Rush Hour

"Too many people miss the silver lining because they're expecting gold.” -Maurice Setter

It’s been a very hectic month of April for me but I have no reason to complain. On the contrary I love every minute of it. I wake up with the sound of beautiful music in my head and feel so light these days. Though there was a brief awkward moment and this happened when the boss asked for my passport for work permit re-chap and I had to tell them that it’s not with me at the time. I was supposed to give my notice letter on the same day but naunahan. So of course, they were caught in surprise and were aghast that I want to stay until 15^th May only. Discussions ensued but not for long. They decided they will wait for my passport which was supposed to arrive that same week before finalizing everything. And sure enough, it came (with a hefty collect payment price). So it was decided that my last day in Brunei will be on the 30^th April, earlier than I anticipated but I’m okay since I still have time to meet Jojo in PH, I can stretch my vacation until after May 18. Now I’ve finished all document deliverables and just waiting for my last project meeting. My garage sale is complete and my luggage is ready.

Since last week, I have been occupied with meeting up with friends. Thank goodness for internet we can still keep in touch and see each other’s adventures through the web. I just had open house with very tasty caldereta, Mimi’s mom’s specialty – chicken pandan and a humongous chocolate cake.



Saturday was shabu-shabu dinner at Fratinnis in Kampong Ayer - good food and ambiance that is uniquely Malay and Bruneian.

Sunday was late meryenda with a few gym friends.

Monday was delivery of last of my sale and sauna time for me. Carol is back in Brunei so we had late dinner with my fave Mango Fish. House guest was Mark, sitting in for the couple. Too bad Lucas is sick. Today and tommorow are last stretch for work hand-over. After that, its Manila baby! Hello traffic jam, noise pollution and air pollution but still, there’s no gimik life like Manila’s.

Importing Filipino Time

“Math tells us 3 of the saddest love stories. Tangent lines who had 1 chance to meet and then parted forever. Parallel lines who were never meant to meet. And asymptotes who can get closer and closer but will never be together.”

Les Mills Class Launch, my last launch class from FZ. And it had to be ruin by bad time management. They just could not agree on what time to start it. 6PM was the announcement but the first 2 classes started past 6:30PM and the third class started way before 6:20PM. That is such a bad customer service for me. It’s such a simple matter to organize a gym class event that I cannot fathom why they blundered on this one. So many members complain and I even heard some didn’t join the class because of this conflicting time schedule but I don’t think they really expressed it to management – it was all locker talk. For all the mishaps I witnessed during several events at the gym, I verbally relay it to the managers, instructors and receptionists. Most of these are Filipinos, in fact the gym is like 80% Pinoy staffed. So it was so heartbreaking to experience the repeated mistake amid the feedbacks I’ve already expressed to them. Trigger factor of my rant was when they did not want me to join a particular class because the dress code was red or/and white and I was wearing read & black. Why would I wear a gear that is far from the color code? Simply because the poster had the model wore my color and there was no announcement about the attire. Of course, they denied this saying they texted everyone. Well, clearly not everyone. And isn’t it a shame to refuse me to join the class when other guests – none paying participants (because the launch was for public and not restricted to members only) to join because of some attire code that I, a paying member of almost a year now, was not informed about? A Filipina receptionist lent me a white shirt which I wore and yes, I still joined the class though I was late. But I was steaming with anger. This should be the last of this mistake. I cannot take bad management sitting down and doing nothing especially if it affects me dreadfully. I wrote the management a very long email and they were kind enough to reply the following day. Now I’m at peace and have high hopes this will never happen again as the reply promised. It might reflect immediately to the Filipina manager but this has nothing to do with her personally. I like her as a kababayan, she’s fun to be with and is always the life of the party. But this is constructive criticism and I want to correct obvious mistakes. After all, it is a gym club and only positive energy is nurtured and welcome. No grudge please.

Eye Candy

“No pessimist ever discovered the secret of the stars or sailed to an uncharted land or opened a new heaven to the human spirit.” -Helen Keller

Bukit Shah Bandar is Brunei’s remarkable nature trail. And it’s free for public use and yet, very well maintained. How cool is that? It’s also just about 20minutes drive from the city and is just beside Empire Golf and Country Club should you wish to spend a lavish afternoon tea break after climbing the hills of Shah Bandar. Thank you very much Mimi for taking time and inviting me to see this place. Nakahabol pa before I leave and it was worth it. The whole experience was so unforgettable because it was mixed with so many ‘lost’ moments. First, I got in the wrong lane and ended in Trader’s Inn hotel and back to Gadong. It was my first time to drive there alone and the sign was put after the road separates and is hidden in the bushes. But that was a minor ‘lost incident’ compared to what was awaiting us on top of the hills. We started a bit late coz Mimi came from work and I got ‘lost’ on my way there so it was already 5:40ish when our walk started. By 6:30, we were exhausted and can only finish 1 trail. We reached the 4^th hut though and on our way back, Mimi decided to be more adventurous and try the other trail going down the hill. The sky was getting dark and with all the trees in the woods, it was even darker in the ground. After all, I read somewhere that only 5% of the sun’s ray reaches the forest ground. It was exciting though since it felt like we were in some adventure movie – ala Narnia, Lord of the Rings, you get the drift. After about 10 minutes and we cannot see any sign of parking area or highway and just trees abound us, Mimi confirmed that we were indeed lost. We decided to run back from where we came from and just use the trail we used going up. We had to run because it was already dark and the park closes at 6:30PM and it was way passed that time. Lost count how many times we said careful to each other because of the steep road, some paved, some rocky but all very narrow. By 7:20ish, were out of the jungle and were so glad to see the highway. Only 4 cars were left and there were 3 guys chatting there. Apparently, they were about to find the owners of the 2 cars – my and Mimi’s, and were sure we were lost. Told them our story and thanked them profusely.

To reward our hard work and triumph – coz we sure felt like amazing race winners, we had buko juice! Sure trench our thirst.

And final ‘lost’ moment for me as I can’t seem to reach Bandar. It was dark and again my first time to drive on that rode alone and at night. After so many turns, I finally got it. I could have enjoyed the ride it is was daytime and was not exhausted from walking and running. I missed Cel’s birthday party and I’m sure there were lots of goodie food – she’s a good cook, but I’m still happy over the whole event. Unforgettable indeed!

Couldn’t Be Anymore Chinese than Here

"Do not ask the Lord to guide your footsteps, if you are not willing to move your feet." -Anonymous

It took me to be located in a Muslim country to experience Chinese New Year full blast – open house lunches, afternoon snacks or pika-pika and dinner invitations from Chinese boss and acquaintances, and of course the most exiting part, am pao. The latter makes me feel like a young girl back in our streets knocking on neighbors doors on Christmas day asking for pamasko. Good old times. CNY is the only occasion that I’m actually on the receiving end of money. And it’s been a long time since that happens, $1:PHP25 pesos pa! LOL. I often see news about CNY celebration on TV and newspaper and back in Eastwood, it’s a week long celebration complete with all sorts of psychic reading – from tarot to palm reading and etc. But that’s the closest I was able to get. Not even when I was in college and one third of the class were Chinese. Not even that my Auntie’s husband is Chinese (he’s so Pinoy that he cannot speak Chinese anymore). Not even when I stayed in Penang where only a quarter my officemates were not Chinese and the fact that the island’s main inhabitants are Chinese. Not even when my ex is Chinese (well, that’s another story, hehe). In short, walang nag invite sken, lol (sounds bitter pero nde naman, reality lang).

So I’m glad I experienced CNY here and to personally witness how a big deal it was. My gym even closed on 7^th February, the 1^st day of the year of the Rat. It compensates for the almost non-existence of 31st December eve celebration here.

Muslim Weddings

"When love beckons you, follow him, Though his ways are hard and steep, And when his wings enfold you, yield to him, Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you. And when he speaks to you, believe him, Though his voice may shatter your dreams as the north wind lays waste in the garden. " - Kahlil Gibran

Another noteworthy experience is going to local weddings. Firstly, I have to thank Jocy and Mimi for lending me their baju kurung. It’s the local dress worn during formal occasions and as office formal attire for girls particularly with government employees. Our equivalent to Baro’t saya. But who wears them now, really? For local guys here, office attire is your regular Makati yuppie. They wear their traditional dress or Baju Melayu for formal occasions and prayer time.

You have to give kudos to the people here for having such true loyalty to their local attire. The more expensive Bajus are adorned with hand woven embroideries. During Hari Raya which is celebrated after fasting season and runs for one month, families usually wore dresses of the same garment. Super terno talaga, hehe.

In the picture is our client dressed in a majestic baju. It’s a week long celebration and we were invited by the groom, hence we were at his residence. The bride-to-be is in her own residence having a feast with her own guests. The groom will go to her place and his less than 6 steps walk from their doorway to the car must be covered under an umbrella.

Though the celebration stretches from 4 to 5 days, the days do not last long. Unlike in the Philippines where it could last for at least 3 hours (yan ay kung walang karaoke session to follow, lol). Each guest was handed a souvenir gift once they arrive. The female relatives will walk from table to table to shake hands or Salam with each female guest. The male relatives will go to the male guests and shake hands as well. Yes, females and males are seated separately. There will never be an opportunity to mingle and eye for single girls and guys here, too bad huh? After that, a prayer will start the celebration and the feast begins. As soon as the guests have eaten, all leftovers are up to grabs. Take-out or Tapao plastics are available and everyone dugs in. Everything usually takes less than 45 minutes and guests starts to go back home.

As for the newly weds, the celebration is ended with a honeymoon. Now that part is universal and no color or religion makes any difference. ^_^

Brain Meat

"One of the most valuable things we can do to heal one another is to listen to each other's stories." - Rebecca Falls

Another brilliant marketing strategy brought to you by a famous hotel (not just here I’m sure). I love meat but how can I lust for having a piece if it shows a picture of a whole cow? Cowabangga! He looks so cute and innocent that this ad actually forces me to go on fish and veggie diet. Nice job Sheraton.

Ano Daw?!

"Nothing in this world that's worth having comes easy." - Dr. Cox

Fitness Zone is promoting its café and is giving away free mugs for renewals and new members. But how can they possibly entice members like me to try their drinks when I get this feeling that it may somehow deteriorate my brain and my sense of spelling. What’s with the drink? Lead? Or maybe it’s a marketing strategy – pa shock effect. Well, if it’s the latter, they got me there, hehehe. I’m still not buying it though.

Oh Sweet Liberty!

Today's Thought: "It is not impossibilities which fill us with the deepest despair, but possibilities which we have failed to realize." - Robert Mallet

Mineral Water delivery does not exist here. You have to buy bottles in boxes or those containers that goes with a hot & cold dispenser. It's arms exercise and endurance everytime I buy a box and carry at most 3 bottles at 1 go. I live on the 3rd floor and there's no elevator. I might be a gym rat but the body's not build to carry boxes (even a guy would complain!).

It's just interesting and never fails to make me smile every time I got to read the box. I never thought this country is under siege and crying of liberation, hehehe.

In sickness and in health....There's Always a Medicine You Can Take

Today's Thought: “I'm so ugly - My mother had morning sickness - After I was born” - Rodney Dangerfield


I had slight flu and cold just last month, my first time to get sick while I'm based here. I went to our company doctor and was given these meds, 1 sachet for cold and 1 sachet for fever. I think the plastics' pretty cool, hehe. It's not a practice here to hand out any prescription paper so you can go buy them yourself. Instead, the meds are covered under sick leave (provided it was approved and signed by the boss) and are provided by government hospitals. All details are written in 3 languages - English, Malay and Chinese. The picture's a little blurd but these two just say that I should take 2 paracetamol tablets 4x a day & when necessary & before meals and 1 fedar(?) 3x a day & when necessary. If you ask me, the 'x a day' conflicts with 'when necessary' but who am I to question the doc? The result? I was sick for 1 more week and finally felt good after taking Neozep from a Pinoy friend. Pati ba naman sakit, brand concious?

Phuket Adventure Part II: Island Tour and Simon Cabaret

Today’s Thought: “It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.” - Franklin D. Roosevelt


It was a cloudy morning and it actually rained quite hard before we left the pier. But it didn’t dampen our 2^nd day adventure as we head off towards the sea and on to our sea canoeing adventure. I know PH also has beautiful caves but, as it was my first time to have a sea canoeing adventure, it was marvelous! I like the idea of lying flat on the canoe as we enter the caves. The flashlights were close to useless as it was totally dark inside. But as flashes of camera never ceased to pop up, we got a glimpse of how the caves looked like – totally eerie yet beautiful works of art. But it smelled bat poop everywhere that I breathed thru my mouth while inside these caves. I also was not sure if the water dripping from the ceiling were bat poop or just moist water. I honestly didn’t want to know. My disgust for the smell was easily lost to the breathtaking lagoon at the center of the island. There were mangrove trees and monkeys abound. One white guy said that God is truly the best architect of all – amen to that.


We went to 4 islands – Phanak Island, Hong Island, James Bond Island and Lawaya. We only had cave trips in the first two islands so I’m not sure if the popular James Bond has its caves as well. What I saw was souvenir stores within the island! We didn’t bother to check the goods they were selling as Shawie and I were busy taking pictures of ourselves. It was such a fun and hilarious moment as we took turns trying to catch each other’s jumping moment through camera. Our buffet lunch at the boat was also a delight although we didn’t have seafood except for fish. The last island, Lawaya Island, was quite a disappointment though. We spent almost an hour in Lawaya, the longest in any other islands we went to. We’re supposed to stay there for more canoeing and swimming. But my goggles and the underwater camera we bought were useless as the water was not clear and the sand had a mixture mostly of crushed pieces of shell. I don’t know whether it was because of the tsunami or because October was still a rainy season. We just contented ourselves babysitting for baby Diego, a 14 month baby of a Filipina and an Italian guy. Diego is such a cutie and so well engrossed with our colorful bright blue and yellow underwater camera. We used the film to shot Diego instead.

Went home tired and all dried up from the sea water. For dinner, we were craving for seafood and the whole place was packed with seafood choices. So the only thing we had to agree on was the ambiance to go for. It didn’t take us that long to agree that we wanted to dine in Banana Phuket. It was an open air restaurant at the back of the street and it looked cozy. It was and we weren’t disappointed with our food either. Thank goodness!

Last stop was the Simon Cabaret show. We got VIP tickets and same luck like last time; we were seated in front center. Yehey! Being picture addicts, we started taking pictures as soon as we got to the place. It’s just weird that there’s a Chinese altar by the gate entrance and a picture of their king at the hall entrance. I guess they always want Buddha and their King to bless their show and give them energy to entertain the crowd. And finally, the show every one was waiting for. It was a total cabaret show but too bad they just lip synch the songs. I’m used to gay performers in Manila belting out songs from their idols live so I was a little dismay. Most of their songs were slow and local songs. I didn’t mind it for the Fantasea cultural show but I was hoping here at Cabaret that they will imitate gay icons – Cher, Madonna, Cristina Aguilera and heck, even Britney Spears. They did a Gloria Gaynor song with mild applaud and Tina Turner to the delight of the crowd (okay, she was also my favorite). A nod on the show was the dance and song number from 2 funny gays. They weren’t sexy and pretty like the rest and that’s what their number was all about. They walked through the crowds and kissed guys and their heavy lipstick marks were left on the guys’ face. That sent the crowd to the roof laughing. As the show ended, all the lady boy performers lined up at the exit. They were encouraging people to take pictures with them, but they also asked for some money after. I didn’t have much so I just tried to take group pictures while they were busy poising for a shot with some foreigners. Kuripot, hehe.

I think the lady boys earn more in Phuket than real women whose job mostly is 200 baht worth of 1 hr Thai massage.

Phuket Adventure Part I: City Tour & Fantasea

Todays’s Thought: “To fear is one thing. To let fear grab you by the tail and swing you around is another.” - Katherine Paterson

I woke up to a beautiful Thursday morning, ready and excited about my trip to SG & Phuket. Only to be told at the airport that my multiple visa was already expired. To my shock and horror…and my fault, I just checked my working visa which is valid until April next year. The rush of blood I tell you! Felt like I’m part of Amazing Race Asia and I had to catch the next and last flight to SG that day and get my multiple entry before the immigration closes (until 2PM only since it's Ramadan). It was already 10AM and there was just no way I could make my 10:40AM flight. I had to call Shawie and tell her to reschedule our flight to Phuket as well. I guess, luck was still on my side that day so I manage to get my multiple by 1PM and just waited in my flat for the 9PM flight. Sayang, I could have been in SG that afternoon. I wanted to by a new SD for my camera before Phuket since mine always prompts an error (yes, parang PC may error message).

Shawie picked me up at Changi by midnight. And before 7am, we were at budget airport. T’was my first time to take budget airlines. It had an open tarmac so going inside the plane felt like a dramatic entrance for me. But we had to buy drinks and food inside the plane, hahaha. In fairness, the mushroom soup tasted nice, parang hindi galing sachet, lol.

9ish AM, Thailand time: The fun begins. But it was raining and the road was stiff and slippery. Shawie and I gave a sigh of relief coz we didn’t have to be driven to the hotel at midnight seeing how the road is. Kakatakot din and the driver of the van who picked us up drove like he’s having an LBM moment - lumilipad, sumisingit, parang jeep sa madaling araw! It was a 45mins drive so we just tried to enjoy the rainy scenery and chatted our way. It’s been a long while since we saw each other, bulk na ang chikka, hahaha. Halfway to our hotel, the sun welcomed us with its warmth. Yehey! So we were able to walk around a bit. It rained again but we were already on our way back to Royal Palm for a Thai massage. So relaxing at a cheap price – only 17BND.

After that soothing massage, we just changed clothes and was picked up by our tour van for buffet dinner and Fantasea show. It’s a good thing that we had a packaged tour since the van that picked us up also had to get the other tourists from other hotels. So we got to see other places in Phuket which we normally wouldn’t see coz there’s just far from us. Phuket has some of the amazing hotels ^_^.

Finally, Fantasea! Just seeing the entrance and the ticket booth is enough to take your breath away, so shinny and magnificent. Of course, Disneyland entrance is still better but Fantasea offers a different show. And EK has no chance to compete. It only has 1 wizard statue welcoming the guests where Fantasea has this Hollywood style sign and golden elephant displays at each corner of the entrance booth. And the painted ceiling tells of so many local stories pero di ko kinarir masyado, stiff neck ang magiging kapalit e.

We look around and took pictures and then headed to the Golden Kinnaree Buffet restaurant, the biggest buffet restaurant I’ve been to. It has 4,000 seating capacity. Shawie and I joked that our wedding or birthday should be held here. Bongga! Inside are statues of the mythical Kinnarees, half-bird and half-woman of legendary beauty and graciousness. So we had our dinner in a Thai mythology inspired atmosphere. Divine.

Few minutes before 9PM, the entrance at the Palace of the Elephants where the ‘Fantasy of a Kingdom’ will be shown opened. Unfortunately, no cameras were allowed and it had to be deposited at the entrance counter. On our way inside, we passed by a 2-3 booths that let you cradle baby tigers while they suck milk from a milk bottle (yes, kelangan i-mention saan) and have your picture taken. Wag n lang, takot pa din ako, hehehe. And finally the show: True to what it says in the internet, it was worth the money and the effort going there – a true Vegas style theater show with magical illusions, 4D effects, aerial performance, acrobatics, indoor pyrotechnics, special effects, elephant circus and stunts (in no particular order ha kasi minsan sama2x, ang saya!). And the stage is huge that it still has space left when all 16 elephants did their stunts. The whole show was one for the books, galing talaga. Then we felt sad realizing that PH does not have this kind of show when I’m sure we have so many talented artists. Baka walang makuhang elephants?

Next Stop: Phuket

Today’s Thought: “Destiny is not a matter of chance; but a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for. It is a thing to be achieved.” - William Jennings Bryant

I am so looking forward to my next trip! My friend Shawie recently asked me if I wanted to join her for a vacation in Phuket. I have been dying to go there since I was staying in Malaysia (zeon years ago, ganun na katagal). My friends back there chickened out for whatever reason and back in PH, I was just happy to go out of town with friends. So when Shawie asked me, I said yes immediately. I checked the website for direct flights to Phuket where we could just meet but also checked flights going to SG. Thought it’s a good idea if we go to Phuket together. It’s almost the same price so I opted for choice #2. Next is to finalize the date when were going there. It’s off peak season till month of October but my concern is my impending work meetings here. Thankfully, I was able to iron out my schedule with our client but the September flights have doubled its price. So we agreed to have our Phuket tour early October instead. Now, where to stay? So many choices!

This one looks promising ^_^ and within budget. What’s more, it’s fronting the Patong beach, the biggest and most popular beach in Phuket (according to website research). I hope it looks exactly the same when we get there.

Last night before going to bed, I checked my self in the mirror (oh, for the love of vanity!) and contemplate if I should start a diet for the beach trip. But I remember my cake, my sweets and my jasmine rice…. Don’t bother, I got my gym membership anyway, hehe.