Saturday, August 23, 2003

*... disillusioned ...*
If you are relaxing on a white sands beach, searching for shells after swimming in warm blue-green waters, watching the hermit crabs race around while enjoying a sea breeze through your hair, try not to be too put off when a tiny half-native of about 2-foot nothing and age 6 runs up to you and asks "Why are you so fat?"

Possible answers could include, but are in no way limited to: "Because I've got almost 20 years on you, kid.", "It's called puberty.", "Because I'm a real woman.", "Implants. Ask your Dad.", and "I like to eat little girls..."

I just smiled and pretended I didn't hear her. Ahhhh, paradise!
11:28 AM

Friday, August 22, 2003

*... and then there was Marie ...*
In the grand tradition of any of my travels, once I left the safe clutches of Alan-whom-I-adore, my life once again became a bit chaotic. Embarking on my last foray onto the not always sensical JR trains in an effort to get to the airport, I practically got lost and behind schedule despite the fact that I set out 6 hours before my flight. Most of this having to do with the fact that Alan lives in a podunk town. Once I got to Narita, I couldn't believe how many people there were... the line for my flight was tripled back on itself. Slight panic before realizing that I didn't have to wait in that line since I didn't have luggage to check. My ingenuity in light packing was so inspiring that the guy at the ticket counter bumped me up to business class for my trip to Manila. Nothing special except for the individual TV sets. The other people in there with me seemed to be a bit rude, and the lady sitting next to me got up and left as soon as the plane took off. She did return, however, on descent, and started asking me questions about where I was going, etc. She then decided to adopt me, and from the vibe that I was getting from her, I let her. She just kept saying "stay with me, you are foreign, people will take advantage of you." Once i got through immigration, I stuck to her like glue, and it turns out that I was apparently hooked up with the Santa Claus of the Philippine Islands. She knew everyone, she handed out all sorts of things to people in the airport, and she pulled me under her arm (literally... she was a big woman) going through customs, shouting "this is my friend! don't worry about her!" so the authorities wouldn't scrutinize me too much. I should have smuggled something in. In exchange for me pushing her cart full of luggage, she made her son take me to my hotel, argued with the person at the hotel to give me a better rate, and made me promise her that next time I came back to Manila, I would stay a week so I she could show me the place. And that was Marie.
The hotel I was at gets the ranking of a very close second, and perhaps even more, as the worst place I have ever stayed at (The Vietnam roach motel being number one). The room I stayed in was actually built around the 2 beds it had in it, as there was no possible way they could have gotten them in otherwise. My closet was bigger than this (back home, that is. No such things as closets in J-land). I was rooming with the chattiest girl ever, Camilia, who even in her sleep talked as if she was having a conversation. At first I thought maybe she was talking on a cell phone, but no, she was having on outloud conversation in her dream. The room next to us had a couple in it who were a) very frisky, and b) very drunk or poisoned, since the guy woke me up at 3 am retching his guts out. The bathroom had bugs all over, no sink, and urine EVERYWHERE. I held it.
The next day I shuttled over to the domestic air to take me to Boracay, my white-sanded destination. I was supposed to meet my travel agent guy at the airport for my ticket and hotel voucher... 30 mins to flight time and he's a no show. I have the whole of airport security looking for this guy, but it turns out he wasn't looking for me. He was looking for a MR. Brittan Trozzi... again, people over here think I'm a man. I'm bound to develop a complex sooner or later. After checking in, I had 3 different airline people physically put me on 3 different flights, only to usher me off saying "wrong flight! you have to wait!" I finally got over here and now am sitting in my personal bungalow on my white sand beach, and have attracted the attention of every single worker in the resort because I am single and female. But don't worry, they don't know i know karate...
12:30 PM

Tuesday, August 19, 2003

*... bouncybouncybouncy ...*
look at me, the little rubber ball, bouncing about from house to house. You'll have to excuse me, i'm currently at Alan's house and picking up a bit on his British-ness. Must be in the air. I left the Hikosawa crew on Friday afternoon, and it was the toughest goodbye yet. Staring out the Shinkansen windows at them on the platform I had to try hard not to lose it for Marika's sake. She was a mess enough. After shedding tears and fears on the train ride, I met up with Karin in Ueno (Tokyo) to stay with her for a couple of days. For the most part we just chilled out and relaxed, partly because I need to wind down a bit and partly because the weather has been so rainy these days that I figured I wouldn't be able to see much of anything in terms of sightseeing. We did get to poke around Tokyo and be tourist-y today before I was bounced over to the lovely Alan's place. He's my last goodbye and I wish we had been able to spend more time together (except for that whole very expensive and/or torturously long train rides) since we were so far apart. But I will soak him up and then bounce once again... boing!
11:27 PM