h 2 o
It's been a while since my last entry here which only means that I've been really busy with my work and ship/social life. But that was a month ago. Now I'm just chillin! I'm actually back to the O-dam, my favorite ship but I also had good times on the Ryndam, my first ship this contract. And I would like to show you some good stuff from that ship...
And because of the Ryndam, I was able to see and experience Hawaii! Good times! From Kona to Hilo, Nawiliwili and Maui and an overnight stay in Honolulu... Augh! I wouldn't mind doing it again! Even if it's like five seadays to reach hawaii from LA. And I really didn't waste anytime to explore, swim, surf and even SKYDIVE!! Whoahoo!
I wasn't really excited when I was watching the other people jumping. It all gathered up when I put my feet on the exit door of the plane that I finally asked myself, "the F*ck am i doing?! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" But it was all worth it. 14 000ft, 1 minute free-fall and I have all the photos and the DVD to prove it! Oh, and I also got a certificate! Thanks to Mike/jumper and Georgie/photo&video.
MAHALO HAWAII!
digitalindio® sniffed some more @ 1:25am
LEAVING
ERNESTO...
I left the
Philippines again on the 26th of August, 2006 to fly to Miami for my
Environmental Refreshers Course. I couldn't get a direct flight so I
have to fly to San Francisco first then to Chicago then to Miami. I
arrived in Miami a day early for my training so I got the chance to
relax first, enjoy the jacuzzi, watch the telee and browse the net for
free! I love La quinta!
Today, I'm leaving Miami to find refuge in Seattle. I would be
happy to stay and experience my first hurricane and see how strong
Ernesto is but its also a good thing that I'm going. Not only I'm
spending an overnight in Seattle but I got to meet my friend Tanya as well. And as for now and
to what the sign in front of me says, "Fasten your seatbelt while
seated!"
digitalindio®
sniffed some more @ 9:25am; Miami International Airport LOST & FOUND
There are a couple of things I would like to write about, some things I might have lost and the things I gladly found...
It's been almost two weeks since I've been home. Besides my immediate family and relatives, I was very excited to see my friends on the very night I
arrived in the Philippines. My friend's boyfiend's exhibit opened that night at The Crucible Gallery at SM Megamall and everybody was there, including me.
On the night I was packing my suitcase, I lost my 1 gig Sandisk Compact Flash Memory Card for my Nikon D70s camera. I thought it must be somewhere inside
my suitcase but to my utter disappointment, it's nowhere to be found. On the other hand, on my flight from Amsterdam to Frankfurt, while I was sitting
comfortably near the window and the plane was about to take off, an old German businessman suddenly moved to the seat next to me and on the floor he noticed
something.. I am so curious a looked down as well when he picked it up. As he was checking it, he noticed me checking my pockets as well. Thinking it's
probably mine, he handed me the black 4gig iPod nano! Without much hesitation but of sincerest gratitude to the German guy who doesn't speak English, I
calmly took the Ipod and slid it safely into my pocket as if it's really mine!Hehe. I was glad the flight to Frankfurt was only an hour and a half long
because I don't think I could pretend I was just sleeping any much longer. As soon as I get on the flight to Manila, I've already personalized my new iPod
Nano!
Yesterday, I attended the 2006 CINEMALAYA Philippine Independent Film Festival. I went there to watch my
friend's short film Gee-Gee and Waterina but I ended up watching another friend's full length entry Ang Huling Araw ng Linggo/The Last Day. It
has been a really nice experience for me. I missed mingling with these kind of people; film critics, enthusiasts, indie filmmakers and my film school
classmates and friends. I felt so at home and so happy that day.
Now I remember why I'm busting my ass to work on ships. I am saving for my vision. I am going to produce my own contributions to the Philippine
independent film movement. Thank God I attended this event (besides the accidental meet up with my college MU) I was able to remember I'm still a filmmaker.
Life is all about losing and finding. And there's one more thing I am really certain now...
digitalindio® sniffed some more @
05:25pm
Take Me to the Kasbah!
I've stepped on five out of the seven continents so far. Africa being the latest addition, specifically Morocco. I'm so amused by the moroccan culture. It's an African country with mostly Arab/Islamic people that speak French (sometimes Arabic and Berber). Moroccans could get quite annoying though, when they'll try to harass you to buy they're stuff and forcibly escort you to anywhere you would want to go. Visiting Morocco is quite an experience, especially the camel ride.
Oh, and when I was on a tour in Casablanca, I saw something very interesting. When the guide said, "If you look into your right, you'll see the Cultural Center"... and there it was, a big billboard of Billy Crawford's concert! Whoa! And it's actually today, if I remembered right!
I just had the biggest smile on my face that day!
digitalindio® sniffed some more @ 12:25am
And So I Shaved!
I just finished celebrating my birthday with my "sea-friends" at the petty officers bar. I am so happy I must admit. I've just been here for a month but I do feel very special. My friends decorated the place with balloons and banners, complete with foods and a cake! I loved the cake, it's got my name on it! The party wouldn't be complete without the karaoke. Everybody had a great time! I hope... Haha... At the end I had a $345 barbill but who cares, it's my birthday!
digitalindio® sniffed some more @ 5:25am
WOW! The Amazon Experience.
These pictures are not enough to show how much I've enjoyed south america, especially the amazon! I fell in love with the people, the food, the music and especially the language. My next mission... learn Portuguese... I'll be back Brazil!!!
digitalindio® sniffed some more @ 7:25pm
ARUBA, ARRIBA!
We were in Aruba yesterday. I went on a very nice tour; we board a catamaran, we snorkel, went to the beach and party on the way back! I started drinking at about 9am, the moment the guide said it's an open bar. The tour finished at about 130pm and I'm on my 2nd glass of rum punch and 5th glass of aruba arriba. I went back to the ship to pick-up a friend and by 3pm, I saw myself at Carlos and Charlie's with a shot of tequila being poured into my mouth! The whisling stopped at 545pm and I went back to the ship to have dinner with another friend and next thing I knew, I'm back at Carlos and Charlie's again with a new set of drinks in front of me! The dancing stopped at 1015pm because we have to be back onboard by 1030 but the party didn't stop there. I had my last drink of bacardi silver at the OB at about 1am today. Whew! Ching Ching to my drinking career!
FYI. I tried to ask for the whereabouts of Natalie Holloway but I couldn't find her either. Mission Failed! Augh!
digitalindio® sniffed some more @ 11:25am
Remember, Remember... The Fifth of November...
My 4-day stay in Miami is finally coming to an end. I'll be flying to Amsterdam again tonight to get another Shengen Visa, then spend the night there
and fly to Barcelona the next day with quick stops at London and Frankfurt to join my first ever ship, the elegant explorer, the ms Prinsendam. I'll be
joining the ship as the new Assistant manager of Production (AMP)/Lab Manager, a totally different job compared to what I used to do, the first time I was
there. I'm a bit scared about my new post and responsibilities but my exitement of finally doing the amazon and south america cruise get me all over the
fright for now.
During my 4-day stay here at Miami Dade, I spent most of my time sleeping, swimming and working out. I spent about a whole day (total estimate) at the net
as well, downloading digitalindio® sniffed some more @
2:20pm
THOU SHALL BE PROUD!
For the final time, I belt my heart out again, singing Natutulog ba ang Diyos during my last performance in the Noordam's Filipino Crew Show. I'm
always proud not only of myself (haha!) but also of the rich and interesting culture that we Filipinos onboard the ships, present to the guests. And though I
might be transferring to another berth, that wouldn't stop me to perform and present the pride of every Juan dela Cruz.
And speaking of pride, I am so happy to realize about the simple accomplishments i've done mostly to my being. I was sitting on American Airlines Flight
1121, seat 32a, bound from San Juan, Puerto Rico to Miami, Florida when suddenly I realized how confident and comfortable I am, travelling alone across
different continents and timezones, walking alone in the streets of New York and Miami during wee hours of the night, compared to the fright and insecurities I've experienced when I first did my solo travel from my house to my primary school. Memories of me, riding the
bus to my university also keeps on flashing in front of me, everytime I'm sitting on a plane with my face close/almost touching its window. Whew! Reminiscing, always feels good!
digitalindio® sniffed some more @
1:30am
KISS ME, I'M IRISH
A week ago, and perhaps after a month and a half without any decent party on the ship, the nights become alive again when the musicians onboard threw a party
in honor of St. Patrick! It was a fun Irish night at the Officer's Bar (OB) filled with live celtic music and overflowing supplies of authentic Irish
booze!
Before this party, I was asked by the organizers to be one if their special guests to sing a U2 song. And I picked Angel of Harlem (due to
peer pressure, actually), a song I barely even know, pardon my ignorance. And as I expected, I f*cked up my entire performance! Augh! It's just a good thing
that there's not that much people at the OB during that time cos I'm really out of tune, out of rhythm and I was all over the place. I'm so embarassed it
hurts my ego more than having your right foot stepped on by a lady in high heels when a New York subway train suddenly stops ( which unfortunately happened
to me as well just recently).
digitalindio® sniffed some more @
3:05am
Or maybe I am DUTCH!
It only seems yesterday that I stayed in this hotel (well, its only been 6 weeks to be exact since the last time I was here) to spend a night before joining my ship. I was discharged by my beloved mothership to join the newest ship of the fleet in Italy tomorrow. I'll be flying from San Diego to Atlanta then to Amsterdam to get my Shengen Visa then to Venice to set-up my new home.
digitalindio® sniffed some more @ 04:45pm
Vamos A La Playa
After doing video for the past three consecutive special cruises, I was able to enjoy my free time now, going to the beaches of mexico and sometimes just make myself happy by cavorting at the pools of any nearby hotel resorts.
First stop, Cabo San Lucas. Destination, Medano beach. My lab manager and I spend our time under the hot mexican sun, drinking beers and pina coladas by the pool of The Nikki Beach Hotel whilst the other team members enjoy their first jetski adventure.
Next stop, Mazatlan. Destination, La Playa Bruja. In search for the best surf spot, we endured the 20 minute bus ride to what seem to be the end of Mazatlan. The place did not disappoint us. The waves are a bit cruel but the friendliness of the locals and the delicious mexican foods they serve made us forget the gruelling battles we had with the sea.
digitalindio® sniffed some more @ 1:25am I Remember the First Time, The First of Many Nights...
The best party I've ever experienced onboard happened on New Year's eve. There's party on every lounges starting at 9pm then everybody gathered together at the show lounge at 1130pm to celebrate the countdown. Fifteen seconds before 12am the countdown begun and at the strike of the new year, the captain rang the ship's bell and balloons begin to drop, confettis flew everywhere! I just couldn't explain every detail but I really felt very happy that time! It was more festive than the christmas eve celebration probably because there's no religion involve here. Everybody just celebrates the turn of a new year. After the countdown everybody went to the Crow's Nest, the ship's topmost bar/lounge to celebrate more! We were dancing and drinking 'til about 3am.
This week has also been the best cruise for me, starting the cruise with a bang and having another crew party last jan 5th, I couldn't ask for more things to happen. I also regained my spot at the Filipino Crew Show, making myself famous again by singing Natutulog Ba Ang Diyos? using my own rendition. The three shots of tequila, a margarita and charos blanco that I induced during the day at Puerto Vallarta plus another shot of Remy Martin XO brandy before the show sure helped me give an outstanding performance. Everybody agrees I was great on the show! Passengers told me I should consider pursuing my singing carreer cos I have such a soulful voice and a lot of feelings when I sing. I was really surprised that they really liked the song eventhough it's in Tagalog. This just show how good music connects everybody, it has no language at all.
digitalindio® sniffed some more @ 8:04pm
10/08/06
Team Photo, Victoria B.C.
Pacific Skydive, Northshore O'ahu,Hawaii
08/29/06
It's about past midnight when my Turkish roommate and soon-to-be
manager Serhat Akin arrived. It was a nice meeting. I mean I
thought it would be a bit awkward considering I would be working as an
assistant to this guy but he seems nice. I just hope he stays nice
always cos not only we'll be sharing rooms from now on until we got to
join our ship somewhere in Alaska but we'll be working together for
six months as well.
My company's main office in
Miami
07/23/06
Straight from Amsterdam to Cubao, QC
The fruit of my labor!
I am ready to land!
06/15/06
Then: I used to only smoke one. Now: I'm actually riding it!
05/20/06
Celebrating another year at Half Moon Cay, Bahamas! Whoahoo!
05/18/06
With the BoiBumba Dancers in Parintins
Docked in Santarem
Prinsendam Staff and Crew during the Manaus Night Alligator Hunt
05/02/06
Since the day I stepped on the Prinsendam, I've been very busy not mostly with work but with other extra-curricular activities! I joined the international crew show, one of the highlights of the grand world voyage, we did a modern dance and I was also a part of a quartet that sang an acapella. Been also busy frequenting the Officer's bar, the Petty Officer's bar, the different parties at the crew bar and I've been quite busy hosting guests into my solo cabin. Socializing and making friends in short.
Gasolina Dancers
Aruban Impression: Redel drinking Balashi.. Hik!
04/6/06
Time to face those waves again!(porn) some good stuff. It only stopped when I recently got a bug and all this pop-ups.. Augh! I also went to the Mall of the
Americas to kill some more time and watch a movie. Two years ago, I was in the same mall to watch Kill Bill 2 and the cashier charged me the student price.
She even gave me a copy of the limited edition "Spiderman: The Punisher" comics. God, how old does she think I am? Anyways, back to the present, I purchased
a seat that day for the movie V for Vendetta, and guess what, after two years, they still charged me the student price! I'll be back there again,
say,three years from now... Hehe.
03/29/06
This is the way to perform!
03/26/06
GREEN is for St. Patrick!
01/21/06
I'm going to miss Mexico...
01/12/06
Let's do the surfers' walk!
01/07/06
FREE ROUND FOR EVERYONE! IT'S ON ME!