the recent thing that broke my bank account is for the purchase of one-way ticket going to new zealand (quite a fortune). i got that by mid novemeber payday, and i thought that was my last pay within the calendar year 2008. checking my account this morning, and finding not only salary for the 2nd half of november but also christmas bonus is more than a relief!
in other things, i’ve recently received my transit visa to australia, and booked a hostel in wellington (nomads capital) for the first 3 nights. i’m feeling both anxious and excited. it is not my first time to wander alone, but this time, i am jobless, and the return flight back home is indefinite (i don’t even have the return ticket!), perhaps that’s the major difference from past travels.
at the moment, i only have 3 weekends left, and i always caught myself checking the calendar. contrary to most filipinos abroad going home for christmas, i am leaving during christmas. it may seem untimely and you can sense the inanity that amidst the global crises, i’ll sprout in a foreign land and go find a job. in fact, new zealand is already in recession, first time in a decade, since the middle of this year, and adding the approaching holiday mood, the scenario we have now almost dictates the impossibility of finding a suitable employment even before my landing in the country. a lot of people asked me why not postpone the trip until next year, when businesses get back to normal. it has become clear that my approaching move to nz, at least for the first months, is a vacation i can’t afford. but having said that, i can not delay my entry to the country as my visa restricts me from doing so on a later time. it would be a complete waste of money, effort, and opportunity if i don’t give this one shot.
so as simple as that, i’m going.
south-east asia → philippines → rizal → tanay
leaving angono at noon, we continued going east to the town of tanay for daranak falls. it’s more or less an hour from angono, (angono is 2 hours from binan at speedy driving without traffic) passing by towns of binangonan, cardona, morong, and baras. ‘had a stop over lunch first in chowking, where each of us gorged a meal at least for 2 persons! it’s hilarious that the waiter had to clean up the table in between meals! the stopover (in crossing with jolibee and chowking) was perfect as nearby alley on the left (facing eastward) is the way to daranak falls. the road becoming more and more remote, rice paddies, and then a quick rally off the rough road down to danarak, which was a bit frightening and exhilarating at the same time!, we then reached daranak falls. there’s an entrance fee of 20 pesos each, and another 20 pesos fee for the parking. since we only knew that we were going to danarak falls on that very day, some of us had to buy shorts at the venue. good thing i was wearing shorts already, and i brought an extra pair.
the amount of food we had earlier is easily digested by the swimming effort we had. there’s a small cave-like formation at the bottom right of the falls, and to get there, you had to get across the gushing water in between 2 falls facing each other (opposing waves!), and the water as deep as 30 feet didn’t help much! we rented a medium-sized salbabida and sharing it for all 4 of us, we looked more than dumb!! the water was so cold that it took a few moments before i get in, but it was clean and tastes good! the rocks on the sides of the falls is shaped good enough to climb on, and from here, the water splashes downwards hitting your back, a very relaxing experience, really one with nature.
pictures of course, we even asked kuya (salbabida keeper) to take pictures of us, and a couple of jumps from the falls (not from the very top of course!! though that sounds enticingly good!), we started packing up and head our way going home. we’d actually gone in circle as on the way back, we decided to continue on east, then south encircling the province of laguna beginning with mabitac, siniloan, pangil, passing pagsanjan, reaching los banos (a quick stop for buko pie), then to calamba for expressway, and exit at carmona for binan. this route is traffic-less, however, this will traverse mountain sides (sierra madre?) so there’s some needle-sharp turns, lot of uphills, but the scenery is topnotch classic province!
Route info:
Biñan, Laguna -> Pasig, Metro Manila -> Angono, Rizal -> Tanay, Rizal -> Laguna (east part) -> back Biñan, Laguna = ~240 kms = or Php. 588.00 worth of unleaded gasoline
Total travel time (on the road) for the entire route: ~6 hours
Danarak falls fees:
Ps. 20.00 / head
Ps. 20.00 / car for parking
Ps. 50.00 / table
More pics -> here
south-east asia → philippines → rizal → angono
celebrated in the town of angono, in rizal province, higantes (giant) festival or feast of san clemente (patron saint of fishermen) is every 23rd of november. i remember last year it was on a weekday and i can’t skip work so last sunday was a good chance. ‘went there with some hs friends, mark, arvin, and jp, and left binan a bit past 6 in a sunday morning. not unusual from most of our trips, not much was planned and we only have a rough guide on how to get there, which was eventually ignored completely. going to angono, rizal, is heading east from pasig. the route was to go straight C-5, ahead pass the first flyover, and then turning right in ortigas avenue (below a 2nd flyover). then, followed the national road, and after a couple of stops asking bystanders directions, we reached angono, rizal.
dubbed as the art capital of the philippines, this town produced 2 national artists, lucio san pedro in music (sa ugoy ng duyan) and carlos “botong” francisco for arts. higantes, or giant, are vibrantly colored paper maches molded at a height reaching 12 feet. history says that the higante tradition is dated back when angono was a spanish hacienda. to cut expenses, spanish landlords banned all kinds of celebration save for an annual fiesta. filipinos, known for its cunning way of making indirect retaliation, created oversized caricatures of their amos, and apparently most have been so pleasant that even landlords were entertained, and kept the tradition to date. the higantes are made with various materials ranging from plaster of paris, sundried newspaper molds, to rattan and bamboo for structure and support. each is decorated uniquely, and made mobile by one man inside the hollow frame. there’s a small gap in the center part of the frame so the carrier can peek what’s happening outside. i suppose it’s a bit heavy and uncomfortable inside.
there are 2 parades actually. one on a saturday and one last sunday. last sunday is the basaan parade, where it’s almost impossible not to get wet as people will not hesitate to freshen you up with a big bucket of cold water even if you’re carrying a camera as defense! knowing this, i brought extra shirts for change. we walked around bayan and palengke, and then, we joined the parade as it’s more roomy walking along the parade’s flow rather than on the sides. my camera had its share of cold water splash, and at a sari-sari store, i asked for a plastic bag for some extra protection. people are very very friendly and happy. they would pose at your camera with ever eagerness. a lot even yell “PICTURE!! PICTURE!!”, a way of requesting to take a picture of them. however, i learned that saturday’s parade was more photogenic as it features more higantes, carabao race, and more dancers, but minus the fun of getting wet. after walking along the parade route for several streets, we decided to stop and head back to national road.
you wake up in an ordinary day. still in stupor yet you take a morning shower. you dress up for work, and leave your house. you beat the traffic. you head to office. you greet the guard. you walk straight to your cubicle, and you know you can do this even with eyes closed as you even know how many steps it takes to reach your desk. you unload your bag. you turn on your workstation. a quick trip to the pantry for your early dosage of caffeine. you check emails, non-work related first. you start with your official work. then, it’s lunch. you eat. some conversation around. you were even happy. back at your cube, you were called for an impromptu meeting. at the HR. where they revealed something you least expect. they made you sign an agreement. you had no choice. the guard you greeted earlier escorts you down. you leave the office. for your last day at work. grasping a thick paycheque. 5 months worth. not bad. not good either.
recently, they had some reduction of work force at the office…the recession is getting on its ultimate toll. for all you know, i am resigned so i carry some kind of immunity. but it makes me think this is probably the wrongest time to be without job.
wala ka bang pambayad ng pasahe sa jeep? o bus?
madali yan kung pulis ka. napansin nyo ba na hindi sila sinisingil? o kaya’y pag-nagbabayad sila, ito’y tinatanggihan ng driver o kunduktor? kahapon sa bus papauwi, katabi ko ‘tong si mamang pulis. aba, garapal pa at naniniknik, gusto sya pa ang nakapasok ang upo bagkus sya iyong huling dumating. nasa huling bahagi kami ng bus. si manong kunduktor ang singil mula unahan. bibong nag-tetext pa itong si pulis-garapal nang maya’t maya pa’y pumikit na at nagtulog-tulugan. papalapit na kasi si kuya at maniningil na ng bayad. sabi nga nila, ang pinakamahirap gisingin sa lahat ay yaong mga taong nagtutulug-tulugan. lumikot akong sadya nung huhugutin ko ang aking pitaka para magbayad, at para baka sakaling magising si pulis-garapal at makitang bayaran time na. aba’y hindi natinag ang mokong. pagkatapos ng bayaran, namulat ang bibo at itinuloy ang pakikipag-text nya.
hay…kahit saan talaga may pulitika, may kurapsyon…
o baka naman karapatan talaga ng mga pulis ang libreng pasahe? at ganun ako ang mali. patawad.
yesterday i brought item with me heading to work. i had a call at 8 in the morning, and was just leaving the house around 7, so needed to be at the office in the shortest time possible. bringing a car going to office is something both desirable and not. yes, it would take me to the office quick without having to get on a 2-tricycle-a-jeepney- and-2-bus journey one-way, which normally would take at least 2 hours. not only bringing a car would cut this travel time into half, it’s also less exhausting, no toxic fumes i have to breathe in, easy to manoeuvre and run into errands, and safer (i suppose). the only drawback is that it’s costly. although unleaded gasoline price has dramatically decreased already, express way toll and parking fees is something unchanged and travelling alone, i shoulder all of these expenses. anywho, i forgot to mention that i’ve bought a ticket already. i believe last friday was my last pay to receive within the calendar year 2008 and i had all of these gone (well, not even sufficient i added more) for the ticket. the remaining pay, plus the bonus will be all part of my final pay, which i would probably get as a cheque not until next year. one-way fare to wellington is $800 (US). this is the cheapest i came across after all canvasses and search in the web. it comes with an allowance of 40-kg check-in, and a 12-hour layover in sydney. so, i had to apply for a transit visa. australian-nz VIA center is along pasay road with banco de oro at its lower ground. ‘had a short errand during lunch hours yesterday to pass my transit visa application. from the web, transit visa is free, but really, it has a service/handling fee of 600 pesos and not bringing enough cash, i had to walk from VIA to the nearest bpi atm cashmachine in greenbelt. also, requirements must be submitted inside a long brown envelope, and since every applicant knows nothing about this, each is forced to buy their inflated envelope at 5 pesos. not really complaining, but i guess it would have been better if they put all these infos from their website. ========================== on other things, anyone from angono, rizal? puede maki-fiesta sa linggo?!? haha
things have become very busy at the office..i’ve to finish a task but the spec was so incomplete and confusing that i have no choice but to submit half-baked programs along with a list of things to confirm. sadly, there is no business analyst this time, and from previous work experience, i know what to expect these days.
anywho, i almost forgot to notice that yesterday was exactly a month before my last day in the office. december is hurriedly coming, and its first weeks will probably be filled by christmas parties, etc., and probably a despedida with family and some relatives. i don’t know..we’ll see..
a lot of people, including bosses and colleagues thought i have a job, or someone to stay with initially in nz. but because there’s nothing waiting for me there, everything will be from scratch. now, i value time more than ever. of course, the net has been so valuable in finding hostels, possible shared apartments, tickets, banks in nz, and jobs. for now, i plan to stay in the cheapest bunk in wellington at a rate of $14.43 (US) a night, and then visit a couple of apartments, open a bank account, secure an IRD # (tax identification in nz), the works, etc..at least i think those things will keep me busy for the first few days!
people around are suprised that i don’t have anything written in stones at the moment. the truth is, i still don’t have tickets! but i’m in the final stages of canvassing, asking travel agents for cheapest fare, and even migrant fare if possible. i hope to finalize the air ticket by next week.
i also plan to sell some stuff that i won’t be bringing with me. so, ‘will probably sort out and post an ad here soon.
this is the song boston by the band augustana. shame we missed their concert in minneapolis together with one republic…i just did a quick record, so not the whole song.
common reactions from friends when i mention that i’ll be moving down to kiwiland is “do people even exist there?” or “would you not freeze yourself there?” while it might be true that new zealand’s humankind population is lesser than its sheep inhabitants, some decent civilization still exist in the country.
new zealand may not be as famous as other countries like australia, canada, or united states. geographically, it seems to be isolated. probably this distance, being away from other countries led to the misconception that all in new zealand are sheep, and more sheep. most of us get the idea what new zealand looks like from the media. take a look at lord of the rings, and lewis’ narnia perhaps: endless of green pasture, wild vegetation, souring snow-capped mountains mirrored perfectly on a stagnant lake. it undoubtedly appears to be serene, peaceful, but also dull and boring for some.
so before anything else, i’d like to let you know, my dear readers, that i won’t be exploring the forest of fangorn or the hills of the middleearth. new zealand is not all about trees, hills, and mountain side civilization. they have capital cities, buildings, and advance infrastructures. in fact, the tallest free-standing structure in the southern hemisphere, the sky tower, is in auckland. in the country’s 2 major cities, auckland and wellington, it almost doesn’t even get any snow! well “almost” meaning once in about a hundred years according to records..and i think that is something most of us can live with. however, there is regular snow in the southern islands, but overall the temperature is not extreme as it seldom reach -10C.
water drains the other way around in southern hemisphere. now, this is a false statement. the coriolis force and effect is true to some extent but the drains we have and toilets, for example, are so small that the force is almost negligible. thus, the way water swirls in our drain is more caused by how the water was directed or the structure of the sink drain. turned out, new zealand is not as strange as you think!
the country’s population is 4.2 million, which is not so plenty. but this figure is expected to rise because of the continuous influx of migrants over the next years to come. by comparison, metro manila alone is more than 11 million already. just like the united kingdom, canada, and australia (among others), queen elizabeth ii is the country’s reigning monarch.
and most important of all, i won’t be getting milk, grapes, and eggs as compensation but real paper money like you do. maybe. or maybe not.
by the way, new zealand is having its general election today, november 8, 2008.
Hallo ´ti! Wie geht es Dir?! Mukhang laking project nyan ha? means laki kita! Goodluck! I am proud of you… keep it up!
goodluck jeremy!
saludo ako sa yo master
Jeremy and his last 2 days at the casino.
hi shiela! salamat sa pag-bisita! maybe life on a backpack, backpack gamit ko eh, hehe.
hello, je! musta na? just hang in there.. 
you can write a book abt the life on a suitcase..
thanks for dropping by!
Hey! Jere don’t give up…
hi ramil, i know it’s really sad, but each of us is different..just hang in there! you’ll know when to give up. haha “)
thanks carmi, will see you soon i guess!!
Jere!! I like that “Im not frightened because whats ahead of us will be better!! AJA!!!! AJA!!!
I feel for you bro… i am in the same predicament… hope we can have a cup of coffee before you leave…
Jeremy is workaholic = needs money.
Jeremy believes it’s going to be easier.
thanks!
belated happy birthday je~! ^___^
Haberday Je!!! Wala na ako kasabay mag bday 
haberday!
mabuhay ka master!!!
pakshet sabi na nga ba yan ung ninong kong koreano e…HARHAR
