M&M - Day 3

Sunday, March 15, 2009

We're supposed to be at the Donsol Tourism Office as early as 5:30 in the morning to catch the first batch of bancas for the Butanding (Whaleshark) Watching. Drinking and singing til 2am (3am for some, you know who you are) didn't help much with waking up early.

After a hearty breakfast which consisted of PB sammich, kape and more kape (yums!), we headed to the Tourism Office via a Tricycle which, to Max's amazement, was able to give room to 8 persons. (see picture below, that's a tricycle - a well-decorated tricycle)



After waiting for 30 minutes for any of the 1st batch bancas to come back, it's finally our turn. In between the 30 minutes, we shot some pics, Francis fell asleep, Max's smoked and smoked some more and I met a police officer whose house is just across our house in Ligao City. He tells me the good news of paying for NO registration fee and the bad news of actually paying for it before seeing him. FFS.






the butanding is somewhere in the water hehehe too bad we couldn't capture the butanding's spots.

After seeing 4 whalesharks and 1 shark (eeek!), we got offa the rented banca at exactly 12NN. It was a good 3 hours of watching and waitin and getting pulled by the other banca 'cause something went wrong with our banca's motor.

Yesh we were hungry. Kuya Dan and wife and aunts served us with seafoods - crabs, shrimps, grilled fish, chopped tomatoes and soysauce dip. Yummsss.

We were ready to leave Donsol after freshening up at 3PM. Thank god we're riding an Airconed Van this time. But heck, Francis was still complaining of the weather. The whole trip Max and Jo-Al conversed of ranging topics as Civil War, Football, Soccer and Jackass while the rest of us slept. And guess what, the movie on the bus from Daraga to Ligao City was Jackass. As if the two men's conversation weren't enough.

We were supposed to receive a text message from Francis confirming about our Sunday night out. No text message came. Max started being grumpy at me. He wouldn't talk and was errr just being grumpy. First time face to face grumpy with Max hehehe GL.

After 30 minutes he is back to his normal self. I think it was after he called the m&pand told them he's alright. Yeah i think it was.

M&M - Day 2

Aloha, Manila! *Never knew the greeting would compliment the hot weather*

Nothing beats the feeling of waking up with the man of your life next to you. Yeah, never mind the heavy legs and the petty snoring.

It was Max's first sight of Manila in daylight. I think he felt kinda ecstatic waking up in the morn. 'Guess the jet lag hasn't kicked in yet. That or the excitement has not subsided yet. So I treated Max to breakfast at the little resto up the 3rd floor - rice, longganisa, egg (longsilog), corned beef (his fave, Ive just learned of that) and kape. Yums, he says.

We tried to clean up the little mess we made on the room - San Mig and Red Horse cans and improvised ashtrays - before we headed to the airport. We took a taxi to the airport that cost us P300.00. I tried to haggle but to no avail. Tsk - taxi drivers getting the best out of my kindness. While doing the haggling, i murmur and tell Max that im haggling 'cause the driver jacked up the price when he should not have. (Trivia - Pinoys love to haggle) I look at the taxi meter and swear at him under my breath! This is why I hate Manila so much. *fumes come out of the ears and nose* People take advantage of other people who are either too kind or just too foolish.




Yeah, so much for the taxi ride. We arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 P300-poorer but excitement and nervousness-richer. In two hours Max is gonna be meeting the family - M&P, sisters, brother and the nieces and nephews.

And ^5 to Ice for making me giggle when I saw a certain local TV star named Rayver Cruz. hehe

My sister Megz and her family we're all waiving at us at the arrival terminal. I remember Megz tell me that she had to actually "look" for me among the throng of the arriving passengers. Blame it on Max. I was walking behind him and he kinda blocked Megz view of me. hehe.

Usual Hi's and Hello's. "How do you find the Philippines so far?", asked Kuya Mike - Megz's hubby. I think that was Max's first encounter with that question.

And off to Ligao City we went to meet the M&P. Moms was all smiles and sported her signature laugh while being introduced to Max. To say that she is excited is an understatement. Pops, of course, only receives guests in his sanctuary. He talked to Max while breathing on his oxygen thingie. It was a good first meet. I was beaming with pride. The M&P like him; that's positive.



After a quick lunch and the usual hi's and hello's and stares from the curious neighbors, we headed to Jilly's house to (1) show Max what a "Pasyon" is and (2) persuade Jilly's pops to let us go with the daughter to Donsol and see the whalesharks. Pffft. "No can do", said the little-bit-buzzed father. Note: "Pasyon" is the singing of the Passion of the Christ in strange and sometimes liquor-ey fashion.



We arrived at Kuya Dan's place at around 9-ish after a long and rainy jeepney ride. We actually had to hire a jeepney to take us to the place. I worried about Max being so quiet. He was holding my hand extra tight. Something must be wrong. Must be the jetlag. Yes, it was the jetlag. So I let him get some sleep after he promised to join the group in the karaoke sessions downstairs.

True enough, he joined. Everyone had a good time drinking and singing and singing some more. There was this one drunk guy who tried talking to Max in "carabao" English after which I only ended up translating his words for Max. English to English translation. heh.

I retired to bed at around 2am but Max, Dante and Tofer were left downstairs. They actually talked - wtg Kuya Dan and Tofer. I didn't bother ask what the topic was about. It's either women or booze. hehe

And yes, Max had his 2nd (or nth) "How do you find the Philippines so far?" question that night.

M&M - Day 1

Day 1, March 13, 2009, Friday

After a quick drop by the office to leave more instructions to Kristian and Michi (for less SMS and calls while I'm taking my leave), I leave Legazpi at 1:40PM via Cebu Pacific. In fairness, the stewardess this time has an impressive American English accent. They conducted the usual plane games which of course I gave not a frack about. I'm meeting Max in 9 hours, FFS!

Heh, Manila. I go straight to the Shalom Hotel (your Christian home in Manila)to get the room I have reserved for me and Max the day before. Room wasn't bad. I paid PhP1,745.00 for it. Yeah, not bad. I just spent 3 hours watching TV and trying to take a nap (to no avail of course, mebbe coz im excited).

I leave the hotel at 7PM to meet up with my good friend April at the Mall of Asia. We had a Japanese dinner at Yoshinoya; it was yumsss. We basically caught up with gossip about our equally good other friends and college classmates - who's breaking up with who, who's relationship is on the rocks, who's just died, who's having a kid (and yeah no one's getting married yet)- and talked about what will be happening in the next few hours. Woohooo!

And off I am to the NAIA1 Terminal - the old aiport. I kinda wonder why they have to use the old terminal for International flights. The two other terminals are swankier. It's not so impressive especially for the tourists coming in. I also kinda wonder why I have to think of the terminal/airport problems of the Philippines when I really shouldn't. Mebbe I'm really nervous. Oh wait, I've told you that already.

It's about 10:15PM and the Japan Airlines flight from Tokyo should be arriving any second. Where the fook is the airline??? And the magical TV screens flashed the word ARRIVED after the JAL flight. Oh yeah! So i moved from the seats to stand up near the sign that says "ALL PASSENGERS WITH FAMILY NAMES ENDING IN JKLM LINE UP HERE". So being the good follower that I am, I stood there and waited.

Hello, it's already 11:30PM and no Max has come out of the terminal yet. Arg. I had the "wanting-to-poo-out-of-nervousness-and-excitement" feeling. Where is Max??? Megz (my sister) was calling me non-stop to check if Max has already arrived. She was excited for me and the Maxness.

And out comes Max - in his Legend of Zelda shirt and his big jacket and big sling bag and big beer belly. No words were said but the tight hug said it all. It was the best feeling - finally meeting someone you think the world of. We hugged some more on the taxi going to the hotel. I tried showing him the Manila sights at night but was kinda afraid to do so coz im not so familiar with Manila.

We caught up on long wanted snuggles and talk (not typed chats). Wow, Im finally talking to Max in the flesh not on webcam or mic or mainly webcam hehehe. Its the most amazing feeling i tell you.

And went to bed with thoughts on the meeting-the-parents day tomorrow. Wish us luck. =)

It was Friday the 13th in a non-horror light.