Sabang
I should’ve been writing about Kanchanaburi to kick off this series of posts for this year’s first quarter leave. I finished the Thailand itinerary a few weeks before our flight, and I was glad with how I planned everything — we’d squeeze in a trip outside Bangkok to see memoirs of the second World War and play with elephants if the situation permits; we’d eat authentic Pad Thai, line up for the famous Jay Fai, visit the temples, restock my Aesop and Le Labo supplies — have fun, above all, like always. But news about the NCOV a.k.a. COVID-2019 a.k.a. coronavirus spread like wildfire I didn’t expect it was going to get that bad. Like the Hong Kong protests, I had a glimmer of hope that we’d push through because YOLO. Then came the travel bans followed by official company policy memos stating guidelines on how to go about should employees decide to fly out of the country. To accept this was not an easy feat because I’ve been anticipating this break since God-knows-when and I really, really needed it. Plus, to finally implement the quarterly leave I’ve set for myself for 2020 is liberating, and Thailand as the first destination for the year would be really awesome.
Sagada was the next option, but our choices of accommodation were simply unresponsive, and boom — it got locked down less than two weeks from our scheduled visit.
We were looking at Bohol too as the next next option, but rushing to arrange everything in a few days was simply not for us. The company policy guidelines also restricted us from taking plane rides as any trip that would entail going to the airport (even domestic) subjects the traveler/s to a 14-day self-quarantine procedure. This would actually work well for me l o l if not for the additional hassle (and expenses) the medical clearances would bring. I had hospital encounters during the same time anyway but okay saving that for another story.
And so our feet brought us to Baler and though the back story painted it as a rebound destination (it really was), it had been a good one. It’s our third time here, but each trip brought a different experience. Walked beyond the strip of resorts for the first time, and what an amazing experience it was to take our time, feel the wind and be able to talk and notice everything surrounding us. Seeing the different moods of the ocean was a blessing, and more importantly, to be back safe and sound is indeed — a blessing.