Booked!!

This past weekend was a pleasant one. I went to my grandma's for a visit and she was thankfully delighted by our presence. I had a little squabble with the maid but it was a nice trip all in all. We stopped by the mall for groceries beforehand and were able to replenish the supplies for the house. I also checked in with my aunt and grandpa to get the 411 on what's going on when I'm not around. There are some issues that need to be settled but there are already plans to sort everything out.

Sunday was family day in Ogot’s house. Ogot’s cousin from Australia is on vacation here in the PH. She dropped by the house for lunch along with Ogot’s Aunts and some of their children and grandchildren. It was topsy-turvy. The laid out a big lunch, there was laughter and conversation in the air. Watching them made me reminisce about the visits we used to have in my great grandmother’s place. The house was full and everyone is trying to catch up with everybody else. We were young and quirky and went with the flow. But that was then. These days we mostly get together for funerals. We barely see each other on a lighter note and people are always busy with their own thing.

These thoughts are a bit depressing.. Let’s change the topic..

Our summer plans had a couple more trip additions which I am looking forward to. Summer has always been my favorite season especially with the beach, the sun and great company put into it. I’m still trying to drag out some of my happy friends for at least one of the trips but they’re still trying to sort out their schedules. Hopefully they can free some time up.

Apart from the trips we have planned for the summer, I also have a movie list I have to accomplish. This summer is the release of Iron Man 2, Oblivion and Startrek: Into the Darkness plus a couple more films I’ve been looking forward to watch for months now. I will manage to squeeze all this in somehow. I may need to cut some time off sleep but I’ll manage. The important thing to know is that at least for now, I’m doing exactly what I really want..

Puerto Princesa

Four days in Puerto Pricesa was just what the doctor ordered. My TravelCom assignment began with an all-expense paid trip to Palawan. Even though the flight was delayed (as with most flights by a famous budget airline) the chaos was worth the trip.

The first day was uneventful, we had a late flight and there was not much to do at night so we just chilled and ordered room service. The following morning was an entirely different story. We woke up at 6am for breakfast as we have a 7am pick up for the island hopping trip. I was nursing a migraine so I had to take meds and it was gone by the time we reached the boat.

Honda Bay was breathtaking. One of the good things about Palawan it is not congested with tourist yet. So the beaches are clean and the islands are serene. There are no bars and hotels crowding the area, so the ambiance is laid back. The stops included Pambato Reef, Luli Island and Cowrie Island. We went snorkeling and saw an amazing array of corals and fishes (some species of which remains unnamed). Eating lunch by the sea, not to mention having an abundance of food, makes for an awesome day. My skin tone may have suffered and I’m exhausted to the bone but the day was so fascinating that I barely minded everything else.

We took things down a notch on the 3^rd day. We didn’t have such an early morning so I was able to enjoy an American style breakfast at the hotel. The day’s agenda was a tour of the city. We only passed by the Puerto Princesa Bay walk as it was too hot to go bike riding under the scorching heat. After which we stopped by Plaza Cuartel, just opposite of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral. It used to be a camp that held POWs. The story behind the place and seeing the memorial statue for the POWs was a little heart wrenching. We were also able to stop by the church for some momentary reflection then it was off to the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center formerly known as the Crocodile Farm and Nature Park.

It’s the 2^nd time I visited the place and nothing really changed in the past 2 years. The skin and bones of a huge sea water crocodile was showcased in the main lobby, you can see the smaller ones in different stages of growth in the Hatchling House and then move to the cages of the older, larger and meaner crocodiles on the last stop. There are also plenty of other animals in the wildlife reserve area such as ostriches, cockatoos, bearcats and more.

The Mitra Ranch was our next stopover. The main area was the house that belonged to the late Senator Ramon Mitra, he was a House of Representative Speaker. It is on a hilltop overlooking the city and is one of the must-see places when visiting Palawan. The ranch is a vast land incorporated with a few activities for tourist such as horseback riding, outdoor trampoline and even an adventure zip line.

We hit a couple of souvenir shops along the way and bought a couple of things but my favorite place and our last stop was Baker’s Hill. It’s all in the name. If you love freshly baked goods that are just mouthwateringly awesome then, like me, this is your stop. They have an abundance of Hopia, Pianono Rolls, Yema, Chocolate Crinkles, Pulvoron, and so much more. Another great thing about this place is that they make and pack their goods on the same day which guarantees that you get them fresh. Apart from the food, there are also whimsical statuettes along the road plus classic wood furniture that are perfect for photo addicts. This place is famous for a reason. Good food + good ambiance = great place.

All in all it was a fun trip. All your problems look so menial when you’re on an island vacation. But for now, it’s back to reality for me. I have articles to finish and preparations to make for my next trip. Yes, there is a next trip. See you in less than two week Pagudpud!! ^_^

Resuming life as it was..

I have been out of commission again for the past weeks as so much has happened. I’m trying to be a more responsible blogger so here’s a breakdown.

1^st of, we’re back to the PH. I felt relieved the moment the plane touched down. The ball the formed in my chest has softened and I am able to breathe again. Before we left, I wrote a long letter to my mom regarding what I’ve been thinking the entire trip; thoughts that I’ve been too cowardly to say in person. We don’t have the best relationship in the world and that is the only way I know to freely say what I mostly keep inside. I hid it somewhere in the house and even now, I’m not sure if she already read it.

2^nd, since our finances have depleted from our trip, I set up some projects with TravelCom through my freelance editor at a publication that I will not divulge. I was able to grab three out of town reviews focusing on local beaches in the PH. After getting confirmations on my assignments, the next two months started looking to be a pretty awesome summer. It’s just the break I need from the slightly disastrous trip in SG.

3^rd, I was finally able to visit my grandma. Sadly, she got thinner but she seems happy to see me and she lit up the room with her smile. I really missed her. I only realized just how much the minute I saw her. I’m planning to resume my regular visits and make up for the two months I was overseas.

Lastly, I was actually able to complete one of my assignments already. I just got back from Puerto Princesa this morning. Details are to come on the next post.

So that is the reader’s digest version of what’s been going on these past few weeks. There are still a couple of things I missed but it’s mostly snippets of random things so I’ll skip them all together..