Reunion, Baler and so this is Christmas!

December 30, 2009 Tsina 0 Comments

Napaka-hectic ng sked ko. Grabe. But to start off, by Dec 18, final na may bonggang-bonggang bakasyon ako. Lol. So, due to this vacation, I'll be back to work by January 4, 2010 na. Ang saaayyyaaa!

 Inayos namin nina LeeAnn ang aming elementary reunion. Medyo sumakit ng bongga ang ulo ko, hindi kasi nagre-reply ang iba naming classmates despite the fact na todo kulit na ako sa text. By Dec 24, nag-house hunting kami. Nagkita kami kina Ralph Libiran with Joan, Peter and Christian. At bongga si Ralph, after 11 years, matangkad na siya at may masel-masel na. Haha. Niyaya din namin si Ralph na samahan kami na maglibot. Inikot namin ang buong Sto. Rosario, nagpunta kami kina Iam, Roxanne, Jem, Charn, Rusette at Angelica. At ang saya-saya, wala sila sa mga bahay-bahay nila. Nung nagpunta naman kami kina Angel, hindi raw siya pwede sa reunion. Sad. Oo, sad dahil at that moment, feeling ko wala masyado a-attend sa reunion namin. Pagkagaling namin kina Angelica, nagpunta kami nina LeeAnn at Joan kina Mam Cruz, kaya lang, wala siya sa bahay nila. Nag-iwan na lang kami ng contact number. Nag-ikot-ikot na lang kami ni Joan sa bayan, at nag-halo-halo sa Chowking.

 On the 26th, maaga pa lang nagkita na kami ni Joan, dumaan muna kami ng Uniwide kasi kailangan ko bumili ng toiletries for my trip in Baler. Dumaan na din kami ng Goldilocks at bumili ng dalawang braso de mercedes para token sa tita nina Raprap na venue ng party, at kay Mam Cruz. After buying the rolls, nagpa-deretso na kami sa Chowking kung saan naghihintay ang iba pa. Nandun na sina Jaybie, Jaime, Antonio, Wilson, Peter, Roberto, Christian, Karen, Daisy, at hinintay lang namin sandali si Andren. Nag-text si Rap na nasa kanila na si Rea, at si Rea na din ang sumundo sa amin sa St. James in Plaridel. During the party, dumating din sina Earvin Joy, Beverly, Jemarie, Myca, LeeDon, LeeAnn, Joy at Ralph. At bonggang-bongga lang na nakauwi na ako ng 1.30am of the 27th. Todo videoke sila, hindi na ako kumanta kasi baka bumagyo. Haha. Inuman galore din ng Red Horse at The Bar, imagine. Ang lakas uminom ng mga tao. Ay, pati pala ako. Hahah! In general, successful naman ang reunion namin!
Yey, VI-LIC!
Since by 1.30am na ako nakadating ng house, hindi na ako natulog dahil by 4am kami mag-meet nina Meri, Roma, Raisa at Diane. I just packed my things at nag-internet muna ako. By past 4am, nagkita-kita kami sa Malolos Crossing, hinatid kami ng parents nina Meri sa Plaridel. Sumakay kami ng bus, at this time, mahilo-hilo na ako ng bongga sa antok at pagod. Pagdating ng Cabanatuan, nag-van na lang kami to reach Baler, Aurora. At grabe, ang Baler ay mabangin. Kahit naiidlip-idlip ako, nagigising ako at the right moment para ma-witness ang mga nakakatakot na part ng byahe. Grabe, as in grabe talaga, mabangin kung mabangin. Iniisip ko pa lang, natatakot na ako. Feeling ko nga, pang-isahan lang ang road dun. May mga parts din ng Aurora ang walang signal. By 12nn, nakarating kami sa Baler, at nag-trike kami going to Kahea's Lodge.Dun kami for our duration of stay in Baler. At wala ng pahi-pahinga, binaba lang namin ang mga gamit namin and off we go to explore the place. We dropped by Trezzo for our lunch, but unfortunately, sarado. Ito ang sumira ng itinerary namin. Haha. Sa Bay's Inn kami nag-lunch, at ang masasabi ko lang, bad service. More than 30 minutes kami naghintay for our food to be served at kinailangan pa talaga namin na mag-follow up. Mainit na nga ulo ng mga tao and we promised ourselves na hindi na kami kakain dun. As in. After that, we went to Baler Church. sarado. I wonder why, hindi naman kasi usually sarado mga church. By 3.30pm-4pm daw may mass, so nagpunta muna kami sa Museo de Baler, at dyaraaaannnn, sarado din. Sunday kasi, we went back to Baler Church and stayed for few minutes.
We decided to start exploring Baler. Nag-rent kami ng tricycle to go around the place, we went to Cemento Beach, Cobra Reef and Ermita Hill. Angggg ganda, in fairness.
Diane and Raisa
On the 28th, we went to San Luis, nag-rent ulit kami ng tricycle. San Luis is part of Aurora. We went to Pimental Falls, at ang clear ng water. Uber. Pagdating namin dun, isang family pa lang yung nandun, parang solo namin yung place. Tampisaw to the max. Nag-suggest si Roma na mag-ihaw kami for lunch so umalis siya to buy fish and hotdogs.
Pimentel Falls
After that, we decided to leave the place dahil may isa pa raw kaming falls na pupuntahan. Sabi ni kuya, may hike daw. Go naman kami, sobrang mabato yung place kaya nabutas yung gulong ng trike. At yung inakala namin na simpleng hike, eh bonggang hike naman pala. Nakakapagod. Sobrang mabato talaga, at may mga tinawid pa kaming mga katubigan. Halos nasa Mother Falls na kami nung inakala namin na walang daan sa way na tinatahak namin, so we decided na tumalon from where we are, at plano namin na dumaan sa mga batuhan. Actually, hindi kami masyado confident sa gagawin namin dahil madulas ang mga bato. Bago makababa sina Raisa at Meri, may dumating na tatlong tao na papunta rin sa Mother Falls, we asked them at tinuro nila sa amin yung way. So we went back, at meron nga pala sa gilid. Pagdating namin sa mismong place, isa lang masasabi namin, wow. Ang ganda ng place at ang taas ng falls. Sobrang enchanting at mysterious ng place. Sabi nga ni Roma, parang may mga elements na nagbabantay sa paligid.

Pauwi na kami ng dinaan kami ni kuya sa dam, I forgot to ask kung anong dam ito. Akala namin, carry lang ang water dahil madaming mga bata ang naglalangoy. Since hindi kami marunong lumangoy, nag-rent na lang kami ng dalawang salbabida. Pagkatapos nun, nalaman namin na bongga pala ang lalim ng tubig, ginawa lang namin na manual rubber boat yung salbabida. By dinner time, nag-try kami maghanap sa bayan ng Baler. We dined in Gerry Shan's. Masarap. Masarap. Masarap. Kumain kami ng bonggang-bongga. At may wifi, panalo! Habang nagke-kwentuhan, napag-usapan namin ang trip to Mother Falls, sabi nila, parang may divine intervention daw, kasi may dumating na mga tao before we do the risky part. Medyo kinilabutan lang kami kasi naisip nga namin na napaka-imposible naman na may kasunod kami na mga tao ng hindi namin namamalayan. But it could be a coincidence, but thank God, we're safe! Si Diane naman, nanakot pa, may nakita raw siyang babae the night before sa room na tinutuluyan namin. Grr. At napunta na usapan namin sa 3am thing na hindi ko na pina-explain kung ano man yun. Ayoko yata malaman. Talagang takutan mode kami nun. Haha. Pagdating sa cottage, nag-inuman din kami sandali bago matulog.

 On the 29th, nag-try mag-surfing sina Roma at Diane, dahil medyo antok pa ako, hindi agad ako bumangon ng nagyaya sila. Parang enjoy na enjoy sila mag-try ng surfing so I joined them. And I failed big time. Tinamaan yung ilong ko ng surf board, ano ba iyan, pango na nga ako, eh. Haha. At one time, muntik na ako malunod, grabe kasi ang waves, at yung surfboard nakatali sa isang paa ko, since hindi ako maka-balance, nalalglag ako sa surf board, pagdating ng waves, hindi agad ako nakabangon at nasabit din sa tali yung isa kong paa. Akala ko, katapusan ko na. Or maybe I'm just exaggerating. Haha. By lunch time, nag-checkout na kami at dumaan sa Pasalubong Center. We bought shirts, accesories, coco jams and table runners. Grabe, ang tagal ng biyahe namin going home - from 3pm to 10pm. Nagdinner na lang ako sa Sizzling along the Riles bago umuwi.

 Ang hectic ng sked. Pero in-enjoy ko lang ang bawat pagkakataon. By January 2010, back to work ulit. On January 2, may isa pa akong reunion - Peys. Kwento na lang after. Heheh!

 Ito pala yung breakdown of expenses namin:

 Aircon Bus (Plaridel - Cabanatuan) - 120php
Aircon Van (Cabanatuan - Baler) - 220php
Kahea's Lodge (1000/5pax) - 200php/night

Going Home: Aircon Van (Baler - Cabanatuan) - 220php
Aircon Bus (Cabanatuan - Baler) - 120php
Tricycle Fare - 10php
Rent of Tricycle for a day - 300php

On our first day, we gave 250php, on the second day, we gave 400php since nabutasan ng gulong yung tricycle. All in all, I spent 1,800 php which includes transpo, food and accomodation plus few bucks on pasalubong. Haha.

 Cebu naman sa March! :D


***
Thanks Meri, Diane and Raisa for the pictures!

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Uy, ko-comment siya. Yesss naman, sana nagustuhan mo ang kwento ko. =)

December

December 16, 2009 Tsina 1 Comments

I am 24. And I don't know why it worries me. The reason of our existence in this world is providing the constant lull in the corporate design of the Master.

 Sometimes, I think, I am at the edge of the cliff, waiting to fall any minute. Yet, I am holding my other foot in place, tightly nailed to the ground.Life is unfair. But I am so used to it.

 When I see the stars in a night sky, I feel the desire to glow in the midst of darkness. But how many times have I considered the madness of the idea? I lost counts.

 When I was a kid, I told myself, that I am going to reach for the sky. But I keep on faltering. I keep being thrown in the ground. Yet, I keep on picking myself up. It is always a challenge to see myself grabbing the edge of my dreams. It strengthens me. The feeling that I am 'almost there' pushes me to strive harder, and win. After all, I am a fighter, and a good one.

 But like any other fighter, I am badly bruised. Soiled. My soul is echoing the distant cry, the call that I have so long ignored.

 When I said that I don't know why being 24 worries me, I am lying. I fully know how the number is constantly reminding me of all the obstacles in the past that seems to extends in the present. Everything seems so far away. I could hardly see the light at the end of the tunnel. And being badly bruised as I am, I couldn't find the right pain reliever anymore. It is starting to get into my senses. And yes, I am so afraid.

Why does being 24 bothers me? I love the independence. I love the smell of the cold winds. But I am getting burned by the fire of the sun. What have I got after all these years? What have I proven after all my battles? I am not sure. The uncertainties are killing me.

 I am 24. And this, they call, is the Quarter Life Crisis.

1 comments:

Uy, ko-comment siya. Yesss naman, sana nagustuhan mo ang kwento ko. =)

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