Back to Basics

When the world was watching the most beautiful day in the universe for Miss Universe 2012. I was unexpectedly whisked away to be a 'survivor' in the mountains.

So, I was sleeping alright, then little by little I hear noises while I'm sleeping - a honk of a car, persuasive talks to and fro and then somebody yanking me out of bed to get dressed. Practically and literally a rude awakening. The unexpected wake up call at an ungodly hour just so we could drive to the mountains, yeah, seems like your another unexpected day. And so I made myself up in just 5 minutes and off we go.

The drive was pleasant, sharing a carpool with my mum, my aunt and my aunt's nephew, we head to my aunt's mountain cabin to deliver some local fingerlings to her fishpond in the mountains. Fishpond + mountains -yeah, same thought. How the hell is that even possible? But that curiosity is just half of the reason why I obliged to this lunacy, the other being promised to a decent breakfast. Anyway, it was around 20-30 minute drive from our house until we got to my aunt's ancestral house at the foot of the mountains. Just from there, you could already feel the change of atmosphere, more foliage and vegetation painted with all hues of green.

After unloading 2 bags of fingerlings from the car, we hiked to her small patch of land in the mountains. Now, I am not much of a nature girl, but I like hiking in a moderate phase. The hike up was almost 20-25 minutes, but it took me a lot longer because I was busy stopping over scenic spots to take a picture of.

Then for the rest of the morning, upon reaching our destination, an almost hectare of land with a lonely looking nipa hut and fruit bearing trees standing in abundance, we released the fingerlings to their new homes, owned a tree, munched down tropical fruits like coconuts and bananas and had a dandy day away from busy life, electricity and worldly lures.

In this place, there is no time, no complications and no thinking of what other people would think. It's an understanding between you and the whispers of the mountains - a little agreement of temporary sanctuary. You eat when you are hungry, you sleep when you want to sleep - it's the simple math of surviving in this place. And it is best to acquire that simple mentality when one decides to go back to reality.

Overall, it was a pleasant surprise after all. An unprecedented adventure of what it means to live simple, to live satisfied and to live contented.

Guess who rushed over to greet us.

Typical overhead foliage in a typical tropical country.

Lots of these white-flower bushes growing around the hiking trail. They call them "Silisilihan" 

To have a life in the mountains. It only gets simple as this.

Rocky road and river.
Now try saying that 10x.

A quick stop over for a photo op.

Resting.
I walk at a delicate phase.

The view above. After all the sweat and tears.

Little fishies.
Pretty ugly fishies, if you ask me.
Well, they are meant to be eaten not displayed in an aquarium.

FREEEEEEE~!
Fishies' new home.

So here's the evidence that you can make a fish pond on a mountain. Sneaky.

I plant thee...
TORCHWOOD~!
My aunt said that I could have any tree I want, and so - this.

Torchwood's bruises. 

Obligatory photo of me and Torchwood.
I've been wanting to have a tree for sometime now.

We want 'em coconuts puhlease~!

Wanna know where chocolates come from?
Answer: Cacao.
It is said that you suck all the sweet stuff inside, get them seeds, dry them and roast them.
And viola, the mystery of chocolate unveiled. 

Grabbing myself a chocolate.
Who says chocolates don't grow on trees? Liar!

Thirsty? Coconut juice perhaps?
Hungry? Eat the gooey stuff inside.
Angry? Throw them at someone.

Detective Inspector, I think we've got a murder case.

Make that a massacre, Detective Inspector.

Make that a serial killer.

The free mountains and some smoke to chill it all out.
Come on, I know you'd want to do it. 

EGZOITED.

Fruits: We are so screwed.

Murderer!!!
First time to try Cacao. Wonder what it taste like.

Pretty damn good to me.

Rippin off Coconut skin.
No biggie.

There are plenty of fish in the sea - and fishponds at the mountains.

Fishies saw me.
Thinks I'm food.

Guess what, mountains have take outs too.

You need a pool cleaner.

Death berries in Hunger Games.
Nah, just coffee beans.

How to sell Chicos.

1. Get your ass up in that tree and grab those Chicos.

2. Take out the crown using one half of a shell. Let the white stuff out. 

3. Soak em.

4. Dry em up under the sun for that nice shiny varnish.

5. Sell em in Biodegradable plastics. 

"Heyyyyyyy, Sexehhh Ladehhhhh~!!!!"

You haven't had your childhood, when you didn't try these.

Guess who got drunk last night~! 

Real Pointsentia. Kewl. 

Nifty Christmas Lanterns.

After the trek, it's eat-all-you-can-till-you-gain-back-what-you-lost-from-the-trek-time.

This lovely family adopted us for the morning.
Thank you~!

Timeless Childhood Memories.
Laughing hysterically while doing something you think is awesome.

Pretty faces. 

Road heading home.
Overlapping trees to greet us goodbye.

Low arching rainbow.

Headed off to my aunt's house to meet Shelley~!
Named after Sherlock or Sheldon.

She loves to run..... away from me.

And eat grass...

And go to mommy when I am approaching her.

Food~! Food~! Food~!

I see dead people~!

Nobody puts Yoona in a corner~!

Da-dum, da-dum, da-dum, da-dum, da-dum, da-dum, da-duuuuuuum
*FYI that's the Pink Panther theme*

I see you when you're sleeping~!
This is Laglag, our rescued Palm Civet from 3 years ago.

Now, he's this huge and fluffy and particularly fond of walls.

A one week old Labrador puppy.
Gah~! Why so cute???