gosh, my philippines trip seemed like years ago. time is flying so fast this year. can you believe it’s already may? omg! anyway, on my last lay day in manila, i decided to pamper myself. so i went to this spa near my hotel.

walked in and got the full body massage, foot massage, and facial. facial? yeah, that was my first time in my life i had work done on my face. they put these masks on, peeled it off, and i felt like a young teenager after.

i touched my face after and it felt so smooth! and it’s unbelievable how good the service was, and more unbelievable how good i felt after. it was 2 hours long and only cost me $15. i will definitely go back there again.

Carter and i had a great time. just enjoying the culture, the people, the surf, and the food. check out our yakiniku dinner.

and can you believe we at all of this??? yes we did!

and the best thing to do at night in the philippines is to sit in a bar and listen to “cover bands” playing all the best songs from the 80’s. they would play all night long!

it’s like a free concert with $1 cold beers. and if you request a song, they will play it. the best cover bands in the world. so yes, going back to the philippines and getting a full massage and facial, then eat a great dinner, and then finish up the night listening to awesome music is definitely on my top destinations for 2016. i would even just go there for a day if i could.
*oh, and people still ask me if the philippines is dangerous. my answer is “this whole world is dangerous. just be smart and alert, even here in hawaii. then you should be fine.”

going to the kaneohe sandbar is like a dream come true. just look at this photo and it will lure people there from all around the world. i’ve met so many japanese that have plans to go there. before i wouldn’t say anything, but now i do. my advise for them is “take a jacket, don’t expect the sandbar to be out of the water, and please remember that most of the photos you seen are taken by professionals at the right timing.”

it’s like paradise if you get it on the right day, and right tide. the day has to be variable winds which happen only a few times a month. and the tide must be a negative low tide when you plan to get there. so combining those 2 variables, you’re looking at once or twice a month if you’re lucky.

so most times, it will be like this. knee to waist deep, but still fun and still beautiful. and why a jacket? because the trade winds usually blow everyday, the tours are usually in the morning, and it can get very windy, very rainy, very cloudy, and very cold. so take it just in case. and if you want to get a perfect day like the picture on the top, ask me and i’ll tell you when to go. but don’t ask me a month before, you have to ask me the day before. it’s mother nature.

heard about the cool whale shark in china that swam by? they took a photo of it, then they killed it. that’s sad.

here are the current the minimum wage rates. pretty cheap for hawaii. almost impossible to buy a home or condo in hawaii. now you know what there are more and more homeless people living on the streets.

last, so happy to see my amigo Satoko living her dreams in mexico. surfing, diving, traveling, and painting. this painting she just did for a hotel in cancun is freaking amazing! so colorful, so alive, and so beautiful. great job amigo! hope to see you somewhere in this world soon!

Rocket Frog?
Good morning 6:30am.
Ala Moana waist high and fun.
Diamond Head chest high and nice.
Trade winds at 15mph.
Sunny and very warm.
Going surfing.
Have a wonderful day!