Today I woke up at 11. After that, as usual, I took a shower. Since it felt like a special occasion, I decided to wear contact lenses today — so I put them in! Felt good. Then I styled my hair with a hair balm. It came together nicely!
I somehow felt good today. It wasn't raining and the weather felt nice, so I decided to have lunch at a nearby restaurant. It was almost noon, but I was still able to order from the breakfast menu.
First time filming cute dogs with the Osmo Action 5 Pro
Today I used the Osmo Action 5 Pro for the first time to shoot. The field of view was wide and since I’m used to shooting, it was very easy and comfortable to film. Breakfast was two eggs, bread, pineapple, watermelon, and so on. It felt very nutritious and was great.
While I was eating that, three dogs came up like they were begging.
They were the cafe’s dogs, and I thought they were really adorable.
One of them was about a week old and was nursing. I thought it was really cute.
I finished my breakfast. I looked the server in the eye and said, "Thank you." Then I asked to use the restroom. I was satisfied with myself because I was able to make clear eye contact and communicate properly. After that, I decided to walk to the beach.
Reading at the beach and meeting a crab
The weather wasn't exactly clear blue, but it was pleasant, so I decided to read The Alchemist.
Honestly, it felt like the best place to read this book. At first I thought I might read it at the cafe, but since I had the chance I sat on the beach to read.
While I was reading, a crab came out of a hole and was cleaning its home. It was kicking out lots of sand and looked so cute that I started filming it with my camera.
Missed chance and accepting myself
Someone who looked like a solo traveler walked by ahead, and she looked Russian. She was wearing a T-back swimsuit and looked nice, so I thought about hitting on her. But I was very sleepy, and as I was reading the book I got gradually drowsy. Still, it felt like such a golden opportunity, and she was happily watching the sea the whole time, so I figured we would have things to talk about.
But my body just wouldn’t move. In my head I wanted to, but I kept thinking too much... I stood up, finished the book, and thought I’d go over, but when I looked she was already gone. I missed the chance.
But it’s okay. That’s fine. I don’t have to blame myself. I have my own pace, so it’s fine to take things slowly. Anyway, I think it’s amazing that I am taking action, and I should be proud of myself.
I made clear eye contact with the server and spoke clearly. My posture was good too. So I felt like I’m steadily improving. I care less about other people’s eyes than yesterday. Whether people like me or hate me doesn’t matter as much anymore. What matters more is how I live — that way of living is important. If I’m satisfied, that’s enough, no matter how much I embarrass myself or how much I’m disliked. Actually, getting embarrassed is natural if you’re challenging yourself.
So, I walked from one end of the sea to the other. Two hours had already passed. Time really flies, and I thought how amazing it is that I’m in Port Barton. The world feels so big.
Yes, the world is vast. There are so many different people. Meeting someone is nothing short of a miracle. That’s why I want to cherish encounters. No solo traveler doesn’t want to make connections. Everyone values meeting new people and wants to meet others. That’s certain. So if you’re a solo traveler, please approach people — that’s something to keep in mind.
Sheltering from the rain with gelato and a lovely encounter
Then, as I walked, a light rain started so I went into a restaurant. But that restaurant didn’t feel quite right, so I went to another place that had gelato and had hazelnut and blueberry ice cream. A cone was +10 pesos, so the total was 190 pesos.
About 430 yen. It felt a bit expensive, but it was really delicious. While eating it I looked at the view and got lost in thought: I’m really here. The rain started to get heavier. A boy walked by—maybe around eight years old. He spoke to me in a small voice; maybe it was because I had smiled at him before.
I couldn't hear him, so I went closer and he asked me for pesos. I said, sorry, I can’t... Then he asked for an ice cream. So I went back and asked, "Ice cream? What flavor do you want?" He said chocolate. I ordered a chocolate gelato and gave it to him.
He was so happy. At the same time he seemed a bit nervous. We took a selfie together.
Then he quickly went off somewhere, but I felt like I had done something good. It felt nice. With adults I still feel a bit weird or resistant about doing that kind of thing, but with children I want to do those things. Kids really are treasures.
After that, I relaxed at a cafe listening to music. In my notebook I wrote down my introspections — things I’ve achieved recently, things I’ve noticed, and so on.
Then I decided to walk back to the lodge. I was humming and whistling the whole way, so I realized I really felt comfortable. I don’t really care about other people’s eyes anymore — I kind of feel like it doesn’t matter. I think this is a good sign.
Ultimately, I want to be someone who can talk to anyone anywhere without resistance. Maybe not a full social butterfly, but someone who can approach others without any nervousness, just instinctively.
The best surprise from Popoy and Julian
When I got to the hostel, Popoy was playing with a toy and Julian was waiting outside. They’re really cute. When I was about to go back to my room they chased after me.
Popoy hugged me with a beaming smile. Kids are so cute. I think I really like children.
When I opened the lodge door there was a paper that said "Good Morning". I was really moved. They had left it for me while I was out.
What kids think is really touching and wonderful. It was so lovely. Sweet. But I also felt that it was something returned to me because I had given something to them. I had just given them photos and spent time with them, but I was really happy.
Then Julian told me there was a surprise and asked me to come. I went, closed my eyes when she told me to, and then opened them when she said to. Inside a house built of blocks was the photo I had given her yesterday.
It felt like, "This is our home~." It was really lovely. What kids think is so pure — they see the world as it is. It was wonderful and so smart. I was very inspired by them.
Then Julian edited a video right away using CapCut on my TikTok account and published my first TikTok. We followed each other. She brought a tablet and asked which app I thought was her favorite. I guessed, and apparently TikTok was her favorite. She also showed me her favorite editing filter. She seemed so happy. She was using my iPhone to do Duolingo, and she had already learned some Japanese. So fast!! Kids pick things up so quickly — I was just moved.
Anyway, I was a bit tired and when I tried to go back to my room Popoy stopped me asking where I was going. Kids like that are really wonderful. I’ve come to love children. Popoy’s smile is so cute.
But I was very sleepy and asked to be let go so I could sleep, and they let me. When I reached the lodge and was a little exhausted, I heard Julian’s voice from outside. When I opened the door she was there with Bo juice.
She called me "Kota," which was so cute. While I was drinking the juice, something slid under the door — an UNO deck. She wanted to play UNO, so I opened the door and we played.
We played UNO about six times in my doorway. Julian won almost every time. I kept losing. She’s strong, and at one point she let me win on purpose. I thought she was really like an older-sister type. Well, she has a younger brother, so that makes sense.
She came into my room and lay down in the gap under the bed. She was really friendly. Since my door was left open, other guests passing by gave me odd looks or smiled — it was a mix.
Julian was super curious about Japanese gadgets, like my Apple Watch and my electric toothbrush; she was fascinated (lol). That childlike curiosity was so cute.
Local experience at Star Apple
I said I’d go eat dinner and be back later. Julian recommended a place called Star Apple if I wanted local food. So I decided to go there.
There are two shops, and Julian’s recommendation was the one across from the pharmacy, so I found it quickly. It was full of local Filipinos, and everyone was singing karaoke or something. I sat down and ordered right away: a pork dish with chunky pieces, something like gado-gado (vegetable salad with sauce), and rice.
It was truly local, so I was a bit worried about food poisoning. But I decided to go for it because Julian recommended it. If I worry about everything, I won’t be able to eat anything. I figured I might as well build my immunity and tolerance quickly.
The food was tasty. It really felt like local cuisine. But I thought I might be done with that for a while. After that, I walked to the cafe across the street to write this diary. Now I have diarrhea and a slight fever, so I’m worried. I’ll sleep early and try to recover. At the same time, I’ll drink saline solution to prepare for dehydration.
Anyway, drinking lots of water is really important. Especially in Southeast Asia, it’s absolutely essential. I learned that the hard way. Tomorrow’s bus ride is about three hours — I’m going to El Nido — so I hope nothing else happens. I’ll make sure to bring tissues and a remedy for food poisoning with me.
