It Was The Best Of Times…It Was The Worst Of Times…

As I write this blog, we are at Harold’s Mansion in Dumaguete City.

We have planned this trip for quite some time ago and all had been set a month before the scheduled trip. Then complications started to arise. It was a good thing the things that arose got solved in time for the trip.

I guess well planned activities never quite pan out the way they are planned. Instead of the relaxing vacation for everyone, some work just cannot be put off. Instead of a “no laptop policy” we ended up with two laptops needed for work that somehow hounds us.

The vehicle that Harold’s used to pick us up from the airport was a far cry from the vehicles that used to pick us up from the airport during our trips to Puerto Princesa City. My mom was quite upset. Then when we came to the hotel, there seemed to be no coordination among the staff of the hotel. We somehow got settled in but my mom was very, very upset. She wanted us to transfer to another hotel.

It was a good thing other expectations were fulfilled. We planned to eat our first dinner at Gabby’s Bistro. The first time we ate there, we had such a wonderful experience that we wanted my daughter to experience it for herself. And Gabby’s did not disappoint. We let mom, dad, and Hannah order whatever they fancied. And we all had a very wonderful dining experience. Hannah enjoyed herself as she gorged herself on all our ordered meals, and even the dessert.

Our second day, which is actually our first full day, having arrived late in the afternoon yesterday, was quite enjoyable. My mom and my daughter enjoyed themselves shopping and bargain hunting. That makes two of our expectations fulfilled satisfactorily.

If only Harold’s fulfilled our expectations, this would have been a perfect holiday for us. I do hope other activities and other places to visit would make this experience even better.

We had some best experiences. We had some worst experiences. But we look forward to the remaining days of this vacation and hopefully experience some more of the bests this vacation has in store for us. And hopefully no more of the worst.

[Ernest Serote. Dumaguete City. 21 December 2010]