God is my co-pilot

Over hill and valley, stuffed inside a jeep or perched precariously (single butt-cheek like) on top, paddywacked insided (vehicles once called) buses the signs are everywhere. I have succumbed to the mindbending. Each and every driver has his altar pasted to the window above his head: “God help us” or “God bless us” or “God save us” …somewhere along the way we will be SAVED. Good to know I will not die on this trip.

I am exhausted. I know, I know… One shouldn’t leave a place exhausted. It may sound that it was less than fun. Let me be clear here that there were many highlights to be had in the Philippines. It is simply that after nearly eight months here my ‘cultural iceberg’ has finally run aground. I have max’d my tolerance. I have heard that this is possible yet never thought it would hit me. There ya go and there ya have it?!

I met a Swiss guy in Sagada. As he was struggling for English words to describe his own frustration resulting from three months of travel in the P, he said to me “Filippinos…if only they had a bit more will for quality….” This sentiment supports my own feelings: People are friendly all right. Scenery is nice. Folks are interested in honesty and free help (maybe a bit too much sentimentality – and Kenny Rogers karaoke!). It seems tho that things could be so much better here should folks make just a bit more effort to move passed ‘good enough’.

I did not die on this trip. Nope. And maybe I can have enough residual goodness within my aura to save me during the next leg.

Except my safety during the next leg will be through the altruism of another benefactor: Buddha.
The plan to stretch the legs with a 40-odd day trek thru the Nepalese Himalayas has been subverted by the Royal family coup. Bummer. So what to do? Well since my flight home to Canada routes through Hong Kong it seems only natural to check out South-western China. It is simply a train-ride away. And should things work out nicely (?) it sue would be nice to skip into Lhasa for a bit of meditation on behalf of the Dalai Lama. I have just less than 2 months for this leg. I will be back in Canada on May 9- missing, I hope, the snow season.

Be home soon.