The joys and pains of traveling

Aloha and mahalo! It is indeed a wonderful day today. It couldn’t get any more beautiful than it is out here in Waikiki Beach, Honolulu, Hawaii.

Travel! Travel! Travel is the most exciting thing in life. This is just one of the most treasured benefits we receive in this business.

Even if it was a business trip ( I am here for the screening of Kaleldo at the 26th Hawaii International Film Festival) or all work, the sights and unforgettable experiences took away all the stress.

I have discovered that sadness is a state of mind. Being happy is a choice, but not a very easy one once you’ve got a full plate of things to worry about.

Each has his own different way of expressing himself.

We’ve got our different set of problems, dilemmas and all sorts of things that make our every day colorful. Well, I’ve got a whole lot of things to think about recently, and I couldn’t deny not being able to escape this stress even while I’m away.

Like I’ve said before, cell phones are very powerful. They can make or break our days even through text messages.

Imagine me in a two-piece, lying on the beautiful beach of Waikiki and getting a great tan.

But my imagination wanders and gets shipped back to Manila. I just hate it! Just as I was getting myself back up to the hotel, a man named Michael started a conversation with me as if we knew each other.

These people are just so friendly. There was not a second where I felt being picked up on. Ha! Ha! Ha! His was just a purely friendly conversation about different countries we both have visited.

Traveling is something we have in common. He’s originally from New York and came to Hawaii for a vacation and never wanted to go back home.

Next year, Michael intends to stay in Bangkok for a few months. I found this guy quite interesting. However, my defensive mode took over and I ended that chat right away.

A few minutes later, Michael stopped by where I was sitting and handed me a bottled water. He said that he noticed I didn’t have any water and I really should drink lots of fluid while out in the sun.

I felt so special! So, I just said thank you and made sure I didn’t send him an indirect invite to sit with me there. I really just wanted to be alone.

A few minutes had passed and he stopped by again! This time it was to give me an extra mat just in case mine wasn’t enough. Then, he left me his number and told me that in case I needed some information I could just call him up and ask for help.

There wasn’t even a second when I felt him actually hitting on me. He was just such a nice man. I didn’t know people like him still exists!

Thinking about it still makes me smile. I just arrived that morning, went straight to the beach, and encountered such a nice person.

There was absolutely a whole lot of beautiful people everywhere I turned. The surfer boys were the best sights to see!

Great things happened right at the last minute of our sadness. On our way here, we had a seven-hour stop over at Narita International Airport.

The thought of it just drove me crazy! I couldn’t even dare to imagine the thought of having to wait so long.

I decided to call an old friend, whom I met last year over there and asked him to come by the airport and accompany me while waiting.

Even though the airport was a couple of hours away from where he was, he was very kind to still come. As soon as we landed, I called and was glad to hear he was almost at the airport.

It was so nice to see him again after sometime. The long wait went by so fast. It was almost like a dream for us to share a few laughs in such a short time.

The long wait was probably the nicest part of the trip on our way here. It was magical.

I believe everything happens for a reason and I couldn’t be anymore glad to be away from all the things that pull me down.

I’m off to Los Angeles after my Hawaii trip. I can’t wait to see my family out there. I’ll surely tell you all about it! Come visit Honolulu! It’s a beautiful place. Remember, happiness is a choice!

Have a great Sunday!