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I’m so lucky to have met you in this lifetime. If there is another one, find me there too.

and so she lived in a fantasy.

3/3 Day 2

Started the day early. I hope the person who invented complimentary breakfasts is having the best seat in heaven.

First Tube ride. Oxford Circus → Green Park → Piccadilly Line → South Kensington. No missed stops. Almost a wrong train. Thank you for making sure we didn’t end up in another country, ChatGPT. Also, Londoners and their “5-minute walk.” Either they’re lying or my legs are simply too short.

Natural History Museum. No longer in books or movies. A “Pinch me, I’m really here” moment. Welcomed by Sophie the Stegosaurus. Then by Hope, the blue whale suspended above Hintze Hall.

Dinosaurs. Fossils. Millions of years apart, yet somehow sharing the same room with us. The child in me was having the time of her life. We even caught a dancing T. rex!

Birds. Fish. Mammals. Shells. Frogs. The bird exhibit was my favorite. Probably the closest I’ll ever get to a vulture. And a penguin.

Hairy frog. Immediately reminded me of Q. He once showed me a video of a hairy frog. I wish we could have laughed while being grossed out together. I purposely skipped the reptile section. Because snakes.

Then came Earth’s Treasury. The exhibit where I accidentally left a piece of my heart.

Day 1.

11 hours of itinerary planning. Immigration anxiety: survived. Golden-hour sunset painted across the airplane windows.

2h 35m from MNL to HKG. A big cat guarding HKG Airport. Another 13h 55m to LHR. Slept through almost the entire flight. Woke up in London.

Photoshoot on elegant streets we couldn’t pronounce. Crosswalks. Townhouses. Flower boxes. A little bit lost. A little bit in awe.

A quick detour to Chinatown. London, but make it Asian. Little did we know, our no-rice era had just begun.

Ended the night with The Phantom of the Opera. It was incredible! The live orchestra. The vocals. The set changes. Every scene left me amazed. This was one of the most impressive things I’ve ever watched.

And just like that, Day 1 was over. A city I’ve only seen in postcards and movies was suddenly real. The streets. The accents. The history.

📍 Mt. Pinatubo Crater.

Went back home for an ID that was never needed. 30 minutes late at pick up. Hours of headbanging in the van. Hazelnut coffee for breakfast, grounding.

4x4 ride. White carabaos (I'm not really sure). Sand and dust everywhere. Sunrise breaking open the horizon. Toblerone Mountains jagged and proud. High fives and fist bumps from Aeta kids. A blue bird flying alongside us, like a guide.

Another hour of 4x4. Bumped my head twice. 22 river channels crossed by wheels, countless more by foot. Hours of trekking while trees and rivers framing the path. River channels singing softly. The water was so inviting. Hotdogs and kwek kwek for snack.

The crater was calm but distant. Silent but watchful. Fell asleep under a tree. We left behind silent prayers, gratitude, and footprints fading into dust.

Another hour of trekking. Lunch at Mike Inasal with unlimited rice and endless soup. The tastiest Mountain Dew of my life. Tired from walking, tired from laughing. But full, in every sense.

Hindi ko masabing pwede mo ako maging pahinga kasi pagod din ako eh. My mother mountain!

Weekend shenanigans/congregation. Post and pre birthday celebration. Brothers and sisters. No need to shout. Language. I accept you for who are you and stay who are you? Roadtrip na may kasamang road rage.