2009 Philippine Blog Awards

Our blog is a Finalist in the 2009 Philippine Blog Awards!  Carlo and I are immensely PROUD!
  
  
We would have celebrated this with a dozen stories by now.
Except that Carlo’s home was devastated by typhoon Ondoy, which flooded great swathes of Manila last September 26. 
The whole house was completely submerged in floodwater and mud, above the roof line.  In four [...]

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Besieged at Baler

Even today, Baler remains besieged … by weather, mountains, the biggest ocean in the world.  But with weather wisdom, terrain awareness and the patience to turn back and try again another day, you can break the siege.
And remember, the Crispy Buntot is delicious.
 
  
  
  
   
There are three routes across the Sierra Madre mountains to Baler.
 
Short and Fast
Through the Bongabon-Baler pass.  Short [...]

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The Continuing Perils of Flying with Mom

I first learned of Baler from the former General Manager at Omni Aviation, Aljess, now a big jet pilot for Philippine Airlines.
He had pictures of a rugged coastline and a small inland airport.  And stories of crab, seafood and surfers.
   
   
     
     
You would think that my Mom, in her 80s, would be fearful of flying.  But she has [...]

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The Smartest Pilot in the World

Stranded in Vigan, one of the prettiest towns in the Philippines.  It was too rainy for the beach, but I could have puttered around the pottery kiln, explored the Crisologo museum, or hopped on a bus to Laoag or Abra province.  Instead . . .  .
  
  
  
  
I hunkered down in the Salcedo Hotel, moping over the weather.  Thunder woke me up the [...]

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Here There Be Dragons

Protesters stormed the ASEAN summit in Thailand.  Thais celebrated the big Songkran holiday, throwing pails of water and squirting Super Soakers at each other.  In the Philippines, on Easter Week, we also had  a wet, stormy story.
My last trip to Vigan.  “Last” is a scary word.
   
    
  
  
  
  
This story will hog the Slow Learners page of this blog for [...]

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Uncle T For Thunderstorm

Thunderstorms are muggers.  Dark shapes lurk, you get an uneasy tingling in the back of your neck.  BAM!  Sudden, quick, turbulent, darkness, over. 
 
One minute you are in bright, hazy glare, sunglasses.  The next minute you are seeking high ground, peering around for the Ark.
   
  
  
I flew with Cool Nichole, who hails from California.  After years of wooing, I finally enticed this Princess to visit me in Bangkok.  Then [...]

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Julio and The Level 3 Thunderstorm

This was a reply to Jerry’s comment, and a co-worker suggested I post it as an article to make it more accessible.
The pictures were actually taken during the flight.  The Powerpoint screenshots were taken from the executive presentation.
       
   
   
   
I’ve used a flying example only once during a presentation at work.
We had a meeting of the 100 or so [...]

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