Nowhere found in Manila last weekend, I went to where I was just two weekends ago.  Lost in the moment –of which I always find myself in at Crystal Beach Resort.  This is where I have been disappearing to.  In between my anxiety of water, the thrill of winning against it, breathing fresh air, laughing my joy out loud with friends, communing with nature and finding God in the midst of all the organic beauty, this is where I have pitched a tent of temporary haven.

I’m a Manila girl, growing up in the concrete jungle with never having access to provincial fiestas and an answer to, “san probinsiya mo ne?”  But I drew close to Zambales.  I remember joining Conquer Zambales in 2009 – an adventure race organized by Living Asia with Sidetrip magazine that had me and CW speeding all over the province finishing one challenge after the other.  The tasks were daunting and super fun, like jumping off a 15-feet dive board at the military camp, scaling big smelly fishes and gutting them (my first time to do in my life), seeing my partner hop on an old rickety boat and climbing the mast to get the next clue, cooking rice in a bamboo, crossing the sand bar between Camara island and another island with a heavy bucket of water, and many other tasks for a full 2 days.  I’ve joined many adventure races but that one is top 3 of the most memorable even if I wasn’t near anywhere placing a spot since it allowed me to see the beauty of Zambales, both in the many places we went to and in its people.

In 2008, I also found a secret spot off the port of Pundaquit, a 30-minute boat ride to the beautiful off-white powdery sands of Anawangin.  The lighthouse in Capones island.  Chasing flags in Potipot island.  Climbing a huge rock in Camara.  Buying bagnet in the Zambales market.

Early this year, Shell Journeys had me planning another adventure trip and I picked Z, got reacquainted and now I couldn’t keep away.

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The Journey a Weekend Can Give

Anawangin

Dear Jane: Conquer Zambales Mate

In the Beginning

I met new friends.  I found a new challenge.  I am learning from my surfing coach, Vergel.  I rally behind a community that enjoys a simple life, genuine smiles, the sun, sand and of course, riding the waves.

Zambales became my home town.  Crystal Beach, my new home address.

Here I don’t have a problem waking up early in the morning, sneaking out the room while everyone is still in la la land.  I just take in the beauty of the morning and the fresh smell of hope.

Next time, I look forward to dawn watch.  And giving praise and worship to the Father who has loved me so much.

This weekend was one of the best weekends of the year.  I don’t know if it’s coming from a real “low” as this week brought news that saddened the heart that there was nowhere to go but up… it was also a toxic week at work more than usual… but boy, the joy soared on Friday.  I always feel God’s overwhelming love but I felt it so much more last Friday.  I can’t explain it but I was just laughing and laughing, with no guards up, bonding with the people I was with –new and old, reconnecting with my “sole” sister Maddie…

because our stronghold is God. ‪

#‎love‬ ‪#‎contentment‬ ‪#‎simplejoys‬ ‪#‎friendships‬‪#‎family‬ ‪#‎happiness‬ ‪#‎faith‬ ‪#‎truth‬

…and receiving texts and calls from friends / groups in Manila who I felt missed me and wanted to spend time with me.  If you’ve seen my craziness, you’d know that would be rare and people would normally excuse themselves around me… unless I’m wearing a straightjacket.

We are grateful since the forecast was totally flat but there were baby waves (a.k.a. white water) that also helped me practice minus the fear of the big waves.

Mac teaching new kids on the block

Too bad that the schedule was full and all the instructors and surf boards were booked Friday afternoon.   While we decided to rest and relax, enjoy the sunset by the beach, and play Frisbee in between, my heart still yearned to go out and play with the baby waves.  I looked out at the horizon and watched with longing.

Sunset Water Babies

Glad Abby read into my spirit and asked surfer Jay-R to lend me his personal board.  She led me to sea and Jay-R took over, giving me a few tips and helping me catch a baby wave or two.  I was able to do 4 rides that afternoon, 4/4 short ones but enough to make me happy.

We started out early Friday on a road trip and came home late Saturday night – set it two days so we have the 3^rd day to rest.  If the waves were not forecast as such, we would have stayed until Sunday but we were meant to avoid the heavy rains Sunday brought like God has provisioned us to fully enjoy the 2 days and fully rest on Sunday.  How perfect the plans of the Lord are!

I can’t even begin to tell you how fun the weekend was.  I had a blast.

Instead of just blabbing about it like blah blah blah ha-ha-ha blah blah blah.

I’ll let the pictures do the talking.

Road Trip: Zambales (August 9-10, 2013)

Morning from SCTEX! 🙂

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Maddie and Janey

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Roadkills

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White clouds roll in the sky.  Mister sun is sneaking in a smile from behind.  My eyes flinch and I pull down my sunnies, everything went a shade friendlier.  I look up again and realize no gray concretes block my view.  I crane my neck and see, the sky looking down at me, and finally I am seen.

Barely weeks ago, I’m typing furiously, number and words that make what an itinerary should be.  I’m sliding that task in between paperwork that needs to be done, contracts that need to be reviewed, numbers that need to be run, errands that need to be finished, online presence that needs to be felt, interactions that need listening to… all needs.  Where does my need fall in all these?

I knew I needed a pause.  I’m still peeling off scabs of a wound I had in the past.  Days arrive looking at me staring at my wounds, waiting for them to heal.  No, I have too much silence in the hours waiting for my mind to fall asleep.  What I need is an adventure.  Joyful moments that can break the monotony of life, will crack the distracting noise or the deafening silence surrounding me.

The past two days, it’s been raining nonstop in Manila.  Friday evening seems to leave a promise and when Saturday dawned, the skies were clear, as if it was never heartbroken.  My excitement brews like coffee roasting in a percolator, its aroma sweating off its beans.  In my case, I go off smelling like Ralph Lauren’s Ralph, light and fruity, masking years of not bathing *insert evil laugh here.*

Eric arrives, as usual very fashionably late, which I’m getting revenge on later in life.  Then there’s the mix up on whose car we’re bringing.  Had to travel home amidst Friday traffic to get the car only to find out he “supposedly” said we will use his brand new spanking Tucson.  I wonder why I became friends with him in college.  That was over a decade ago, I was probably still very reckless.

Dumping all our weekend bags and the groceries we bought at the back of this week-old SUV, I plop onto the passenger seat.  Madz takes the backseat.  Eric revs the engine, ready to leave everything behind and not come back for a while.

Road trip, here we go!  I pick out the playlist intended for this trip and press play.

You know guys who can’t stop yapping about cars and girls who can’t stop yapping about shopping, they go together.  It’s not my crowd.  Life for me is wasted sitting around spitting out the most expensive thing your money can buy or what your talk can impress.  But that day I couldn’t stop picking Eric’s brain on SUVs since he’s been going around test driving many cars before making the decision on the Tucson.  I think one of my financial goals this year or next year is a mini-SUV with a diesel engine.  I’ve started researching and pestering people with my endless questions.  Well, it’s going to be a long mountain to climb but, if you know me, I like having a goal in mind and working hard for it.

The music blasts a happy tune and my sole sister Madz and I move to the beat and sing.  Eric gives us a weird look and I shove him softly, pressing him to the side of the door asking if he remembers our road trips in college.  “Remember that girl? She’s here. This weekend, that’s going to be me again.  Be ready for some fun and lots of uncontrolled singing.”  And a bit of danger (if you don’t look happy listening to our angelic voices).  He straps the seatbelt on me, which I always forget.  At least, there’s something he’s good for.

Like any other road trips in the past, we stop over at Shell along NLEX.  Before embarking on any long or short road travel, there’s one hub that preps our cars as much as we ready our bold spirits.  It was time to gas up.

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