ME, MYSELF, & JEN ADAMS

Back in high school, there was a
debate whether Saba must be part of the Philippines
or Malaysia.
Apparently, Malaysia
won and it’s no wonder why our country was trying to make it part of our
archipelago too. The moment we landed at Kota Kinabalu airport, we didn’t feel
any different. Apart from the Caucasians/Europeans lurking everywhere,
Malaysians could easily be mistaken for Filipinos. They look like us, the sound
of their language is Tagalog-like and the city itself feels very homey, as if I
was just taking a stroll in old Manila.
They even have a bay area very similar to our Roxas
  Boulevard. And the countryside felt like we were
on our way to Ilocos, Bukidnon or Sorsogon. On our first night there, we
sampled a few of their local restaurants and bar scenes and the only thing
missing were people partying. It was a good Friday and most of the locals were also out of town. So we didn’t stay
very late and headed to our hostel –Borneo Global Backpackers– a youth hostel
which is a melting pot of all cultures! We made friends with travelers like us
from all over the world! It’s so awesome! The place is very affordable
(56RM/night), clean, everything you need is there, and the people are so
friendly. The owner of the place, Charles, has been so generous and kind. It’s
like having a 2nd funky dad! Anyway, One of the few times we did feel we were
really in Malaysia was when we boarded this creaky old train the next day on
the way to Padas river in Beaufort for our white water rafting adventure. Man!
The awful smell of people around was enough to make me appreciate our LRTs and
MRTs more. But then again, making friends to foreigners and Chinoys was priceless, plus, I couldn’t believe I
finished the whole activity alive!!!! There were several river points (Head
Hunter, Cobra, Scoobi Doobie Doo, Lambada, Barbeque) where the water was realy
rough and wild but I braved them all! Peter fell off the raft half of the way
but it was so much fun!!! We’ll do it again here at Chico
Rive. It is shorter and less wild
than Padas Rive so it wouldn’t be a problem at all (I think!). The next day, we also visited
Poring hot springs where we took a
sulfuric bath that is believed to heal skin diseases. On the way there, we
passed by the massive view of Mount Kinabalu (the tallest peak in Southeast
Asia) then headed to Kinabalu Park where we visited their butterfly garden,
climbed the Timpohon Gate which is the starting point when climbing Mt Kinabalu
(which we plan to do next year hopefully) and did the Canopy Walk 150+ meters
above the ground. Whew! Then island hopping and parasailing on our 4th day came
next! We visited 3 islands - Sapi, Mamutik and Manukan (the largest and most
developed).White sand and clear, turquoise water. It was heaven! There were so many HUGE fishes of different
kinds. So different from our small fishes here. On our last night, Charles
toured us to the nearby towns and sampled some local cuisines. Overall, Saba is a Pinoy-filled (mostly from Zamboanga) laid back town. It would be nice to
go back there soon.

POINT #1: Together with our friends Van, Iza,
Jem, Vicente, Irene, and Vina, we comment: "Need we say more?" The
pictures will speak for themselves.

POINT #2: I should have had my picture taken with
Jericho Rosales when he was out there surfing with Heart Evangelista. Lucky
Van! (I took their picture btw)

POINT#3:
Both our Ipod Nano and JVC Video cam were washed by the waves. The Nano
survived, the cam didn’t.

POINT#4: Do prayers really work in Manaoag
church? It was my first time to pray there. Afterwards, my wallet got lost.
Either God is testing me or I was just cursed that day.

POINT #5: No matter what happens, we think we’ll
always go back to La Union to keep on surfing.

Scuba diving is one of those
things that Peter and I have been putting off for two years now. Yes it’s quite
an expensive hobby/interest but other than that, I’M JUST PLAIN SCARED TO TRY.
But heck, I’m not growing any younger and even if I drink less and less coffee,
my heart will always beat a million times per second at the thought of going
underwater for a considerable amount of time. So, we finally decided that it’s
time to get over my fears one by one (bungee jumping and sky diving included).
Thus, our discovery scuba diving trip to Anilao. We were supposed to dive at Sunbeam
dive resort but the dive master I contacted was an asshole. He tried to rip us
off ($70/person)! Instead, we found a
nicer place, Villa Ligaya, which charges 1500/person for the discovery dive and
P600/person for an extra dive, inclusive of equipment and boat rental. But
since their accommodations were quite expensive, we stayed at Pacifico Azul
Resort, for only 3000/ night good for 6 pax regardless of what time you check
out the next day. It was really homey and the Japanese owner was very kind. So,
together with Ces, Vina and Odhe, off we explored this heart-pounding new
interest of ours. Philip Albar, our dive instructor, who was with the
Philippine Marines for 9 years, taught us and took care of us. He was very
gentle, encouraging, funny and kind. We felt so at ease and less nervous.
Peter, of course, easily learned and was as comfy as a whale underwater. He was
able to reach the maximum depth of 40 feet while I just did 20 ft. Not bad! All
I can say is that it was very awesome for all of them. For me, it was just like
snorkeling with pain in my ears (I was having a hard time equalizing pressure
as we were going deeper and deeper). But the moment I looked up from below,
with the sun’s rays penetrating the deep waters… alas! It was heaven! I felt
like a mermaid. Hopefully, Peter gets to take the dive master’s course this
coming May since he really fell in love with it. As for me, I’m ok with doing
an "extra" dive every now and then. =)

It seems like Peter and I are
being continuously blessed with such amazing friends and we just can’t let summer
sizzle without enjoying their company. So one weekend, we decided to try a
different interest and that is to surf. So early dawn (around 2am), we braved
the long road ahead of us. Good thing Vangie invited us for an early breakfast
at their mansion in Pampanga. There, we met a 10 year old kid that could have
been my son with Peter. He sooo looks like us!!! I cried myself with tears of
joy & awe at the sight of that cute cuddly kid!!! Anyways, after 2 hours of
breakfast and laughter, we headed to La Union. And my God! The waves were pretty huge! Nevertheless, since we were there and have nothing better else to do, we
tried surfing, for two hours. It was the scariest yet most exhilarating thing
I’ve ever done in my entire life!!! Peter got so addicted that he wanted to go
there every weekend (yeah, right!). Vina, Rose and Vangie just stayed by the
beach and played with the waves while Odhe, Peter, Cecille & I braved the
fierce waters. We almost drowned but it was worth it! We even became friends with
our surfer instructors - Jericho & Joey. That night, Echo accompanied us
tour their colorful city. We ate at Halu-Halo De Iloko, a famous resto with
tasty Iloko dishes, frequented by foreigners and showbiz personalities. Then he
brought us to a pavilion overlooking the city and the bay, then went shopping
for native finds at their night market, and bought some pulutan as well. We
then headed back to the beach. It was hot, humid, no air at all..a perfect set
up for making a bonfire. We were getting drunk and flirty before midnight, having fun, asking intimate questions
to one another when all of a sudden, Joey’s shot glass broke while he was
gently holding it. Then in a split second, Odhe and Joey saw something. Peter
(with his third eye and supernatural abilities), confirmed. He described the
ghost and the two surfer dudes with us confirmed. The ghost they saw was the
same girl who drowned last summer. All of a sudden, a cold gust of wind blew,
putting off our candles and our bonfire. Then it started to drizzle. We all
freaked out, thinking that the ghost was probably mad for being disturbed and
so we left the beach in a haze. Peter stayed to talk with the ghost. When he
went back to our cottage, Peter told us that the ghost was just lonely and
wanted company. And from then on, it was just ghost stories until about 2 in
the morning. I’m not sure if all of us slept well that night considering that
we just went through one scary experience! The next day, we enjoyed the waves
and tried our new body boards. It was so much fun! The waves were not as huge
and it was actually perfect for surfing. But that day, we just went body
boarding till every bone and muscle in our body ached! Tired but happy, we
started our way home and stopped at Soul Food Resto for late lunch. And all the
way back home, we just busied ourselves with Dr. House on our portable DVD
player. What a weekend! Whew! =)

Of course, 2006 wouldn’t be complete without our
yearly trip to Puerto Galera. So much has changed since last year when we went
there with my parents and sister. For one, new hotels are sprouting everywhere.
For instance, a new hotel resort has opened by the name of Marco Vincent. For
now, it is the biggest and most expensive in the area. It has a swimming pool
and Jacuzzi and as guests, you’d feel like you’ve visited a Spanish Villa.
Well, having been blessed so much at the beginning of the year, we immediately
had ourselves booked together with our friends (Peter D., Vangie, &
Michelle). We did our usual activities - island hopping and snorkeling at Long
beach coral gardens, little boracay, and Locsin’s island and even made a side
trip to the other side of an island to see the giant clams underwater. We
sunbathed and had our massage and just enjoyed the sunset. In the evening, we barhopped
the night away, sexy and drunk and flirting all around. The next day, we went
banana boating and had the thrill of our lives! I ended up being smacked on my
tummy by Peter D.’s right foot as we were thrown at the deep waters, Vangie
almost lost her breath and was as white as snow from the fall, and the rest
were just so tired and drained. We were still lucky considering that earlier,
two guys bumped heads upon their water collision and was sent to a nearby hospital. Whew! We still weren’t contented with our adventures so before going
back home, we visited Tamaraw Falls and Ponderosa Golf Resort where two Indian
guys taught we were celebrities or something coz they always insisted to have
their photos taken with us. It was really funny! Nevertheless, it was a perfect
weekend, with the perfect weather and perfect friends. We hope to do it again
and again.

This was the weekend when Papa was about to leave
for the

US

. We
booked a junior suite at Mandarin Hotel for 2 nights. Apparently, the stars
were on our side, we immediately got a complimentary upgrade to an executive
suite with two bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 3 TVs, Guest Area, Dining room, and
pantry. Peter even surprised me by extending our stay for another (3rd) night!
It was so grand! On our first night, we invited Peachie over for a despedida
dinner buffet for Papa and Peachie’s upcoming birthday as well. We pigged out
big time without a care in the world! The next night, I had my other friends
(Vina, Ninette, Dodgie, Irene, and Vicente) come over for an evening house
party. Cecille followed the next morning. Come Saturday evening, I held a
reggae birthday party at Hardrock Cafe in

Makati

with Brownman Revival playing their groovy tunes all night. I appreciate the
fact that so many of my friends still came in spite of the declaration of state
of national emergency –, Cecille, Irene&Vicente ,Mikki & Joanne, Gil,
Jem, Wally&Peach, Vangie, Vina, Ninette, Pat, Koryn, Michelle, Brownman
especially Dino for the birthday hug on stage & Rikki & Jao for joining
us at Mandarin —thank you so much!. Afterwards, I was about to ask everyone
to join me at Mugen Bar in Ortigas for some disco but instead, Peter swayed me
to go back to the Hotel first to freshen up. Little did I know that my hubby
and my girlfriends were all planning a surprise birthday party for me! Mandarin
crew even helped them set up the rose petals in the hallway, bedroom and
bathtub. I was so surprised! There were cakes (courtesy of Mandarin and my
friends), confetti, balloons, food and drinks! The works! Their sweet gesture
almost made me cry..*sniff!* It was truly my most memorable and surprising
birthday celebration ever! Thanks so much Peter and friends…This memory, I’ll
carry in my heart, forever.

This is the vacation that we’ve mostly been
waiting for. Not only because I’d be turning 28 on the 18th and that we’d be
staying at 5-star hotels, but because Papa will be with us. The day we arrived,
we headed to Shangri-la Mactan for afternoon coffee and snacks. Tito Pedro,
Tita Annie, Nipsy and Renault were with us. We stayed there the whole evening,
dining at their seafood buffet by the beach. It was so gorgeous, classy and
marvelous! We had such a great time! The next day, we headed to
Bantayan Island and stayed at Bernard beach
resort. We went island hopping to Virgin and Hilantagan Islands. The next day, til the
20th, we stayed at Alegre Beach Resort at Sogod, northern part of Cebu.
We got ourselves an ocean view room with balcony. It was truly a first class
experience, waking up to the view of the sun and the beach.. All meals were
either buffet or room service a la carte. We felt like royalty! We also went
sunset cruising while spotting for dolphins. In the evenings, cultural dance
shows were performed. I can get used to this kind of life everyday, I told
Papa. Who knows? It might just come true.

The day started when I surprised Peter with 5
comic books that he’s been kind of wanting to have. I placed them on our sala
table so he could see them the moment he steps into our house from his
graveyard shift at work. He truly melted. As for me, I wasn’t expecting
anything since I know he’s been very workaholic lately due to the nature of his
job to the point that he even doesn’t have time to sleep during the week except
on weekends when we’re done gimmicking or travelling. Anyways, to cut the story
short, a huge bouquet (2 dozens) of red and white roses arrived at the office
just before lunch. Golly! I not only melted but my officemates admired the
flowers as well. Someone even named it American roses coz the blossoms were
bigger than normal. (Only to find out later on from Peter that they are called
Colombian roses) It was really lovely! Then after work, Peter and Papa came to
pick me up. They brought me to the Hotel Philippine Plaza where we were able to
get a table for the Treasure Island Valentine Buffet and Mini Concert by Ranny
Raymundo. Papa liked the ambience so much that he wanted us to check-in there
just before he leaves for the States on the 24th. He claims that eveything is
already there —- the sea, trees, blue sky, full moon, fantastic view of the
swimmingpool and sunset. Plus of course, the food was superb and coffee and tea
were bottomless, hehehe! Well, we’ll see. We do hope so. I’m just happy that at
times like this, I can free my mind from work and just focus on being loved and
loving in return.

This was supposed to be the weekend we’re going to be at
Boracay. But since Papa had to go to Laoag, we decided to make do with our
contingency plan which was to see the Balloon Fest at Clarkfield, Pampanga.
Early dawn of Saturday, we picked up our friends Ate Anna, Ate Rose and Vina
and headed to

Clark

. It was still dark when we reached
the place, around

4:30 am

but people
were already starting to gather and to pepare for the show. By

6am

, the place was already packed and all the
balloons came to life, floating one by one, displaying their gigantic colorful
styles, of various shapes and sizes! We felt like we were kids again!!! We had
such a blast! We even did some kite-flying, had some freaky carnival rides and
watched other aircrafts do their tricks. It was sooo awesome!!! This experience
wouldn’t be complete without a little bit of spice. The hotel we checked-in at
had some pretty stupid personnel which made us steam. But other than that, the
executive room we got at Woodland Park Resort was clean, enough for the five of
us, and felt like we were in a hacienda with an Olympic-size swimming pool. So
I believe, with loving friends around and

Camayan

Wharf

nearby, this experience was
more than picture perfect!

Papa was due to arrive on the night of Feb.3, 2006. In order to make the most out
of our Mandarin membership for this year, Peter and I decided to check-in early
that Friday (I was on a half-day at work) and enjoy its facilities first before
going to the airport. We got a deluxe room. It was not as big as what we
previously enjoyed at Westin (now Hotel Philippine Plaza) but the service was
more excellent to the point that every time we came back to our room,
everything would be nice and orderly again. Add to the new supplies of
soaps, shampoos, what-have-you that were complimentary. So we just enjoyed the
room, their sauna, and the swimming pool where one can do laps as it is huge
and very deep. When we were finally with Papa, we just enjoyed each other’s
company and tried to catch up with each other’s lives. Some of his relatives
visited us and we had a buffet dinner at Saisaki/Kamayan/Dad’s. Gab (of Parokya
ni Edgar), Peter’s first cousin, missed dinner so the following day, he and his
wife Apple treated us at a nearby Chinese Restaurant, Causeway. This weekend
was so soothing and relaxing that I want to do it all over again. Watch out for
our next stay on the 25th to celebrate my 28th birthday. Ciao!