Abram in Motion

When I think of the Philippines, my mind is filled with vivid raw untouched nature, crystal clear ocean, calm nights filled with stars and crickets, polluted dirty impoverished city, jeepneys coughing out thick black exhaust, small stuffy buses lunging out of control on check-point roads, huge roadside rum and beer signs urging “slow down”, security guards with sub-machine guns and automatic shotguns, “little America” shopping centers, cheap tricycle rides, and endless fast food. My experiences here have been rich. A full range of emotion cycled through me. I was excited to see old friends from the old world in Shanghai and disappointed when travel plans to meet up didn't work as hoped. I stayed up two days straight to journey by plane, bus, and boat to a remote island. I fell asleep to crashing waves in a bungalow on a cliff above the ocean and awoke to the sound of the sea. I was bed-ridden for days and unable to eat for almost a week. I lost 2 kilos. I narrowly escaped having my head violently smashed from a chunk of lava tumbling down a lava flow. I climbed a volcano. I was horrified when I awoke to find my legs covered in a vibrant rash. I swam with huge bus-sized whale sharks and panicked when I realized their massive size. I road a small fishing boat up a river to see swarms of fireflies synchronize their flashes on a full moon night after the rain. I was stung by the largest jelly fish I have ever seen. I sprained my ankle by said volcano and was taken to the emergency room for a $20 x ray – just to be sure. I raced around in a wheelchair and induced laughter in a Manila hospital. I was a photographed specimen. I drank with the locals. I drank a ton of coffee and had the best two hour massage of my life. I was a driver in the adrenaline inducing traffic chaos of Manila and road-tripped to the sea. I felt alive. I wanted to stay longer. I want to go back.

Photos here: http://flickr.com/photos/abramhodgens/sets/72157613688294614/