Having seen and liked the place where we’re staying now for the rest our 3-day getaway in Boracay, andrea and I couldn’t help but think about more additions to our dream house. Since the place we’re staying is located along the beach front, it is adorned by several native decors, beautifully handcrafted ornaments and several other accessories that give the place a local ambiance.

The furnitures are very simplistic but elegant. All the beds seem to have been taken straight out from the Fashion Bed Group or the Hillsdale Furniture catalog of Home and Bedroom - a famous furniture store. The living room is very cozy and, at the same time, spacious. There’s also a very nice bar adjacent to the kitchen surrounded by classy Bar Stools that flank its edges. Everything seems to have been well chosen and beautifully arranged.

We were so impressed with the design that I had to draw the layout on a scratch paper just to be able to remember it in case we already start drawing the designs for our dream house. I want to be able to incorporate all the elements in our house the same way this place does with all the different areas - living room, kitchen, bar, and dining room.

Since we’re both tired from the long travel, andrea and I can’t bear to think about doing so many things this afternoon. We’re too spent for a long dip in the beach, too tired to try out the various rides and activities, and too lazy now to be doing any strenuous exercises.

So instead of going all out to enjoy our first day in Boracay, we just simply took a quick swim in the beach, rinsed in the pool, and had ourselves an hour-long full massage. I know it may not be much but we don’t want to look too haggard for the wedding tomorrow. I mean, that’s the primary reason we’re here anyway so we have to consider that our number 1 priority. Besides, mateo is already providing us enough exercise to try anything else.

Now, after the wedding, that’s going to be a different story…

I’m not exactly a water lover nor a water sports enthusiast but I am, however, a fan of adventure. This is why I never miss out on opportunities that come my way. In fact, andrea and I always make it a habit to check out all the different activities that are available in each place before we visit.

Right now, for example, since we’re in Boracay, we’re thinking of trying out the popular activities here which are basically snorkeling and para-sailing. And as part of our plan, we’ve talked to the locals about the rates for each session and inquired about the guides for the said activities. But just to be safe, we also surfed the net to get more information. Since we’re staying for a good 3 days, we plan on making the most out of this stay. That’s how we work!That’s is how we planned our Boracay getaway.

Next year, however, who knows? Maybe, another friend of mine will want to get married, this time in Pennsylvania and we’ll get invited again. Andrea and I would probably try out whitewater rafting by then. Which means I have to start talking to Whitewater Challengers - the authority in water adventures in Pennsylvania.

Never mind about regrets for trying. They are much more short-lived than regrets about not trying at all.

I was 10 years old, when I last visited Boracay so my memories of the place were a bit hazy. The images are a little doubtful and the stories seem to be a bit blurred (as to which parts are imagined and which parts actually happened). But if there’s one thing I’m sure I never forgot, it was the feeling of certainty that Boracay was definitely the best beach I’ve ever seen s0 far.

It all came back the moment my feet touched the sand. I remembered how nice and soft it felt. The absence of rocks and parcels of coral, the clarity of the water, even the beauty and glow of the sea all looked pleasantly familiar as I recalled the images of the paradise I’ve seen almost seventeen years ago - paradise that is Boracay.

Now, I’m sure the images in my memory were all true. Now I know that the stories and images that I remember are not distorted. Now I’m certain… certain at last… that I’ve returned to paradise.

Young as we are, Andrea and I still think about our retirement. We like to imagine and plan how we want to spend it. We know some older people who are burdens to their children when they grow old and they cannot support themselves anymore. We’ve often talked about not wanting to be a burden to Mateo and our other future children when we can’t be part of the workforce anymore. That’s why we are always on the lookout for possible investments so that we may have some amount ready for our retirement. It might be a good idea to start a trust deed with Diamond Bay Investments. One could get as high as a 12% return rate on high yield first trust deeds and hard money lending systems. It’s ideal for a retirement investment for Andrea and me. That would surely make us sleep in peace at night.

Traveling can be very boring especially if the scenery rarely changes. But I guess this is not the case when you’re traveling with a baby. In fact, even the shortest ride can become an adventure with a little toddler. That’s what mateo taught us.You see, mateo presented us various sorts of challenges for the journey to Boracay. First, because he doesn’t have a lot of patience when it comes down to staying in one place, a 40-minute plane ride, followed by an hour and a half-long land travel became daunting tasks. Second, because it was going to be his first boat ride, we’re not sure how he’d handle the rocking of the boat and the splashing of the waves. And lastly, because he’s not capable of holding back against nature’s calls, we have no control whatsoever as to where and when he’s going to answer them (especially pooping).

Fortunately for us though, mateo cooperated for most of the travel. In fact, he was sound asleep before the plane took off and woke up only after we’ve landed (so he was out during the whole plane ride). Also amazingly, after the plane ride, he allowed himself to be rocked to sleep again but this time by the van’s movement. Afterwards, he pooped but only after the van made it to the ferry terminal and not during the hour-long land travel. He was really an angel. Continue reading »