Cavinti

I must have the worst luck in keeping photos.

After 2 years of staying indoors I was finally able to take a short trip in Cavinti, Laguna. My friend and I intended to go in Feb of last year, but a few weeks before the date we were under a lockdown. Fast forward to 11 months later and an almost healed ankled we drove to Chandava Lake.

We were supposed to leave lunch time to have enough time for travel and set up my tent, but we arrived late and had to pitch my tent in the dark while it rained a bit. Not a great start you’d think, but if I’m being honest I didn’t mind that much. I couldn’t remember the last time I felt raindrops on my skin, the feel of cold air, the sound of nature, and the soft soil underneath my feet. My cats were with me during the 4-hour drive (per way) and I don’t think they enjoyed it as much as I did. Goya’s the more ‘game’ one between the two, he’s more curious, more himself than Milo. I read somewhere cats don’t like changes and that they’re really not the best travel companions, Milo is a testament to this. Inside the tent he curled up right next to me as he sleeps something he never does at home, he practices social distancing even if there’s no pandemic. We rented a tiny house for the purpose of getting our own toilet, a place to cook and eat, and it came with an even tinier room. Between the house floor and the room there’s a 9-inch gap and Milo squeezed under out of fear! That was probably the only time I felt anxious, frightened, helpless at the same time. Getting him out was just pure luck, at some point the thought of leaving him behind crossed my mind.

A few days after my trip my phone broke and I had to do a factory reset which meant all my photos and videos are once again deleted from my device. Just like the time when I brought my external HD abroad and came back with brick devices, this happened twice. Luckily it wasn’t the same as that time when someone came in my hostel in Prague and stole my phone in the middle of the night. Such is life.

I’m currently fitting out my car to turn it into a pseudo camper, I’ve ordered my wood and hinges. Next up is to assemble, order foam from Uratex (thankfully it’s only a few meters away from my place), and book our next trip which should be sometime Nov or Dec this year if history repeats itself. I’m hopeful it’d be by Jun if not earlier.