I'm off the Island
Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/200s f/3.5 at 54.0mm iso400
April 17, 2007: Sugar Beach, Bantayan Island, Cebu Philippines
The image is titled "the last Sunset", as I've left Bantayan Island for Cebu, and have left Cebu and am now in Manila preparing for my flight back to the USA.
I've got so many mixed emotions to deal with now - I really wanted to be able to stay longer and continue shooting, there's so much more to be done here, and now I have to do an about-face and begin the travel days back to Cebu, and to Manila where I am now.
I've spent time with Lisa & LetLet's Family in Cebu, and was able to take the kids shopping for clothing necessities, and of course, food.
..I've really missed them and I have many new images I'll be posting of them soon - they're growing up so fast it seems, they even know how to text me on my phone, and the kids & Family have been texting me messages since I left Cebu on Saturday.
Here in Manila I immediately went to Rosa & Edison's place, only to find they moved to a different location within the seedy building they've had to stay in for the past year - they've had to vacate the larger space they've been in, for a much smaller, one small room space (same size as a large closet - it's terrible) and I do not know how all four of them are able to stay together inside that tiny space.
I'll have photographs published here as soon as I get back to the USA, as I've had to leave my external LCD monitor on Bantayan, along with clothes and other items, so I can lighten my traveling load (AirPhilippines whacked me for an overweight luggage charge in Nov. 2006) - and it just makes it easier when I can travel with less gear.
The past 4 days have all been travel days for me, and the last 2 weeks on the Island I've been taking care of 2 projects at one time: the new website I have going up soon, and taking care of Mama Helen's Family by employing her daughter LittleFish to help me with the new website (transcribing written info), and that went so well as she's been so hungry for any type of work this past year since her baby was born.
I've also been able to pay her brother & sister to take care of BN's home I was staying at during April while he was away, and that let me concentrate on working 14 hour days (laptop & photography time) at the house on the pRice issues as well as the new website, and it was an exhausting last 2 weeks for me.
I've got good things to write about on my last day online in Manila, tomorrow - and I'm actually looking forward to having the online TIME in the USA to post, write and edit, etc. without a 1 or 2 hour time budget/limit at the net cafes here in Philippines- so I'll be busy as ever as soon as I get back.
I just found a newly opened small net cafe right next door to my hotel, for only P25 per hour - most places here in the city are P60 per hour, but this place is right next door a few meters away, and that means I don't even have to pack the laptop & HD's, I just carry them in - a nice break for me:)