Community Med - Bataan

It started out as an adventure, and basically ended as "an overnight at a friend's house"
I wasn't even sure if we were going to push through.

Original weekend plan was to commute by bus to Bataan, then figure out a way to go to some water falls there, and sleep over at Morong, Bataan so we could enjoy the beach. Then on Sunday, we would go to Corregidor, sightsee a little, then from Corregidor, ride a ferry to Manila.

Well, it didn't happen.

We met at around 730 am in Starbucks Matalino, and left Bataan Transit Cubao Terminal at around 820 am (Fare: 195). We arrived in Balanga City after 2 hours. We were supposed to explore, find a jeepney, and commute towards Bagac, and ask directions to go towards the waterfalls.

Interior of Bataan Transit

However, Charee had a friend who lives there, who happened to be free for the weekend. Hence, he became our host for the weekend, and there goes our plan to be explorers and adventurers! Hehe But at least, it was easier...

Waiting for our ride, Charee's friend PG

Anyway, scrap the old plan. We went to PG's place and had lunch there. Then we went to Mt Samat (entrance was 10/head plus parking fee of 30), looked up pictures (shrieked over old pictures of UST being used as a prison camp) in the museum, and took more pictures of ourselves. We went up the cemented/rock pathway going towards the cross, siksik sa elevator to go towards the roofdeck (P10/head), had more pictures taken.

Death March History Behind Us (which nobody read!)

 

Charee and the long winding rock pathway towards the Shrine

Group picture with the Shrine

Pagkasyahin ang 10 people towards the roof deck

After our frustrated history sight-seeing, which nobody bothered to read, we went to the beach in Bagac. Morong Beach was said to be more unpredictable with higher waves (what's wrong with waves? I love waves!) and unpredictable beach height (basta, hindi pantay-pantay ang beach), so we went to Bagac instead.

Traditional Group Pic with the Coat

(except for Tin!)

PG and one of the nipa huts that we rented

I don't know if it's intentional, but we stayed in a real cheap place (sounds like an Arabian/Muslim name), but the accomodations aren't really that well... classy? I guess he really meant for us to sleep over at his place, instead of staying at the beach for the night! Anyway, since it was a "day" trip, though lasting only for 2 hours, we rented one of the nipa huts (originally priced at 700, which became 500 upon haggling). The beach itself wasn't that bad, and not much rock or algae. It was calm, not much waves (boo! for me)

Sandy beach of Bagac

Anyway, after swimming in the beach, and trying to clean ourselves in the itsy bitsy shower area, we went back to the city to get dinner at PG's steak house. The steaks were the best sellers, and they were really good. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to take a picture of them because we were already hungry. We only got a picture of the dessert which is turon ala mode or something hehe

  n

PG's Steak House

Then the usual night activity during outings are drinking and KTV galore... No need for pics for that one hehe

Then on Sunday, we woke up late... ate breakfast, walked towards the newly found convent of a sort, and around PG's farm, then everyone cleaned up.

Stella Maris Retreat Center

Around PG's farm and beyond

Oh well... Hence, no more Corregidor for us! We got up late anyway, and decided to just relax...
Thanks to our surprise host for the weekend!

Frustrated Travel Blogger

I'm bored. So I'm writing...
I'm stuck and assigned here at the Health City Office, in charge of Senior Citizen patients.
While other centers have their interns go before 5pm, I have to log out at 5pm!
Geez, talk about stuck!But, I learned that there's internet here, so at least...

Since we are also in community medicine, we decided to have at least 1 outing per month (which is basically Jan to Feb, so that's basically 2 outings at least) hehe
Knowing how I love organizing things so much, fine! Hehe


I always wanted to write about the places I've been to
And unfortunately, I never had the time (except for the Laiya, Batangas Electrifying Experience)
I guess it's a good thing I'm stuck at the health center so I could start writing hehe
Maybe, someday in the future, I will also write about my previous adventures.
It really is my dream to travel around the Philippines, the backpacker way hehe
Then maybe, I'll go for Asia and European countries next hehe

Online shopping!

With the technology nowadays, shopping can be done online. I've been shopping for quite a while now, at ebay, auction.ph, multiply, tipidcp are just some of my favorite sites online. And I love it! Beats having to go to places with so many people and lots of check out counters, and sometimes I get them more cheaper too! I don't really have much problem dealing with the sellers, because most are honest and reliable, and can easily became long-term business contacts hehe

Unfortunately, I experienced problems dealing with local sellers than with international ones. There was this one girl Romina, unfortunately, who made the holidays depressing and frustrating for me!

I bought several products from her, with a Herbalife satisfaction guarantee to lose weight in 30 days. She was a rather impatient seller while I was inquiring through SMS, probably dealt with bogus buyers, so I didn't fault her much for hurrying me up. But she was much nicer upfront, and seemed to be trustworthy, so I  bought the items from her. (Though a friend of mine, had this gut feeling that the girl is "antipatika". I just defended her, saying things like, "Bakit nmn? Hindi mo nmn siya kilala para sabihin iyon." She cannot say anything, she said it's just a gut feeling.)

Anyway, unfortunately, nothing was happening in 2 weeks. By that time, one of the Herbalife products was already almost empty, since I've been using them consistently. I was afraid that if I didn't return it, my guarantee would not be honored anymore, and I didn't want to buy another one, because there doesn't seem to be any effect. However, when Romina and I met, according to her, there was a "significant change" because there was a 1 cm decrease in some of my measurements, like my waist. But then, I thought 1 CM IS NOT A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE, isn't it? Because it can be modifed by the position of the measuring tape (considering that the first time measurements were made by her, and the second time, I did the measurements), by my clothes, by how heavy I ate earlier, and even by my breathing. Regardless, the weighing scale didn't budge, and I wasn't satisfied... Which was what Herbalife guaranteed.

That's when the antipatika started acting up. She said that she had to go out of the country, and she cannot process the return of the items. So being persistent and all, I was the one who processed the items, and went to the trouble of going to Herbalife itself... Which unfortunately, wouldn't return my money, because the dealer has to be the one to process it. Herbalife would replace the products I would return, but no money will be exchanged, it would go through the dealer... Since Romina and I disagreed on the 1 cm as significant difference, she doesn't believe that she will refund the money. Instead, she will just replaced the items to me... Which I think is unfair, considering the MONEY-back written in the satisfaction guarantee. But being nice and considerate and all, I said fine, I thought to myself that I will just sell the items myself to get my money back)
Regardless, I have to wait for the dealer to come back from her trip. Fine... patience is a virtue...

Then when I got home, I got an email message asking for the transaction through ebay to be cancelled. In ebay, there is a 1-wk policy for me (as the buyer) to accept or not the cancellation. For me, I would have happily agreed to the cancellation... IF the transaction was already over, or if Romina wasn't going out of town for about 10 days. I even asked EBay Help for help on what to do, and basically, I refused to cancel the transaction because I believe it is too soon to close the deal, when it is being prolonged by her trip out of the country.

At least, the rest of the transaction is in eBay Message history! (most recent messages are at the top; hence, start from the bottom towards the top :)

Tsk, tsk... And I thought I learned already!
Unfortunately, even meet ups doesn't entirely work all that well...
I just have to look into my other successful transactions that were soooo good, I still want to continue online shopping despite transactions like these that turn sour!!



I wrote this blog several weeks ago, when the feelings were just so fresh.
As an addendum, she finally paid me the rest of my money today (Jan 25, 2009), which is almost 3 months after the transaction. I just have to blog it out like this for people to know what really happened with our transaction! There's actually, more email messages, but it's kind of tiring to be angry at someone, and write about it. So, I won't add them up anymore. I think I got my message across, anyway. Also, I don't want to give a negative feedback, while I know that my money is still with her. As I said... it's a trust issue.