The Kikay Mountaineer Part Deux

My so called "love for nature" was refueled after A asked me if I wanted to go hiking in Biak Na Bato National Park. This was the first time I got asked to go hiking. In Bulacan. And in a "National Park"! Wow!

With only an hour of sleep and less than 12 hours before my shift, I took on the challenge and donned my so-called hiking gears. I was like, "Bring it on!"

Wait? This is not a hiking gear?

In Biak na Bato National Park, we passed by caves and creeks and I think we needed to cross a bridge twice. Everyone who knows me knows I have a paralyzing fear of heights. My knees just wobble and my hands get clammy everytime I'm anywhere higher than 5 feet (let me stand on a high chair and I get scared already). But my hiking buddy was merciless and I knew he would leave me on the other side of the bridge if I didn't get my act together.

Every part of my body hurt after that trip and I swore to myself I'll never hike again.

But I did it again...

I climbed Mt. Makiling with A and his Mom. I was a little embarrassed that A's mom who is almost twice my age had a faster pace than me. While nearing the summit, I was almost out of breath. I silently wished we'd just head back together but A was so eager to reach the peak. Thank heavens, she decided that we should get back before dark.

When I finally got home, I laid on my bed, looked at the ceiling and wondered what I've gotten myself into.

And again...

Holy Week was a tough time in regards to my romantic endeavors. And while a friend surprised me with a round trip ticket to Boracay, I found myself taking the trail towards Mt Cristobal, the Devil's Mountain, this time with my friend Nona (the one I went with to Calaruega and supposedly a mountaineer). Why I chose the strenuous climb over some r&r by the beach, I will never understand. It was the most difficult climb to date and I had to stop two thirds towards the summit because my knees and feet were jelly-ish already. Nona went back and stayed in the car after she decided that she reached her hiking limit of 30 minutes (peace). I ended up taking an afternoon nap and reached the peak in my dreams. A went ahead and successfully represented the team up at the summit.

the world is my oyster and the earth is my bed (just woke up)

And again...

I've climbed two mountains but haven't summited yet. I was disappointed with myself. Who goes hiking and stops midway? A suggested Mount Batulao. It looked promising and Pinoy Mountaineer said it was an easy climb. The pictures looked amazing too. What's not to love?

The dusty and vertigo-inducing trail!

with my best friend Joe

lesson learned: next time try a hiking pants and save the Guess shorts for a movie date

After our Batulao climb, I was two shades darker and with more pimples to boot. One toenail died too. Looking down from the summit, I almost called my private chopper to rescue and bring me back to Manila until I realized I didn't have any. I was like, "Why am I climbing mountains when I have to go back down again?" But I remembered that on our way to the peak, we crossed paths with two other climbers on the way down. There was nothing remarkable when I first saw them until I realized one was blind. It was amazing! And because of that blind climber, I treasured my first view from the top even more. My first summit, yey! I felt like I could retire and go back to my normal life.

but I just had to climb one more time...

This time, A and I went with Jamboree Mountaineers to Pico De Loro. It was our first climb with an organized group (not that we're not organized, I'm just saying...). I had a lot of fun, I didn't tire myself and there were a lot of breaks during the climb. The hardest part was just before the summit, a few minutes before I had my period! Yes, I had my period at the summit! What a feat! Good thing, one of the girls have an emergency kit and I had a spare shirt to cover my stain. I was not able to climb the parrot's beak but the 360-view from the summit overlooking the Hamilo coast was enough treat.

yes, that's supergirl's cape/coverup

A who fortunately didn't get sunburnt

fantastic four at the summit

Plus, our last climb was featured in GMA 7's website:

On Top of Parrot's Beak

I know I prayed for a guy who goes to a spa every week and only plays chess as his sport. I didn't find that guy but I found something more - a whole new world of breathtaking beauty and someone who appreciates it as much as I do.

The Kikay Mountaineer Part 1

I never thought that I’d be keen on hiking mountains; the dusty sometimes moist earth clinging to every exposed part of my skin, the seemingly endless trail, hours of asking “malayo pa ba?”, the blazing sun rays that my SPF50 sunblock has no match against, my fear of heights, getting lost and anything and everything that crawls and has tiny feet as well as my excessive request for pitstops create a weird juxtaposition with that of my usual self.

When I told a close friend I was going to hike she virtually laughed at me.

I, too, laughed at myself at first. I never imagined myself as a mountaineer mainly because I lack the proper attire. I only have one pair of rubber shoes (something that I was forced to buy when I signed up for Fitness First). Everything else in my shoe cabinet are high heels, stilettos, pumps, peep-toe sandals... well, you got the idea. I didn’t have a loose shirt, hiking shorts or a backpack. I had to borrow stuff from my brothers to their dismay. Also, I have a weak lung, knees, legs and feet. My biological composition was not made for this kind of stuff. I love virtual shopping, dining, watching movies, reading books, getting a massage and everything that spells relaxation (and boring to some). I don’t like sweating too much and getting dirty. For a couple of years, I didn’t have any sports aside from shopping and Dance Dance Revolution and I was physically unfit to the 100^th power.

In fact, a year ago I went on a trip with my friend to Calaruega – the chapel on the hill. It was a hill and for Pete’s sake – I couldn’t even manage to hike and reach the summit. Instead, I wished my friend good luck, told her to take lots of pictures while I ended up lying on the grass with a good book.

But fate has its way of finding me (naks!). My first brush with hiking came when I dated a nature lover in the middle of 2009. I remember him asking me to go out on a surprise date. He specifically requested for me to wear a short skirt. Eager to please my man, I did wear a short skirt complete with platform heels only to find out (surprise surprise!) that he was taking me to the National Museum, Rizal Park and Intramuros. Nakakaloka talaga, naglakad ako ng nakaheels at mini skirt sa Luneta of all places at kebago bago ng sandals ko napudpod agad ang takong! For a few seconds, I was scared that Jose Rizal will haunt me in my dreams. I considered dumping the guy right then and there but being the forgiving kind-hearted woman that I am, I gave him a second chance. On our next trip, he took me to a nice beach and I almost considered it a relaxing weekend until the next day when he at 12 NOON asked me to go hiking. When I refused, he called me lazy so I convinced myself to take the challenge, put on tons of sunblock and eventually gave in. I was burnt so bad after two hours of walking plus he jokingly called me "negra" on the way back. I didn’t talk to him for weeks after that and eventually broke up with him. I asked myself why I always attract the wrong kind of guys and prayed hard for God to let me find a guy who goes to a spa every week and only plays chess as his sport.

I almost did. Almost.

The Games People Play

I can't believe that even after almost a decade I still find myself losing on a game of Super Mario, of all things!

I've always been a gamer, even way back when I was in elementary. Remember when internet cafes were non existent and what we had back then were our very own version of a desktop - TV set and consoles like Nintendo and Family Computer (laughs out loud)? There was this place in the next corner of our street renting out Family Computer units for 40/hr. I was probably in Grade 2 then and me and my brother would often ask our Dad for 40 bucks just so we can play. And when our Dad would finally give in, we'd race to the shop and kill each other on who would be the first to play. Then before we knew it, our one hour is up.

Anyway, I won't make this post lengthy. I'm just ranting and now I'm going back to playing Need4Speed Prostreet (which I haven't finished) on my PS2. Gosh, I miss those days when there are only buttons B and A to push.

Things n Strings???

This post is only for mature audience. Must be 18 years old and above.

This is not called things n thongs for nothing.

Ehem.

One of the things I collect are thongs. I think it's sexy and fun and it's a must to avoid the number one fashion faux pas - VPL. That's visible pantyline fyi! But it doesn't mean I wear them, okay? Only when there's a special occasion or a special person(?) haha. Joke! I really don't wear thongs most of the time for a lot of reasons. Here are some:

- First, some thongs make me feel uncomfortable. I can't explain why it is uncomfortable. Just try wearing one and you'll know what I mean. Boys, you can try this, too : P

- Second, I like wearing skirts. And I never learned the proper way to get out of a car without exposing my nether regions.

- The first time I bought a thong (it was a very thin blue lace thong) my Mom freaked out, asking me why on earth I would even bother to cover myself with it. She spent the rest of the afternoon preaching about decency.
"Ano ka? Tinalo mo pa yung mga Japayuki sa suot mo? Para kang hindi disenteng tao! Sunugin mo yan!!!"

- During a fashion show at our college, I forgot that I was actually wearing a black thong. With a white skirt! It was too late to go back and change. And with the glaring afternoon sun and the spotlights, let's just say, I wanted to drop out the very next day. And oh, by the way, I was supposed to dress up as a college instructor in that show.

- One of my most horrifying experience was because I made a mistake of wearing a thong. It was my final interview at Siemens when all of a sudden, I felt a surge of... Anyway, to cut the story short, I had my period that day. And of course, it's like a raging river on the first day. I didn't know what to do - how do you put a feminine pad on a thong??? From that day on, I refrained from wearing thongs. I just collect them hoping that one day my period will become regular. Sorry, too much information :)

Anyway, I got these pictures from an email and I thought I would share this with you. I hope this is not pornography.

Do they have this in the market now? I want the last one!

Pressenting... the C-STRING!

Chances and What Ifs

First of all, let me warn you that this is going to be a very mushy post.

I am never a fan of Filipino movies just because I think that most Pinoy movies rely on the star factor rather than the quality of the story and the script itself. But I have to say now that I guess I was… wrong.

I guess I was just being a little crazy. Otherwise, who would have come home at 5 am from a night out, drunk and totally wasted and still have a couple of hours more to spare? Adding the fact that the same person just had her eyelash extension a few days back and is not allowed to cry?

So, let me rephrase that – I am crazy.

I watched One More Chance. Yes, that’s the Bea – John Lloyd movie. I am not a fan of Bea and most especially not that of John Lloyd. But I still watched it just for the sake of killing time.

Never did I think it would have such effect on me.

Feb 8, 2001

He was wearing a gray buttoned up shirt with a dragon print on the front. He was with a friend, standing at the front of Kawilihan Bakery in Anonas. He let out a smile and immediately walked up to me, held my hand and kissed me on the cheeks. He had the look of a schoolboy going gaga over his crush. But he wasn’t a schoolboy anymore. He was 23 years old. And I was not just a crush. I was his girlfriend who turned 16 that day.

I was at my happiest with him. Those were the days I thought and hoped would never end. We practically spent everyday together and looked forward to more. He was my first boyfriend, my best friend, my companion and jack of all trades.

But at one point, I became overwhelmed with too much love. I needed space - lots of it. I needed time – away from him. I started taking our relationship for granted and became consumed with the thoughts of “what if”.

What if he wasn’t always at my side, will I become more independent?

What if he wasn’t there to guide me, will I find my way on my own?

What if he wasn’t there to tell me what to do, will I be able to make my own choices?

What if there was no us, would there be more of me?

The thoughts haunted me, until one day I grew tired of thinking about “what ifs” and decided to know “what is” (I borrowed that line from Basha).

And so - I broke up with him.

Aug 23, 2008

Now, here I am after 7 years. I am no longer the 16-year old girl and he is no longer the 23-year old guy who used to be the only man in my life. I am no longer innocent, I have experienced more than people can think I have - some are good and well, some are bad.

For 7 years, I’ve met a lot of people and there were a few wonderful persons that I’ve shared with some of the most memorable moments in my life. But the remaining pieces were all void. Most of the time, I was still lonely and I kept looking for the same kind of love we shared. The love that we had was the crazy, can’t-live-without-you-for-a-day kind of love, that sometimes it becomes unbearable.

For 7 years, I’ve been trying to find myself – what I want, where I want to go, who I want to be. It was never easier without him.

Has. Never. Been. Easier.

I know I have become stronger and wiser and more confident with life. I believe that I can stumble and fall on my knees and find the strength to stand up again. But somehow, whenever I look back – I see the 16-year old girl smiling back at me. And when I try to smile back, my heart breaks because I know that her smile is sweeter, more real and sincere.

I know that in a lot of ways, she is a lot happier than I am right now.

The past 7 years are the what-ifs that I decided to succumb to. And now I realized that I wanted to go back but I can never find my way home. The roads have changed to dead-ends and U-turns are no longer allowed.

Now, all I can do is wonder about – what if I never let him go?

Just like what he wrote a few days back… I wish we can go back to the way it was before, when the days never seemed to end. Then we wouldn’t have any regrets. Then, we wouldn’t have to carry this pain all our lives...

It’s too late now to try and fix what we had. We are both living separate lives and I could honestly wish him being happy with someone else. I have moved on. I have finally dealt with the pain of losing him and I’m now working on bringing back the courage to love again. God knows, with all the pain I’ve been through – 5 years of cursing and crying and going gaga over him I have become scared to love again and share my whole heart with someone new.

I don’t want to go through the same pain…

But I still want to know –

What if I fall in love again?

Youtube's Funniest Videos

Recently, I’ve been spending almost half of my time in the Internet browsing for Youtube videos. I wasn’t a fan at first, but as soon as I found out that I can actually watch previous Marimar and Lobo episodes – I got hooked. But due to the copyrights issue, videos of my favorite shows were pulled out. I then switched to watching America’s Next Top Model for the sole reason of always forgetting when it is on. And soon after, my romance with Youtube leveled up. I found myself watching home-made videos and I actually found myself laughing hysterically about it. So, let me share with you some of my favorite videos.

Ken Lee’s version of Mariah’s Song with English subtitle

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=FQt-h753jHI&feature=related

The original Cuppy Cake song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12Z6pWhM6TA

Bludduh – Not Funny!!!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Z1gLAj-BFec&feature=related

Daddy keeps on waking up sleepy babe

http://youtube.com/watch?v=cSezBScPA2o&feature=related

Dog wakes up baby

http://youtube.com/watch?v=pihygVBjAYU&feature=related

Scary baby laugh

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXNnJE6gNEk&feature=related

Are Americans stupid?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJuNgBkloFE&eurl=http://widget-16.slide.com/widgets/sf.swf

The best push ups ever

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpIThU_IKWM

Baby breaking it down

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiNUkDnDMFA&feature=related

Cheeky baby gets a boob scare

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YwXRVPdYj8

Amazing pantomime

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zdtm0NN_UUQ&NR=1