How Losing 28k made me Immensely Enjoy my Vacation

Yes ladies and gentlemen, it was a moment of frustration, to think i went to a vacation to relax only to be left with a devastating accident on my hands and I have to live with it for 6 days. I started with packed with things I thought I needed, I escaped the metro with cash, clothes, camera and cellphone on my bag: All set and ready to go… I wasn’t ready for this.

Departure

The strip had us waiting, but it didn’t feel like it. I had my phone to keep me company — there is solace the 3G offers to provide the comfort of internet in anywhere I go. It is a heaven sent to keep me mesmerized, I posted photo updates on Instagram, chatted with some friends on Facebook and sent some snaps to other via Snapchat. The bore was no problem, I was connected with the distant pieces I left for this escape. As soon as the doors we’re opened, I snapped another photo for the online world as I bid the metro goodbye.

We landed on a new land to explore, same people, same culture but with a different setting and landscape. I tinkered with my phone every now and then, searching for people to talk to or wondering for likes, there were some popping after minutes of intervals. The first day was for travel alone, we weren’t able to do much in Davao other than to get some rest for our feet and our body. We ended the night with cards and beers before bed.

The First Day

The new morning caressed our skin with a welcome to the start of our adventure in Davao, the farm of our host had horses to tour us around the rich coconut land. Unfortunately, I had the bright idea to wear shorts, needless to say, a few minutes from the ride, I had to make the choice of the risk of falling off the horse, or scratch my leg. I preferred myself in once piece without any injuries rather than a scratched 4 mosquito bites on each leg. The discipline was excruciating, I had to do some serious “pain is only in the mind” supernatural meditation on that horse to resist the urge, nirvana was far but enlightenment was achievable.

I didn’t finish the ride, I went down half way to walk, and boy I tell you the unlimited scratch indulgence i performed felt like my nails made sweet savory love with the plump bumps on my hairy leg. To return on two legs instead of four was excruciating and satisfying: I love walking but the scorching heat of the sun killed the experience. There we’re no refill stations for a drink nor was there shade for the path, it was pure man-up against nature but the next activity made it all worth it — beach time.

The sun was up, the sand was the best: powder fine, cold and gets in between my toes, now this was a vacation. The sound of the waves splashing on the shore, water kissing land. I was relaxed, at peace, and escaped, I’m ok with this setting for 5 days, it was our go to place for activities. I snapped a few photos to remember the beauty, and talked to some friends about the secret paradise, but enough of technology, as we dipped into the water, the heat of the sun made it just nice and warm on the shallow area, as my body starts to get used to the temperature, I moved further, there’s a gradual change the farther I move from the shore, it was the perfect transition. The beach was the perfect nature get-away to refresh.

It Happens

I wanted to get a shot with the sea with my phone, Xperia Z2. I took my breath and brought the device with me to the water, with each step I get to capture, my heart beats faster, I got the phone for its water proofing after all, so you can say I was more confident and excited than scared. I pressed the camera button, the application opened but on the process, it got soaked. Surprisingly, I couldn’t get a snap anymore, it wasn’t providing any feedback to the buttons, I brought it out to the table hoping to dry it. To my disappointment as the temperature of the sea was gradual, so was the death of my phone: First, it lost its snap ability, the camera wasn’t functioning, next the touch, and next, the power.

Forsaken

It died, my phone, my treasure and bond. My social connection to my family, friends and fans [what?], I had nothing to keep me company on idle moments. What would I do? I have to avoid awkwardness. Oh gosh, I won’t be updated, I can’t be not updated online. I need to answer questions, reply to messages and emails, post photos and update my feed. If you knew me well, I have an array of social accounts which I keep progress on. I was on the verge to crash due to a deep sense of imbalance, taking the phone away from me is taking away part of me in this online generation. But after a few minutes of sadness, I had to make peace with reality: goodbye Xperia and internet, hello nature, adventure and people.

The Internet is a Disconnection

If you see the word ‘world’ as the people of different nationality, or the news of wars, or the distant beautiful landmarks of different countries. You’re skipping a step from what it can be. The internet created for us the ability to hint what we can’t experience: the beauty of pixels, symphony of bits and friendship through clicks of keyboards and webcams. Let’s face it, the experience you’re going to have by prolonged exposure to technology are eyesight fading with some hints of back pain and longing. Imagination and creativity might be stimulated but the experience can’t be simulated. The world starts with what you have around you and near you, start with things you haven’t explored, even the slums have its art to appreciate. There’s a world to know and live with, start small to grow big.

Imagination and creativity might be stimulated but the experience can’t be simulated.

Armed with my eyes, camera and personality, I prepared to experience a vacation with an online level of a 21st century nomad. I looked at the scene of sea, sand and sky with the thought of “Oh what a creation.” rather than “This beauty is worthy of likes.” I’ve come to appreciate the vibrance of the sky, the gradient shades of blue with the eyes given to me, rather than by pixels. My vision wasn’t framed, it was limitless, and so was the memory of making the landscape immortal. To realize that I’ve come a long way and no amount of photo sharing will be enough to justify the breath taking beauty, I’ve no choice but to savor every movement of the clouds, every splash of the waves to the sand and each sand that moves with the kicks of each folks by the beach. I’ve come to appreciate present reality. No amount of admiration from people I don’t know and the spreading seeds of jealousy in my peers could replace that.

Idleness is an opportunity of infinite potential

When there was nothing to do, I’d most probably lie down on the hammock, surfing the internet on a blank blue book or wandering on how to garner likes, I would be passive on offer for activities, preferring the comfort of immobility. There’s a great fulfillment in sharing a good content on where you are and garnering a good amount of attention, it can keep you content with a compromise. Smacking myself with reality though, I’m quite sure traveling far from the metro from Luzon to Mindanao just to a get-a-way to brag to others where I am and experiencing isn’t a vacation, its just an envy-trip which is possible anywhere. Things can bloat and you may shift your focus instead on your post rather than what’s in front of you, I do.. sometimes.

So, hey instead of lying down, I looked for activities: I explored, reflected and meditated. Whatever it is that will be sent my way, unless it was urgent or a limited duration deal, it can wait. This is especially true if someone’s got your back. For mine, aside from my brother, my co-worker Shiro was prepared for any tasks thrown for development. Instead of staring at flickering pixels, I was able to examine my performance: my lack of drive and room for improvements. I reconnected on a clear line with the Man above after fading from the phone and best of all [not really] I get to be able to skimboard my way through the subsiding waves, I sucked.

Live where you’re at

Not all events can be captured, but all can be experienced. Things you snap can already probably be snapped by someone else, the mountain view, the rocks, the trees. There’s a probability out of the thousand tourists that have passed through that destination that have been there, somebody could’ve captured what you saw, uploaded them, and probably be better than what you could’ve done so. But the euphoria, the rush and the awe you could’ve felt, its yours alone to concoct and taint. My experience at Davao was crisp, I had nothing to distract me to be somewhere else. I walked its soil, breathed its air and soaked on its seas, I was not blemished with the metro stress and tasks, nor the idea of my social responsibility to my other accounts. I can only live where I was, and I was living an escape and rest, I got it in a complete purest dosage.

But the euphoria, the rush and the awe you could’ve felt, its yours alone to concoct and taint.

Don’t compromise to leave part of yourself out of your vacation, being in your mobile is the modern astral projection of your consciousness somewhere else. Escaping only to return back and forth to your departure point isn’t an escape, its more like a bad case of Stockholm Syndrome. No matter how kind your oppressors have been to you, treat yourself for some true freedom. It may sound strange to the ear, but the experience will speak otherwise. I lost 28k worth of a device to learn this, don’t let fate decide the same for you.