A few days before Jan. 2, I realized I don't have anything planned yet! Well, as early as November, I had penciled in trips in my 2011 calendar, but I somehow lost my calendar (great!) and was back to zero!
So I decided to go on a solo trip to San Juan, La Union! It didn't matter that I had no idea what bus to take going there (good thing, the cab driver I asked knew enough to take me to Partas terminal in Cubao where I could take the one going to Ilocos), or if my room reservation was not confirmed (I ended up staying at another resort since the only available room at San Juan Surfing Resort is for 4 pax -- so not willing to shell out that much money, sorry!), or if the waves are high enough to surf in (back in August, we looked like roasted pigs on our surf board, waiting for waves to come).
In a series of fortuitous events, the bus dropped me off the highway, walking distance from where the resorts are, found a cheaper place to stay (P700/night, compared to P1500/night in most resorts in San Juan), got back in Manila at 9pm on Monday and got in the office with 15 minutes to spare, and the waves --- they were so amazing! I was mesmerized, overwhelmed, humbled by its majesty. I was at its mercy --- like anytime, it could engulf me and take me away if it chooses. In the morning, when the undercurrent is not so strong, it's perfect for whitewater surfing!
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| San Juan, La Union |
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| Look at how strong the waves are!! |
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| People by the shore brace themselves for the coming waves... |
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| The waves are so strong that nobody agreed to lend me their surfing board. They said, the waves are not for beginners and, even with an instructor, the undercurrent was just too strong. |
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| So I just sat on the shore --- the sky alone was enough to keep me amused! |
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| Look at that!! |
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| Simply majestic. |
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| After a quick display of amazing sunset hues, the whole area was engulfed in darkness. |
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| By 7am, I finally got to surf! Hurrah!! |
I think I found my hideaway. This is a great place to disappear to every once in a while, and definitely worth the trip --- even if I have to go alone again! ^_^
Aside from fulfilling a long-overdue trip to the beach, I realized it's not so bad to be alone. Heck, it's not a state anyone would consciously aspire for but it's also not something to be dreaded like a disease! Every so often, it is imperative that we spend time alone. One of the things I liked about this trip is that nothing is required of me except to be myself. I could choose not to talk to anybody or be somebody else! I could be Dikya Marie, the writer/surfer, and not Señorita, the Oracle HR shock absorber. I could sit by the beach and dig my toes into the sand, stare at the waves the entire morning and do absolutely nothing. I could just breathe in and out and revel at the incredible lightness of being! And in a world of almost 7 Billion (the exact figure is 6,893,200,000, 40% of which are Chinese and Indians), can we really be fully alone?
But the so-called silence in solitude didn't last for long --- after 1 day of being quiet, I was practically begging for the locals to talk to me!!! teehee!!! but yeah, great start for 2011!! ^_^
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