Making up for lost time

I spent Maundy Thursday and Good Friday in Tagaytay Highlands with my high school barkada (pix can be seen at my Multiply site). It's the first trip we've taken together as a group, and predictably, we had a blast. It was like reliving our high school days, and replaying 10 years' worth of memories, cramming everything in the almost 3 days we were together. What with the mountain of junk food, bottles of booze, stacks of DVDs and CDs, and Travel Pictionary, we didn't get much sleep (our first night, Jenny and I stayed up chatting about pseudo-relationships and nightmare kaisiaos until 5AM), but the puffy bags under my eyes were just proof of how much fun I had with the Family. The Tagaytay trip reminded me of how wonderful it is being around people who knew me from way back when I was still a big, awkward nerd with godwaful fashion sense and stunted social skills, people who know my past and all the silly, stupid things I did involving my teachers, parents, and guy friends (ahem), and feeling a sense of security in the knowledge that they accepted me for who I was back then, and still accept me for who I am now. To still share a bond with these dear people after a decade, years in which we each did our own thing and barely saw each other, is truly remarkable. I know that even after another 10 years, we will still be friends, and hopefully, taking more trips more frequently. :)

On Easter Sunday, my cousin Abi and I flew to Cebu, and for the entire time we were together, we literally did not quit talking unless a) someone else was talking to us; b) we were chewing food; c) one of us was in the bathroom; or d) we were asleep. We even chattered right through Gail's wedding ceremony (sorry Gail :p) and the reception (which made it easy to pretend to not hear my name being called for the bouquet game, wehehe). Abi didn't even stop being her loquacious self when we met up with my college blockmate Daisy and when we had lunch with my dad's cousin's family. I have to marvel at the fact that for more than 20 years I was under the impression my cousin was QUIET and SHY. To think of all the talk-time we wasted! I love how our conversations jump from topics as diverse as the merits of capitalism, Chinese family values, the shortcomings of an Ateneo education, sibling/cousin rivalry, the dearth of decent husband material, dating dos and don'ts, fashion disasters, and Gerard Butler's abs. What could easily have been a dreary trip filled with air kisses and polite pleasantries instead became enjoyable quality time between 2 cousins/friends that zipped by in a blink. As Abi said, we could go to BUKIDNON and still enjoy ourselves with just our incessant stream of girl gabbing. I'm really glad and grateful she decided to accompany me on the trip when she could have easily been shopping in H&M in Hong Kong with her parents. We'll just have to plan a shopping spree in HK by ourselves... say, next month? ;p