almost home

Back in Manila. Again. Today was supposed to be our flight back from Dubai, but we got in earlier and so we flew back from Dipolog today instead.

One thing I can say about Dubai- it's freakin' expensive. Almost everybody walks in designer outfits and drive luxury cars, my Havaianas felt so poor. I was in the middle of a shopping festival, but I guess my dad's credit card wasn't feeling so festive so I had to satisfy myself by ogling the displays at the malls. It's a good thing huge crowded malls don't really appeal to my inner shopaholic. Yeah, sure.

Dipolog was pretty much the same. I would rather have gone back on less somber reasons but nevertheless, we still managed to spend an afternoon in Dakak, walk along the Boulevard and eat Dipolog's yummy delights. My grandparents' house where I stayed before felt lonelier though- empty without all the noise we used to make, the photographs gone from the walls and the shelves, and the old tambis tree cut down. One day, when I'm rich enough, I hope to turn it back to the beautiful house it once was.

For some reason, for the first time in my entire nomadic life, jet lag is taking its toll on me. My body still can't figure out when it's supposed to sleep or wake up and as a result, I'm always feeling like I'm having a nasty hangover. Hope this goes away soon. I still have a lot of ticking-off to do on my to-do list. Welcome home to me.