Halfway Merman

This is gonna be the part where you're getting sick of my traveling posts, because it's talking about just the same thing, trip by trip. But I don't care, because that's my goal. To make all places in this world, as my home.

But for Philippines, I guess there'll be a slight difference.

Because the home I was visiting, were both land, and sea.

And by so, I began to realize I got something else in myself.

Enemy: Taxi

I didn't ride it in Kuala Lumpur and Penang, only once in Bangkok when I was in a terrible rush of catching my flight, not at all in Vietnam, Cambodia and Cebu, and only twice for getting out from and reaching the airport in Manila. After all, those are my homes too. Why would I ride a cab, when local transport can easily get me to my desired destinations?

Best friend: Map

Stupidly, I didn't plan a lot for this trip. But gratefully, with a pinch of local friends' recommendations, and the almighty power from the map, I got to visited all stuff I wanted to see. After all, those are my homes too. Why would I be doubt of getting lost, when everybody can easily be approached and showing me the way?

Lifetime goal: Local of the sea

One breathtaking session with the sharks. Two clear falls in two consecutive days. Three hours of snorkeling in the best surface I could ever ask. Four large groups of sardines swimming within the deep blue ocean and I didn't freak out at all. Well, I freaked out mediocre, but I'm okay -I guess. After all, those are my homes too. Why would I be afraid of exploring the depth, when deep inside I can feel the true beauty of the place I call home?

After Philippines, I realized I now have this huge interest of underwater wonder. I began planning to buy underwater apparels and gadgets, although I knew I wouldn't gonna use it pretty often. But at least I'm preparing myself to be ready.

If somehow, someday,

I did the same mistake again,

Arranging such trip full of levities,

Where locals thought I was one of them,

And where land meets water

Levity #2: Exploring

The short-notice, unprepared out of nowhere trip,

Caused me in the lack of city-exploring preparation.

Did I told you I didn't bring any travel guide books for this trip? Damn come to think of it, this was really a mega giga disorganized trip I ever did. So I didn't know where to go, I only had this print-outs papers of Manila and Cebu I obtained from Wiki Travel and that was all.

But then again, it's me. Do you expect me to not going anywhere, stay at the dorm instead enjoying the wifi and posted dumb stuff on Path letting people know that I was in Makati or Pasay? Lol of course not.

I dragged my ass to where tourist spots were. I got lost several times, opening up again the offline map I downloaded at my phone on my last minute before leaving Indonesia and if I still couldn't make it, well, who else to ask but the locals?

So I came to them and ask for direction. They'd be like answering with big questions on their head why would this guy ask me in English? and they'd be like can't you speak Tagalog? This has been so cliche, for real. I always smiled and answered no, I'm Indonesian and their respond were always the same:

"You look like Filipino."

Then my re-respond will always be the same too:

Smile even bigger, faked a laugh and said,

"Hahaha people always said that"

Then we burst in laughter, I thanked them and left with a big smile. It's always been the same exact script from time to time, day to day, people to people. And it's always been the same exact reactions too once I reach the places I was looking for because, those are worth-getting-lost for.

Magellan's Cross, Cebu City

Lapu Lapu Beach, Mactan Shangri-La

Manila Cathedral

I can't stop smiling when I recall those mistaken times.

Levity forced me to visit random places, take me to the crowds,

Made locals spoke Filipino to me

Levity #1: Commuting

The short-notice, unprepared out of nowhere trip,

Caused me in the lack of transportation preparation.

Thank God in Philippines, transport system is not that different from Indonesia. I'm not talking about taxi, hmph, dude, trip won't be that fun and challenging with taxis intervention. I'm talking about the all-time-local public transportation. Ya I'm referring to bus, trains, habal-habal -or in here as we know as 'ojek'- and Pilipinas' signature ride,

The Jeepney

Yes I took it all. I had no idea which jeepney to take to which tourist spot, which bus to ride to which city, I. Just. Had. No. Idea.

All I ever did was to decide which place I wanted to visit, then asked local securities which means of transport to take, and there I went! Boldly -or should I say, recklessly?- stopped the jeepney, asked if that one headed to the place I'd be visiting, then hopped on the ride, mingling with locals who, starting from the very beginning of my trip up to the very end, would always thought that I was Filipino.

Yea and they'd be like staring at me, might thinking like why on earth is this guy speaking English? before they start to ask me stuff in Tagalog and I'll be like whoa dudes and dudettes, I ain't Filipino so speak English to me.

I can't stop smiling when I recall those mistaken times.

Levity forced me to ride local rides, take local routes and stuff,

Made locals spoke Filipino to me