Tales of a Backpacker: October 2007

Travails of single people

I am convinced the Philippines is still not ready for people like me. People who have their own place, have their laundry done at the nearest "Lavandera Ko" or "Bubbles" or "Planchadora." Whatever you call em. People who order food for takeout and watch pirated DVDs while eating alone. People who'd rather go to work when sick than be sick and alone. People who call in sick when on an extended "good" date or just want to be out of the office on a Friday.

I worked on keeping this morning free because my table and chairs will be delivered today. Only to find out it's been lent to this other network as part of a studio set. Of course, I put on my red cape and went on a minor yadayadayada. "I bought it, why lend it still? Is that what you do to your clients? I've already paid for it!" (Note to self: don't trust those furniture company names you see on TV credits anymore)

And then it came. The conversation I've had a thousands times. "Been there, been that," as a legendary actress once said.

"We'll deliver a new set on Monday," the salesman says.
"I work Mondays!"
"Ibilin niyo na lang po sa kasama niyo sa bahay." Sinabi ko na nga ba, maririnig ko ulit ang linyang ito eh.
"Wala akong kasama sa bahay."
"Ay, bakit po?"
Namputsa namaaaan!

Nag-rant na ako tungkol dito sa lumang blog entry na ito.

UULITIN KO: Pasalamat nga kayo di ako nag-aasawa at nagpaparami ng gaya ko. For that alone, you owe me.

Who moved my fish?

Well, after all those denizens of the sea, here are pictures of creatures who love them.

I don't like cats that much. I won't adopt one, but I won't kick one either.

Ready to pounce

I saw this one at the backyard of our villa in Puncak, Indonesia. He (or she or it) was staring at a prey. Some insect. Or some woman with a camera. I don't know. I just thought he (or she or it) looked good against the blue wall and green plants.

Yin and Yang
I saw these two curled up in the middle of a busy sidestreet while I was shooting some mansions. Pictures. Shooting pictures of some mansions. Geesh!

Isda at beer(day)

Beerday ko raw. Eh di nagtago na naman ako. Sus. Ako pa? Iminaneho ko si Jiminy da Cricket papuntang South of Manila. Nagbasa sa tabing dagat, sa ilalim ng puno. Nakatulog. Nagising nang gabi na at umuulan. Kumain. Nagbasa. Nakatulog nang bukas ang tv sa cartoon network. Gumising nang maaga. Nangisda. Eto ang pichure pichure, wika nga ni Doc Duke na dormant na naman ang blog.

Suki ko na itong si Mang Jaime. Pag nakita niya ako sa resort, "Anong oras bukas, miss?" ang tanong niya agad.

Halata kung saan kami unang nangisda. Sa mabuhangin, kaya puro bisugo. Tapos sa batuhan, kaya puro isdang bato ang huli namin. Mga lapu-lapu.

Puno ng asin ang hita. Inulan. Inaraw. Natusok ng pamansing. Pero mukha akong nanalo sa lotto pagbaba ko ng bangka.

Ayokong Magsulat

Kaya tingnan niyo na lang ang mata ng pamangkin ko. Nagmamalaki masyado, eh!

Itong babaeng ito, mapipingot ko na. Ang kikay eh! Tuturuan ko ito ng Flirting 101.

Iyon iyong flirting na hindi obvious. Tanungin niyo pa sina Pat, Koryn at Angela. Lalo na si Madel.

Saturday Night Lives

Over red wine last night, we tried to analyze what went wrong.

Ten years ago, Vicky swore she'll never marry a man who pisses on walls.
She's still sexy but still single.

Ten years ago, Weng said she wants a man who's smart, good in bed, and a total gentleman.
We laughed at her then because having a man whose two heads functioned well was a rare find.
We're still laughing now.

Ten years ago, Jane said she just wants to get laid when she wants to.
She's the happiest of us all.

Har har har! I love Saturday night conversations.

View more pictures of Bangui's windmills here. Please. For the sake of world peace. Mahirap kumuha ng litrato.

The Windmills of Bangui

Windmills and speedometers

It was 11PM and I was just getting warmed up on a treadmill in front of a TV when I saw a lean muscled man mount the unit beside me. By the fifth minute, I glanced at him and realized it was this guy.

No one outlasts me on a treadmill. I slowly work my way up to incline level number 4, with speed up to 5.5 and stay there for....well, the longest was four hours.

This guy beat me. We were on our 60th minute and his speed level was at 8. Then he moved it up to 10. Then to 12. Dang. He outsped and almost outlasted me. I kept wondering how his knee will handle it when he's 40. I love walking but I've been advised against running to protect my knee. So I keep it to level 5. Up to 5.5 when I'm in one of my wadahek moments. That's the speed between walking and almost running.

I left the treadmill with higher respect for this young actor.

I drove home and I saw this SUV behind me. It kept following me. My alert level went up and for some unexplainable reason I could hear my mom's usual shrill line: "Practice journalism elsewhere! Next to Iraq, the Philippines has the highest number of journalists being killed!"

I wasn't scared. Without signalling, I did an unexpected left turn. He was still behind me. One more time. He's still behind me. I was nearing my place. He was still behind me. Was it he or them? Yes, it's THEM! Two guys. Plural. I dove into the basement parking. The damn SUV's still behind me. I went past my parking slot. Maybe they'd park somewhere. No, they didn't.

Then there was another car, a black car, that suddenly went out of its parking slot and was going straight towards me.

I'm sandwiched between two unidentified cars. My mind went a mile a minute.

I've seen this happen. I've seen trainings about this but I never paid attention. I let out an expletive. Heart thumping faster than it did on the treadmill, I made a steep right, tires screeching, and parked. I hurriedly turned the ignition off, left the car and ran to the elevator area.

The cars left.

I remember no plate number. No face. Nothing.

Maybe it was all just a coincidence. May nag-trip lang. Maybe it was a case of mistaken identity.