in a place where angels fear to tread

Gallery: sydney

jintonic — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 21:20:00 GMT

oooooooooooperaaaaaaa

an absolute Beach bum

jintonic — Tue, 7 Aug 2007 22:37:00 GMT

The sun, the sand the surf the wind... its my favorite place in the world I dont care where you drag me as long as you can promise me that somewhere I can see some waters flowing...

I am totally fascinated with the sea, the coast the watersheds, mangrove swamps, cave rivers, white rafts etc. For me basking under the sky lying on the sand waiting for the sunset is Nirvana, Shangrila, Eutopia, what ever you want to call it.

Much of my fieldworks are on the coast, specially that I worked with mangroves. Most of the time the places are purely isolated and untainted with urbanization, and globalization that makes them purely beautiful.

One of my unforgettable travelling experience is somewhere at the tip coast of the Philippines in a Marine Sanctuary where were doing our Phycology field, the place is so rural no commercialized hut, no overpriced water bottle, and we slept all together in one room with one bed with 12 people, defining the law on which no two matter can occupy the same space at the same time.. that's Physics.

Our back sores, we suffer mosquito concerts, and add to that the mysticism, and ghostly character of an isolated rural village, the idea of ghost, monsters and enchanted creatures that can snatch anyone of us and bring us to the unknown kingdom of far far away. That is a great sleeping experience..

Nothing beats a sunrise by the sea, how the dark starry sky turns into this fiery yellow, then suddenly blue sky... the smell of the ocean lingers, you can hear the soft gush of the wave on the coast, an early morning stroll by the sea on which the water gently floods your ankle is truly a wake up call.

The place is a marine sanctuary for giant clams,here we experienced sea snakes adoring us, walking for an hour on the sea at low tide.

But I will never forget our hike somewhere within the area, they say most of the places and experiences in travelling that are truly memorable are most of the time by an accident. Walking along a muddy hill, in our really good clothes ( since we came from a seminar) we went to this untrek cave river...you need to jump off around 10 ft and plunged to a cool unknown clear pristine water of around 7-8 ft deep, and you must land dead straight in that dive for the deep water is basically so small a slight angle can cause you an amnesia, cerebral hemmorage, can lead to coma, that can further lead to an eternal nap..so divine..

so there is mother nature offering me a slice of what she have, an adventure in exchange for a risk.. of course I take the risk. I dont care if the cave is infested with bandit sea snake, or I can turn the blue waters to red, all I can see is the clear water between the cliff I am standing..

A deep breathe, a dose of adrenalin and a straight jump and next Im under the river so deep yet so clear, gently I enjoy the underwater stillness, the cool water the silence and it seems that Im in a totally enchanted world on which at top I can see some of my friends also about to jump, so I need to move up and move on the shallower side.. I can see how my friends jump and get out of the deep part with an exhilaration of happiness..

And at the end of the day, the thing I would love to do the most,

watch the sunset and lay my head on the sand and watch the day ends and stare the starry sky.. waiting for a comet and to blow my wish ..

A life truly extraordinary can be as simple as 1+1 = 2 ( unless of course you add the complication of numbers,..)

Gallery: ..melbourne

jintonic — Tue, 7 Aug 2007 22:17:00 GMT

my first step in down undah

Gallery: My Own Summer

jintonic — Tue, 7 Aug 2007 22:03:00 GMT

isolated island only a clever muggle would know

mystic Quiapo

jintonic — Tue, 7 Aug 2007 00:14:00 GMT

I have been travelling in this place Quiapo in Manila for 4 years, Its a place to recon with. A place where Filipino religious devotions are alive and kicking. Most of the Filipino population are catholic, ( though Im a baptist). A friday trip at Quiapo will excite all your amazement senses, from food, religion, politics, fashion, movies, name it its there. Friday is Quiapo church day. People flock from all over the Philippines just to pay their vows for the Nazarene that was house there. People travel for long grueling hours, for a prayer of faith. Most of the people when you ask them they are doing this so that their loved ones will get healing, and it shows one of the culture of the Filipino how they loved their families, mother, father, son, daughter, cousins etc. they will devote themselves to suffer a walk in their knees for the petition not for themselves but for their family member. a sacrifice that last for a life time and even generations just for a miracle to happen. The mystic character appeal of Quiapo really fascinates me. outside the church you can see a variety of microbusiness selling all sorts of things from pirated DVD's, pancakes, Fishballs, Coke to herbal medicines and even love potion. mixed with the buzzing beeping of jeepneys and buses, as well as the shout of "para boys" those who are calling passengers for the jeeps. The smell can either create an appetite or can either make you throw up it depends on which place you stand. You can feel how busy the place is from the running of jeeps, people and even snatchers.

on the other side of the church is where fortune tellers flock. They have tehir own plastic chairs have their own quiet spot waiting for some young girl to know who will be her knight in shining armor or a wife trying to find out if her husband is doing some "overtime". The fortune tellers have different ways on which you can choose from from palmistry, cards, mind reading name it they have it.their soft voice along with those make believe look and some timely question can make some first timer say " oh my youre right.."

as the dusk approaches, the place can become more dangerous. A different side will show up far different from the afternoon delight fiesta atmosphere the place changes to a dark alley on which everyone can be a suspect or a victim.

Night time is Quiapos' other side where in during the morning people who are hoping for a miracle are everywhere, at night time the people who get sick of waiting for a miracle are everywhere, kids in rugby, robbers, addicts, young girls selling them selves for a few peso. These people who seems to me lose all their hopes for a miracle. In their eyes,you can barely feel their shattered dreams and how injustice ate their innocence.

a contradiction that is Quiapo, a place of hope and a place of hopelessness.

years back

jintonic — Mon, 6 Aug 2007 23:36:00 GMT

I was in college deciphering plant life when I had my first taste of adventure. I always dreamed of travelling. I dream on how I could be lost in the streets of Morroco, having a afternoon coffee at Champ elysee, a sunset camel ride in the Great Pyramids and most of all a look at our planet from orbit.

During my college days we went to different areas, mostly for scientific purposes and such an adventure just to trek around isolate terrains, or sun bath for hours in an isolated marine sanctuary.

Before My idea of travelling is for fun filled experiences. But as I mature and began to look and feel the other side of the coin, my idea changes.

I grew up in Manila the capital of the Philippines, a busy city, Spanish influence can be greatly felt through out, old catholic churches, plaza the sietas, fiestas etc. The Philippines is such a fascinating country, specially now Im already an Expat and shipped myself right here at down under, i began to see the difference from a first world and third world. ( on which please note that Im totally against in tagging countries or sorting countries by the 1st and 3rd world, hey people we have only ONE world!)/

Though Manila has filthy air due to the jeepneys excessive Carbon monoxide emission ( I really miss riding those jeepneys..) For the sake of those who havent been to the Philippines, jeepney is a major public transport, its a customised american jeep that can hold upto 20 plus passenger, if your lucky you can even see a double decker jeepney.

Manila is composed of different spices all mixed up. A cup of La influencia ala Matador, with a spoonful of Eastern culture, a quarter of American pop and a mysterious spice only a Filipino know.

Such a marvel it is to grow in a city where a melting pot of idea and principle mixed up. I totally loved being a Filipino, though sometimes there are some not so fun incident to be proud of. Growing up, I saw and observed how indifferent society can be, how the gap of rich and poor affects every single grain of rice in a Filipino meal. I might have been young but surely my eyes dont fool me.

Travelling everyday from Espana to Ortigas and from Diliman I have a backpack of stories and experiences as I travelled everyday. In my exahustion of studying, and my back full of books of authors of whom I have a hard time in pronouncing and my filer filled with equations, samples, essays, doodles, etc.

I will share the stories I have from my day to day commute. You dont need a luxury ticket or a first class hotel. Best travel experience are those things you've seen and change you and make you a better person.