I’m back from the longest out-of-town vacation I’ve had since college. I’ve forgotten how it felt like to be “away”. Even my own bathroom feels strange. Do you ever get that namamahay feeling in your own house?  Anyway, I am up to my neck with material, I don’t know where to start. 

Here’s a quick preview. In the past few days, the things I’ve encountered are as follows: long airport waiting, heavy luggage, loud Korean neighbors, more seafood than one should be allowed to consume, churches, hills, forests, sun, sea, dolphins, islands, bridges, an insanely large snake, a transvestite lipsynching to karaoke songs next to the aforementioned reptile, tarsiers, rivers, waterfalls, watchtowers, the “drop-off”, fish, caves, birds, flying lemurs, and bright red sun-kissed skin. Wait….Make that sun-slapped. Fifty times over. I’m all sunned out.

I’m thinking about doing a blow-by-blow write-up of the trip.

Let me start with the most important tip I can give anyone with an epidermis: Do not be coy with the sunblock. When snorkeling, I suggest you dedicate a generous palm-full to the back of your legs. I’m not of the high maintenance, get-up-at-dawn-to-put-on-myself variety but the sensation of being burned is enough to compel me to shove this unsolicited advice down everyones throat.

In the meantime, I’m going to take a few days to heave.