yeah, well… it’s nice to brag and tell envious strangers and semi-acquaintances that you’ve been to the philippines’ last frontier and got to see all the stunning islands displayed on videokes.

but you know what, i find it so much nicer when i see them on television (whether in videokes or documentaries or whatever) and i hold a mental conversation with the islands and their rock formations which almost always starts with: “hey, i know you!” followed by a series of nostalgic memories which immediately transport all my senses back to the sound of the motorized boat running against the white waves rushing forward to greet me with a cold splash on my arms and face as i taste the saltiness of the water on my lips.

i like those private moments with myself better. because, really, i may not memorize each and every groove of the rock formations nor remember exactly where they stand but the moment i see them again, i smile in spite of myself because i just had a chance encounter with a long-lost friend.