La Union Bayan Ng Bangar translation Woh Po Zui Tau.

La Union Bayan Ng Bangar translation Woh Po Zui Tau.

Meeting time 8:30-9:00p.m. at LRT2 station recto a few km from the bus station.
Friends: Dionne, Gelli, Apple and Xanne.

Date: April 2, 2009 – April 8 2009

The trip
We catch the last round trip bus which left at 11p.m. That’s the start of our 7 hours journey from Manila to La Union. I used to spell it Launyun because that’s the way they pronounce it. The trip was well… long and it’s mid-morning. You don’t expect really to sleep properly at a bus. Stop over is at around 3:50 in the morning and we arrived around 5. =)

Day 1
Dionne’s uncle (Carlito) was at stand by with the tricycle when we arrived. We visited the grandfather of Dionne and Tin (Dionne’s cousin) and slept for around two and a half hour. Dionne, Gels and Apple decided that they would go to the market and buy foods that we’re going to eat for the next five days while Xanne and I look after of all our belongings.

After they’ve done “marketing” and “grocery-ing” we still have to do a bit of traveling. Where we are is what they call “bayan” which means city, I guess. That’s where the stores are. Dionne’s place is at Mindoro which is totally isolated from the malls and even roads. The place is like a beach resort minus the fancy restaurants and lots of people. It’s covered with really big rocks and the ocean. Gelli is our official Chief. She cooks and plans our lunch and dinner every day for our stay here. Her cooking is amazingly delicious. She should take HRM. Wait no, I take that back she don’t need to take up HRM. She is naturally good at it.

After lunch we took an afternoon nap.. We slept through the whole afternoon. After waking up at around 5:30pm we went to the beach with a few of D’s relatives.. It was a lot of fun. It’s not a typical beach.. usually they’re rocks then sands. Well this beach it’s the other way round. There’s’ sands then rocks. The waves are high and strong. I got a few cuts on my feet but they’re just little ones that sting only when you first notice it.

After the beach, we cleaned ourselves up and prepare for dinner. Dionne’s “kapuso” while Apple is “kapamilya” so while watching TV both have to compromise. Every commercial they switch channel. We were supposed to watch bubble gum but due to the tiring trip after fated to love you I fell asleep. =)

Day 2
We woke up at around 6 and went straight to the beach. D’s cousin took us boat riding till the middle of the ocean. The ocean’s lovely. It’s so clean and blue. It wasn’t my fist time to ride a boat, still it was great. We had our afternoon siesta. Chief Gels prepared dinner and we’re off to the beach nearly sun down. What’s most memorable about this day was, it was my turn to wash the dishes and of course I know how to wash. It’s like washing petri dishes, beakers, test tubes and funnels. Even though Cianne (my microbio lab partner) mostly do all the washing but I helped. I mean it would be a whole lot easier if there was tap. Xanne was kind enough to volunteer to “pump” water for the dishes and Apple helped by instructing and guiding me. I successfully washed all the dishes we used and the cooking utensils that day with just the use of a basin and a pail of water, and of course soaps and scrubs. It took me a while before I get the hang of it and I was slower but it ain’t that bad for a first timer. I’ll definitely do it again. That was my first and last time I was the dishes in Mindoro. =)

Day 3
We went to the beach early morning to watch the fishermen come back from a night of catch. There were surprisingly a lot of people at the beach. Seems like the whole people at the village were there. I received a text message from my tita saying that I need to follow them to Gumaca after my stay at mindoro which means I need more clothes which means I need to do some laundrying! yup I didn't do a typo. laundry! I was thinking of taking them to do the laudry store but it takes overnight and I was thinking of buying a new set of clothes *ahem my brother did that once. He ran out of clothes cause he didn't bring it to the luadry on time so he bought a whole week of outfits.* but that will only mean more excess baggage and my bag is already heavy as it is! during that time Xanne, Apple and D were planning to do their laudry so I tag along. Mommy Apple taught me how to =) I wish I brought a portable washing machine. We ended up at the beach at night =)

Day 4
We met Gerby =) and I played pool with Ate Madel. It's so different cause instead of balls, it was thoes air hockey tablets and instead of carpet, the pool table was waxed so it was easy for the tablets to move. Ate Madel along with Jason and his cousin took us boat riding from another place. Played truth or consequence and spent our last night at... THE BEACH! and ate barbeque. =) will certainly miss the beach ALOT!

For this whole trip and experience I would like to thank:

1. Our Chief to go Gels for the amazingly delicious breakfast, lunch and dinner throughout our whole stay at Mindoro. I love the Chicken Tinola during the first day all the way to the Barbeque of our last night. =)

2. Mommy Apple for sharing to me her knowledge and tips of house work. I went from clueless to someone who’s not clueless in doing house stuffs. I now know how to wash the dishes if the water run out and we had reserved water in a pail or if suddenly the washing machine broke and I need to wash my clothes. Thanks Apple for all your help. =)

3. Documentation Xanne and her lovely hot pink Sony Cybershot camera. Thanks for capturing every moments of this experience. Photographs are proves and souvenirs that last a lifetime. As I look at the pictures we’d taken, I’ll always remember the fun that we had and shared. =)

4. Last but definitely not the least, the forever over-all chairwoman D for arranging this amazing trip. I really had so much fun during my stay. Thank you for the warmest hospitality ever and I’m not just saying that cause its summer! =)