Notes from recently concluded SEA trip

Despite the last minute airline booboo we made (I honestly and wholeheartedly believed that our flight back to Manila was Saturday night, not Saturday early morning) that forced us to pack up and bid Bangkok an early goodbye - leaving us pasalubong-less and aching for the shopping sprees that we never got to finish - I must say that the whole trip was a success.

Aside from the occasional waiting time, our land trips via bus to 4 different cities went quite smoothly. Immigration was a breeze. There were no major problems encountered with our hotels/lodges. We weren't mugged nor charged insanely (and I thank my skin color for that, being an Asian in an Asian country has its perks). Overall, we were quite blessed to have dealt with nice people (cab drivers, tuk-tuk drivers, waiters/waitresses, tour guides and locals we ask for questions or directions from time to time).

Truth is, it was the only thing I kept asking for whenever we light an incense candle to every temple we visited. So I guess it worked!

Ta Keo trio photo c/o the guard on duty

Goodluck bracelet we got after being blessed by a Buddhist monk

To summarize:

Ho Chi Minh City is an exceptionally clean city. Shrubs and trees are perfectly trimmed. No garbages on alleys, streets or roads. Although the language barrier can be a bit frustrating most of the time, it's always going to be part of the challenge to any new place.

Phnom Penh reminded me a lot of a certain Philippine district. They also have active residents who make good use of their parks and baywalk. Siem Reap is populated by so many hotels and tourist buses that it's possible there are more tourists than Khmers (but that's just my foolish observation).

Bangkok offers so many food options to sustain any gastronomic desire. We practically lived off street foods but there were still hundreds of dishes to try. Food are cheap and so are dresses and shoes and shirts and skirts lalalala..

Wat Chai ruins, Ayutthaya, Thailand

As sentimental I am, I believe there's no need to pour out every little gushy and mushy feelings/thoughts I have over this trip. I'll spare everyone with my inconsequential babbles but this would be my only exception. I want to thank my partners - Kimi and JC - for the incredible, amazing and awesome days we had. It was very memorable for all the right reasons and I can't wait to go on other trips, whether in or out of the country, with you kahit ayaw nyo na kong makasama pa. I don't know if they felt the same way towards me, shared the same ecstatic joys or ayaw na pala nila ko kasama no haha? Sadyang mababaw lang ba talaga ko, pero basta sobrang saya lang.

O sya. Korni na.

Salamat kay Bathala sa lahat-lahat!

Para-paraan

It is one thing to hail a cab from the airport with a driver that does not speak any English (but can read addresses just fine) and another to order a food that you want but don't know its name because 1) the menu is written in Vietnamese and 2) the lady doesn't understand a thing about what you're babbling no matter the simple description you provide.

So what's the best thing to do? Get her from behind the counter and proceed to a customer table where you saw the food you want and show it to her. Voila, language barrier solved!

Hello Manila!

Somebody went home earlier than she expected. The result: no pasalubong for friends and shopping sprees for herself (and friends too!). Le sigh. Oh well, at least she won't have to pay 7k for a new return ticket. Still so lucky, thank God!

Safe!

Kimi has landed in HCMC more than three hours ago. While talking in gtalk, it only made me more excited for our turn to leave Manila.

I'm posting an excerpt from our conversation that I found so sweet coming from haha.

kimi: ang cute nun nightlight sa room haha

hay sana mamyang gabi na kayo dadating! :(

How I wish too! See ya tomorrow!

A new Beginning

It is possible to have an emotional breakdown when your files are at stake. I supposed I shall always be at the mercy of technology. Oh well. C'est la vie.

Computer- 1, Mariela- 0.

Weekend Rundown

Sept. 9

My new baby has arrived. I originally planned of purchasing it after I got my backpay from my previous employer but then decided not to na lang because I wasn't so sure how long I will be unemployed. I could really use that savings to feed myself, pay the rent and travel from time to time (turns out I was jobless for 6 months, I've stretched those savings in more possible ways than I could thought of but it just wouldn't be possible without the Cheese financially supporting me!).

Sept. 10

Bought a screen protector for it. Tumataginting na 450 pesos jusme! Because of that, I have to settle for a very cheap case protector because I don't think I (erm the Cheese) can afford to buy a fancy one for that. Okay lang, as long as hindi malunod sa pawis at fingerprints ko yung item, I'm good with it!

Sept. 11

Plans for today:

* Dentist appointment
* Grocery shopping for our trip's toiletries and other stuff
* Watch Despicable Me (hopefully!)
* Not sure if getting the suitcase from Kimi's house (and packing that will ensue) will be in today's agenda. Depends.
* Tinker it!

Sept 12.

* Hopefully just stay home
* Watch UAAP Cheer Dance Competition. Yay. GO UP!
* Pack?!? As I will have no time to do it come Monday.

I feel exhausted now just thinking of it. Yikes!

The Cake Eaters

Before I watched The Cake Eaters - this little drama feature film - I didn't know what the term "cake eaters" meant or whatever it implies if it does imply something. After watching the film, I still didn't know what it meant. In fact, as simple as the film's plot is (or the lack of it), I can never for the life of me connect the title to the story.

So I asked the help of my friend Google who presented me with many options for a meaning. But still it didn't make any sense. So I tried reading some reviews. And there it was, the one line that actually made sense: "...complete lack of meaning is the whole point 'cos life is like that..."

Oh ambiguities.

But it was still an okay film. Not really good, but not bad either. I like Beagle's character. I like how the 3 relationships in this story unfolded. I was also made aware of a certain inherited disease called Friedreich's Ataxia, Georgia's character's illness.

In all fairness, the often grumpy-looking Kristen Stewart made justice to her role. I just have to constantly remind myself that I must forget for a while that I don't like her, and yeah, it kinda worked, for a while.

My future bookshelf!

I really, really hope so! So preeety no? Got it from here.

Worm

I do, I do, I DO! Myversion of heaven would be one huge bookstore/library/anything as long as there's tons of books in it.

Bleak

I remember finishing this book in a bookstore. Very dark. In the sense that it is an apocalyptic novel. Such a sad ending.

Chuck's Back!

Not until September 20 though! My favorite fictional nerdy bestfriends are baaack! I'm really, really excited about season 4 - how the show will progress, recurring characters, "hot spy", "awesome" news and other story twists.

Posted by Joshua Gomez aka Morgan on his twitter account

You saw that right? Momma B. is played by none other than Linda Hamilton aka Terminator's Sarah Connor. Yay!

Hitched!

Lizzie McGuire err Hilary Duff just got married a few weeks ago, not to Gordo, who I would've wanted but to hockey player Mike Comrie. I loved her then, I love her still.

Now this made me wanna have a Lizzie McGuire marathon just for old time's sake. After all, I never got to watch the series' season ender (gasp!).

GLEEk!

Prepare to get slushed!

It's a shame I won't be home when Glee (as well as BBT, HIMYM, Chuck and Modern Family) premieres. But it's alright, I can always download it when I get back. I'm excited! Not really so much because a Filipino will be on it (yay for that!) but simply because it's a new season.

This one I will totally dig me thinks: Brittany vs Britney. Wonder how Brittany will fare, it'll be hilarious for sure!

New guests and from what I've been seeing from promo videos, new characters. This will be a very interesting new season indeed.

I did not get the promo vid where Charice Pempengco was in basically because I don't like the 2 girls talking before getting on the preview itself haha.

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Glee promo poster and photo courtesy of nymag and spoilersguide.com respectively.

The Salvatore Brothers are Back (and Elena too!)

September means new season series. First off is my not-so-secret love for The Vampire Diaries. Season 2 premiere on September 9, 2010 (US time of course, so that's a day later for us here).

Can't wait to continue where the last season left off.

Nina Dobrev kinda look like Alyssa Milano here donchuthink? (photo from vampirediariesonline.com)

Katherine = Trouble

For the Salvatore brothers I mean, and Elena Gilbert too (I think they might be related talaga hmm).

Morning pleasantries

Look what I found in the bed waiting for me! I do hope it's for me jeez.