that my 4 hours in the land of the rising sun (even though I didn't pass immigration) was unreal. On the way down, I noticed that Japan's landscape is very much different from that of the Philippines. For one, it looks more organized. Second, it was filled with pine and pine-looking trees. Very, very nice.

Ang daming Hapon! Para akong nai-stuck sa mundo ng anime kung saan ay lahat ay nagha-hapon. To reward my stomach, I bought myself some hot ramen (Y500) and some tamago sushi. It's the real thing!

Sayonara.

Pictures to be uploaded later. I'm now going to SoCal. Roadtrip!

On Packing.

2006-12-04T21:32:00.000+08:00

My travel experiences have taught me well.

I know that bringing a wheeled suitcase to Beach destinations is just plain stupid. On my first trip to Puerto Galera, many years ago, I brought my big wheeled suitcase filled with food, alcohol and clothes. Imagine me pulling my big, dumb suitcase across the sand. Why won't it roll? TANGA.

I know that when your going to mountain outpost, you're supposed to bring a jacket. On my trip to Genting Highlands, Malaysia, Bobi and I learned the hard way. You see, we never thought that Genting Highlands, was, well, HIGH. Dressed in flip-flops, shorts and t-shirts, you would think we were off to the beach. But Genting is just the opposite. Only 1 and a 1/2 hours away from KL, Genting is Baguio-like in weather. With fog to boot. Sooooooo cold.

I know that bringing a duffel bag on a backpacking trip is foolish. Not only will you swear and cuss non-stop after hours of looking for a room to crash, your friends who wisely brought backpacks will be laughing at you and telling you "I told you so" throughout.

I know that you're supposed to bring boardshorts on a surfing trip. At the last GO! Trip, I forgot, among all things to bring a pair of boardshorts. While my friends were happily surfing, I was confined to the shore, snapping pictures.

I know that you're supposed to bring your charger. My friends and I have this knack for not bringing chargers along. There was even a time that 8 of us went to PG and not 1 had a charger. Talk about birds flocking together.

I know that you're supposed to bring headphones when your bringing your iPod.

I'm a good packer now. Though I overpack each and everytime, I know that the basics are with me. And I love ziplocks. They make me feel safe.

But I can't seem to pack right for my USA trip which is coming in 2 weeks. Yes, I know. I'm excited. I've got my jackets ready (I hope they provide enough insulation for below zero temperatures!). I've got my bonnets and scarves I bought in Baguio earlier this year. I haven't bought my cigarettes yet.

Yet to buy: a small flashlight and batteries, comfort food, gloves, Pinoy VCDs and Chocnut for Jojo, a basic mess kit. And that North Face daypack I've been eyeing for the longest time now. Hmph.

It's gonna be a cold December.

Anybody going to Jakarta?

2006-11-30T07:06:00.001+08:00

After much contemplation, consultation and assessment, (a process which took around 10 minutes) I made the plunge. I typed in my credit card's numbers and hit the "pay" button. Oops. I just bought myself a ticket to Jakarta.

Who could refuse? A roundtrip ticket to Jakarta for only P5,506! Add P1,620 for the Philippine Travel Tax - a compulsary fee for all international trips, which I find expensive for its own right. Still, the P7,100-something sum is cheap. Very much so.

Indonesia, for me is unchartered territory. Nevermind my friends' impression that Indonesia, especially Jakarta, is an unsafe and unsecure place. I think that's just alot of bull. I think Indonesia, just as how the Philippines is internationally typecasted to be running amok with terrorists, is totally misrepresented. I bet it's a beautiful, beautiful country.

I'm aiming to just spend one day in Jakarta and then head out to Bali using trains and ferries stopping at Borobudur on the way.

But how will I pay for it? That, my friends, is the question. Bahala na si Batman.

I shouldn't even be doing this yet. I have a big trip coming up... USA for the holidays! Snow for the first time! New Year in New York!

But that is for another post.

Why travel?

2006-11-27T23:22:00.000+08:00

You are with your closest friends sitting atop a dilapidated jeepney headed to that much needed respite, gripping its sidebars for support fearing that any time you could fall into that deep ravine. Your heart is beating so fast, you think you’re palpitating. The driver seems to have no inkling of what the word “break” means, causing your companions to shriek with every rough turn the jeep makes on this narrow dirt road. The chickens below are as restless as you are; unsure of the fate the journey has in store for you. Your face is now a mix of dust, sweat and grime. You are having the time of your life.

Six hours ago, you wouldn’t have imagined yourself in such a situation. You were probably in front of the TV, or on the computer, finishing that Comm paper for school or that presentation for work. After a spur-of-the-moment, forceful yet convincing argumentation by your friends, you agree to join them on a crazy roadtrip to a place you’ve never heard of. You’ve left a motherload of work back in the city: dishes undone, laundry that needs to be picked up, articles that need a serious session of editing. And in your excitement, you left your precious cellphone at home. But you don’t care.

The jeepney stops at a quiet fishing village in a sleepy little town. On the horizon, you see a small island with a streak of white sand. You look into each other’s eyes, sensing a common conquest. With just a tent, firewood, beer and canned goods to survive on, you hop into a tiny banca.

The boat slices the placid blue sea, glinting like liquid sapphires. The sun, which has now positioned itself directly above you, starts to work its wonders on your pale skin. Taking your first step on the deserted island sweeps you with a natural high. It’s as if you discovered the island, tempting you to name it after yourself.

The island grants you a ceasefire from the battles you’ve been fighting. The refreshing waters wash away all your troubles while the gentle sea breeze caresses you the way a mother comforts her son who had just arrived, torn from war. In this moment, you are unafraid to live.

You spend the night around a campfire, lying side by side with the best people in the world, counting stars and swapping stories. You fall asleep to the rythmic sound of waves crashing to the shore. The sunrise wakes you up, ahead of your friends. In a few hours, you’ll be making your way home. Back to the dishes you’ve left, back to the pile of work left undone, back to the messages that have accumulated in your cellphone.

Back in the city, struggling with sun burnt skin, you casually smile to yourself as you daydream about the way the breeze swept your face that early morning, playing with thoughts in your head on how you should be living life. Free.

Note: Published in GO! Travel Magazine's Premiere Issue

I think Bohol loves us.

2006-11-25T23:03:00.000+08:00

We did not sleep the night before our trip, probably because our flight was at 6:20 in the morning and that we had a knack for camping in the office. This trip was meant to be a breather as we had just wrapped up a GO! event. Though the event was a trip in itself, there really wasn’t time for us to enjoy ourselves as we constantly had to mind our precious participants. After our last minute cigarette session (to ward off sleep), our boarding call finally sounded and off we went to our Cebu Pacific A319.

Complaint: I hate the fact that the Manila Domestic Airport’s terminal fee has now shot up to P200! It’s okay to shell out cash if the airport’s okay but the building is just deteriorating and deteriorating. Let’s not even talk about NAIA!

I absolutely love early morning flights – lots of unoccupied seats, a general hushed group, the sun slowly rising above the clouds.

Our party of five was greeted by a very hot and humid Tagbilaran City. We were picked up by Mang Ani, our friendly Boholanon driver who took us to Bohol Divers Resort located at the eastern end of Alona Beach, Panglao Island.

We booked P800 fan rooms (good for two) which included access to the resort’s swimming pool, an amenity we enjoyed at night. Breakfast, no matter how good, didn’t cancel out our lack of sleep so we crept back to our room and… Zzz..

By 3PM we were all back on our feet and now in our swimming outfits. We were just
so ready to soak in the sun, play around the soft white sand and dip in Alona’s refreshing blue waters.

Food Trip! For relatively cheap, delicious and heart warming meals, go to Trudis’ Place located smack in the middle of the beach stretch. Their servers are very pleasant and yup, the proof is in the pudding. Empoy fans, such as ourselves, were disappointed to find out that there is an island-wide cartel with regards to Emperador bottles being sold twice the price (Hey that rhymes!)! Tanduay and Granma(tador) fans need not worry.

There are many tour operators offering the Countryside Tour in the P1,200 – P1,600 range which is all inclusive of transportation and admission costs. However, if you’re a group of 5 or more, just get a van which costs around P2,500 for the same tour. This price does not include the admission costs at the sights but is definitely cheaper than signing up with the tour operators.

But if you really haven’t got the cash. Or if you’re alone. You can commute all the way using jeeps, buses and multicabs. This is the cheapest route. Definitely.

To avoid hassling ourselves, we hired Mang Ani’s van for P2,500 and started off with Hinagdanan Cave in Panglao Island. Hinagdanan Cave is a fairly-interesting-enough site with vandalisms ranging from World War II inscriptions to modern-day obscenities.

Nearby, we spotted a bunch of statues aging and obviously neglected. Mang Ani tells us that the statues are members of the Clarin Family who had a glorious and illustrious political past in Bohol. Up close, the statues render a gloomy and spooky feeling. Definitely scary shit.

Next stop was Dauis Church, still in Panglao Island. As with most colonial structures in Bohol, Dauis Church is made of coral blocks cemented with eggwhite. The following photos were taken in Baclayon Church, the Philippines’ second oldest church.

Majestically inscribed on this 15th Century wall is an age-old saying still emblazoned on many walls up to this time:

Bawal umihi dito! Classic ‘di ba?

Before heading for Loboc, we made a stopover at this mini-zoo where they supposedly held captive one of the largest snakes in captivity.

No. This is not Prony. This is Marimar, the mini-zoo’s resident guide and karaoke master. While waiting for Prony’s caretaker to open the cage (so that we could have pictures taken), we made the mistake of allowing Marimar to entertain us. In this photo, she is, with complete karaoke master flair, lip synching Lost In Your Eyes.

This is Prony, a 23-foot python with some portions of its body wider than my thigh. And believe me, my thighs are big. Prony feeds on a 40-50 Kg pig or goat every month. We tried feeding Marimar to Prony but he declined. And no. I’m well over the 40-50 Kg weight class.

By lunchtime, we were cruising Loboc River while having our buffet lunch. The P260 admission includes an amazingly delicious lunch, one soda, the one-hour cruise and a band serenading you with hits from the past. This is one cool guilty pleasure.

While the boat navigated the river, we were surprised to see young children swimming directly towards the boat’s direction. They would come swinging from the coconut trees and then plunging into the water. They would climb up the side’s of the boat and then jump again towards the next oncoming boat. At first we though they were gonna ask for money or alms. It turns out they were just children being children. A refreshingly happy thought.

This is the Philippine Tarsier (Tarsius syrichta), the world’s smallest primate. It saddens me to know that many of these spectacular animals are now helplessly dependent on the food that the caretakers feed them. It’s good if something beneficial comes out of them taking one for the team, but most often, they’re just there so that tourists could take photos.

And now, ladies and gentlemen, the not so chocolatey Chocolate Hills! They become brown in the summer which earned them the moniker. 1,268 lumps to be exact, the Chocolate Hills are sprawled on three towns. Yummy.

The Bilar Man-made Forest is something you’d wish you had in Manila. Tall mahogany trees darting from the ground with their crowns merging above creating a unique tunnel of foliage. On the other hand, it kinda reminded us all of the Blair Witch Project.

End of Tour!

In the spirit of inuman, I would like to thank Baywatch Dive and Fun Center located in Alona Beach. Big props to Abner and his crew for giving us temporary tattooes and sharing lotsa beer with us. Cheers !

This is the result of betting, persuasion, lots of beer and a bottle of henna ink! Happy travels everbody!