My Pink Shoelace

My series of “laags” started when I went to Leyte with Vince, Jao and Hyds … I was the only rose amongst the thorns. Details of that trip can be found here: @ Leyte; 1:32 AM by the Floating Table; 1:54 AM by the Beach front Cottage; Wrath of a Banshee. They’re a series of multiple entries as we stayed in Leyte for close to 3 days.

Sumilon Island with Kathy and Rich : March 25, 2008

When I arrived from Leyte my next escapade was with Kathy and Rich, we’re going to Sumilon Island. Would drop off on Oslob, take the boat that would take us to the island. We met up at the North Bus Terminal at around 4 AM, was on board at the bus at 4:30 AM. I was told the ride would take around 3 to 4 hours, I sat beside Rich on the window seat as usual while Kathy sat on the other side. I have always been the passive one, I don’t usually talk unless spoken to and just like Vic, Rich is pretty much talkative. He talks while I listen giving grunts, nods or a single yes or no response when asked.

When we arrived on the island, it was simply amazing. The way it was developed, the positioning of this and that was relaxing. They have this infinity pool which makes you think it continuously flows straight to the ocean and a beach on the left side and a lagoon on the right. We went kayaking, I was seated in the middle by Rich and Kathy were doing the paddling. Felt like a princess that day, they’ve been there already and I think that’d be there second and my first, they acted as my tour guide ever amiable and solicitous.

We’ve had our share of photo shoots and though I don’t know how to swim at all, I enjoyed the beach and the white sand. If you seek peace and tranquility, it definitely is the place to go for. Food is superb though the rate is kinda high but it was all worth it. I’d go back anytime … should I need to get lost somewhere.

The Unexpected Part 3: City of Pines – March 27 to 29, 2008

We’ve been to 3 places already and all of them begins with the letter B —- Bohol; Bantayan Island; and Baguio City and according to Mitchy that means we’re just “barkadas” nothing more nothing less. ‘Twas a perfect explanation. This trip was not planned at all, one minute I decided to go and I texted him … next thing I know I was texting him again to cancel it out. Then after a couple of days I texted him again to say we’d push through … see how fickle-minded I am? D said its typical of my species (right … whatever you say). Anyways this trip was finalized Tuesday … booked my ticket tuesday night when I arrived from our day tour in Sumilon.

Found myself at Starbucks early Wednesday morning with Roy … I gotta give this guy a plaque for salvaging a project that was s’pose to be mine from the start. And since I procrastinate and with my many leaves in tow I basically just gave it to him. He needs the cash more than I do … I think and I needed the time off more than he does so that made all things equal.

Wednesday afternoon, find myself in the ticketing office of Cebu Pacific to have my ticket printed out … my flight sched was.

4:45 AM – Departure from Cebu to Manila
6:00 AM – Estimated Time of Arrival in Manila

The plan was for me to head on straight to Pasay … Victory Liner Terminal and we’d meet up there. We were exchanging messages back and forth … first when I was about to board the plane and when I arrived. He left work earlier than his schedule but I arrived at the terminal earlier than he did which made me buy the tickets for both of us. As usual he has this capacity to foresee the things that might be needed, teeny weeny details that I almost always miss. He brought food with him enough for three people; and just as always we don’t talk. I mean we haven’t seen each other for quite sometime and its not like his location is just one jeepney ride away from mine … but we dont act like two people who lived apart and have not been in each other’s company for an ample period of time. He sat down beside me and talked as if we’ve seen each other on the floor the night before. I dunno if thats unusual but thats always the case with us. I was the one inviting him … we’ll not really inviting but asking him to accompany me to Baguio and s’possedly should be the one taking care of the details of the trip but just as I’ve expected he took care of the details; where we’ll stay; where to go and what to do. I was the passive beneficiary again for the third time.

As the trip from Manila to Baguio lasts 7 hours we arrived in Baguio roughly around 2PM … imagine the 7 hour ride on the bus and not talking … I take that back, we talk but its the one or two words response kinda conversation. Between the two of us … he’s more of the talkative one; I listen and he talks. He asks a question I answer either with a nod, a grunt or a single yes or no. He was playing with his PSP while I was listening to music … so evidently both of us have worlds of our own. Might as well say we’re a pair of autistic individuals. We’ve been mistaken for lovers, to engaged couples to married couples and we’re sick and tired of arguing. People immediately assume it’s always just one room when we haven’t even said a thing, which was fine … that has always been our setup … practical and economical.

The journey from Manila to Baguio was tiring, that I must admit but as we near the place the view was just awesome. Its like cruisin on the side of a curving stretch of a mountain side cliff, not to exaggerate Baguio is really cold. Even in the heat of the afternoon sun, it still is cold, people there are either wearing sweaters, jackets or long – sleeved blouses and shirts, vehicles don’t have their air conditioning turned on, same thing with the hotels and with their mall; SM Baguio.
We stayed at Ferrioni 1, the room was okay for me that is … but so so for him and his standards. *sigh* thats where we differ; so long as there’s a bed, pillows and a blanket and the place is clean then thats fine with me. The moment my head hit the pillow I was asleep and I think so was he but he woke up earlier than me that he had to wake me up for dinner. We went out to explore the place and ended up at SM Baguio … the view from their terrace was incredible and so was the coldness, natural coldness mind you.

We got lost on our way to SM and also on our way back to where we’re staying … which was fun. I knew I was safe as I was with him. Eventually we were able to find our way back to the hotel that was roughly around 10PM. Went to sleep while he was channel surfing. The next day would be spent touring the city and its outskirts with the tour guide we met when we arrived at the terminal.

Sleep was evasive … on and off … as if someone somehow played with the switch. Morning came with him waking up first again, and him waking me up which I find annoying. Anyways had breakfast and afterwards we waited for the tour guide to arrive and pick us up. He arrived at roughly 8:30 AM and the tour begun.

The Itinerary in Sequence:

* Burnham Park – jam packed with people and merchants. The lagoon was amazing, tourists can even use one of the kayaks for rent to go kayaking.

* Lourdes Grotto – where devotees offer flowers and prayers. There were native Ifugaos there too wherein if you want to have your photo taken with them you’ll have to pay. There were also souvenir shops around but I didn’t get the chance to look into them.

* Easter Weaving School – amazing weaving school which has a shop of its own too. I bought scarves and knitted shawls there for presents and for my own use.

* Strawberry Fields – full of people merchants and tourists alike. Finally I get to see strawberry on their habitat. If you pick the strawberries yourself just to experience what its like then the price per kilo is at 200 pesos. But if you buy from the merchants nearby the price is at 80 pesos per kilo, which was what we did … I bought two kilos, one for Mitchy as she specifically said in her text message: “NO Strawberries, NO Mitchy”. Then another one for the people at home and for D, Julie, Eds and Jen .. I’ll be with them to Siargao, at least we’ll have something to munch on during our trip.

* Mines View Park – the view was just superb, felt like I was on top of the whole wide world. The place was full of tourists though, there were native Ifugaos who would let you wear their native costume and have your pic taken with them for 10 pesos. He urged me to try but then I didn’t like the idea of doing it alone so I said no. On our way there was this huge friendly Labrador, his name was Douglas, where in you can have your pic taken with him, would have loved that but he was no longer around when we went down. Also bought most of the presents at the surrounding stalls and bought the Ube Jam for Roy at Good Shepperd, I was told by both Vince and Hyds that their Ube Jam would be the best in Baguio.

* Camp John Hay – they have this hotel their .. The Suites .. which we were told has the rate of 4K to 5K per night. *Whew* that was expensive but the looking at it from the outside, you can tell it’s gonna be a very comfy place to stay in. Was able to catch a glimpse of a few golfers too.

* PMA – we went inside their museum and was able to see cadets marching in.

After the tour we head on straight to the terminal, to take the bus that’d leave at 5PM for Cubao. Was expected to arrive Manila around 12 midnight, him straight home while I would go straight to Asian Mansion where Mitchy was staying.

I got lost along Makati and vowed it was stupid of me to contemplate doing a lateral transfer to Manila. The battery of my phone could die any minute, the cab driver was hellish, my Tagalog was crooked than that of a first grader and I was loaded with presents. Good thing Mitchy arrived after waiting for what seemed like forever and we got back to her place safe and sound despite being exhausted.

We unpacked the presents I bought and gave her the strawberries and the pair of earrings Vic has chosen for her. Am glad she liked it and like the big sister she has always been to me she told me on we’re gonna repack all the items I’ve bought especially the jars of jams, they’re heavy and fragile thats why they need to be repacked.

All these time I was busy texting Eds, as I asked him to have my flight bound for Cebu rebooked. S’possedly I’d leave Manila at 8:30 PM and that would mean missing the boat for Siargao so I’d be going there on Monday. Vic didn’t like the idea of me traveling there alone and missing the fun in the company of Jen and the gang so he advised me to have my flight re booked.

Eds took care of that, my flight back home would be 3:40 PM Saturday, I’ll arrive Cebu at exactly 5:00 PM and the boat for Surigao leaves at 7:00 PM.

So after repacking everything, Mitchy accompanied me to the airport where I waited for my flight.

Arrived Cebu at 5:00 PM, texted Eds that am safe back home. Head on straight home, arrived 5:45 PM … my uncle was surprised to find out that am just home for a couple of minutes to drop off my things, pack another bag and head on to Siargao.

Called Jen to check on where they’re at, was told they’re in McDo Jones, so I told her to wait up for me as am on my way. Arrived there around 6:30 PM and we head on straight to Pier Uno to board the ship that would take us to Surigao City.

Surfing in Siargao Escapade : March 29 to April 2 , 2008

* March 31, 2008 – 8:53 PM *

To start off my series of entries …

Our 2nd day in Siargao … Jen’s fast asleep, Julie is about to do the same; Eds and D are talking nonsense. Wahehehe … Eds and I just arrived after walking a couple of blocks looking for anything that resembles a pc that can go online. Arrived at a resort called Ocean 101, where what seemed like a reception hall was full with blue eyed blonde hunks (?) surfers and surfers wanna be. The attendant showed us upstairs where the computers are located, rate is kinda exorbitant if you know what I mean.

The connection was good, was able to talk to A and my boss, was anxious to check on my schedule for this week and for the next week. Thank God my boss confirmed am on PTO (Paid Time Off) — though thats not the case for me … I’ve abused all the alotted PTO’s and am on unpaid vacation leaves. He envied me with my sched … am only coming to work on Monday (April 7, 2008) and am back to PTO for the rest of the week. If I dont have to come to work on Monday that would have meant 3 straight weeks of unpaid vacation leaves … beat that!!!

They’re all unpaid and to be blunt I couldn’t care less. Am lovin what am doing … and no amount of cash can pay what I’ve seen and what am about to see.

Am using D’s notebook which felt like home seeing that its almost similar with mine … too bad there’s no wi-fi here but at least we get to listen to music and I get to type and type till sunrise. They’re all asleep but am wide awake … am thinking of tomorrow and the many tomorrows to come wherein I have no clue on what to do or on where to go from here.

*Day 3 – April 1, 2008 *

*The Birth of a Surfer and Another Emotional Breakdown*

9AM – the schedule of Eds first and last surfing lesson on the spot in the country’s surfing capital : Siargao

The charge was 500 pesos per hour, I bet my soul on it that we’d be contributing a hundred bucks each should he need an extra hour of tutorial session. Being the fast learner that he is it only took him an hour to learn, couldnt understand the mechanics really after all I don’t even know how to swim much more surf …

After breakfast of fish, eggs and beef loaf; don’t forget the coffee; we head on straight to the beach. Jen was wrapped up in her yellow sarong with a two piece underneath; Julie (Cholee) put on a green summer dress with black stripes two piece bikini underneath and me … meeeee in a brown with pink hearts halter tankini and black sports shorts. All three head on the beach, where we found Alex (Eds mentor) teaching Eds how to paddle and stand on the surf board. It didn’t took them long practicing on the sand, they head on straight to the waves, for the hands on.

While the three of us head on straight on to the tower so we can view him, the sound of the waves crashing by was soothing, ’twas the sound I could not find in the city, the sound I know I could get lost in. Eds was there amongst other surfers novices and pro alike, finding his balance under the tutelage of Alex in what seemed like a not so friendly round of crashing waves.

I’ve seen my share of live surfers, something I though I’d only see in Baywatch and the like but there I was watching the real thing with 2 gorgeous gals.

Well the three of us didn’t really come to Siargao to learn how to surf but for the photo shoot … so after watching eds for an hour or so we head on somewhere looking for white sand for the perfect pictorial session.

The surfing area in Siargao is located in General Luna; Cloud 9 … why its called Cloud 9? The locals have this very plausible explanation … back then the only chocolate available in the area was Cloud 9. It was hilarious when you come to think of it, the place was amazing full of surfers locals and foreigners alike. After lunch we head on straight to Mangcupongco; we were not able to enjoy the beach as its high tide when we got there. So we went home … to rest s’posedly but just like every other time … I crumble when the facades too much to bear and reality hit me hard like the waves hit the sea. Too bad I cannot ride the waves the same way the surfers did to avoid the harsh reality. And I couldn’t control nor can I select the time it’d occur, hate it .. crumbling in the midst of people who might not understand what am going through. If only I can just keep up with the facade 24/7 that would have been close to perfect.

Jen’s going home tomorrow and a part of me wanted to go home too. To curl up in bed in an environment I feel safe and at home. But a part of me wanted to stay to continue living in this fantasy world … to keep living with the thought that someday when I get home she’d be waiting for me eager to see my pictures and hear the stories of my escapades.

I’ve been to Leyte – Sumilon – Baguio and Siargao in a span of two weeks and people thought it was amazing. Me and my restless feet … but no amount of travel could fill this gnawing emptiness … and that at the end of the day it all boils down to the fact that no ones waiting back home for me.