.: 70 things i learned in a trip to Africa [South Africa] :.

1) going there has been one of the worst hassles of my life
-> connecting flights here and there, waiting in airports for 6 hours. argh.
2) trash your usual african stereo-types of jungles and safaris and a totality of black people
3) discrimination is a closed closet issue that still looms [tsk tsk]
4) you are more likely to be mugged in africa than in manila
5) ostrich meat feels and tastes like beef
6) never squeeze an ostrich's neck, it'll go crazy and start running
7) in capetown, you can go up a mountain, do emo shots on cliffs, go to four different [amazing, better-than-bora] beaches and do emo shots on each of them, and go shopping in a big mall-like compund all in one day
8) i am uber-vain when it comes to taking pictures
9) it is cold and windy in south africa
10) there are many pretty [and hot] girls in south africa
11) penguins like sand just as they do snow
12) lobster tasted amazing [only the 2nd time i've ever eaten some]
13) buffet breakfasts and dinners for 8 days can kill you
14) do emo shots whenever you have the chance
15) i'm a friendster pic addict
16) how boracay would look like if it hadn't been overdeveloped
17) you can stand on ostrich eggs and they wouldn't break
18) there exists a dog that is absolutely larger than i am [a LARGER great dane]
19) picking strawberries is NOT fun [eating them is]
20) half my family are racists [tsk tsk]
21) there are actually some wines that taste amazing [i learned to be a wine connoisseur {screw the spelling}]
22) do emo VIEW shots whenever you have the chance
23) sun city is the greatest place ever
-> it will be part of my 4 part future honeymoon [sun city, egypt, paris, and spain]
24) how it is to stay at REAL 5-star hotels abroad
25) how much we got out of our packaged tour [imagine, for a cheap price, we stayed at some of the best hotels in the country and even the world {ahem, sun city!}]
26) while looking over cliffs, you will realize that there's a familiar tune in your head... "i'm not a girl... not yet a woman..."
27) i wish to be an extremist some day
28) open ZIP sliding from 280m up, at 120-160kph, for 2km is one of the most extreme things i've ever done [and i wanna do it again]
29) i'm a crazy [but pretty good] jetski driver
30) crocodiles are scary, some grow to up to 16 feet long
31) how an actual wild safari in africa feels like [somewhat like a RIALTO ride]
32) wild animals will charge at your vehicle if they have the chance [particularly huge and angry elephants]
33) wild lions are boring
34) antelope are stupid animals that curiously walk toward their doom [the lions]
35) what if a zebra would join races at the sta.ana track? hmm
36) giraffes are boring
37) my sister's a flirt [hihihi]
-> our safari ranger looked A LOT like matt damon
38) being entertained with an actual zulu tribal dance/ritual is amazing
39) there is almost nothing like an african sunset
40) there is almost nothing like an african sunrise
41) wild life game reserves are great plaes to stay in
42) diamonds are priced for cut/color/carat/cleanliness
43) a johannesburg holiday afternoon is like the 28 days later version of london [no people around a big city AT ALL!]
44) nelson mandela's a cool guy
45) when you get cooked up with just ONE group of people [namely, your family] for days and days and days on end, it gets very annoying
46) people from abroad are generally more friendly as strangers than filipinos
47) how to be more friendly to strangers
48) you don't go to africa to shop for clothes and stuff
49) ostrich egg art is cool
50) there are more than 5 ostrich farms right here in the philippines
51) when traveling in a package tour, you meet lots of new family friends and stuff
52) i would be dead right now if our south african visas arrived a day later
-> cuz if we couldn't get our visas for RSA, we'd go to Phuket, Thailand [tsk tsk]
53) RSA has an unemployment rate of 42% and yet their roads are some of the best i've ever been on
54) christmas abroad will almost never feel like christmas
55) what it feels like to wear a bath robe [never wore one until this trip]
56) it's easy to get homesick
57) there is absolutely NO SIGN of anything related to the NBA there
58) any stuff there is expensive
59) a discman was one of the best things i packed
60) the tastes of people there, pop culture, etc are very westernized
61) communication there [in south africa at least] is very easy, english is prominent
62) city tours are boring
63) antelope meat tastes okay
64) how to finish novels in one sitting [had lots of extra time in the hotel at night eh]
65) south african airways was actually one of the best carriers i've expreienced [on demand movies that haven't been screened yet on a touch-screen tv in front of you. haha. the 13hour trip passed by in a jiffy]
66) sometimes, i feel it would be better to travel alone or with just a few companions

67) i wouldn't mind living abroad for a while [maybe a year lang or so]

68) long car trips make me senti and emo

69) the chinese are everywhere

70) no questions asked, you WILL get fat during Christmas season

**

yes, i went to south africa. more stories will be up soon. pictures will be up soon, just as soon as i get the bloody USB cable for the camera. hehe.

so, generally, how was YOUR christmas? mine wasn't that good. dinner at a fancy place doesn't seem like christmas. oh well. there's always next year. hmmm, seeing that this is the last day of the year, i've decided to make a couple of other lists...

.: 2004 :.

rating: 8.50[a pretty okay year {for me}]

most memorable moments: europe trip/prom/rep t3

least memorable moment: huge fight with dad

family life: was okay, but i had a HUGE fight with my dad

friendships: pretty tight this year, any major bouts were resolved

lovelife: like every year =p

personal gains: physically; first time i've ever been bald, the fattest i've ever been as well. other than that, i was a lot happier this year and had a lot more fun

for the world: i guess it's been a bad year for the world. good little things that happen get overshadowed by war, natural alamities, corruption issues, and of course, poverty

*highlights [in random order]*

1) trip to Europe

--> greatest experience probably in my whole life. from seeing the eiffel tower in paris, to seeing the prostitutes in windows in amsterdam, it was amazing.

2) trip to South Africa

--> nothing like anything else

3) trip to Boracay

--> loved it

4) repertory summer workshop

5) 4A class retreat

6) promnight

7) alicia keys concert

8) the BIG issue with mico and anna

9) the biggest feud with my parents

10) visit from valyn atienza

11) regaining friendship from some of the kroo people

12) addition of kroo people

13) 04-05 intramurals disappointments

14) ms. yky boncodin [one of the best teachers ever]

15) SACB events and me as secretary for 04-05

--> it's taught me a lot. seriously.

16) poveda parties with andre [hahaha]

17) sleepovers and garage sessions at my place

18) the renovation of our home

19) commuting to baguio by myself

20) highlands with my dudes

21) highlands with rep people

22) the fort with kroo people [CERTAIN kroo people. hehe]

23) big fights with the kroo people

24) UP entrance exam sabog-ness

25) ADMU entrance exam nervousness

26) DLSU entrance exam 'binaliwala'-ness

27) UA&P interview death

28) UAAP games live [4 wins and 0 losses including one for the championship]

29) "Habol" the movie, directed by Jose Ricardo Abastillas

30) gago group 03-04

31) my favorite NBA team wins the championship [detroit pistons]

32) 1st [crap] gig with chino, greg, apol

33) philippine elections issues

34) "if i aint got you" changes my life

35) guitar lessons where i didn't learn a thing

36) composition of "Gitarista"

37) fleeting crushes and infatuations

38) my very first surprise birthday party [best birthday ever!]

**

well, that's all i can think of right now. hehe.

that's it for now. i still gotta help cook for our new year's eve dinner. hehehe. tc all. more stories and stuff to come.