We went to Wild Wadi last April 9 to celebrate OJ's birthday. Kahit hindi libre(wag na kayong magtaka) all our housemates came and everyone had a blast! We should have went earlier that day coz bitin ang kalahating araw. It was a paradise filled with water. They even had a "salbabida" ride that takes you around the entire park. Needless to say, this was the perfect first stop for this summer. Anyway, enough said already...enjoy the pictures! xoxo

For more pictures, visit bakel.multiply.com.:)

My good friend, Louanne, just announced to me today that she and her longtime boyfriend Arbee are getting married. I literally almost jumped up and down when I heard the news..I never thought that those two would tie the knot so soon. See, Louanne is your modern day brat who's twice as stubborn as I am and Arbee...well, Arbee just so happens to adore her being all that hahahaha! I suddenly missed spending time with her, the breakfast trips we've had in Tagaytay, Starbucks, Alfaro Market and Roxas Boulevard after shift...and ofcourse our endless exchange of banters about our then lovelives. I wish to be on her wedding day. Today, Louanne and Arbee made me realize one thing, that you are really loving when you begin wanting marriage more than a wedding...that its not about the dress and attention...its about having to hold someone's hand at the end of each day and having a meaningful conversation just by looking deep into each other's eyes. I have yet a lot to learn about love but it sure is relieving to know that such kind of love exists...the kind that leads you to "..and they lived happily ever after..".

Congratulations and best wishes! Love you both! xoxo

Another exhausting workday has ended. I was half asleep all the way from the airport to my apartment tonight...I was so excited to be reunited with my warm bed and anticipated another session of serious hibernation. The Sandman seem to have stayed in the airport becuase, disappointingly, I am wide awake. My body is so tired, as if already begging me to rest but my mind is refusing to be switched off for a while.

Thanks to my Aco(Tita) who kept on insisting that Gold is cheaper here in the UAE than anywhere else in the world and that the best way to take advantage of this--not to mention the most logical--is to go jewelry hunting and find her a piece worth read this--50 dollars, I now can share Dubai's treasures, spices, and history with everyone reading this blog:) So my uto-uto self went today with KFred(kuya fred) to see how true this is and lo and behold! her 50 dollars can only afford a thread-thin,plain bracelet that would fit only on a two year old's wrist. So I guess the gold being cheap part wasn't at all true, but then we discovered the treasures more valuable than what's deceived by the welcoming sight of its glitters and sparks. 

Enjoy the pictures:)

"What we do not know is that once you come into contact with the Arabian touchtone, an almost irresistable path lies before you.Gate after gate waits to be unlocked. When the Sultan opened the first gate and light was sprung, a slow trickle of incidents became a flood and we are tossed willy-nilly down the Arabian road into another world with all its cares, reponsibilities, and delights."

Ano pa ba ang pwedeng gawin pag ayaw mong gumala at gumastos sa rest days mo? Ano pa edi magyayang mag tong-its! :D And this week....I kicked ze boyz' azzez! hehehe

I couldnt feel my feet. I have been walking from gate to gate for 10 hours strait, I have lost 6 pounds(yes!) and I couldnt get any sleep. So this is how manual labor goes, gone are the days when keyboards are used as battle weapons. Now I have to endure the pain of walking and smiling amidst my exhaustion.

But why is it still fun? hehehehe I'm loving the people, I love seeing everyone wanting to give up but trying not to. I wont say it's not the money, it absolutely has everything to do with money, but the other side of it are the daily learnings and surprises I get. Thousands of people need me everyday, some travelling in first and business class seem still in denial about it, but I'm amazed by the thought that I have the power to either help them get to where they need to go or simply stop them from doing so. Its the rush in the airport that keeps me standing and smiling throughout my shift.

I'm planning to go to Gold souk this weekend, it will be my first trip/ bus adventure alone. Hope I find a nice piece. ciao! xoxo 

What is bangag. Kagigising ko lang. Ang hirap ng papalit palit ang schedule. I barely slept yesterday. Have you ever been to a state when you were both hungry and sleepy and you wouldnt think twice on choosing sleep? That was me yesterday. Buti nalang isa lang yung mabigat ko na flight. It was a flight going to Incheon,Seoul. Grabe ang kukulit ng mga koreno, first boarding call, nagshoshopping pa sila sa duty free. Kahit yung mga nasa harap mo na naka upo lang dun sa labas ng gate ayaw pumasok. Di uso sa kanila ang urgency, pagdating ng final call...kaboom! dun sila nagdadagsaan sa harap mo na parang huhupa-hupa pa sa pagod sa kakatakbo papuntang gate. Eh kaya nga may fist call dibarn?! para alam mong bo-board na kayo?! ang sarap pag babatukan isa-isa. At eto pa! puro lasing! Talagang ang balak ay matulog sa flight nila, namumula yung mga mata at mukha na gegewang gewang! Tapos, edi nasa loob na sila ng gate, nag announce na ako na magboard na sa plane and mga may families and first and business class, aba! nakahilata parin dun! kelangan mo pang pasukan sa loob at paalisin isa isa! hagardo versoza! ugh! At eto pa! basahin niyo:

Isang araw,nag usap ang lasing at puyat...

Rakel: Sir, you have to board the aircraft now, are you waiting for somebody?

Makulit na koreano: yes.

Rakel: Who?

Makulit na koreano: My Luggage.

Rakel: Sir, your luggage will be claimed in Korea.

Makulit na koreano: Ah....My daughter is there.

Rakel: In you luggage?!

Makulit na koreano: In Korea.

Rakel: di alam kung maiinis o tatawa. Obviously, tumawa nalang ako ng malakas. hahahaha! laughtrip.Nawala antok ko dun.

xoxo

So I arrived at the airport 1 hour before my shift (di kasi ako excited) and logged in. Buti nalang dumating yung new found Bahraini friend ko na si Aqeel. We chatted until it was time to report to the counters. What I learned about working in different counters being assigned to you flight after flight is that you see yourself not worrying about whether or not you'll mess up during boarding, unfortunately, you see yourself praying for a good Gate Team Leader instead. By good I mean someone who will at least smile at you. Him/her joking with you would be asking for a little bit too much. Anyway, para mabinyagan yung first day ko...tadaaa! nagkaroon ako! Naramdaman kong sumakit yung puson ko at ayun na! Sumakit na sha the whole day that I had to chug down a ponstan 500 every 3 hours! Ang hirap ngumiti ang hirap maging mabilis sa trabaho...basta mahirap gumalaw! So I couldnt wait for my shift to end and finally rest and sleep the pain off after my first flight on my first day. haaaay. Well, I feel better now and my shift starts at 8pm which means I have lots of time to sleep. Maybe yesterday happened to make my official work day really memorable hahahhaa!