Memoirs of a Restless Traveler: Memoirs of 2012

Perception.

Perhaps the most difficult thing one could overhaul when everyone already has branded a strong image of you in their minds; the very reason why people tend to make a good first impression, else be branded otherwise for the rest of their lives.

Coming from the failures I experienced in 2011, this posed as my greatest challenge for 2012. I realized one cannot totally start a clean slate without being judged still on the acts he has done previously; perhaps I was still a bit too ideal thinking otherwise. I sometimes forget that people have this natural tendency to define what you are capable of, what you could and could not become, and what you should and should not be, based on their perception of you.

Breaking through these has been a very difficult task.

I tried to be as numb as possible of the perceptions other people have of me - the moment I let it take over, the more difficult escaping it would be.

This was how I started my 2012. It was no easy ride.

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January

I had never felt so overwhelmed in my entire life as this month - overwhelmed accompanied by a feeling of fear; fear of letting people down, fear of failing again, fear of ruining my only chance of redemption. I was given such huge tasks this year (a P216M mark on your head is no joke) that failure to accomplish this does not only mean failing yourself, but other people as well. It wasn't anymore like school when your failure is confined only within the four walls of the academe. My failure now could easily affect other people's chance at success too.

I had my doubts on how capable I am to do such tasks. I was stuck in a position where people already expect me to know most of what I am supposed to do when in fact I haven't even learned yet most of what I need to know just to survive this until the end.

There were times a part of me would just like to give up and walk away. There were times I yearn for the challenge as doing this successfully might give me the break I want. In the end, I decided to stay again.

This decision of mine I guess is one reason why I was still able to attend my 4th Unilab National Distribution Conference held in Manila Peninsula, Makati. Unlike previous conferences, I am now able to control my drinking sprees. It was a fun night though not as memorable as previous conferences. At the very least, it made me momentarily forget the daunting tasks I have ahead.

It was also this month that I turned 23! Unlike previous celebrations, this year's was a simple one. Just celebrated this with my family at home and treated my high school friends for a videoke night at Music 21 in Jupiter. Still can't get over the fact how fast I turn old!

February

Being a person very much enthusiastic about going out of town, I joined my friends to witness the Hot Air Ballon Festival in Clark, Pampanga - my first escapade for the year! This was the first time I saw hot air balloons up close. Though I failed to get my much needed sleep for the weekend (as we have to line up and be there before sunrise), I enjoyed the spectacle.

It was also this month that a new account assignment has been given to me. To my excitement, the assignment was in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental. After 16 long months, I'd be able to see Visayas once again!

March

Pressure at work is starting to build up. I guess this is very much expected when you're working for a group tasked to start-up a new business. Most of us (myself included) I believe is still pretty much learning the ropes.

However, nothing could be worse than being branded an under performer when one has spent the last

months exerting all efforts to achieve goals for the group, especially when the accusation is purely based on unconfirmed facts and driven by personal biases and negative perceptions. It's even more hurtful when the person accusing is actually the one you expect to give you a chance on redemption.

This actually made staying a bit difficult. And at one point again, I seriously considered moving out. But despite all these, I chose to simply ignore it, numb myself from it and just deliver what is asked of me.

To relieve the negativity of this month, I embarked on another trip to Visayas. It was very fortunate of me again to receive additional account assignments in this area, this time in the cities of Bacolod and Iloilo.

April

Summer has officially started! Like all the years before, this month is once again oozing with activities. This is one of the months I've been so much looking forward to this year as I would like to avail already my much needed escape from reality.

To kick-off the summer season, I embarked on a camping adventure with my family in the relatively unexplored island of Cagbalete. Located in Quezon province, it is a scenic 4-hour drive from Manila and another hour by boat from Mauban Port. Like Anawangin Cove, it was another back-to-basics experience - we only have our tent to accompany us for the night.

Perhaps the best feature of this island is it's almost 1-kilometer white sand bar which appears during low tide. Notice how small our boat is in the horizon!

It offers tourists an almost perfect scenery seen only in edited postcards. I would definitely recommend this to travelers tired of mainstream tourists destinations.

Though not much activities can be done here, this is simply the place to get away from it all.

Next on my bucket list which I have been eyeing for the longest time is a hiking tour of Mt. Pinatubo. The almost 3-hour hike under the scorching heat of the sun pushed my body's physical capabilities to its limits. Hiking to the crater, I managed to consume my 1.5L Gatorade drink and my 1L bottle of mineral water which I forecast to last me the entire trip.

The tour would start off with an almost 1-hour 4x4 trip through endless lahar and cascading rivers to take us to the starting point of our trek.

Upon arriving, an almost alien-like world welcomed us, reminiscent of scenes in Star Wars.

The trek to the crater is worse than what I experience in Mt. Pulag. Pulag may be steeper and longer, but the sun's heat made this trek more daunting.

But after all the hardships, a magnificent reward comes at the very end - the beautiful crater lake of Mt. Pinatubo.

**All Mt. Pinatubo photos taken from Jheric and Jackie's Facebook album.

I returned from the trip in my most burnt form. At least that's another one down from my 25 Things To Do in the Philippines Before You Die List. Considering all the calories I burned, I was actually half expecting my abs to already show form haha.

To sweetly close off the summer season, I toured the Ilocos Region with my high school friends. Reaching the place, it gave me a feeling of nostalgia as this used to be my area for nine long months. Ten months after being reassigned back to Manila, I was finally able to make my comeback.

After Visayas, this is for me the second most beautiful region in the Philippines. Scenic landscapes combined with the architectures of old make this place truly an enchanting one.

First on our itinerary was the historic Paoay Church, then the Malacanang of the North.

Not long after, we're off to the Ilocos Sand Dunes! Riding the 4x4 through the dunes was very reminiscent of my experience in Dubai. The ride took almost 30 minutes with it ending with a slide down the dunes' highest point.

After this thrilling ride, we once again treated ourselves for another thrill - sand boarding! Being a person with no sense of balance and coordination, I found myself tumbling down after the first few seconds. But I had fun nonetheless.

On our second day, we set our sights for a scenic trek to Kabigan Falls.

Then, we're off to the Patapat Viaduct. We also managed to explore Bantay-Abot Cave before finally reaching the famous Pagudpud Beach.

Our third day brought us to the historic city of Vigan. Can't believe it's been more than a year already since I last step foot on this place. This was actually my 5th time in this ancient Spanish city, but the sights never get tiring.

Other notable sites for the day include the Kapurpurawan Rock Formation (such a perfect place for pictorials), Bangui Wind farm, the Baluarte, and the Pottery farm (where I had my first shot at pot-making)

We simply enjoyed our last remaining hours in Vigan on our fourth day before heading back to Manila by noon.

**Most Ilocos pictures taken from Maan's FB albums

April was really worth the wait! Thanks to it, I have regained my much needed energy and peace of mind to face my tasks once more.

May

Back to reality once again, and I have so far survived 4 months on my new assignment. Looking back, I think one of the reasons why I find my new assignment very daunting was the fact that I have to talk to and engage with lots of people, unlike my Samar and Dagupan days when I only have to talk to just a person or two.

I'm not used to it I guess. I consider myself an introvert. And I'm used to giving plain, straightforward answers that don't require much dramatics. But in the kind of job, these are two things I have to refrain from doing - this I learned from our Team Building activity held in Bataan and I guess my biggest take home from this.

It was not quite what we expected. After sort of consulting me and few of my colleagues on what else the team needs to successfully reach our 2012 targets (and interviewing some of us on how happy and comfortable we are in doing our job), we expected something more serious and skill-building oriented. But instead what we had was as close as we could get from having an acting workshop!

It was fun, to be fair about it. Realized a lot of things about rhythm, playing a part (as something separate from your own persona), body language, and always keeping the ultimate goal in your head in every action you do. I found it somehow reassuring that playing a role different from who you are just to fit into someone's rhythm doesn't necessarily amount to being a plastic or a fake. But rather is more of a task you have to do to help reach your "ultimate goal."

On the other hand, I also found this to be a bit sad. Hailing from my Philosophy class days, I had always believed that what you manifest defines who you are. But the real world sets a different stage - I have to alienate my own personality from the acts I do; that at the end of the day in this kind of job, it's all play - nothing more, nothing less.

June

The year has now started to spice up. June is the first month of the year I get evaluated for everything I had done so far - my first ticket hopefully to reaching my goal of redemption. I started the first day of the month putting my "curtain" mode on to practice the stuff I learned from our activity. Doing account coverage somehow felt easier as I am now conscious and constantly reminded that what I am doing is not really being plastic or being a fake. And now I know it's not only me undergoing the same experience but everybody in the group as well. As time went along, I somehow learned how to incorporate it habitually into my system.

This may be the reason also why I am more than eager to find time with my friends or with any other person who knew me very well, as whenever I'm with them (or whenever I'm drunk), my personality just explodes - exploding as if it just escaped extreme suffocation from wearing different masks almost everyday of its life.

Hirap pala maging artista - this I can finally attest to! Haha!

It was also this month that a new and more extreme account assignment has been given to me - if enduring a long, turbulent-heavy flight to the small mining island of Semirara cannot be classified as extreme, then you are not human!

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With the race for the 1st semester coming to a close, I had to make sure I was able to at least keep pace with what I need to deliver for the full year. The future at least seemed to be bright at this point. And after getting my evaluations, I know I had already earned my first ticket - and it's Platinum.

July

With my confidence at work given a little boost, I felt I had partially regained form. It seemed that what happened almost the same time last year was just a horrible dream. With this, I learned trusting myself again; I became less reliant on other people. And more importantly, I think I gained the trust of other people as well.

July is NDC season once again, and it's my fifth. Can't believe it has been 2 years and 3 months since I joined this company. Since I'm happier than normal, I indulged into taking more drinks than my usual. This conference is the closest experience I could get from my second - but unlike the latter, at least I was able to remember how I got back in my hotel room.

August

Now this is the month of all months! The thing I've been waiting for has finally arrived! For the first time in two years, I'm given another chance to embark on an international tour once again - this time in the countries of Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam!

It was a 9-day escapade, and a very fitting reward for the happiness I'm feeling so far.

We had our first stop in Bangkok.

It was pretty much like Manila with all the chaos and traffic, but it had a lot more stories to tell. The golden and towering temples are a testament to Thailand's rich history.

From Bangkok, we made our way to Ayutthaya - Siam's ancient capital - roughly two hours by train from the city.

We started our day by doing a cycling tour, then by having a river cruise lunch with magnificent views of the temples, and ending it with an authentic Thai massage.

Our third day was mostly spent traveling from Bangkok to Siem Reap, Cambodia! We had to endure a 7-hour bumpy and uncomfortable train ride (a la PNR) and another 2-hour cab ride. The geography was not very much different from our country, only it was more sparsely populated.

After 9-hours, we finally reached Siem Reap, home of the famous Angkor Wat. The town is very enchanting - very peaceful during the day, with several tree-lined avenues near the temple complex, and relatively lively at night with several restaurants, street cafes and bars open. We ended our first day in Siem Reap having a very hearty Cambodian meal and topping it off with a Camdodian massage.

We started our next day early with a cycling tour of the temple complex. It was such a relaxing activity, feeling the breeze in your face as you slowly kicked the bicycle pedal; traversing heavily tree-lined avenues revealing only hints of the sun's rays from the skies.

Going around the temple complexes, I imagined myself finally experiencing a very real role-playing game, as the structures are very reminiscent of temples in Final Fantasy X. In some enchanting moments, I imagined going through a cloister of trials and getting my Aeon in the end.

Several dreams were realized that day. One is being able to ride an elephant. Second is being able to see a real pyramid and third is seeing and being awed by one of the world's seven wonders - the Angkor Wat.

The best day of the tour by far!

On our fifth day, we did something different. We immersed ourselves in the local cuisine by enrolling in a half-day Cambodian cooking class.

Somehow, I managed to believe I have the skills to cook!

After eating another hearty meal, we toured the Beng Mealea complex 2 hours from Siem Reap. We had our rented van pick us up from our hotel and back.

Unlike the Angkor Wat, the Beng Mealea is mostly in its original and unrestored form. According to our tour guide, if not for the generous funding from France, Angkor Wat would have most likely looked like this to this day.

We arrived in Siem Reap in time for dinner, and we had to make our last night in Cambodia our best! We ate at a smokeless grill restaurant famous for serving exotic meals, and chose a side-street setting for our tables for added vibrancy.

It was the first time I ate a rabbit and a crocodile. And my second time to gobble frog legs. Though it took a while before I was able to enjoy my meal as I had a quick argument with my best friend who was all for animal rights, it turned out to be a really good night. We did our last minute shopping - it was my first the entire trip - and brought several souvenirs we could take home as gifts to our families and friends.

We retired to our hotel at the end of the day and prepared our bodies for another long journey to Vietnam. I had another Cambodian massage shortly before. I slept that night with my soul very well-fed.

We started the day early, had our last breakfast in Siem Reap before our van picked us up for the bus station. The original journey to Vietnam was supposed to be exciting - take the bus from Sieam Reap to Phnom Penh and take the Mekong River Cruise to Saigon. We would have definitely arrived in style! But the weather failed to cooperate, and the Mekong River was too dry and too shallow to accommodate any form of water transport. In the end, we had to endure the more than 12-hour bus ride.

We arrived in Phnom Penh around lunch time, and I tell you it already felt we had traveled forever. With the connecting bus due to depart for Saigon anytime, we have to make do with what's available and ate at the nearest food-dispensing stall. It was a far cry from the sumptuous feasts we had in Sieam Reap! And a far cry from what I envisioned to be having while taking a vacation deep in the heart of Indochina. But our stomachs cannot wait anymore. And we settled with eating garlic fried rice, topped with fried scrambled egg, smothered in diluted fish sauce and ketchup, in a small table barely for four, shaded with a big umbrella, under the scorching heat of the sun, with the bus mufflers belching behind our backs! But it was a unique experience. Something only the four of us could understand. Something only the four of us could look back into and take a laugh from!

I5 minutes after we ate, the bus finally departed for Saigon. I envy those people who managed to store tons of movies in their iPads while I have to settle with playing Monopoly, Temple Run and Angry Birds for hundreds of times for the remaining 8 hours of the trip. By early evening, the soft glow of Saigon welcomed us, mostly with neon-colored signs reminiscent of the girly bars of Manila. We arrived at the bus station and took the first taxi we could hail.

We were all dead tired from the journey. All of us were so eager to retire and have the best sleep in the world. I tried the hotel spa (i'm a spa addict, I know!) shortly before going to bed - and it was my most euphoric sleep of the trip.

Our 7th day was mostly spent exploring the Cu Chi Tunnels and Cao Dai Temple. I can't help but get impressed with the resourcefulness of the Vietnamese during their civil war as manifested by the amazing features of the tunnels.

Imagine living under these network of tunnels for more than a decade and never getting detected! Their rather small bodies played a big role as only they have the capacity to enter the entrances to their tunnels. After having lunch, we were all set to visit this rather obscure temple they call Cao Dai. I would rather not put my opinions of this religion here in my blog for sensitivity issues, but the Cao Dai was a temple inspired by the interplay of three wisdom - the Buddhas, the Sages (i.e. Victor Hugo, Rembrandt, Isaac Newton, etc) and the Saints (Confucius and Jesus)

On our way back, we were welcomed by Saigon's afternoon rush hour - that's 90% motorcycles on the road!

Going back, it made us all realize that we are already on the last night of our epic journey. Not long after, it would all be over. To make our last night memorable, we rewarded ourselves by splurging the night in the luxury that is Hotel Continental - Saigon.

The room was a special treat. It felt like having First Class accommodations aboard the Titanic. There was our ultra spacious bedroom.

And the eye-feasting balcony view of the Saigon Opera House. We may definitely have the best spot in all of Saigon, and as a first time tourist here, this is a rare treat!

That night, we decided to have an up-close look of the Saigon Opera House and another nearby landmark - the Saigon City Hall.

It was not difficult to imagine why Saigon has earned the nickname the Paris of the Orient and even the Pearl of the Orient. Though I'm still all for Manila, the monikers were both well deserved.

On our last day, we decided to split and roam Saigon as freely as we want. With our hotel being already in the heart of the city, reaching Saigon's landmarks was not very difficult. Of course, there is the customary morning shot of the Saigon Opera House and the Saigon City Hall.

Nearby, one could reach Saigon's version of Paris' Notre Dame and their historic French-inspired Post Office.

Another thing I love about Saigon is their tree-lined avenues which make walking around the city less exhausting. Shortly before the clock turned noon, I sat and took a rest on one of the city's benches and took this very refreshing shot of their trees.

I decided to have lunch after before I proceeded to visit their city museum and the Reunification Palace

With still so much time left before our flight back to Manila, I decided to have some more "me" time and got myself a massage. Proudly, I can say that I have tried all types of massages in the three countries we visited. After the massage, I strolled Saigon's parks some more and tried one of their street foods. I had this spicy rice noodle wrapped up in plastic, and you really have to eat it from there. I did not quite expect the intensity of the spice and my tongue burned almost instantly. I tried my best to remain composed, but with no vendor selling drinks on sight, I had to make a run to the nearest toilet and wash my mouth with water.

I then returned to our hotel shortly before sundown and with none of my friends still back, I went to the nearest al fresco cafe and ordered coffee. The atmosphere was very relaxing, and I still can't believe that I had this tour - truly a once in a lifetime experience - and sadly also an experience that is about to end. We ate Vietnamese spring rolls as our last meal before we finally went for the airport to catch our flight back to Manila.

September and October

Pressure at work has started to build up again, and in spite getting good evaluations the previous semester, I still had doubts how capable I really am. There were parts of me convincing me I really did a good job, there were also parts of me telling me I just had luck with my accounts. Perhaps the account manager who came before me was really that good that his outstanding account management simply trickled down on me. But then again, it has been nine good months already since I inherited his role and I don't think the trickle down effect would hold that long. I guess at this point, I simply needed some reassurance that it's really me orchestrating all of these. Though I enjoy getting credit and receiving praises for what I had done so far, I don't want them to think that all these has been solely my doing. I had great help from my peers. All these was a collaborative effort.

Looking back to about the time I failed the MT program, this is more or less the place I envisioned myself to be in. People think I'm good. My bosses think I'm good. And somehow, I think I'm good. But I'm scared. I'm afraid that one day I would simply wake up and realize that all these are just illusions. I guess I have been traumatized too much about what happened last year that there is still this part of me left unconvinced that I'm really built for this job.

All these thoughts I think are what convinced me to take on a job interview from a well-known multinational company. I want to prove to myself that outside the scope of my company, I am really a "marketable" person. The intention was not really to transfer and leave Unilab, unless the company would offer me more than what I'm getting now (haha!). It's really more of a challenge to myself - a reassurance that it's really me orchestrating everything all along.

I found success doing the first interview, and after a couple of more interviews (the last one with the regional manager who flew all the way from Singapore just for this), I got the job!

I have never been so reassured in my life. And I've never realized how difficult it was to reject a job offer, though this is a different story. I started my next day blissfully.

November

By November, I finally hit my quota for the year! The heavy number pounding on my head since January has finally been lifted! The PHP216M target was definitely no easy task. Achieving this served as another reassurance that I had been doing something right after all. Finally also, I can now say to myself that I had indeed added value to the company I'm working for. I rewarded myself by getting the hottest Android phone in town - the Samsung Galaxy Note 2.

December

By December, I already exceeded my targets by more than 25%. I have never looked forward to the holiday as much as this. I felt I had earned myself a well deserved Christmas break. As usual, countless parties to attend here and there - from Company Cares to Distribution, to Unilab.

This year, my High School friends and I did something very special. Middle of this year, we screened and sponsored two High School scholars from our Alma Matter Manila Science High School. Instead of our usual yuppie party, we opt to celebrate it with them and their families.

As a tradition, my family spent the entire holidays at home just being together and waited 'til the clock strikes 12.

We had our usual family reunion on New Year's eve as everyone waited and welcomed the new year!

Happy 2013 everyone!

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Redemption.

I think I may have finally gotten you. Took a lot of effort, energy, positive thinking, numbing, psyching out and concentration to attain you. And after what happened last year and how this year turned out, I think I deserve a pat on the back

2012 is a milestone year. I believe I have matured even more and learned several important things I would be needing throughout my adulthood. Everything just seemed to work out right to almost everything I wished for. With confidence, I believe I may have orchestrated almost all of these.

I felt I have fully regained form. The confident self that I was in collage is slowly making a comeback. This was definitely a transition year from me, and I'm so looking forward to a better 2013!

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As a tradition, I look back on my travel checklist: