Travel chronicle: March 3, 2023
We finally arrived at our home by the beach
in the sitio of Buyo, Camarines Sur, Philippines after an arduous overnight
trip in a sleeper bus. The bus had two
levels of sleeping berths instead of seats.
The idea was to travel asleep in a laying position overnight and arrive
refreshed the next morning.
Instead, I arrived seasick, nauseous, unstable and disoriented. When I got off the bus, I had to sit on the curve motionless for at least 20 minutes. It took me well over half a day to recover. I took in small gulps of liquid and bites of food sporadically to avoid throwing up. I had to nap for lack of sleep. For me, the overnight ride was bumpy, erratic, lacking in extended periods of constant motion. I was continually thrown in all directions. “Never again,” I silently mumbled to myself. Nora and Nickolas were not similarly affected.
After I recovered my land legs and despite
all the dreary weather forecasts, I could not have asked for a better, more
pleasant day.
The Breeze
There was a brisk breeze everywhere. It found its way to every corner of every room, assuring nothing was left untouched in a continuous refreshing caress. It was as if a fan was always blowing but not from any specific direction.
During the night the breeze turned into a
wind. A breeze causes a flutter, a wind
causes a banging.
Nickolas came to sleep on the bed next to ours in our room. He could not sleep. “Too many sounds even with earplugs,” he lamented.
With the wind came all the many different
and various noises the wind made as it struck everything it encountered. I remember when my first son was brought home
from the hospital, he made all these noises I could not comprehend. I could not sleep. I ended up spending the whole night watching
him sleep. I was able to sleep in the
coming nights but would quickly awaken at the smallest suggestion of an
anomaly.
In time many of these sounds, rhythms, echoes become familiar and fade from consciousness. Yet they continue to beckon us from beside our bed, from outside our window, from the surface of the earth, from the firmament beyond.
The sun
The sun was like the breeze. The forecast was partly sunny but whether the
sun was covered by clouds or not, the whole of where we were was basked in light. There was no play of shadows nor anything
like the flicker of candles. Everything
was present, sharp with clear lines and colors.
The sun and the breeze – they were all declarative. “What you see is what you get.”
All this is really hype you might say. Would you want hype or do you want the truth?
Of course, one always chooses the
truth. How could anyone choose
otherwise?
The best unexpected answer came to me from a friend of my wife. “I want the hype,” she said without hesitation. “Then, I want the truth;” an answer I have kept close to me to this day. Her name is Joy.
There is a kind of happiness that comes
with innocence, a willingness to be receptive, a postponement of judgement and
analysis. I think this is called
mindfulness - not hype.
Best to all
Dad, Sonny, Luis
-o-o-o-
Travel chronicle of March 6, 2023
It is time for an update. I will address news about Nora, after which
you need not read further unless you wish to do so.
Nora
Nora is recovering well from her chemo. She has been eating heartily since we arrived in the Philippines. She has been sleeping well and long. Today, she began developing mouth sores which we expected. It will get a little worse, take its course, then dissipate. Tonight, she avoided “hard” foods, but made up with other delectables.
“How do you like having people around to help you,” Nora inquired of Nickolas. “How do you like your meals prepared by a "chef?” Nora meant “chef” as a descriptor, not as a professional designation. Joseph is our chef. He is meticulous. He prepares our food with thought and care.
Nora is relaxed and resides in
equanimity. That she brought calm to the
hospital ward she worked in was how the staff described her. They used this description to entice her back
to work, “the ward is calmer and smoother when you are around.” They gave her the “difficult,” patients. Nora attributed her success to
experience. I am sure it is much more
than that.
I do not think there will be a need to report on Nora’s health for the rest of our trip.
-o-o-o-o-
March 30, 2023
Hello all,
We are back in Kansas City. We arrived late last Sunday night and are adjusting to the change.
Kansas City to
the Philippines is about 6697 miles. It
took 25 hours and 30 minutes to traverse which included 3 stops. The same was the case coming back.
Travel within the Philippines was equally stressful since we had to visit and celebrate with family, extended family and friends in different locations.
While difficult,
it is remarkable we were able to do it at all in the time it took. It is staggering to think of all the persons,
institutions and technology that made our trip possible. We are truly masters of our planet – or are
we really?
But there is a lot more than difficulties. While my siblings and I connected separately over a period of 30 plus years, this was the first time we were all together. Not counting a sister who died when she was 2; we, the remaining siblings are still living. We are the last of our generation. We are advanced in age, some more frail than others, some have lost loved ones, we all have children and grandchildren. We have family members scattered around the world. It is all very good.
I worked on two
travel chronicles while I was there. I
planned to finish them before I left.
Because this did not work out, I planned to finish them when I got back
to Kansas City only to discover my laptop was damaged. I could not turn it on. My computer person could not retrieve any of
my files. I wound up buying a laptop
from him that he guaranteed was good quality. I doubt I can recreate those lost files.
This email is by way of a greeting and extending our best wishes. Hope to see you soon.
Sonny, dad, Luis
END
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