G-OGRAPHY: a southeast asian lady travels...

Ahhhh....just reminiscing what I had been doing the past few Christmases. Mostly, I have been traveling or taking trips back to the Philippines where I was born and raised. Most of my family still lives there. I tell you, Christmas in Manila is the best! Filipinos love to have a good time and that means a lot of eating, drinking and karaoke!

So for Christmas 2007, I went on a surf trip to one of our 7,107 islands- solo. Yeah that is how I roll! If you are in a beautiful tropical island the options are limitless. December is also perfect beach weather- not too cold and not too hot. The sun is always out!

The Philippines is a very beautiful country and it's a shame that I had to make the realization only after moving away from it. Warm weather, warmer people, spectacular white sand beaches and world class dive sites! If you ever do a Southeast Asian tour do not skip the Philippines!!!

Below are some of the highlights of my trip which I am reposting off an old blog. Enjoy!


12/27/07

It was wet and humid at 5am in the morning when I got up. Manila was in a drizzle and I was anxious that the weather was going to ruin my trip to the island of Siargao. I got to the domestic airport with more than enough time to battle thru traffic and the long line outside the building. It had stopped raining. GOOD. However, some people just do not have the discipline to wait for their turn. BAD. My blood pressure skyrocketed as I saw a few people trying to cut through. "Welcome home" was what I could sarcastically think of.

I realized I have been extremely gentrified and domesticated during my almost 3 year stay in the US. But not today because my "third world" survival instincts kicked in. I was suddenly alert and a bit aggressive...no coffee needed. Geesh...I spoke up and stared down those who dare cut in front of me. It seemed to work. Two segregated (meaning there were seperate lines for males and females???!!) security checks later I was IN! My gbff, Rob, happened to also be there and I got to chat him up and his latest fag hag Iris. Of course he was adamant that I follow them to Boracay to party! I said I'll think about it. I'm not in the mood for a hedonistic vacation. I decided to go solo for a lot of reasons- surfing one of them. Honestly, I wanted time to be with myself in the Philippines. The past few days had been hectic with reunions and shopping and eating out! I tried to tell them that going on "crazy pilgrimages" really help to cure my nomadic itch. It was time for another Mt. Fuji.

My family also didn't seem to understand why I wanted to push thru with the trip. They were extremely worried so I was forced to text my mom status updates every other hour. Dude, I'm almost thirty!

It took about a total of 8 hours to get to the hotel. First there was the almost 2 hour flight out of Manila with delay. We landed on a small airstrip beside rice paddies and I was tripping on the sight of it! Then there was the short ride to the ferry dock and a four hour ride in what seemed like a barge. I really didn't mind since we were entertained with 2 new Steven Segal movies (yes I secretly am a fan). Moreover, I was discreetly people watching. There were certainly a lot of Yoko-Johns aboard. I was previously a "Yoko" myself so I am careful not to pass judgement on interracial relationships (is this the proper term for it?). Honestly though some Yoko-Johns were downright shady! I'm just being real when I say that I feel sad for all the impoverished women out there who are willing pawns to the thriving flesh trade in the Philippines. I also feel enraged that some people willingly exploit this!!!

Moving on...

The last leg of my 18 hour journey was a van ride to Ocean 101 http://www.ocean101cloud9.com/ . I thought I would be too tired and hungry to enjoy the scenery but my mind was actually processing the very eclectic scenery. Let me outline how eclectic they were. I saw:

1. children loittering in the middle of the street without a care for their safety

2. an old woman half naked bathing and doing her laundry in the middle of a small river

3. black pigs tied to a tree in front of homes as if they were pet dogs (I'm really starting to like this island)

4. beautiful green rice paddies

When I finally got to where I was staying it was time for the spectacular sunset (pictures soon to follow). I had a rush just by looking at the sky and the waves. I'm really home. This is what feels like to be free. I'm beginning to fall in love with Siargao. I can't wait for tomorrow! Surf's truly up!!!

12/28/07 UPDATE:

Just finished my two hour surf session. It was raining at 7am here but my local guide, Yok, said it was fine to surf. When we went out to the jacking horse (reef break) the water was so deliciously clean and warm (no strong currents despite the very early am earthquake!)! I had a 9 ft board and I was crusin! I friggin turned! I kept turning! I just had the best surf session to date. I may secretly be a longboarder (shhhh don't tell Optimus but he might get traded in for a 9 footer). We will see how I fare tomorrow. Yok is going to take me and my Brazillian neighbors to another island tomorrow for a whole day surf extragavanza! Whopeeeee!!!!!


Sunset


Taken during my first day in the island. It was breathtaking!

Ocean 101


My home away from home. I had a beach front view and it was awesome to just sit on the "patio" and space out.

Daku


Is an island with two surf spots which were mostly for beginners (2-3 ft). One was on the eastern end of the island where most of the inner waves break on a reef which was in front of a rock cliff. That was a good long smooth ride. That other one is the spot behind me which was basically a channel of continuos waves that run parallel to the shore. It makes a final left to the western end of the small island. I must admit that the waves felt pretty strong (carrying you to the left end) and the paddle back to the line up was soooooo longggg. Gawd I sucked at paddling. But it was probably one of my best rides ever.

There was this time when I was watching someone (Khalua- a Filipino Hawaiin ex pro surfer) take off and my guide, Yok, suddenly pushed my board off to an incoming wave that I didn't even notice. Sneaky bastard. I had no choice but to get my wits together and ride it. It was fast and long! I couldn't believe I did it afterwards! It was so cool! I thought that it wouldn't stop and I had to bail on the board because I didn't know how to stop it. There was also something about being in the middle of the ocean without any land in sight (the shore was probably 1 km away) that freaked me out a bit. But yeah it felt really really good. We had so much fun!

Surfer Chicks


Me, Abi (first time surfer from Manila) and Michelle (bad-ass longboarder from Long Beach)...we were together at Daku. Also, fellow guests at Ocean 101. I miss them already!

Surfer Dudes


On the left is Yok my local surf buddy! On the right, Khalua, the chillest person I have ever met. He is a bad ass surfer! I also met a couple of other surfer dudes (some were really hot!) in the island who were a hoot...for some reason they were predominantly Aussies and Kiwis. Of course they were there only to surf the big waves.

Cloud Nine


One of the most famous world class breaks of Siargao. "It is a high quality wave for experienced surfers only. It is predominantly a right-hander but does have a small left as well. The wave itself is hollow and extremely powerful reef break, if you get it wrong you will land on the shallow reef. Cloud Nine can get to over three metres." Basically, where the big boys played. I was scared shit just by looking at it.

Sunrise


Taken during my last day in the island. *sniff*. I wish I could have stayed longer. I love the people and the place. I certainly would go back next year.

Other interesting places (pictures soon to follow)
1. The Disco- located in the middle of the town, they have the latest crunk but its a trip how its made up of basically wooden tables and benches, a dirt floor, no walls (just thick jungle like foliage around the perimeter) and a make shift ceiling from an old parachute.
2. Nine Bar- really cool dive bar where surfers sit down and chill, they even play Johnny Cash and they project surf films on one of their walls. This is where I met Hippie an English girl who decided to camp out in the island for a time. She's been there six years now...married to a local with a child. She speaks tagalog and the local dialect which was so weird to hear. She was crazy cool fun and gave me advice on how I can have more fun on the longboard. Her first time out surfing was in Fiji!!!!! where she allegedly ate it big time!

Some of you folks might remember when this feature first appeared on G-ography here during my 7 day Bikram Yoga Challenge. I also made a post about the next one here inspired after watching Ewan Mcgregor's motorbiking-around-the-world documentary. However my Kaui Expedition got in the way before I can go take my lessons. Then right after that I had decided to take some scuba diving lessons. Check out the photos below at the Reef Park in Casino Point, Catalina Island.



I have been quite the busy adventurer. This thanksgiving, however, is an NNP that will top all of these! I'm posting this photo associated with my next destination...guess where I'm going!

In life you always take risks. However, the payoff can be oh so sweet and so worth it.

This picture was taken last August during a trip to Kauai HI. It's over at Kipu Falls. They also have a rope you can swing on like Tarzan. That's me doing some aerial acrobatics. It took me a long time to jump off. It just seems that when you get older you tend to have a lot more apprehension and worry. The kids that went before me were just swinging like crazy. I love seeing them have so much fun! Ah to be young again...so fearless and invincible.



Kauai is very beautiful island. It's a great choice if you want to be somewhere more serene and close to nature. If you ever go, don't forget to visit the Na Pali Coast.

More pictures here...(just ignore our ugly faces =p)

This was me last year at the 2008 Nautica Malibu Triathlon. I was smiling so much because despite of my half-ass training I was able to finish swimming 1/2 mile. Uhu, I did the swim part only since I was in a relay team. It was perfect since I never have been a serious athlete. Granted it took me 30 minutes in a surf wetsuit in the cold ocean water to complete the swim it still felt like an accomplishment.



This year I decided to try the whole thing over at Redondo. So I signed up for the mini-sprint: 1/4 mile swim 3 mile bike 1 mile run. I did prepare and train for it a bit this time =p More importantly I had fun with it!



Minutes away from Start of Race
I met Pam during the Triathlon 101 clinic they had a week before (I like it when I randomly get to connect with cool people). She's awesome coz as a first time triathlete she placed in her division and age group!



Swim
The most dreaded part of the race is always the swim. I love the ocean and I love to swim but I have been struggling to overcome my anxiety over ocean swims. There's just something about the thought of not having walls and floors around you that makes me fear being swept away at sea. However, it was a short swim and fun group so I can truly say that it was my best ocean swim so far! I felt calm and collected...what a breakthrough! This bodes well for future ocean swims. Oh and I bought a real swim wetsuit this time which made a lot of difference! It's a Rocket Science one. I'm so in love with this suit.



Bike
So the guy behind me on this picture crashed into the girl in front of me. He didn't notice the red line on the which requires the athlete to dismount before the transition area. The bike ride was easy except for the uphill part where I suddenly stopped to walk the bike. Hehehe I require more training obviously and a lighter bike!



Run
Gawd. Again a newbie mistake I made was not being able to control my bladder. Seriously how do athletes keep themselves rehydrated without needing to go to restroom? Well that is what I did...the run course was along the pier and I just happened to sneak in the public restroom during the start of my run. I may have also washed my face a bit- the ocean water got to my contacts!! LOL. I know I'm ridiculous.



The Results
Well according to my results I ranked 7 overall in my age group. By the way I am only 30! I guess they round off your age to reflect current year. Surprisingly my swim was the best time! =) Love it. My transitions sucked! I was all over the place and just taking my time. What was I thinking? Oh yeah to finish...good to know my competitive side is still alive. This is good motivation really because I want to do the full triathlon once I become serious with training. It's simply inspiring to see athletes and supporters in this type of event. You hear so many stories and it just makes you want to become better, faster, stronger.

Next on the list is...TADA...

Yes motorbiking! I just found out that I can take a Basic RiderCourse Training over at MSF: Motorcycle Safety Foundation. It is a 14 to 15 hour program, which provides classroom and actual motorcycle operator training in a controlled, off-street environment.

No this is not a thrill seeking attempt at creating daredevil stunts like a willie (eyes rolling). Rather I am very much inspired by Ewan Mcgregor and Charley Boorman's motorbike journey round and down the world. I'm talking about the documentary travel series they shot back in 2004 and 2007. Check it out over at wiki: Long Way Round and Long Way Down.

I have always been passionate about traveling and just watching these two made me realize how wonderful it would be to do it on a bike! There was this part when Ewan and Charley were in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, to meet up with their personal hero Ted Simons- the granddaddy of global motorcycle bike riding. They were in the public market looking for Mongolian riding boots and the scene cuts to Ted where he begins to tell the camera what it is about the road, the bike and the journey that fascinates him. For him it was all about the freedom, the loneliness, the feeling of being in something rather than watching it through the TV screen that is the car window. It is one man on two wheels and the open road.

I can't begin to tell you how hardcore this dude is. For four years he travelled over 64,000 miles (103,000 km) through 45 countries in a Triumph Tiger 500 cc motorcycle. That's the bike below with Bob Dylan...



Anyways, I plan to take it next month. I hope to use my motorbiking skills when I travel to South America this fall! That is another NNP in the making so stay tuned. If any of you are bike riders I definitely want to hear back from you! I need a lot of tips!!!

Save a Life, Make a Pledge.
Click here: http://idek.net/6Gz

On Saturday, May 9th, I will be participating in the 16th Annual Revlon Run/Walk For Women. You can join me in the fight against women's cancers by making a donation on my behalf. Your donation will help fund important research into the cause and cure of women's cancers, prevention, education and support service programs. Every donation will help bring us one step closer to a cure. Until a cure is found and we know that all women are safe, we must continue the fight.