Back home!

I can’t believe I resisted the urge to head for Netopia or get a wi-fi card at Starbucks or Seattle’s Best for the last two weeks of my visit.  Things simply got too hectic.

I’m dead tired and nursing a major headache, still with a hoarse voice, somewhere between having an asthma attack and not having one, and our luggage is strewn about the living room with much of my goodies waiting to find its place in my pantry.

Angel and I are up.  Alan is sleeping, but my mother-in-law got up after Angel and I did at past 3AM and her TV is already on.  I’m trying to get myself distracted by a replay of Judge Judy guesting on Larry King Live. 

The Jasmine tea I got from Landmark is just so good I’m steeping my third cup.  (Bleeding the poor teabag for all the flavor I can get off it because I missed it THAT much.)  For all the fancy tea salons and teas offered in the groceries and delis here in the big apple, you won’t believe how rare it is that you will find Jasmine tea offered in a menu or displayed on the store shelf.  It’s been my favorite since I started to appreciate tea around a decade ago and all I can think of now is sending my sister one of the teabag covers for her to grab me a box to send to me when my Mom returns (hopefully this mid-June).

Leaving Manila was tearful and heavy on the heart as always.  I knew I made the wrong decision to allow my Dad to bring me to the airport, but I couldn’t bear to say no to him like the two previous departures I had in 2000 and 2002.  On the plane, I couldn’t help but wish I had planned my vacation better because I ended up not missing out on more than half my list of things I wanted to do in Manila.  (No jeepney shots.. drats!)  I didn’t get to meet up with everyone I wanted to meet up with (not even Jerome with whom I planned to visit Baywalk.. didn’t get to visit Baywalk with anyone at all.. =(… ) 

I didn’t even get to pack my stash of pastillas although I ate enough while I was in Manila.  =(  But on the whole, it was a good vacation.  I managed to go to Manaoag, up to Baguio, spent a day in one of the hot spring resorts in Laguna, try quite a few good restaurants, hold Angel’s second birthday party with friends and relatives present, and I spent a lot of time with my family.

I can’t wait to go back but it’s going to be some time away.. as Alan would say, we’re no Rockefellers here. LOL.. unless we win the lotto..!

Time to go back to stashing the goodies from the pantry (brought home almost $200 worth of groceries from Landmark), and putting away the clothes we brought with us.  Angel is snacking on his cheerios and watching Judge Judy yap away.. he’s happy and content.

I’m happy and content, too.. I miss everyone back home, but it doesn’t feel half as bad.  It’s different when you miss your loved ones right after seeing them.  I think I’ll be good for another year or two..then it’s time to plan the next homecoming.