Adrift in Sipalay Sugar Beach

Our day started with a much needed sleep after a long and exhausting discussion slash debate on issues like labeling/boxing a person, definition of normal, movies and series mainly with subjects on violence and psychological thrillers (which I have very little to contribute given that Dexter, Hannibal and the like never did appeal to me).

Since we started late (noon) with no idea of the bus schedule, we waited almost an hour at Bangga Patyo for the Hinobaan-bound bus after missing the one that passed by at the same time that we alit from La Carlota. All the buses that passed by in the direction we're going are filled with commuters to its narrow alleys that we expected the same. Luckily, we got on an air-conditioned bus in which we spent more than four hours standing, from our starting point to our point of destination. The only respite we had was the short stop at Kabankalan for a late lunch.

So, Driftwood Village was on the same stretch of beach as the Takatuka Lodge which caught my attention a few years ago. To get there, either you take a trike to Nauang from Molina bus stop (P100 for the trip which took about 15 minutes) and a paddle boat to cross a narrow span of water separating the island from the mainland (P10-15 per head for a one or two-minute ride) and walk about 500 meters along the shoreline or share a motorboat with other travelers from Sipalay Tourism Office.

It was already past five when we arrived at the resort, tired and hungry. We ordered Ham and Chicken sandwiches while we freshened up and get ourselves ready to witness the sun set at the beach.

Sunset was a magical experience, fleeting and elusive. We stayed until the stars came out and embarked on another night of word sparring with Marlo and Annie in the hammock and me opposite them.

When morning came, we started the day differently. Me swimming, Marlo strolling and Annie sleeping. We convened at the breakfast table. Food was good and the serving size can feed two. I had sausage which I failed to photograph having missed dinner the other night. Coffee was an experience in itself. It was strong (not as strong as I'm used to but it can hold its own) with nutty, chocolatey flavor. It was a good morning until news of home reached my consciousness and soon came the time for us to part ways: Marlo to Dumaguete, Annie to Bacolod and home for me and see about an ailing dad.

The Ideal Destination

Today was all about giving Marlo as much as we could in terms of cultural, geographical and gastronomical experience that is distinctly Negrense.

 After a very long first day, I left the house with him still sleeping on the couch while I went about marketing and preparing breakfast. When I got back two hours later, he was already up and about we walked to mother's to eat and walked back to prepare for yet another long day.

The road construction along Valladolid got us held up for a good thirty minutes, it was already lunchtime when we reached Bacolod. We alit in front of the old City Hall so we could walk downtown, crossing the city plaza stopping by at the Cathedral for the angelus before heading to the Capitol. There, we checked out the contents of the museum which is not that much from what I can remember then strolled at the capitol lagoon before walking the rest of the way to Pepe's for lunch and meet Annie as well (who elected to join us for the night at the house). I ordered him Salpicao while I had my usual Lamb Stew which he sampled sparingly.

Annie had the rest of the afternoon mapped out for us. She was able to get two girlfriends of her drive us to Silay and Talisay for the must visit Balay Negrense, El Ideal and the Ruins.

The search for Balay Negrense (which we called Balay ni Gretchen in reference to Annie's anecdote of it having been called as such by some tourists) was over after our novice driver got over her confusion over going straight ahead or turning left or right. We were the last to arrive and the staff were starting to call it a day. Having been there before, I was good after getting a good shot a sitting at the porch bench.

There are two ways (I learned during this trip) in which to reach the Ruins. One was through a private subdivision (which we used when I went there with Lira) passing through Rose Lawn which offered a refreshing look at memorial gardens with their amazing lights that cast soft gold glow, it makes you think of an outdoor party. We took the easier but longer route which passes through the airport access road bu turning left on the second stoplight (where we had to wait about two to three cycles as the green light was out of order...it was a funny one).

After many wrong turns and liters of fuel and bouts of belly-aching laughter, yes we did all what we had set to do and see. That included eating dinner at Ading's where I had JD join us. Suprises for the night include JD graduating in the same school and year as Annie's :)

An Unexpected Journey

There is no wealth of experience that I could tap from with this idea of entertaining a person whom I came to know yet seldom interact with from almost a decade ago.

Slow nights and free data are definitely ingredients for a silly recipe. I picked Marlo up from a bunch of guys I know to chat with one night. After a brief exchange, I found myself inviting him over to spend the Holy Week. He sounded unsure most of the time I checked him on his preparation that I didn't mind until one day before he was due to arrive, I suddenly realized I know very little about him and so began worrying about how to make his stay with me worth his spending hours on the road to get here.

He arrived four-ish and I picked him up from the terminal. He seemed to have not changed, it didn't take me long to find him in the crowd. He sat at the back most part of the terminal. At 31, he still looks youthful (just like me...hahaha).

His coming was welcomed by a torrential rain which came during dessert at Calea (after coffee at Kuppa ans dinner at Manokan Country). Taxi was scarce I did the impossible like calling the Maits (Jing2 and Manong) to get us one, to no avail. It didn't help that after getting wet, we stood on the bus for almost half the time that it took for us to reach LC.

I don't know how to label our partnership. Back home, were like an old couple retiring for the night with him busy on his manga and me in front of the computer while we chat about what happened in the intervening years. Our exchange was a quiet one, maybe because he was tired. He has been traveling since 7am.

Misled?

 Yes. But really, this is for us Kz and for our respective date week...lol.

Don't you find it queer that we are embarking on separate journeys that are so similar in many ways: equally novel, crazy and unexpected?

I'm deeply torn between keeping and letting you go. As I weigh the odds I thought missing your company would be the most difficult challenge. Seeing though the lessons that we learn apart from each other will shape us to being better versions of ourselves, our separation seems irrelevant anymore. Besides, it feels like we both want to be in that place where we are going.

With that thought in mind, may the odds be ever in our favor.

Rest assured, you are always in my prayer.

I AM FORTY

Now I proved myself quite an expert in drama. On the eve of the 4th, I changed my birthdate information, setting it to a number that has already come to pass. If I get remembered without the social media notifying people of the event, then that would be really swell.

There were a handful who sent me private messages and short notes of greetings on my phone.

At 9:05, my phone beeped signalling that a message came through. It was from an "unknown" number and my heart skipped a beat; expectant. It said:

"Happy happy happy birthday to you! Another year more? Yeah. Have a good year madam. ;)

In my panic, I responded in haste and obviously chose the wrong words. It's ironic how two short words can decide how the rest of the day would feel like.

A few days after graduation, I really got pissed after not hearing an explanation about that particular line in his speech that I deleted his number. But then his tone when smsing is something that I can't just easily dismiss. It sounded so much like me so how can I forget me?

That aside, I invited some peeps over for a slumbee. I fried some fish for dinner and a disastrous batch of cheese sticks for the Bacardi Mojito  that Junrey brought in. The night was a duplicate of our graduation night with Junrey regaling us with sob stories, me sharing my  BBM journal with an avid reader, Charmaine and KZ taking pictures of everyone.

The night ended with Junrey sketching my portrait as a present. I couldn't ask for more. :)

Darn, it does feel good to be forty.