a very long absence: the story of a semi-bum

this is what i’ve been up to in the past month i’ve disappeared from multiply--waking up at sunrise almost every day to catch a ride, or go on a trek, or shoot the landscape; going from mountain to sea and vice versa without thought of tiredness, as if there was no tomorrow (the only thing that got me through when i was at the point of tears from exhaustion and anxiety over deadlines was Isaiah 40:31); talking to strangers and asking them for free housing and food; temporarily adopting semi-stray cats (meaning abandoned by their owners). and yes, getting roses (twice!) from an anonymous donor (--> i've asked the possible culprits but they've all denied. so if you’re in my network, speak now, or forever hold your peace).

 

all this traveling has a price, though. i’ve grown pimples with a vengeance i haven’t seen since high school. i have bruises and scars from i don’t know which rock on which island. and i’ve gained more than a few pounds and inches from all the extremely yummy, mostly free food. basically, palawan was the only trip where i had to pay my way. everything else was sponsored. my excuse is that i'll have time to lose all the added ugliness when summer is over hehe.

 

another down side is that i haven't been writing anything, because i'm constantly in motion =( what i've gained in mileage i've lost in words. hoping to have more stillness in the coming month. but ah, nothing compares to free travel

 

MARCH

4 – Olango medical mission

9-10 – Fundraising Workshop (how to ask for money from individuals, corporations, and foundations)

11 – Mactan tour of beaches

17 – Mactan: Dive at Tinggo (no thresher sharks, one big turtle), habal-habal to community for interview on ecotour, dive at Talima (wreck with school of large sweetlips and midnight snappers), shoot at Shangri-La till 10 p.m.

18 – buffet breakfast at Shangri-La, shoot at Olango, shoot at Sutukil

21 – office, food research and shoot at Pasil, Nilarang and Larsian till midnight

22 – Malapascua at 5 a.m., tour around the island by boat and habal-habal courtesy of NN Novabos

23 – Dive at Monad Shoal at 5:30 am (two thresher sharks), final Malapascua shoot, road trip to Tabuelan, home by 8 pm

24 – Office to finish case study, meet Cebuano relatives for the very first time at wake (discovered they’re the side of the family that works in NGOs, goes mountain-climbing, photographs people for a living, etc.), Loi’s birthday dinner with housemates

25 – leave for Bohol Bee Farm at 6 am for meeting with ALG, talk with Howie Severino, home by 7 pm

26 – last Sunday School class

26-27 – Argao: torta and tsokolate at Alex Kafe, shoot at sunrise, trek to Bugasok falls, spelunking at Balay sa Agta Cave, rappelling down to Usmad River, shoot at hablon weavers, interview with skimboarders at Lawis, shoot at church, humba and lechon kawali at Alex Kafe, leave for Alcoy

27-28 – Alcoy: swim and overnight at Bodo’s Bamboo Bar, shoot at sunrise, trek to Nug-as Forest; shoot, nap and snorkel at Tingko Beach (pseudo-barrier reef), leave for Moalboal, barbecue dinner at Carcar

28-30 – Moalboal: Dive at Pescador (two black tip sharks, large barracuda, my first stonefish) and Kasai Point (three turtles!), shoot at Basdiot and Basdaku, pictorial at sundown

30 – Badian: shoot at Kawasan Falls, overnight at Badian Island Resort

31 – last day of work! (supposedly); dive at Coral Gardens (big, old grouper), home by 6 pm

 

APRIL

3 – meeting at office about The New Structure; a dozen red roses; food research and shoot at Foodstreet, Wa’y Tugpahay, Salinas Drive till midnight

4-5 – final research for beach story for Yearbook, write beach story

6 – finish writing three articles for Yearbook (ecotourism, beach, food), liquidate funds at Sun.Star, meet Papa and Cebuano relatives

7 – Palawan: heartburn attack, pack for trip at 4 am, lunch at Balinsasayaw, tour of Crocodile Farm, Iwahig Penal Colony and Balsahan, Mitra’s Farm, Baker’s Hill, Pagdiwata Festival at Kamarikutan (damage for the day, mostly donated: native backpack, hair accessory, two necklaces, tie-dye shirt, pants)

8 – 7 am Sweety bus to El Nido, arrive 4:30 pm, book island tour for Monday, early dinner at El Nido Art Cafe, late dinner at Marber

9 – too rainy for limestone climb, sudden decision to go island-hopping, tour of small (wall of jellyfish) and big lagoons at Miniloc Island, lunch and snorkel at Zimisu Island (different species of giant clams, skin-dive to hawksbill turtle at 25 feet!), Entulala Island and 7 Commando Beach

10 – rock-climbing at taraw (a.k.a. limestone cliff), vegetarian lunch in a “nest” over the sea at The Alternative Center, visit at Shell Solar Center, snorkeling at beachfront (lone lionfish looking for mate in underwater desert), drinks and great music at Balay Tubai

11 – 7:30 am Sweety bus to Puerto Princesa, arrive 3:30 pm, rebook tickets from April 15 to April 17, dinner at Ka Lui

12 – leave for Sabang on 7 am D’Christ jeep, spelunking at Ugong Rock in Tagabinet, catch D’Christ bus, sunset swim at Sabang Beach, buko chopsuey and chicken adobo at Robert’s

13 – tour of Underground River, mangrove paddleboat tour (two yellow-striped mangrove snakes hanging from trees), aborted trek to Sabang Falls, shoot at moonrise, chicken adobo at Robert’s

14 – shopping for board shorts, tora-tora to ethnographic museum, pizza at Robert’s, planning for The Future, moonlight swim at Sabang Beach, chicken adobo at Robert’s

15 – 9 a.m. St. Jude jeep to Puerto Princesa, stroll at baywalk, dinner at Ate Gerthie’s house with ELAC people

16 – Honda Bay tour of Pandan Island, Dos Palmas, Snake Island (spiraling school of trevallies?, large rabbitfish and surgeonfish, school of bangus!), Starfish Island; van to Narra for overnight

17 – Iwahig Penal Colony, flight to Cebu (indecision at staying for free trip to Tubbataha with Gloria), develop film (three rolls), buy green shades

18 – Fundraising meeting at the office, goodbye dinner with Papa

19 – goodbye lunch with Papa, submit Yearbook photos, cocktail with Chinqui at City Sports Center, chika-chika with people at first-time visit to Bo’s Asiatown (feeling social butterfly)

20 – laundry; work, work, work on newsletter and website; a dozen pink roses

21 – meet orly at 4:45 pm, leave office at 9:20 pm, go home to pack, buy ticket and catch 10 pm boat to Ormoc

22 – lunch, swimming and boating at Lake Danao, dancing-like-nobody’s-watching at Sabin wedding reception

23 – lunch at Sal’s, hang out at Sabin, dinner at Don Felipe, 11 pm boat to Cebu

 

and the story ends here, because i’m still on the boat back to Cebu. in the coming week, i’ll have to move out of both office (since we’re changing address) and boarding house.

 

thinking of going to siargao second week of may. just want to go island-hopping to bucas grande, guyam, daku, etc. before i go home to davao middle of may. anyone who wants to come along may signify their interest now.

 

while in davao, plan to go to camiguin and manila. after that, i don’t know where i’ll be based or what i’ll be doing, since my bumming days are supposed to be over by then.

 

but i’m not quite the bum i imagined i’d be yet. it seems it’s hard to detach from office work when your boss has fixed plans in his head. right now i’m negotiating for an output-based contract so i don’t waste my time hanging around the office for 8 hours of daylight waiting for people to submit what i need to do my job. but as usual, stupid me, i’m already running after deadlines i’ve set for myself even though we haven’t settled the terms yet. and i’ve a few obligations to some other people as well. when will i ever learn to say NO?

 

even so, just as if i were looking down from the roof of a tall building, what freedom i’ve gained is heady and dizzying.