is it time to go to sleep?

Mediocrity's like a spot on a shirt - it never comes off.

Haruki Murakami
Dance Dance Dance

meant to travel

I was at National Bookstore checking the travel section when the guy next to me caught my attention.

"You love to travel, too?" he asked. I smiled brightly and said yes.

"I'm planning to go to Australia," he continued, as he reached out to the Lonely Planet guide to Australia.

"Australia. Wow. Is this for work or vacation?" It was my turn to ask.

"Oh, I don't work."

And with that I was hooked.

Here was a very confident 25-year old businessman who was also an avid traveler. He talked about studying in Europe, ordering a gelato in Milan, the cold weather in Beijing and feeding needy children in South Africa.

All I could do was smile and ham it up. He was talking about previous travels while all I had to share was future travel plans - going to China with friends in a couple of years and plans to apply to Australia for further training. My recent islandhopping escapades and travel to HK and Macau certainly was not up to par. Nevertheless, we still had an enjoyable chat and we ended up exchanging contact information for possible "collaborations" in the future. (As a physician he thought I would be interested in his new anti-aging business venture, while his feeding the needy crusade was what piqued my interest).

We discussed the merits of the different travel guides (Let's Go, LP, Rough Guide, etc) - the no-ads stand of LP, the very specific travel info in Let's Go (how to order a gelato, recent political/economic development). I suggested he read Bill Bryson's In A Sunburned Country before he left for Australia although it wasn't available in the bookstore at the moment. In the end he chose to get a Let's Go guide to Australia.

More small talk then goodbye, with a "maybe we'll see each other in Australia", a handshake and a smile.


A conversation with a fellow traveler always leaves me buoyant. It's almost like I've actually done some traveling when all I've had was an eye-opening chat. And to put icing on this travel bug's cake the new edition (May 2009) of Lonely Planet Philippines is out now. I was fortunate enough to purchase it at it's initial price of Php 809 on the same day they increased it to Php 1,009.

What do you know, I am blessed.

I was meant to travel.

back to work

I went on the trip alone. A colleague I usually go with had passed on work this month and was going home for a vacation.

I took an earlier trip. It was windy but the sea was flat and the sky was a clear blue. Another boat run almost parallel to the Baleno Otso before it veered a little to the left to head for Calapan. As the boat grew smaller in the distance I shifted in my seat and started reading.

"There is nothing nicer than doing nothing all day, then having a rest afterwards."

I agree. Take me away from the city any time. Take me away from the noise, the pollution, the congestion and anxiety. Give me space. Give me green trees and blue sky every day.

The boat docked at Abra in under two hours. I was lucky enough to get a ride on a passenger van that had gotten on the boat from Batangas.

I never get tired of the ride to the hospital. It is still a vision to see the clean green of rice paddies in the light of the setting sun. The coconuts frame the paddies in the distance. Only white cows and birds (egrets?) break the green sea.

Small towns always give me a warm and fuzzy feeling as I enter them. I always hope that this feeling of "home" is not replaced by a feeling of stalker creepiness. Small town people can be intrusive. They always know when somebody is new in town. In such a small place everyone knows what you've been up to.

After settling in and giving my dorm room a little clean-up I headed out to the hospital to chat up with the previous group of doctors. I had arrived just in time for a bon voyage party for two of them. After an unhealthy dinner of liempo and crispy pata we spent the rest of the night drinking and howling at each others videoke miscues.

I've never been much of a drinker. Occasions to drink don't come too often either. Recent R&R trips had me drinking more in a month than what I usually drink in a year.

At 2:30 in the morning I turned in earlier than the others. They would all be off in the morning while I was just going to start my work week. I made sure to hydrate and went straight to bed after I washed up.


I woke up early in the morning and run a 6k.



Reading:
Underwater To Get Out of the Rain: A Love Affair With The Sea (Trevor Norton)

more distractions

Taking a peek at the list of books I've read so far (2009 Distractions on the side panel) I can't help but smile at the variety of the books. On any other day I would probably only read one out of the seven on the list (and that would be Douglas Coupland's JPod). Ever since I've tried reading different genres I find that I can pick up any book and just read. Reading may not always be as enjoyable as I would like. But I rest assured that after reading each book I've learned something new.

Having said that, the last batch of newly acquired books are a little up my alley this time.



China Syndrome:
The True Story of The 21st Century's First Great Epidemic
Karl Taro Greenfeld

Deep down I still want to be an epidemiologist. Plus, this hits closer to home than all the books on Ebola I've read.

From National Bookstore bargain bin - P200







The Principles of Running:
Practical Lessons from My First 100,000 Miles
Amby Burfoot

I do want to be a runner. But before I hit the ground running I would like to know more about what I'm getting myself into. I'm not as fit as I was a decade ago. I want to do running right and avoid injuries.

From Booksale - P 145







Piled Higher and Deeper: A Graduate Student Comic Strip Collection
Jorge Cham


The first of the grad student comic strip collection. It can be laugh-out-loud funny as it pokes fun at the trials and tribulations of being a grad student. At the same time it leaves you hopeful knowing that you are not alone :)

From Booksale - P70








The Poe Shadow
Matthew Pearl

His first book The Dante Club got me hooked. Although I was a bit disappointed at how it ended I'm willing to give Matthew Pearl another chance with The Poe Shadow.

National Bookstore - P150 (hardcover)

what to read

Somebody tell me what to read next. For this year I have started reading books I normally would not read.

I'm not the kind of person who would read on business/customer service,self-help or inspirational books. Either they never appealed to me (too cynical) or I never had need to read them before (I didn't think I was going to set up a business before). But lately I'm trying to figure out why other people read the books that they read. I'm trying to find out how all the supposed "words of wisdom" from these books make other people act like they do.

I need better people skills. Socializing has never been easy for me. When I'm tired at work I don't get crabby or cranky. I clam up. I may still be able to smile but I highly doubt that I sufficiently advise my patients when I'm tired. Maybe knowing a bit about why people behave like they do will help me develop into a better communicator. This would certainly be a plus for me as a physician and would also help me in running our group's small business.

I have more then a hundred books on my to-be-read pile but I can't figure out what to read next. Somebody tell me what to read :)



Currently reading: Baha'i Book of Prayers and Other Selected Writings