Everything Under The Tropical Sun

I’ve been overloading this blog with photos from our Bantayan trip. It just goes to show how unexpectedly pleasant that trip was. So it’s just fitting for me to tell you all about our trip and bore you to death! Hahahaha! Sit tight and get ready to snore…

It was our first time to go there. Though we have friends (plus my siblings) who’ve been there but none of them went with us. We were supposed to take Neptune with us but since she moved her flight (made her regret that!), we couldn’t move our booking and we were going to leave for Bohol 2 days after she gets in Cebu, my hubby and I decided to just go ahead and go to Bantayan.

We didn’t really know where we were going but getting away from the city brought out the adventurous spirit in both of us. All we knew was that we had to drive all the way to the northen tip of Cebu and from there we ride a boat to Bantayan. Nine municipalities/cities and a 3 – 4 hour drive before us. The farthest we’ve ever been in the north was Compostella. That’s only about a 45 minute drive away. But the sun was shining… we were in high spirits and was in the mood for a road trip. We were so excited by the mere idea that we were going to be over a hundred kilometers away from the city… away from our offices… away from the stress. It was going to be just the two of us but we didn’t really mind. We love being with each other even through the silence between us. It was always comfortable.

About halfway through our drive… it started to rain. It really worried me because I felt our vacation was under threat. Our once-in-a-blue-moon fantasy (well, that was what we could afford – time wise) vacation was under threat. For a while there I felt sad… and worried. Then I said it out loud: “Nevermind… who cares if it rains? Then we’ll just lock ourselves in the room and just hang out. As long as we’re not getting stressed out at work or worried that we’re simply a phone call away from work.” My husband agreed… my mind was at peace once again and I continued to enjoy the road trip. Rain or shine… nothing was going to jeopardize this trip. As I looked outside the window, I found myself silently praying for the rain to stop.

The sky opened up just as we hit Bogo… one city away from San Remegio which was where we needed to go: The Hagnaya Wharf in San Remegio… The view was breathtaking…

We got a little lost along the way to Hagnaya wharf and had to stop at a gas station for directions but all in all, we were able to get to the wharf where we parked our car in a private parking lot. For P100/day (about $2/day) charge was great savings rather than bringing our car with us which would cost P1,700 (about $25) and that was only one way. Usually it would just be around P500 plus 2 passengers free of charge but something about the day (maybe because it was Saturday) made the cost higher. But it’s okay. We just paid the lot a total of P300 (about $6) and P120 (about $2.40) each for the boat fare to Sta. Fe, Bantayan. The rest, you’ve seen through my photoblog. It was such an amazing experience and I’ll recommend it to everyone who plans on going.

This is the last time you’ll see anything about my previous Bantayan trip. I promise. Until the next one…

Teach introduced me to Chase Jarvis. He’s one heck of a photographer. I follow him on twitter and just found his “iPhone pictures portfolio”… one would wonder why would he post photos he took with his iPhone? And why in the world would a photographer of his calibre use a 2MP phone cam?

Here’s the answer: Chase Jarvis’ iPhone photos (click for the link)

(sigh with me, Teach)

Chase Jarvis is the photographer’s version of the singer who can sing a phone book and make it sound sooo good. Some people just have so much talent. How I wish it was transferable. I’d go to his house and lick his spoon if that was the case (yuck, right? desperate much?).

Anyway, just wanted to share how amazing that album was. Goodnight.

I’m in a hell of my own creation. Why oh why did I ever pick up a cigarette? Yes folks, I USED to smoke and started to quit last Saturday. Today is officially my 7th day since the last time I took a drag. It’s sooooo hard!!! But I’m so proud of myself.

This is what I get for smoking in the first place. I’ve been smoking since college and I haven’t stopped since. Now, my hubby decided to quit for health reasons, I followed suit. What kind of a wife would I be if I didn’t go through the thick and thin part with him? And besides, I’ve been procrastinating. I once made a list (waaaay back in 2006) that I’d have to quit smoking by the time I was 30. I’m 31. ‘Nuff said.

I’m not my usual “relaxed” self (how ironic. cigarettes are stimulants.) and I’m easily jarred by my daily routines. Sure, sure… what’s keeping me going is my love for him. How I don’t want to be a “bad influence” on him and be a source of his misery. Also, I read that just within 20 minutes of quitting, there are health benefits already. No one mentioned how hard it was going to be though. Mostly vague references on how I should have Will of Steel (sounds like a title for a novel) before I embark on this arduous journey.

See? I’m even ranting. I can’t even create a coherent post entry and I’m not speaking at all in a positive light. I hate it. I’m not myself. I smell cigarette smoke and it’s still so tempting. I try to keep my hands busy but whenever I find myself sitting on the toilet, doing my business and after a hearty meal… I miss taking a drag. My husband asked me if it seemed like I lost a friend… I told him it seemed like I lost a husband. Hahahaha! More than a friend. It’s like I suddenly divorced my husband of 16 years.

Imagine that…. 16 years. Goodbye bad habit. If this is what it takes to get rid of you. I’m never going to see you again. This is hell. Once I’m over this (hopefully in about 6 months’ time) hell of a ride, I’ll never forget and therefore will never go back to you again.

I’m doing a quick, quick post. So forgive me. One of our beloved colleagues is getting married today. It’s such a happy day and we’re going to shoot her wedding. Everyone’s in on it: Bible Guy will be covering Strawberry Cow, Mamykills and I will be covering Herbie and Trickster will be assisting us. So I’m expecting a FUN, FUN, FUN day!!!

For now, I bid adieu and ask for forgiveness for this half hearted post. Hehehehe…

I found out three weeks ago that a friend lost her baby. It was their first pregnancy. Then I found out last week that she hasn’t fully recovered. Who can? Losing a child is the worst nightmare any parent can ever endure… and for something like that to happen to the only woman I truly believe with all my heart would make an absolutely incredible mom… it’s just too painful to acknowledge.

What do you say to her? What CAN I say to help her alleviate her pain? She’s done nothing wrong. If anything, she’s the only person I know who went through life being ultra nice… played by the rules… and still listened to her heart and fought for every little thing that it wanted. She followed her passion for music and loves a man with full abandon. She miraculously love spending time with her family and GETS ALONG with ALL of them. Can you imagine? I mean, I have a small immediate family but there are a couple members I don’t get along with ALL the time.

She loves kids. She works with them on a daily basis and they love her. It’s not hard to see that. She not only deserved to have a baby of her own… she wanted to have one. Not all parents could say that they wanted to have a child ’til their kid came out… or at least a few months after finding out that they were pregnant (when the dust has settled).

How do you come to terms with losing a child? A child you haven’t known but loved and will love your whole lifetime? Will her future be filled with wonder what her child could have been or would have looked like?

An unborn child leaves a deeper impression than most people could ever do. I pray for her and wish that things will start looking up and she won’t blame herself for ANY THING. Her baby was probably just as pure as her and maybe God just wanted to keep her child a little bit longer… Maybe He decided that there was another soul who greatly needs to be loved by her. I hope she knows this and believes it… because I do.