It was summer and Holy Thursday in April 5, 2007. I've been crying my eyes out to the point where no more tears would flow. I was dehydrated and I did not have the appetite to eat anything. A few days back, I just ended a relationship and realized that this time, it really was over. In an attempt to regain my sanity, I spontaniously decided to come to my friends' flat in Makati just to have someone to talk to and maybe momentarily forget about how terribly in pain and betrayed I was feeling.
When I got to the flat and started to hangout with my two friends, I did begin to feel better. We had our usual conversations while our friend was cooking chicken adobo for their out of town trip the next day. We were foolishly doing log rolls on their baby floor mats when we heard a knock. We immediately sat around the dining table before one of us opened the door. It was Russell. He came to borrow my friend's backpack for their trip the next day. Ofcourse, I already knew him from that frisbee party in January when I came from a photoshoot to fetch my friend so we can go home to the South together. He probably did not remember me because he was so drunk while he was talking to me.
We were introduced again. I said hello. My friend mentioned that I was a mountaineer who traveled a lot and that I wanted to document my travels around the Philippines. Because he was planning to put up a travel agency, he said maybe we can work together on something in the future. I politely said "Yes, perhaps". But the whole time we were talking, I could barely look at him. I might have come across as being rude and a snob. I was not ashamed about my puffy red eyes. I just could not see him clearly because my eyes and contact lenses were all dried up from all the crying. He went home and that was the end of our chance encounter. We went back to our log rolls immediately after he shut the door.
As I was on my way home that night, partly tearing up again, I thought it must be nice if I went out with Russell or someone like him because it must be fun to have someone that I can travel with and someone who has a taste for adventure for a change. It made me smile to think about that possiibility. But I quickly brushed it off because I remembered swearing off men from my life.
A few weeks later, he asked me out through our mutual friend but I said no because I was not ready to date again. It really wasn't him, it was me. I was perfectly happy drowning myself with work. I repeatedly said no to his invitations months later. Needless to say I eventually said YES to dinner and tea...then to a lifetime of adventure with him.
It Was Once Just A "What if?"...something I thought would never happen in a million years. But deciding to take the leap by starting with a simple friendly date turned out to be one of the best decisions that I've ever made. In 5 minutes I imagined that he could be someone I can share my adventures with. I never thought it would become a reality. Life has a funny and twisted way of making things work out, doesn't it?
My 5 minute what if turned into cliff jumping in Siargao, snorkelling in Apo Island, boat rides on stormy seas, mountain climbing in Mt. Mayon at alert level 2, crossing a river just after sunset without knowing where we were headed, underwater swim to a cave in El Nido, game fishing in Siargao, swimming with the whalesharks, swimming with a sea turtle, walking through murky mangrove, sudsod barefoot in muddy mangrove, sand dune surfing in Ilocos, outrigger boat ride for 8 hours from Coron to El Nido, 2-hour motorcycle ride in Dumaguete, endless backpacking, whitewater rafting, encounters with sea snakes, meeting people from different regions and different countries, foodtrips and eating just anywhere, jumping off a boat and swimming for several kilometers to a sandbar, spelunking for 10 hours, flying an ultralight plane and many more fun and crazy experiences.
Who knew that some "what ifs" can come true?
Happy weekend!
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| Pre-nup shoot in Anawangin |
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Pre-nup shoot in Anawangin
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