This quarterlifer is embarking on a new journey soon. Where I will be going, there will be heat - lots of it! No, I'm not going on a sabbatical to the Equator, and neither will I be passing through the highway to hell. During my journey, I will be exposed to the world of stocks, spices, and meat cuts. My new vocabulary will include big words such as mis-en-place, brunoise, and foie gras. My tool of the trade - a trusty 8-inch knife. My garments will be a pristine set of chef's whites and a toque. Yes, I will be entering the culinary world as due to start school in the coming month. It will both be a very exciting and anxiety-inducing period in my life. Just the thought of going back to a formal education setting after 3 years wakes me up in the middle of the night - not out of fear, but from anticipation. More than the feeling of excitement that fills me up to the brim, I am full of hope that this is finally the one thing I have been searching for. I want to fully relish this experience, to feel it swirling in my mouth as I taste everything there is to taste - the sweet, the sour, the salty, the bitter, and the umami. I'm not expecting this to be a walk in the park, and I have been psyching myself up for the past months since I made the decision to finally take the plunge and leave my comfort zone. This will be my journey for the next 14 month, and what better time to travel than on the eve of my quarterlife.

A BUM'S GUIDE TO PURPOSEFUL BUMMING

Bumming around is one of the few activities individuals of my generation have prided themselves as being masters of. Being a bum is both an art and a skill, and the mere ability to be able to last an entire day without doing anything of particular importance or consequence is a something that requires a certain degree of expertise and willpower. I have been lucky enough to have experienced living a bum's life for almost a month now. Its not as bad as it seems to be, and I believe that every person should experience at least a month's worth of downtime. It can do wonders for the mind and the soul, as it did for me. However, I am not advocating the "sit-on-my-ass-all-day", "waiting-for-the-world-to-pass-me-by" type of being a bum. What I wish for all bums out there, and I'm sure I'm not alone in this department, is to be able to become a "bum with a purpose". How do you exactly become a purposeful bum? Allow me to share with you a number of tips that helped me get through this particular period in my life.

1. Have a "bumming" plan: This is basically setting a game plan as to how one would handle becoming a bum. What are your goals in becoming a bum? Do you have a timetable set before your parents start making remarks for you to find work? The key here is setting goals that you have to work on: I will become a triathlete in a month, I will be 17 pounds overweight in 3 weeks, I will be ready to slit my wrists in 5 months, I will find a job in 2 months. Remember, goals should be SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound)

2. Develop the discipline to follow-through: Now that you have set goals for yourself, follow-through with the discipline to make things happen. Don't be tempted into sleeping in when the end in mind is to lead an active lifestyle. Immerse yourself in activities that will lead you to your goal. If you want to become a movie-critic is a short span of time, pop in that Spielberg, Kurosawa, Scorsese, Bay, or Lamangan into that DVD player, pronto!

3. Go on special missions: One of the major activities that helped me through my bum phase is to go on a special mission each week. I took on these projects like an eager Navy SEAL sent to Afghanistan to eliminate the insurgents. Activities can be mundane as back-reading all the love letters you've received as a child or sorting your clothes by color and fabric type.

4. Take up a hobby: Having a hobby is a sure way of killing time because of the enjoyment factor involved. My new-found hobby came in the form of growing my own marijuana garden (I'm kidding, I grew herbs) in the front lawn. My afternoons are spent conversing with plots of basil and parsley, tending to their fragile leaves. The options are endless! Do whatever it is that makes you happy or gives you some sort of pleasure. But no, choking the chicken or slaying the one-eyed monster are not hobbies.

5. Exercise, exercise, exercise: I advocate getting exercise the same way Donald Trump advocates "location, location, location!" Exercising is one of the activities I'm obsessing about now, and I've never been healthier. You don't have to pump iron or churn out 1,000 crunches everyday for it to qualify as exercise. Remember to have some form of physical exertion at least once everyday.

6. Learn a skill: Give life to the brain cells you're bent on killing by lying in bed. Learn a skill or two. One of the high points of my extended vacation was when I learned to jump rope! Not only have I seen an improvement in my dexterity, but I'm now jumping like I've never jumped before.

7. Reward yourself: There is always value in celebrating victories, no matter how small they may seem to be. I treat myself once every week to a movie and an all the junk you can stuff into your gut food binge.

8. Do things you've always wanted to do: Do the things you missed out on doing when you were stuck in that high-paying, 8 to 6 job. Be a chauffeur to your parents and be the family driver, become a connoisseur of canned and microwaveable meals, mold yourself into becoming a household general in charge of sanitation and cookery.

9. Have a creative outlet: Being a bum does not mean that all creativity should go out the window. Channel the pent-up creative energy. Get the karaoke machine running! Entertain yourself with a stand-up comedy act! Draw in the shades and paint your walls black! Blog!

There you have it, a bum's guide to a worthwhile, purposeful bumming. You don't have to feel sorry for yourself everyday. Maybe a day or two of sulking is good enough.

I recently acquired a new hobby that's been keeping busy these days. I've taken up gardening, or more specifically...herbal gardening. I'm slowly taking over my mom's garden to make way for my herbs. Where once there were bromeliads and ferns, now there are heads of dill and plots of basil. My lemon mints and pepper mints have started to look like twisted masses of growth. I'm also growing sage, oregano, parsley, rosemary, lavender, stevia, and, and rauram. I'm obsessing over these plants of mine to the point that I water them at exactly 6:30 AM, on the dot. A good chunk of my afternoons are spent tending to them, pruning the dying leaves and the wild plants that grow around my herbs. I've gone to the point of getting ground coffee beans over at Starbuck's (which they give away for free, by the way) to pour over the soil. My small piece of the garden literally smells of mint, basil, and freshly brewed coffee. Thankfully, none of my plants have yet to croak on me, which means that i'm probably doing something right.

I pretty much have it down to a science as to how my typical day looks like.

Wake up at 5:30
Have breakfast at 6:00
Go walking at 6:30 up until 7:30
Finish my morning exercises until 8:30
Take a shower
Do household chores that could be anywhere from cleaning, giving the dog a bath, or cooking
Take a shower
Have lunch at around 11:00
Read a book or watch my movies until I fall asleep
Wake up at 3:00...or 4:00
Afternoon exercises until 5:00
Take a shower
Daily dose of the Internet until dinnertime
Dinner at around 7:00
Evening brisk walk with friends at 9:00
Take a shower
In bed by 10:30

There you have it. My life for the next 45 days. It consists mainly of exercises and showers. Sounds exciting, huh? But looking on the bright side - at least i'm going to end up the fittest and most hygienic, jobless 24-year old around. That has to count for something.

Today is officially the first day that I no longer belong to the nation's workforce. Yes, I quit my job and served my last 30 days in the office. How do I feel now that I'm no longer a corporate drone? Honestly, its bittersweet, but the sweet overpowers the bitter. The factor thats making me feel bitter was the money that i'm no longer going to earn. But as I think about it now, if this was my main motivation for staying at my desk job, is it really worth doing? Whatever happened to passion or doing something you really love, at the expense of making money? If the only reason I stayed at my job for 2 and half years was for the money, and nothing else - don't you find that pathetic? I did. Thats why I decided to grow the cojones and leave.

But enough of that. I mentioned that the sweet part of leaving the job overpowers the bitter. I'm excited about the future, I really am. I'm going back to school in a month and a half, and I'm looking forward to it. Until that day comes, i'm just going to be floating around. I can now focus on myself more and touch base with people I've been missing. I'm finally on that road that will hopefully lead me to a happier place, where the passion is burning.

Congratulations to David Cook for bagging the plum prize at this season's recently concluded American Idol. Although he was not my first choice to win the competition (as a matter of fact, he was not even among my roster of bets), David C. pulled through with daring and innovative versions of Billie Jean, Always Be My Baby, and The First Time Ever, I Saw Your Face (a personal favorite of mine). He made these songs his own and was able to translate it to a contemporary audience. I also admire the fact that he "stuck it to the man" by remaining true to his principles as an artist all the way through the finals by choosing not to sing something he had already done. It would have been a logical choice to rehash a song he did well from past episodes, but that was giving in to the system. He's gotta be a rebel, in his own way.

As for David Archuleta, I guess the alleged millions of pre-teen voter fanbase didn't come through for him. I expected a landslide victory for this kid, especially after getting the supposed TKO-win during the last performance night. David A. has the pipes alright, and he arguably has the vocal talent over all the contestants this season. My only problem with him is that he has no personality to speak of apart from the unnatural shyness and mousy meekness. But it could be attributed to youth. Lets give this kid a few more years and he'll surely be a force to be reckoned with.

That being said, another season of Idol is over. I would have wanted to see either Michael Johns (who drew comparisons to INXS frontman Michael Hutchence) or Carly Smithson (the Irish tatooed belter) win the contest, but alas, this show isn't based on talent alone.

A "Jet-Setter's" Dilemma

I just got back from my trip to Macau last Sunday. Except for a couple of times when we got off at the wrong bus stop, or that one bus which we thought would bring us to where we wanted to go, only to discover that it took us back to where we came from - the whole trip came and went without a hitch. Such are the perils of foreign travel, but I'm not complaining.

A week from today, I'll find myself in Hong Kong. I've barely finished unpacking my suitcase and I haven't fully recovered from my last trip, yet here I go again. What better way to cure a Macanese hangover than with a Hong Kong chill pill. I consider myself lucky that this next trip comes free of charge (courtesy of the parental units), otherwise I wouldn't know how and where to fork up the money to pay for a definite wallet-burning trip. There's one little caveat though: the term "free of charge" only extends to certain items - airfare and food money. Compulsive shopping was one of the items I was made aware to be clearly not included in the clause. Therefore, I foresee a month's salary plus bonuses burning a hole right through my backpocket in the coming week. I think i'm going to make the Hong Kong government a little bit richer next week.

Its not a good sign when you're more excited in taking a vacation than you are with working. But come to think of it, I've never met a person who would rather work than go on a vacation anyway. So i'll treat this feeling as normal.

That being said, I'm looking forward to go on vacation this April! A couple of my friends and I are going to Macau for the first time! I'm so excited, that I practically made our travel itinerary in one sitting, and the trip is still a full two months away! On the other hand, my family is planning a trip to Hong Kong a week after I come back from Macau. Now I've been to Hong Kong numerous times, but I'm not complaining.

I've compiled a list of the things I want to do, see, and experience during my trip to both these places. Allow me to share with you my excitement!

MACAU

1. Going on a SKYWALK

I want this to be first extreme thing that I do in my life! The first of many, I hope. This is how the Macau Tower website describes this unique adventure:

"Imagine you're standing on the tower, 233 metres up. Now take a stroll around the outer-rim that encircles the tower. Piece of cake, right? Oh, did we tell you that the walkway is just 1.8 metres wide and, get this, THERE'S NO HANDRAIL!"

Hows that for exciting? Of course there's the option to go bungy jumping or tandem jumping, but i'll be happy if I get to accomplish this feat. Unless I develop a sudden case of acrophobia before I go on this trip, the Skywalk activity is a must-do for me.

2. Visit to each of the places in the Historic Center of Macau

The obsessive-compulsive in me tells me that I want to visit each of the sites included in the list, amounting to 25 locations including churches, gardens, old buildings, and fortresses. The good news is that they're within walking distance of one another, which means that I have a pretty good chance of visiting all of them.

3. Take a stroll at the Venetian Hotel

I was able to see the Venetian Hotel over at Las Vegas, and I was amazed at how a hotel of that scale was created. It was truly a testament to the creativity of man. For this same reason, I want to see what they did with the Macanese version. In addition to this, I'm also including the Wynn Hotel and the Grand Lisboa in my hotel casino hitlist. But I have no plans of gambling though.

HONG KONG

1. Visit the "Happiest Place on Earth" for the first time

Yes, its going to be my first time to visit Disneyland. Since I have no plans of going to the US or Japan anytime soon, the Hong Kong version is the next best thing. I don't know what i'm going to feel when I step inside Disneyland for the first time, but I sure am excited now.

2. Shopping at H&M

My trip to HK this year would not be complete without dropping by H&M. Although I don't really plan on doing much shopping and going overboard with my expenses, I feel that a trip to H&M should be treated as an experience.

3. Royce Chocolates

The only time I get to taste Royce chocolates is whenever I go to Hong Kong or Singapore. Their Nama product line is my all-time favorite, and I always buy a couple of boxes to bring home.

4. IKEA

Another Holy Grail of shopping destinations for me. I've never been to any IKEA store, but i've heard nothing but good stories from people who have. The IKEA catalog is always in my wishlist from relatives who live in Singapore. To finally experience IKEA would make one of my dreams a reality.

These are just a few of the things that I want to experience during my upcoming vacations. The list is nearly endless: there's eating the famous egg tarts from the original Lord Stow's Bakery, going to the Macau countryside - Coloane, DVD shopping at HMV, taking the MTR using the Octopus Card, supermarket strolling at City Super, walking at Time Square...

I remember making this list when I turned 23 in 2006. Wanna know how I did with my list? See below

23 Things I Want Now That I'm 23

1. Visit another country with my own money - I accomplished this in 2007 when I went to Bangkok with my good friends Pam & Mike. It was on of the best and most memorable vacations i've ever had.

2. Take up cooking and see if I have the passion for it - I'm a month into my cooking lessons right now, and i'm enjoying it very much! I have a feeling that i've finally found something that I want to do with my life!

3. Become fit and take boxing classes - I haven't taken up boxing, but the good news is that i'm more concerned with my health nowadays. I've resorted to going on brisk walks nightly and i've also been mindful of my eating. No more double rice binges for me anymore!

4. Learn to play the guitar on my own (I already bought the book) - I did buy the book, and I tried following it a few times with my guitar. Sadly, I didn't find the motivation to follow through with it. I guess I need an instructor to really push me into learning.

5. Establish a business, no matter how small it is - Me and a friend of mine tried to do this last year. We made it as far as developing the product and the concept. For some reason, we couldn't get it started. This is one of my frustrations, because I think that we have a very good plan in mind. What do you say about making it happen in 2008?

6. Travel alone for the first time - Although I have taken a plane ride alone during business trips in the office, I have yet to travel and explore a particular destination on my own.

7. Begin playing the "game" in the workplace - I've been "boss-less" for pretty much most of 2007 until now, so I could say that I've had numerous opportunities to play the office "game".

8. Become promiscuous and play around - Why did I even include this in the list? But just to give an update, the answer is a resounding "NO, I DIDN'T EVEN TRY."

9. Increase the investments in my UITF account - I was able to increase my investments in my ALFM Fund, and I opened a Dollar Bond Fund and an Equity Fund as well. I also opened my first US Dollar account. I guess I did OK in the "saving up for a rainy day" department.

10. Get into investing in stocks - Do investments in an Equity Fund count?

11. Become a foodie / gourmand - I've eaten around, that i'm sure of.

12. Overcome my fear of dating - Its sad to admit, but I don't think that dating and me go together. Strike this off my list.

13. Test the waters - Which waters were I referring to when I wrote this up?

14. Become famous... ok, semi-famous will do - Alas, my coveted fame still eludes me at the moment. Maybe i'll post something of me on YouTube one of these days, and no, it won't be a sex video.

15. Do something extreme, like jumping off a building - I can't believe that I haven't done anything extreme yet! But i'm looking forward to going to Macau in April because i've made up my mind to go on the Skywalk they have over at the Macau Tower. Though its not as extreme as bungee jumping or skydiving, I figured that you have to start somewhere. Baby steps, baby steps!

16. Sing in a band or a choir - I joined a choir in November 2006, and I'm still there. My next goal is to be able to form my own band

17. Begin showing people the full extent of my potential - I honestly think that i'm still holding back when it comes to this. I don't know, maybe the right venue to show what I can really do hasn't presented itself yet. But with my recent foray into the culinary arts, I have a feeling that I'll get there.

18. Work on my socializing skills, and become a social butterfly - I could say that I've gained more friends since the time I wrote this entry, and I've also maintained friendships quite well. More importantly, I reconnected with my old friends from high school. I couldn't be happier with the state of my relationships right now!

19. Look into the possibility of living on my own - I'm still living with my parents, but I have no qualms about it. This will come in time, and I realized that I shouldn't hurry myself to do this. Although the "Slaughterhouse" is always available.

20. Give the oldest profession a try :) - I haven't even gone out on a date, and yet have the nerve to try out prostitution! I have not done this, but if anyone out there happens to stumble on this blog entry, give me your best offer!

21. Explore other opportunities for work - I've made a pact with myself to stick it out here in the office for as long as I can. To date, I have been working in the same place for 2 years and 1/2 months now. I've learned a lot, and I'm grateful for everything my work has allowed me to achieve.

22. Try an illegal substance - I've made my intentions known to some of my friends who are connected in "illegal" circles, though they have yet to offer me anything. I guess they see me as too much of a good guy to try anything illegal. I'm still keeping my hopes up for this in 2008!


23. Live long enough to make another list - I'm 24 and still very much alive! I have a lot of plans for the future and I'm very excited at the prospects I have!

I'm confused as how to score myself in terms of how many i've accomplished in the list. If i'm going to be strict about it, and give a point to the items that I really did based on what I wrote down, I would say that I accomplished 7 out of the possible 23 things to do. That would put my success rate at about 30%. However, if you combine the things that I did with the things that I tried doing, but ended up falling short for whatever reason, I score around the area of 14. That takes me to about 50% combined success and trial rate. Do you think I garnered a good enough score?

I don't know if the people here in the office have started to notice, but i've started to become more carefree with things related to work nowadays. Maybe its this nagging feeling that I have that whatever i'm doing now won't matter to me in a few months time. Its given me this devil may care attitude that quite honestly suits me well. Don't get me wrong, its not that i've become a non-performing asset here in the workplace because i'm not - I still get things done. I'm still the earliest to arrive in my department for most of the working week, I still submit my reports way ahead of the deadline, and I'm still working on a number of launches. More importantly, my boss still trusts me to get things done. On my part, however, I just feel like i'm going through the motions. I'm honestly just counting down the days until I turn in my resignation letter and move on to bigger things. And I think the boredom is starting to manifest itself physically. I've been taking longer lunch breaks, going home earlier, and using up my leaves for no reason at all. The mere fact that i'm blogging on company time is proof enough of how bored I am here. Its personnel evaluation season right now, and frankly, I don't even care if I get a high or low score for my rating. That's how indifferent I am nowadays. Am I such a bad employee? If you were my boss, would you fire me? To tell you the truth, I have played different scenarios in my head picturing myself being fired and being instructed to clear my desk. And for some strange reason, I feel good right after. I don't know...I'm weird that way.

Its been said many times, "with a new year comes new life". Don't we all deserve a chance to live anew each year? If people are entitled to it, then blogs shouldn't be an exception. That being said, i've decided to breathe new life into my blog, inspired by the fact that my friend Pam picked her own blog from the ashes and started blogging again after many months of hibernation.

I'd still want this blog to be a chronicle of my journey to find true happiness and contentment. I'm very grateful for the past year, for it has opened my eyes to something that I potentially have the passion for. This year, the groundwork is slowly being laid as I have started to embark on my supposed journey.

A Quarterlifer's Journey will still feature happenings from my life, no matter how miniscule they might be. I believe that no matter how trivial a particular event may seem, it all adds up to the mileage of where and how far the journey will take me.

My personal theme for this year is to venture out to uncharted territory. As the popular cliche goes, "nothing ventured, nothing gained". I've realized that life is too short just by being a casual observer. I've told myself countless times that its high time for me to move out of my shell and cross over my comfort zones, but i've been too complacent to do so. Now, I am ready to participate in the game of life.

With the rejuvenation of A Quarterlifer's Journey, I hope for a rejuvenation in my life. No more living in a gilded cage - where things are easy and predictable. It won't be easy for me but in the end I know that i'll find what i'm looking for. Join me in my journey. I predict that there will be many bumps and pitfalls along the way. I don't mind though, for the best journeys are the ones with unpaved roads and winding paths anyway.

Natural High - Walking In The Rain

I got to experience this first-hand, as I was out walking with a few friends Sunday night. We were brisk-walking around the village, when it suddenly started pouring. I never thought that it would be rejuvenating and exhilarating to be walking in the rain. You don't feel tired at all. You don't feel thirsty of course, but that's beside the point. One of my friends commented that he felt wide-eyed and bushy tailed after walking ergo, a sudden rush of energy. Another friend told me that it did not feel like walking at all...it was more like doing laps in a pool. Yet another friend felt ashamed to be walking in bad weather, because it made her feel like she was in a wet t-shirt contest. Whatever the case may be, it all adds up to an amazing experience money can't buy.

BKK CRAZY - DAY 2

I've still got the onion taste in my mouth from last night's dinner, even after brushing my teeth 3 times already (what would my dentist say?). Today's itinerary: Jim Thompson's House, MBK Mall, and meeting up with Pam's friends.

Feeling traumatized from the first day's almost 3 hour marathon, we opted to take a cab in order to save on both time and energy. First stop was Jim Thompson's House. I was pleasantly surprised at the experience of seeing Thai architecture, culture, and artifacts. I could say that this Jim Thompson fellow lived a good life in Thailand, and the Thais appreciate and honor what he's done for their culture by opening up his house and turning it into a museum in his memory. I was a bit surprised that it took an outsider, a Western man at that, that put Thailand on the map as a player in the silk industry. Now if we could get someone to do that for the Philippines... Anyway, I bought a couple of souvenirs after the tour and I bought my mom a pair of silk pillow covers for a birthday present. It cost me an arm and a leg, but what the heck, it was for my mom.

After the tour we agreed to walk to MBK Mall, which we now ascertained to be a few minutes walk from where we were coming from. I was rambling about finding hidden treasures when you walk in my previous post. I did find just that! I made another pact to myself as I was planning for this trip: that I will not leave Thailand without buying one of those Buddha heads cast in iron. A few steps away from Jim Thompson's house stood another house that sold all of these traditional Thai ornaments, including an assortment of Buddha heads! I just had to buy something! I ended up buying this iron head and another figure, which I have no regrets in doing so, cause it was almost dirt cheap. My only regret though is that I didn't bring a bigger suitcase to bring home more stuff.

We arrived at MBK Mall, and its exactly how I remembered it from the last time I went there. MBK is one hell of a crazy place! I have not been to any other shopping mall that can compare to the dynamism that place possesses. Its like being in 10 different tiangges in one. The sea of humanity is just incredible! Add the fact that this mall is huge! Its very easy to be overwhelmed, and overwhelmed I was. Its futile to attempt going from floor to floor to find what you're looking for. The trick to surviving MBK is to let the tide come rushing in and lead you wherever. Keep on walking - you're bound to find something you like. Pam & Mike stumbled upon a Lacoste sale, and they literally went nuts over it. I wouldn't be surprised if I see them and their relatives wearing Lacoste everyday cause that's how overboard they went! After satisfying their urge to shop, we went to find a decent place to eat. We ended up eating at this very beautiful and modern food court in the upper level of the mall. We were very surprised to find this quiet, secluded food court amidst the chaos MBK Mall regularly witnesses. After lunch, we indulged Pam in her imeldific quest to find new shoes by going on a side trip to Discovery Center.

After our MBK experience, which ended late into the afternoon. We went back to the hotel to refresh and get ready for the night's adventure. We met Pam's friend at the Suan Lum Night Market, which is due to be torn down to be made into another mall. We had dinner in this restaurant called Somboon. I think its a pretty popular place among locals and tourists because that place was packed to the rafters! The restaurant was 4 storeys high, and we had our table at the top-most floor. The food? Damn good! We had our fill of crab curry, oyster omelette, and river prawns! If that would have been my last supper on Earth, I would have died a very happy man.

Up next after dinner was Lebua State Tower, where we would meet another one of Pam's friends at Sirocco, a bar at the 64th floor of this high-rise structure. This is the high life - exclusivity, breath-taking views, snobbish people, and expensive drinks! You could see the lights of Bangkok for miles away.

We thought that our night would end at Sirocco, or so we thought. As luck would have it, it gave us one final adventure before it would let us rest for the night. We were on our way back to the hotel when our non-English speaking cab driver nudges Mike, who was dozing in the front seat. As it turns out, our cab has no gas, right in the middle of the main thoroughfare. We alighted the cab, and we realized that we were dropped right in the heart of Patpong, a popular nightspot with a seedy reputation. We ended up walking a good distance in our semi-formal attire, haggling with cabs along the way. Imagine this scenario as the night-cap of a picture perfect 2nd day - A breezy Tuk-tuk ride at 2 AM, mildly intoxicated, in semi-formal wear, among good friends.

BKK CRAZY DAY 1

We touched down at Bangkok at around 2 PM Manila time (there's an hour difference in the time, so it was 1 PM in BKK). Suvarnabhumi Airport, when you first see its entirety, can be both impressive and daunting with its modern styled architecture. But once everything sinks in, the exterior looks like a giant, shiny durian. I realized after 15 minutes of walking around that other airports such as Chep Lap Kok Airport in Hong Kong or Changi Airport in Singapore are still more impressive and traveller friendly. But I won't complain, especially when I know how much of a wreck our local airport is.

Upon stepping onto the tube from the plane, the cameras started flashing. Our initial picture taking starting from the plane, walking a straight line until the immigration counters took about 30 minutes. I was a bit taken aback by the long lines that greeted us at Immigration. Was I in the Philippines?! Apparently, the newly opened airport still has a number of kinks to resolve. Lining up here took another 30 or so minutes. However, it was when we got our luggage that I received a bigger shock and regretted dissing the Manila Airport. First of all, my luggage was one of the last few bags to come out of the baggage carousel. In fact, I was already picturing scenarios in my head on what to do in case my bag got lost. To my credit, I did not lose my luggage (I know Pam and Mike were silently hoping that I did), however, someone did try to pry open my bag as the lock got lost and the zipper handles were broken. It will take more than long lines at the airport and broken luggage to ruin this trip for me. I promised myself that I would have a grand time in Thailand, and I'm not going to let anything rain on this occasion. On a side note, as I was nearly frantic from searching my bag, a number of women approached Mike to ask him for help on lifting their heavy luggage from the moving carousel. Pam and I observed as an old lady, a middle-aged woman, and another dubious looking woman give Mike the "helpless, single female traveller" look. Mike being the gentleman that he is, obliged to every single request, eventhough we knew that those bags were'nt exactly light. I don't know, I guess Mike has that porter look.

We checked in at the Bangkok Palace Hotel, which isn't so bad by the way (we expected worse). After a brief rest and a game to determine who gets first dibs on the bed (I won), we decided to go for a walk to Siam Paragon. We asked the hotel concierge for directions on how to get there - he said that it was within walking distance and that it would take a maximum of 20 minutes to get there on foot. I guess the concierge thought that he was talking to a group of marathon speed walkers because the trek that he guaranteed would take 20 minutes tops, took us a little less than 2 hours! However, I must say that the blame does not lie solely with the concierge for lying to us about the real distance to Siam Paragon. We stopped several times to eat, take pictures, eat again, and take more pictures. I have no regrets with walking though. Between walking and taking a cab, i'll take walking anytime. In a city like Bangkok, taking a cab should always be the last resort. To say that traffic is bad is an understatement. Also, how would you be able to explore and discover hidden treasures if you opted not to use your legs. And discover treasures we did.

We first had green mangoes by the road. Filipinos have their mango with bagoong, the Thais do it differently. The man gave us plastic baggie of mangoes along with a mixture of chili powder, sugar, salt, and other spices. The taste? Lets just say that we all had to buy bottled water after tasting it. In Thailand, even their mango is spicy. I know, I tend to exaggerate. After walking a few hundred meters, we stumbled upon their version of carinderia / hawker stalls selling traditional Thai delicacies. Pam tried what the locals called "pork salad", a hodge podge of different ingredients and flavors, with a heat level that registers high on the Richter scale. Mike was in tears as he was wolfing down pork salad wrapped in vegetables. We then quelled whatever heat was left on our tongues by having tea-flavored ice cream.

Needless to say, after our numerous stops to eat authentic Thai streetfood, conduct crazy picture taking sessions at Central World Plaza, and bicker over the distance and time we've been walking, we finally arrived at Siam Paragon Mall. We were like children let loose at a toystore. We headed straight for Siam Ocean World were we ogled and prodded the marine life. Entrance wasn't cheap, by the way, so we made the most out of our visit. We took a couple of hundred pictures, stared hard at the fish, cradled a lizard in my arms, poked a starfish, and read all the educational literature.

After Ocean World, it was time to raid the shops. I was surprised to observe how robust the shopping culture in Bangkok was. It actually reminded me of how Singaporeans and people from Hong Kong did their shopping. There were luxury brands, high-end specialty stores, and even retail outlets selling car brands like Ferrari, Bentley, and Aston Martin, no less. Pam & Mike raided the shops while I tagged along with them. Pam bought a number of underwear large enough to stage a mini fashion show, while Mike bought a book on Sudoku, which he answers whenever he's in the bathroom. We stayed in Paragon until closing time, and by then my eyes were about ready to pop out from hunger. We took a Tuk-Tuk (say it 10 times!) to Rosabieng, where in my opinion, I had the most delightful Thai meal. We had Pad Thai, Crispy Catfish, and Bagoong Rice, among others. I also had my liquid gold, my personal ambrosia - Thai Iced Tea with Milk! I told myself that if I could only choose a single Thai dish/delicacy to have during this vacation, it would have to be this drink. Luckily, it did not disappoint, it tasted exactly as I had dreamt of.

All in all, it was a blast of a first day! I'm sure the next couple of days will be much, much better.

BKK CRAZY

March 1 - 7:10 AM, outside the Centennial Terminal

I'm already here at the airport. Sometimes it sucks to be the early bird. No, you don't always catch the worm, sometimes you wait...for a long time. I don't remember setting an 8 AM meeting time with Pam yesterday. So here I am, about an hour early, standing right outside, taking in the Manila air, while writing at the same time.

I know for a fact that Pam is still at home right now. I called her on her cellphone and I can hear the tricycles breezing past in the background. She's probably waiting for her boytoy to pick her up. :) As for Mike, hell, I don't know where Mike is. Hopefully, he's on his way basing from the fact that among the 3 of us, he's the one who lives closest to the airport.

The minor hitch of being early (once again) notwithstanding, I am psyched to be going to Bangkok. This was a trip that took a year to plan. Finally, the stars aligned and all the hitches were ironed out - We're finally going! I'm betting that this trip will be one for the books. I can feel it.

9:40 AM, near the Duty Free shops

We're about to board in a few minutes. Mike, not surprisingly, arrived last. Pam and I went ahead to check in and we just asked the lady at the counter to reserve Mike a seat. We went around the airport's measly version of a Duty Free, which we were able to complete in 5 minutes, and when Mike finally joined us, we went looked around some more. But I won't complain. I feel too good to be let down by our excuse of an airport. This is the first international trip I'll be taking that I paid for with my own money. Add the fact that I'll be spending time with good friends. Nothing will let me down today.

12:00 NN, Mid-air

We're about halfway through the flight now. I just finished my meal of "pork with rice", at least thats how the attendant called it. "Barely Edible" is what I would call it. It didn't look like pork to me. The headache I had from take-off has thankfully, subsided.

The trip already has the makings of a classic. The insults have already begun, laughter follows shortly. I've been jeered at by both Pam and Mike for my controversial blog entry (its gone by the way). We've been teasing Pam with her boyfriend (which I hope does not get to read this blog). All of this during the first hour we've been together!


Wow, people seem to be in a peeing mood right now. Its Pam's 3rd trip to the lavatory already. I tell both of them that I've never used the toilet in a plane before. They give me weird looks. Hopefully, I get to experience using the plane's toilet for the first time during this trip.


The new James Bond flick is on the screen right now. I would be watching it if I wasn't too giddy & excited. Mike's been reading the same magazine over and over. So with Pam's full bladder, Mike's compulsive reading, and my constant fidgeting, you could say that we all are excited for this trip.

A Yuppie's Predicament

Ah...the pitfalls of being in your 20's, working, and having disposable income. Suddenly you have all these issues and decisions you have to make, which a few short years ago you wouldn't even imagined having. Sometimes, I yearn for the days when the biggest decision I would make is what to have for lunch or which TV show to prioritize. I miss the simple, trivial, no-brainer moments of life that signified youth. Today, my concerns are more complicated, serious, and nerve-wracking -- exposing the inevitable move to adulthood. Whereas my issues in the past revolved around how to keep myself amused on a daily basis, my issues today take on a forward-looking view of saving, investing, and planning for retirement. Yep, this is my dilemma - 'Mo Money, 'Mo Problems, a rapper once said. You might think that I'm just stressing myself out by thinking of these burdensome issues. To a certain extent, thinking of the future may be both frightening and stressful, add to it the fact that one of my worst fears in life is to end up living under a bridge in a mattress of cardboard boxes. I guess i'm just really a pessimist by heart, and sometimes its suffocating just thinking about what the future holds for me. I also think that i'm showing symptoms of becoming a materialist. I want to have a lighter view of life. I want to enjoy my relative youth and not worry too much about growing old. I think I need to talk to a shrink...or a financial planner.

This blog has slowed down as of late. The author seems to be in creative limbo at the moment. The supposed "journey" the author planned to take has stalled a bit, hence the lack of articles worthy enough to be crafted and posted. Let's hope he gets his creative groove back soon...

I'm currently contemplating on whether to give this blog a major revamp. I think that in order for this blog to gain a wider readership and interactivity, some things have got to change. But the question is what do I have to do, in order for this blog to gain a slight notoriety. More biting articles? Profanity? Pictures? Anyway, i'm all up for anyone's two cents worth. I'm posing this question to my 4 readers out there. What do you want to get more of from this site? What can I do away with? Indulge me

...

The past few days have pretty much been a roller-coaster ride of sharp turns, steep falls, and nauseating loops. I don't even know what to feel anymore. I have to be strong and brave...for my family, cause I'm sure that the coming days are going to be rougher and more turbulent. I have to force myself to be happy and keep busy, otherwise i'm going to fold. So what I'm going to do is to hold the fort for as long as I can bear it - to be emotionless throughout this entire ordeal until it blows over. To be seemingly unaffected and to act as if everything's normal is the only way I can think of to get through this.

I want to afraid for myself, but I can't - cause I see what fear is doing to my dad, and I can't accept what it has turned him into. His own fear has defeated him, pounded him into submission, and left him in a wreck. I don't even recognize my dad anymore.  I feel very sorry for him, I can't even comprehend the amount of stress and anxiety he's going through right now. Whatever the outcome of his predicament may be, I'm sure that he's going to end up emotionally scarred for the rest of his life and he's never going to be the same.    

Congratulate Me!

Today, I reached a new milestone in my life - I was actually able to last a whole year working in a company! I didn't think it was even humanly possible. I can finally say that I had the patience to stick to a job, albeit 365 days. Though a year is nothing compared to people starting and ending their careers with one company (That will never happen to me, by the way), I still am proud of the fact that I was able to hold on this long. It was a combination of different factors actually - good people, good pay, and a light workload! Haha! Call me a slacker, but its the truth. If you've got all these things working for you, 1 year is a breeze!