Pancit Palabok, ANyone?

Today, my siblings and Yuri, went for a morning jog. It has been verrrrrrrrrry long since my last jog that I gasped for early from a 500 meter run distance.hehehehhe.

We traversed the Gensan oval only 1/4 of the rounds I usually covered. whew!!!! We walked to our furniture store, hit some Suman and Pancit Palabok on the side. hahhahah.

This is our exercise, jog then eat. . . . . Just great to lose some fats. hahahhah.

Challenging Mountain Climb

My college friend, Donald had invited me a week ago to a Mountain-River-Ocean Adventure in Kiamba, and I right away, said "Yes" as I have been wanting some fun while in General Santos City. So May 14, 2008, we went to Kiamba, an east-coast municipality in Sarangani Province. What we tought as a 2-day affair was actually 4 days! So, I only worried as I packed only for 1-overnight sleep and 2-day food! Good thing, Donald helped me out with his ever-complete mountain climb stuffs, and the rest was fun.

There were other 15 climbers from Sarangani Province, and whew, I was all fascinated by their stuffs, from bags and tents to their portable burner. I only wanted to have all those basic essential as I want to climb and conquer more mountains.

In day 1, at 10:00 am, the trail started with a 1-hour-very-stiff climb to Sitio Falil, where families of Tiboli tribe reside. We had the chance to see a coffin made from Lawaan log, where a 70-old dead man had been lying in for 2-months. According to their priest, this burial ritual has long been practiced for 70 years. I could only laud them for preserving their culture. We had our compact lunch uphill the sitio in their school compound. The next trails led us to a more exhausting, leg-cramping walk (I only climbed twice in Zamboanga with 4-hours tops!). The hot sun drained us more, we had to quench our 2-liter water and refill them from the springs along the way. And, WOW, the water was all flowing, sweet and cold!!!!

The next hours of walk were all tiring, we would wish, we did not come at all. We traversed one river to proceed to the base camp. Geez, I could only catch my breath. But then, as we continued and when we were on one summit, and viewed the rest of the mountains we traversed and the panorama of Kiamba mountains, all our exhaustion could go vain, so we just continued, moved on! When, we reached the last stop toward the base camp, and saw the muddy, all stiff and dangerous climb down hill, I could feel my knees tremble of fear!!!! I could only pray that my son, Yuri, will be taken care of, just in case, something would go wrong. The 1 hour walk to base camp, took so long and fearsome!!!! It was 6:00 pm, and the trail became dim and futile, I could only hold on to my trail pole and other climbers to guide me.

When we reached the base camp, I saw Donald and Bulingking, our other climb companion, set our dinner and sleep tent. I could only retire on a bench and massage my legs and my feet. WOW! I could still feel my body tremble from the last downhill climb.

We retired with a half-cup liquor to relax me and speed up my sleep. I could then feel that every bone I had was aching and complaining from the 8-hour-day climb!

The next morning was more relaxed, but still dreadful as we have to traverse the almost-90-degree climb uphil. It took us 1 hour to finish it, but we had to pass on our bags to the porter, as they exhausted us more. The next 7-hour walks were lighter, as we would head to Tuka Beach for the supposed snorkeling, but the strong rain changed our itenerary, so we only headed to the beach for evening socials. My feet were all full of blisters from the hike, I could only look forward to sink my legs to the nice beach of Kiamba.

Reaching the final stop in Woodbridge Resort, I just took off my hiking clothes, stayed on my swim wear, and plunged directly into the sea. What a relief!!!!!!!

We consumed the night, with the locals' sugar cane wine, called "Basi." It was sweet, a little bitter but had that warming effect from the wind and the sea-soaked body. We mingled then with the rest of the climbers and just had fun from the climb that just concluded. I hit the bed and dozed right away.

The next morning, I could only bid my new friends goodbye as I had to go back to Gensan. They would still await the snorkeling that still has to happen.

We look forward to the next adventure of climb, water tubing, snorkeling and many more with Kiamba locals and othe climbers. The experience was very great, fun-filled and worth-every-bone-pain experience!!!!!

Invading Airsoft Competition

When I started joining Airsoft wargames, I would always be filled with intense excitement, fear and eagerness. Every Sunday when I was still in Zamboanga City, the Zamboanga Airsoft Team would always meet in any of the special war sites that we have. Originally, the team was just filled with muscle-and-gut-filled men, but to date, we have 3 ladies to boost: Mila, Sugar and of course ME!

The first local competition that they joined was the Guera Guera sa Ecozone in February 2008, where the two teams of ZAS bagged the Championship and First runner - up posts. I only watched the action on my warm bench, but as I saw them devoured their enemies with their fearless moves and tactics, I could only feel pride that I belong to this team.

Now, they just won the recently concluded Zamboanga City-wide Airsoft competition with 9 fierce contendors. . . . I missed their competition but seeing their pictures and website, http://www.zamboairsoft.proboards54.com/, I would feel as if, I was also expecting and cheering for them. Their Sunday practices, teamwork and friendship really made a difference not only in their friendly wargames but quite evident as well in all the competitions they joined in. No wonder, they bagged too the championship trophy!

Congratulations fellow ZAS. Hoohah!

Jogging with my SOn

It has been two consecutive jogging mornings that I was with my sisters, Tammy and Xeria and my son, Yuri. WHew, while I jog, they just walk.hahhahha.

BUt it is always nice and cool to spend the early morning, sweating and having fun time with your siblings and sonny, and blogging afterwards. hahaha. my fats are just bulking up after the sweat. thanks for hours of blogging and 30-minute jogging. =)

Have to go then, to burn little fats by walking home. =)

Jogging as a Destressor

When I started my regular jogging in Zamboanga City, it was purposedly done to just hang around with other joggers. But, as you run longer, as you push harder, you will realize, this isn't done to please others or to simply acquire that gorgeous curves. It is being done, so you may feel that you are alive, so you may feel that beauty is still around you as running becomes more tedious like the way you run your life.

I had went through rough hurdles in the course of friendship, romance, family and work. I would look for solace and comfort through bad friends and bad influences. But, never really I found the tranquility I had been wanting.

Moving back to Gen. Santos City makes me year for my late afternoon jogs. So, early this morning, while the sun was about to emerge from its slumber, I jogged with my youngest sibling, Xeria. The cool early breeze touched my cheeks, as if bidding me its morning greetings. There were other young and adult joggers. These too made jogging more fun and that lurking feeling of loneliness and depression from being away Zamboanga City, from what you claimed as
home, gone.

As I pushed myself for more turns in a square-type jogging arena, I felt my heart throbbing faster and my muscles more constricted. But amidst this, my mind was all clear of any ill feeling of being a broken spirit.

I wish as I jog more, I can find peace more; I wish as I jog longer towards my finish lines, I can find longer strength and endurance to move on with life; I wish as I jog regularly, I can constantly find beauty for feeling and living life with my family around me and for being part of this grandious universe.

In the Haven of Nature

Have you ever experienced what it is like to be amidst big trees, on top of mountains with vision of the city just beneath your eyes? The experience was splendid. You would realize how little could your problems be, how mediocre can your ill feelings be compared to the manificence of other mountains, the open ocean, and very blue clouds. You would feel alive and spirite revited again.

The sweet smell of the grass, the warm touch of the wind, the sweet songs of mountain birds would make you realize that life can sill be beautiful in spite of its struggles. My climb to two mountains in Zamboanga City, PHilippines, with my friends, make a tremendous connection with nature. They reminded me that blessed are we to enjoy life at its humblest and wonderful feeling! I wish to climb more mountains and feel alive again!!!!

Burn Fats with Airsoft Games

Exercise has been a wish. I would always yearn to drag myself to the gym and burn those extra pounds. But, when I saw my friends in airsoft and how they sweat after a 15-minute game, I soon asked myself, can I make this my new hobby and burn my fats as well?

Wargames are typically games for the big boys! I usually wonder how men can act young, feel young in playing with airsoft guns. Their full battle gear: masks, vests, pads, gloves and military uniform cant make them significantly different from real soldiers. Men of different ages and of different professions and line of works eagerly enjoy their Sunday afternoon games with their M14, M4, MP5 or their AKs.

My bewilderment was soon answered when I had my first real wargame. I killed three (3) senior warriors within close range with my first AK. Every game since then makes my adrenaline high, heart and pulse throbbing. My airsoft gun, (now I own a Spetz), feels cold and heavy on my hand, I can only grip to it as tight as I could as if my life really depends on it. I have to dodge, dive, crawl on the dirt to make clear, plausible shots. In a 10-minute game, you can feel your entire body sweat, your muscles tighten as you run, hide and aim at your opponents. I have lost 1 size smaller in just three (3) Sundays of wargames. Of course, it is not just about aiming or shooting, teamwork and strategies did the winnings.

What makes the games fun but painful is the hit of the automatic fired bb's in a closer distance. Blood can trickle down from your soft skin. This I must say scare off other ladies to join. I applauded two other ladies who joined Zamboanga Airsoft team, which is dominated by hard-core men. But airsoft nationwide has made greater appeal even to women. Lady celebrities in the Philippines join them too, together with their loved ones or friends. Not only that this game excites your adrenaline and your wits but it also improves your relationship with others and your perception about life, that it is a battle that you have to focus and put your resources/strategies in to survive. I will always love the fun and thrill of airsoft games!!!!