Ulan-ulan Falls, Biliran

     Last weekend, my friends invited me to join them for a weekend get-away to Biliran upon the invitation of our friend based in Biliran. It was a memorable trip for me. Due to limited time, we managed to visit a waterfalls I didn't know existed, Ulan-ulan Waterfalls as we arrived late on Saturday evening, although those who went earlier than us were able to visit two other falls before we arrived.

The Ulan-ulan Falls

     The falls we visited is fantastic, it is so natural and the water is sparkling clear. I miss my old life, when I was still working. I love adventure trips in Malaysia. Trekking, climbing mountains and waterfalls hunting were some of the things I did during weekends. It was a great break from the hectic pace of work.

My friends

The Unpredictable Weather

     About a week ago, I was elated when there was sunshine thinking it's the beginning of sunny days to come. Unfortunately, that was it! After that it has been intermittently drizzling and raining rendering us a weather so unpredictable.

Cloudy skies hover us 

    We are unable to dry our laundry, the path leading to our farm cottage is muddy and puddles of water are everywhere. It's a gloomy sight. I'm not sure when will the sunlight for good will come. It's a great weather to stay in bed and sleep. The breeze coming through the windows and door is cold. Technically it's not that low in reading but it penetrates through your bones. I think the high humidity makes the breeze damn freezing.

It's cold breeze again

    We love this kind of weather but not everyday. We also need the sunlight to come out to remove the gloom in the air.

Weather Challenges

     I often and people around me complain about the hot sunny weather in tropical Leyte, Philippines, coupled with high humidity, except for the last two weeks where it has been relatively cold and damp due to the intermittent rain. I know that foreigners from countries with winter long for and love this kind of weather. When I was still working with a Norwegian paint company, I found out most of them have no air-conditioning in their houses, and they avoid car air-conditioning, instead they have heaters in their cars. It was a culture shock for me to be heaty inside the car, uncomfortable for me but the Norwegians relish it as an escape from the extreme coldness outside.

     A friend of mine in the US sent me an overnight snowing of his car in St. Louis, Missouri. It was shocking to see the thick snow deposit on his car roof. It simply shows the hard work he needs to do upon waking up to clear the snow debris and be able to use the car. This confirms there is no good thing in everything extreme wherever part of the earth you are.

Snow covered car

     

Beautiful Weather Has Come

     The beautiful tropical weather is back after several days of raini since few days before Christmas.

Lovely skies 

     It feels good to finally the sunlight, after all the cold and laundry not drying properly. It's time to hang out those still wet and damp laundry. It's comforting to see the beautiful weather proving truth to the proverbial saying there is always clear skies after the cloud and storm. 

     This is fitting to the new year, a new beginning, signifying hope in the better days to come in 2025.

Happy New Year 2025

     Another year has begun, this will be my sixth year in rural Philippines. I've completed five years and now starting my sixth year since I came back for good after my fateful stroke in Singapore. 

Happy New Year 2025

     Despite of the rainy weather for almost two weeks now, we tried to celebrate the coming of a new year with a simple family dinner. I was not awake at the strike of midnight so I had no idea of the joy and gaiety in the community. I had no chance to see the fireworks and hear the noise barrage of the local folks. May the best of 2025 happen to all of us amid the uncertainties and problems!

Watched CNN's coverage of New York's ball drop