November 21, 2010 Envoy to Manila
Having spent my restday at the city, I learned that Grace and Odette will travel to Manila with the same date as that of the departure of my Ilocano friends in Palawan. Upon seeing them at work, I told them that I spend the last few days with some of my friends whose leaving Palawan for good. During our conversation, they told me that if I had spent time with Emerson, Oliver and Grieza in Puerto Princesa, why not join them in their flight to Manila since they were leaving Palawan for a better endeavour. Grace proposed that I file for emergency leave to accompany them (much more like an envoy) and bond for one more time in Manila. At first I was hesitant since I could not think of a reason for my leave. Grieza convinced me to go with the plan. I was able to convince my superior and had my leave form signed as soon as I gave him my leave application form. At the back of my mind, I will just watch the first part of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. To cut the story short, I accompanied them to Manila with Grace doing the last minute booking.
The night before our flight, we had a send off dinner with some close friends. I only had a few hours of sleep that time since we finished our conversations already past midnight. There were seven of us who traveled to Puerto Princesa: Emerson, Oliver, Grieza, Grace, Odette, me and Rainier (who is the only tagalog in the group). We took the earliest trip from campsite to the city which was 5AM. Arriving at the city, we left our things at the company guest house. Since Grace and Odette had some other things to do, they were not able to join us for lunch. So with five of us remaining, we took a tricycle going to the Badjao Seafront Restaurant. The restaurant is within the city proper but it is far from the city center. Going there is not a problem but leaving later poses difficulty in having a ride back unless you arrived there in private car or had asked the tricycle driver to wait for you for a couple of hours.
Soon we arrived at the place. Reaching the restaurant would mean a walk on the covered pathway along a forest of mangroves. The restaurant is located just after the vegetation and overlooking the sea. The view was captivating.
Soon we arrived at the place. Reaching the restaurant would mean a walk on the covered pathway along a forest of mangroves. The restaurant is located just after the vegetation and overlooking the sea. The view was captivating.
A crew greeted us as we entered the dining area and asked us how many were we. He then ushered us to a table after we answered his question. We ordered from the menu something that was good for the group, a family meal with different sets to choose from. While waiting, we talk about career plans.
After paying our bill, we took more photos at the walkway before we went back to the guesthouse to rest a bit. It was only 1PM that time and besides our flight later was 6PM.
Later Grace and Odette met us at the guesthouse after lunch. By 5 PM we had already checked in at the airport because Rainier's flight was on a Cebu Pacific leaving at 530PM. The rest of us were on a Zest Air flight leaving by 6PM. Rain started to pour outside.
The plane landed in Manila past the hour of 7PM and we disembarked at terminal 4. From there, we took a taxi going to Kabayan Hotel. We got a family room and left our things immediately. We went to Mall of Asia to catch the the last full show of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1. While buying our dinner at a fastfood store, I was checking the movie schedules from my phone. It pays that my phone was capable of mobile surfing. Instead of eating there, we just decided to bring our food to the cinema. While at the cinema, Emerson started to get sick, perhaps over excitement of getting home. I told him to bear with it since the movie it already half way. He started chilling of sorts. Well we did manage to finished the movie but actually he slept on it. We bought some medicines from a convenience store near the hotel right after the movie. We had him rest first before allowing him to travel home.
The following day Emerson, Oliver and Grieza went home to the province. Grace, Odette and I spent another night in Manila. The three of us flew back to Palawan the following day. The experience and the friendship we had is irreplaceable with anything else. It was sad that some of my Ilocano pals had left but that is life. People come and go. People need to pursue their dreams. As for me, when will I leave Palawan? Time will tell. A project looms ahead in the horizon.
The following day Emerson, Oliver and Grieza went home to the province. Grace, Odette and I spent another night in Manila. The three of us flew back to Palawan the following day. The experience and the friendship we had is irreplaceable with anything else. It was sad that some of my Ilocano pals had left but that is life. People come and go. People need to pursue their dreams. As for me, when will I leave Palawan? Time will tell. A project looms ahead in the horizon.
“Good friends, good books, and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life.” ― Mark Twain