Travel Twists

We think we control this place, but this place controls us - Kuki Gallmann, I Dreamed of Africa

I staggered from sleeplessness squinting into a chilly, dark Nairobi skyline. Eyes-wide-shut. But a different kind of excitement was brewing inside me. Finally, I am in Africa - for an assignment I have been dreaming of for years. It doesn't matter if the work schedule was hectic. It felt like a grand holiday to me.

My itinerary said I would be spending over a week each in Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Malawi and Kenya - with brief stopovers in Johannesburg, South Africa. Well, I thought of a real blast - nothing less. In-between project visits, I managed to squeeze wonderful opportunities to enjoy the absolutely stunning landscapes of each country - golden brown at dusk, with lots of friendly, wide smiles at any time of day. Simply unforgettable, I vowed to go back (even half-way through the assignment!).

The refreshing view of a wheat field from the sky on my way to Zimbabwe from a stopover in South Africa

Despite my overflowing interview notes, I managed to make a list of things I learned along the way. Here goes the [i

1) Patience is a necessity. Make it double. We lined up for check-in @ the counter of my flight to Bulawayo, Zimbabwe an hour before departure. After an hour of standing, we're still there listlessly lined up, without anyone coming over to check us in - or to explain what's going on.

Even the neighboring counters just blankly mouthed a "no clue" at the getting-angrier passengers. Not worth the temper. After almost two hours, we were able to get checked-in and boarded. I asked a seat mate why the delay. He just shrugged and said, "Welcome to Africa". I heard this several times in the course of my trip. Patience, I ticked - top priority! I got to store enough to get me through for a month.

The week-long splurge on steak gave me my first-ever heartburn experience.

2) Don't assume. Check again. It was a Sunday, so I decided I should venture and go to a church in Nairobi. The friendly staff in Jacaranda Hotel where I stayed told me distinctly, that at the far-end of the road I need to get to an overpass on the left and cross. The church is across the road and can't be missed. But when I got there, as soon as I saw a cross jutting out, I entered. Mass was starting. Maybe the guy got it wrong? No need for an overpass at all. As the church service went along, I wondered why it seemed similar but different.

When a colleague and I passed the church again I told him I went there for Sunday's worship. He asked, "[i

Huge, ripe tomatoes sold along the roads in Bulawayo.

3) Enjoy the worrying surprises. They don't last. As soon as it was my turn at the immigration line in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, I was told Filipinos are on a no-visa-no-entry status. Gosh! A searing worry crossed over me. The officer was quite stern-looking. I stared at my accompanying colleague waiting for his advise on what will be next but all I got was a wry smile. Then, in a blink, I was advised to pay for the entry visa. Whew!

When I reached for my bag I asked him why he didn't look worried. He said: :"[i

They are slow. But they hardly get tired when they are after of something - or someone." He did not add, I am in-charge of your safe passage here, but I heard it loud and clear.

Sixth lesson learned, locals know better. Don't insist. It's for your own good.

Of course, the donkeys and me in Zimbabwe.

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-o0o-

It was almost the same when you turn a DVD in and out of the player. Well, the thing is, it wasn't a trip after 20 years! I've been home like three months ago.

As Kenny Rogers blared over the music player, I left our Vientiane home with a lot of things in my mind – foremost of which is how to survive a sleepless night in Bangkok airport. I have done this a few times in the past years but I haven’t really mastered the art. I think I won’t.

I sauntered languidly coming out of the plane – I have 12 hours to kill. Bought some books at the airport shop, among them my own copy (finally!) of Robert Kiyosaki’s Rich Dad, Poor Dad. Now, I am fully equipped.

Well, I still have one more book being re-read in my bag to prep me up for the holiday break - Robin Sharma's The Monk who Sold his Ferrari. This one's an "almost" perfect company.

One of the quotes in the book that best describes what it is - "Life is no brief candle for me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold for a moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations." - George Bernard Shaw. Precious words to reflect on.

I went to Café World for a hot chocolate and free wifi, as I used to– only to find out the freebie is non-existent anymore. Maybe that was good, I thought of taking on sleep and successfully got two hours. Better than zero.

The hotel in Manila, where I usually stay, was good to me this time - gave me a real non-smoking room to sleep (better than last time)...and sleep I did as soon as I hit the bed. I didn't go out. Manila traffic is getting on to me - I guess I got spoiled by Vientiane's so-called traffic jam which can never be anywhere like Manila's or Jakarta's or Bangkok's.

After settling my excess baggage fees (at $4 per kilo now!), I smoothly went through my check-in, drank my first coffee after two days of holding back and started Kiyosaki's bestseller. Only one thing ran in my mind as I did - "I should have gotten the book as soon as it hit the bookshelves!"

Thirty minutes before take-off of my Philippine Airlines flight to General Santos City (yes, I live in close proximity to world boxing icon Manny Pacquiao and has shared flights with him when he was still starting and based in the city), a passenger shouted for an emergency - a friend was having an attack. It was unnerving. Traveling has its hazards. Good that she was with a group. What if you're alone?

Now, I am back home in Koronadal City sitting in my usual chair and enjoying the cramped bedroom I share with my two daughters and a niece.

Day two and counting. We will hit the beaches of Glan on weekend. Come follow me on this holiday!

o0o

My dad said it best when he said, "John, on your deathbed you will never wish you spent more time at the office." - The Monk who Sold his Ferrari

I have known the road like I lived there. Just don't let me drive to prove my point, ok? After several years, not much has changed in the General Santos City to Sarangani route - which makes things just perfect. I loved the way it is and a deep wish is to keep it on hold for the longest time. That's a bit selfish of me, I know.

The scenes along the way are breathtaking in their simplicity - friendly locals on motorbikes loaded with farm produce from Malapatan and nearby towns, rusting bridges with interesting characters of their own (there was heavy rain the night before we traveled so the rivers were still noisily guzzling through), the combined blue and green landscapes interspersed with mountains on one side and a dazzling sea on the other. Enterprising farmers sell tuba (native coconut wine) along the road, making me remember how our father Eling (a fierce tuba fan and an expert on making it) would climb several trees with his bamboo tube firmly strung on his back every afternoon to collect it straight from the top. Our car was loaded with the entire family and food in containers to last for a week (we stayed only for a night but the food was gone all the same) but that did not hamper our delight for the attractions past our car's tinted windows on the left and on the right.

Sarangani beach dazzles

Mornings in Sarangani

Located at the tip of the Philippines' southern part of Mindanao, Sarangani is a gem awaiting full discovery. If not for travel advisories hounding interested travelers, its long stretch of beaches will give Boracay a run for its money in no time. To bar arguments, that's my own personal forecast. I bet many hands are up! Glan, especially. Glan has become a favorite destination because of its Gumasa beaches courtesy of Sarangani Bay. White sand. Pristine. Unadulterated. No 5-star hotels here but you don't need one when you have the natural amenities for free. Locals should enjoy this while it lasts. This is also part of boxing great Manny Pacquiao's turf now as a newly-elected congressman. All these pluses and more, the beaches are a stand-out winner.

Sarangani Bay at dusk

Mornings in Sarangani

Our first stop was a small resort that looked good on the web. After few phone calls, the reservation was set. When we got there, we decided to check first before we give it a go. Thumbs up we did. It was a downer. Let's not name the poor place that looked like it was trying to get by. Next stop was White Haven Resort. We haven't heard rave reviews about it but after analyzing (yes, even going to beaches on an overnight stay needs serious analysis) that the next resort is still quite a distance, we decided to stay put. It was a make or a break. Mentally, I was prepared for another downer - there goes my brief holiday. It you always get perfect vibes on trips - how can that end up exciting?

Sarangani Bay at dusk

But surprise awaits! We got a tail-end 2-bedroom beach house after waiting for at least over an hour. The receptionist was kind enough to let us stay temporarily at an open cottage where we ate lunch - and feasted on the smelly but mouth-watering durian. The occupants of our assigned house were supposed to leave after an hour but seemed planning to change their minds. We paid the bill and decided not to give in if it happens. Good for them they didn't. For around US$60, we have the jolly little cottage with a grill, a cooking range, a veranda overlooking the beach and all its wide-expanse, a large bamboo table with long wooden benches that can double as beds when you do not feel like soiling the bedsheets. One of the rooms is air-conditioned and it was good to have a choice when it got warm at night.

White Haven beach cottage

So, White Haven lived up to its name. Perfectly. I am no beach bum but it was one of the very few times in my life (Phuket, Mombasa and Bali included) when I stayed on the water up to midnight, strong waves (and biting jellyfish) notwithstanding. That does not make the other beaches less enticing but being a Mindanao native makes the heart more biased I suppose. Sunset was a glorious sight (you might have read this pronouncement somewhere but cannot think of a better phrase to describe what I saw)! My 72-year old mom happily concurred - you have to take it seriously. She does not agree easily - it took a lot of spins to market the family holiday on her - and take her off her rocking chair at home.

Sunrise was heavenly. I mean almost literally - with soft clouds dotting the skies. We uncomfortably laid down on our backs and tried our niece's way of looking at the sky - it was surreal, like having your bedroom ceiling in soft blue and white - only on this one, sky is the limit (pun intended). I do not know how these two sights found one place for an open exhibition. But they did.

Then came the local vendors where we bought fish for breakfast - so straight from the sea goes the newly-caught to our waiting charcoal grill. I cannot also imagine (poor in Math that I am) how all the food crowding in the car got lost in seven tummies - not counting the ones we bought along the way and those from the vendors. That is a mystery that better remained as one, I guess.

This is what we did last summer. Just the beach and us. But it will always remind me of one good reason why I need to go home to the Philippines every time there is a chance - even at the smallest of excuses. After several years of traveling - 17 countries and counting - there is certainly no place like home.

Sarangani Bay at dusk

Lake Sebu, South Cotabato, Philippines - Today, we discovered a trick. The best way to get the kids off their beds very early in the morning is to announce a trip, particularly a ziplining and eating trip...in Lake Sebu!

By 7:00 am, everyone has bathe, taken breakfast and in the car. Ready to go. Sounds like a miracle but true. For these human beings who have the uncanny talent to sleep on until lunchtime, it was, indeed, a feat to remember.

Everyone's mind was filled with the zipline agenda. Eating lunch overlooking the famous lake in Punta Isla Resort became a poor second. I knew it was a temporary reprieve. Wait until we finish with the trek - food will be an obsession, as always.

We shoot past the zipline area in Lake Sebu's 7 Falls and have to go back as we kept asking where it is. The uphill trip of our car Avi was in itself a nice, refreshing experience. The government is doing a great job preserving the natural environment - the lush, greening vegetation fully intact. Even if the road was a bit rough, it was obviously well-maintained.

We were early but the line was already long. Our 3 zipline enthusiasts toed the line like eager beavers - anxious yet excited. According to Rene Edjan, one of the 11 landowners of the estimated 20 hectare-area, as many as 400 people troop for the experience during weekends and holidays. The slowest day could generate not less than 10 people.

"Sometimes, it is even hard for us to control the crowd who often come as far as Manila and neighboring cities like Davao, General Santos and even Ilo-ilo. Everyone is just too excited to wait", Rene said.

Ziplining has started in Lake Sebu only last year but already, the income has gone over P3 million (around US$70-80,000). Rene added that he has owned and tilled the land since 1955. This time, they seemed to have struck gold as local tourists keep coming.

I have seen it 10 years ago and it is still awe-inspiring, its beauty stood pat through time. We briefly talked to a woman who was busy getting shells. Unmindful of the visitors lined up to see the waterfalls from a bridge, she told us she got enough for a day's meal.

I cannot help but feel proud that this wonderful place is just in our vicinity and the locals know well how to preserve it as nature deserves.

Going ziplining is more than just gliding through the heights. One gets more pluses with the unbelievably beautiful sights that can only be found in Lake Sebu.

On our way back, Avi took some serious grunts while being maneuvered to a climb. Stones crunched. After stalling for few more minutes, we were able to survive the challenge. Avi delivers! As the kids filled the car with their adventure, we all headed for the much-awaited food part.

Note: Lake Sebu is a thriving municipality in South Cotabato, in the southern part of the Philippines. To get here, you take a roughly 2-hour plane ride from Manila to General Santos City, go by land for another 2 hours. Taxis and passenger vans are available for hire. If you do not have friends who can host you, there are guest houses. Zipline operators do not take reservations and follow the first-come, first-served policy.

Please visit my other blog http://www.istoryya.com/ for a hodgepodge of stories.

I have an adventurous spirit. The Underground River in Palawan will be a breeze. Or, so I thought. When I put on my life-jacket, I know my life literally depended on it. I was smiling but a bit edgy. Can't swim but venturing out on an uncharted underground deep? What else was there to feel? Friends assured me it's exciting. It's a different experience. I gotta try or miss half of my life. If I won't, then I am too old to try when I go back. Sometimes friends can be too honest bordering on an unveiled sarcasm.

The river was sparkling. Palawan is the last frontier and lives up to its tag. Green waters, my favorite. This side of the Philippines definitely knows how preserve what should and must be. As the boatman rowed towards the entrance of what looked like a jagged cave, there was a rush of excited whispers. Darkness set in before some fumblings -then there was light. The guide was talking but I wonder if our group, majority of them foreigners, were in full attention.

Everyone was busy making their cameras work. In that pitch black condition, the points-and-shoots were almost hopeless, much more if you use the flash. Forget it. Still, brave souls were trying as the guide moves on with his work - listeners or none, undaunted.

He was saying stalactites and stalagmites, droned by mixed feelings and reactions. I cannot figure out the difference. The limestone formations were awesome - and unnerving. What if they go down on all of us, being there for hundreds of years? I can't swim. Not even in the bath tub. It was a 8.2km-long ride of my life. I am glad I learned it too late, or else I would have chickened-out.

It was serenely quiet inside. If you have a friend who talks too much - a trip to the river would do the trick to encourage the quiet. Maybe for a lot of reasons. Scared, I suppose. Numbed, most likely. Awed - oh, well. Most of the time, just simply stumped. When you want the most of the experience, you need to keep your mouth tightly shut. Or you lose it. I tried my best.

I forgot what I did for that hour-long journey to darkness and light. In some instances I tried to get my Nikon to work. The battery was almost spent with the effort. Then, I got mentally busy thinking about the "what-ifs". Gliding in a boat inside a cave with a bottomless water below you was not really my kind of thrill. As we got half-way, I began to enjoy the calm. It was hard to clearly see the rocks in varying edges and graying shades - but I know they're trying to tell people something. I am not sure what - but your imagination can take you as far as its limit.

As we reached the end of the ride, a new boat came in. New faces, new versions of how the trip went. It is so much like life - everything depends on how you view things. Are you going in or not? Once inside, will you enjoy or suffer in paranoia? Sink in or swim? I'd sink without the jacket, that's for sure (maybe even with one). Ah, well...getting a hang on a situation can sometimes be normal. We're not Superman. Name any super hero you want.

There are times when its good to accept that we also buckle. I wonder how this talk got into a supposedly-adventurous trip. Maybe I am descending, I need to get out of the cave. When we all got up from the boat, a chorus of sighs (relief?) took over the calm. Then, the chatter rose in a crescendo - both negatives and positives at the same time. One more exciting, life-defining trip done. Definitely, more coming up!