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Published: March 21st 2006
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Excited to be here
I have this picture on my fridge. I laugh at it's honesty every morning. I should make a poster... Travis has arrived......
And it is just as I suspected. I was an idiot not to rest up before he got here. I knew that would bite me in the ass.
How strange of an experience it is to be a "regular" in a foreign place. Having been on the island of Boracay for at least a few days now...a good week not including the break we had in the Northern part of the country....I am now, of course, and expert. I know where to go to have the best mango banana shake, the bets place to see the view of the whole island, the best place to catch live music (Bom Bom...without a shadow of a doubt), and the best place to have the islands famous Barbecued hot dogs on a stick (thanks all to MC...would never have known without you buddy).
I could feel the tension building with Jen and I the minute I woke up after the first night Trav was here. We were aware that barging into our tiny room at 6:30 in the morning was inconiderate, but in a tropical tourist haven- a lonely beach in the middle of the ocean with nothing but beer
Another beauty
I think he just posed like this the whole trip and sand and sea and pulsing music- what better justification to stay out all night. However, Jen didn't come for the party. I didn't either, it just so happened that the party was exactly what I needed to kick start the beginning of my freedom. And what better person to celebrate with than the man of the party himself, all the way from Calgary. And all it took was a little ol' email.
It has been a running joke. If we meet people on the "street" (by street, I mean strip of sand that runs adjacent to the bars and is nestled nicely alongside a forgiving canopy of palm trees to shade the would-be oppressive tropical heat) we begin the familiar "nice to meet you in paradise" chat. "where are you from?" "What are you doing here?" "Meet you at Cocomangas for a night cap". The beauty was the answer we were able to give to question number two. "So where are the two of you from?" (Jen was usually enjoying her time alone on the beach, away from the chaos, while Travis and I wandered in a duet on the honeymoon beach, entertained by the knowledge that every
Cute- but not honeymooners
The first night at Cocomangas- a more mellow part of the night single person automatically assumed couple status). "Well," I would say, "I'm Canadian." "A teacher in Korea?" they would say, and I would give them the wink wink, nudge nudge shoulder, like they were the first to figure it out. "My friend here," I would continue, "hopped on a plane from home to come see me in the Philippines." "OH!" they would exclaim, "that is so sweet. You have a great guy who would come all the way out to see you here. Must have taken some planning to work that out."
Well let's see.......first I woke up kinda late one morning, thought I might stroll down to the ol' internet cafe between the Mongolian Grill and the Thai massage slash Dive shop. When I log on there, right on the screen, is my ol' pal Trav (by old pal I mean this fun guy that lived with my ex-boyfriend for a year. The three of us partied sometimes...and one time Trav and I went to Motley Crue together.......). Trav asks me what I'm up to so I explain "well Trav, I thought I might come down to the Philippines for a little sun and surf (insert internet tourist site
The bucket
This was the bucket that made the night. Or, at the very least, it made us a loud, stumbling mess on the beach later that night. It was Red Bull, rum, and tequila? Oh man, I don't even remember. What I do remember is that it is meant for a whole large table of people. Trav and I polished 'er off all by our lonesome, in a hurry, on top of our 'cocktails'. Cowboys will be a walk in the park when I get home. with tropical pictures here)- you know, rub it in a little (the guy is a liquor rep, it is very rare I ever get to rub in anything that beats out his ridiculously fun life). "Say Trav, don't you wish you were here buddy?" "Sure do," he replies. "You know Trav, instead of freezing your ass off in Calgary, you may as well just hop on a plane and party with me while I'm here......." pause for dramatic effect.........."let me look into it" he says.
Week later, he is here. And I can safely say, without a doubt, having one of the best times of my life. It is always the spontaneous, serendipitous events that are enjoyed the most.
We went to Cocomangas last night....I was there the night before (or the night before that? Who knows, and who cares) and the bartender seemed incredibly familiar. Turns out the reason why is because he graduated high school the same year as I did, from the same little small town I grew up in. "You know Ippy?" I say...."Schumacher? Are you kidding me?" he laughs....."I've been dating him for 5 years." The world shrinks...as soon as you start moving
around in it. You hit your head on it like a fish in a water tank......seven degrees of separation is an exaggeration.
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Tiffany
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Lucky Girl
That sounds like it was the best vacation ever! Too cool that your buddy came all that way to see you. Great pictures too, you look pretty vibrant, like a kid discovering something so mysterious and brilliant. You look great. Miss you tons. Later Sk8er ;)