Well, glad I updated the ‘Daze early this morning (or I guess yesterday morning, since it is technically after 4am here), because that typhoon that was coming in the night I arrived, and building up the next day, finally hit full force yesterday morning. Not ten minutes after I had finished updating the site and turned off my comp, the entire bay lost power, everywhere from Olongapo City to Barrio Barretto to the ol’ Subic Base.
As the winds picked up all the customers left and I began helping a couple of the guys on staff lower all the protective coverings, but things started going from bad to worse and the resort began taking on water (resorts here are completely open to all the elements, much like Hawaii or Tahiti or so many other tropic paradises).
After getting all the covers rolled down, me and two of the guys ran out into the rain. All the covered tables and chairs and, well everything outside, was beginning to blow away. After moving those inside, in a rush to save what remained, we grabbed some knives, started climbing up the poles, and just cutting loose the covers up top, so the wind would have nothing to get caught in and thus could not blow them away. Other locals were running down the beach and grabbing their boats and canoes, moving them up to higher ground.
It was pretty fucking intense, to say the least. And all the girls here were all over me when I finally came in out of the rain, for helping to be a hero ha ha. They really are used to 50-60-70 yr-old assholes here, who would have just sat back and watched the fun. But no, me, I wanted to do my part, even if I am a paying customer.
Oh, that’s another thing. While most of the staff is the same in the disco and in the disco, as well as all the male positions (night watchmen, stockers, day-helper whats-his-name), about half the bartenders have changed. Of course Aiza and Racel are still here, but not there is Hannah and Shane (still a chick) and some other girl, Almira or something, who is actually pretty fucking cute. And there is probably still one or two more I have not seen yet.
But anyway, crazy shit tho. The owner, Papa Tom, showed up just after I had come inside and dried off and changed clothes. And you know what? Just like last time, with Octoberfest, remember how he already knew that Jared and I had taken two of his girls out on a double-date? Yeah, well somehow, he already fucking knew again that I had been helping out when no one else would! I don’t know where that guys gets his info, but damn is he good.
So yeah, I was worried we would not have power for like three days, but I guess since the Philippines is hit with an average of 20 typhoons a year (usually occurring between June and September, the rainy season), that the power people know how to handle the situation. It was maybe four or five hours before power was back, not too long. I really expected days not hours.
The big difference though is that there is no radar here in the Philippines. Non whatsoever, even if you log online. Best you can get is some low detail of all Asia frames from weather satellites that are sometimes hours behind. So unless someone happens to get a phone call from friends or family in a nearby town or barangay warning them of an impending typhoon, they can sneak up, especially if they show up ahead of season (as was the case today).
Anyway, its pretty late here. I just walked ███████ downstairs and out to a trike, so she can head home. She remembered to bring clothes to change into after work, but forget to bring more clothes for work tomorrow — and she has to be back in two hrs. Damn, glad I don’t have to worry about work for awhile. I feel bad though, she is going to be tired all day at work now cause of me. And I know all the other girls are going to be giving her a hard time, because she went upstairs with me at 4pm when she got off, and only just now have left, haha, at 4am…
But anyway, that typhoon killed 27 people and possibly still counting — most of which came from a mudslide in one of the small villages — and had winds in excess of 100pmh, with another one building now in the South China Sea. ███████ is apologizing to me for the bad weather but fuck, I rather enjoy it. This is fun as shit! You should have come Jared. But hey, Racel will still be waiting for you next time, no worries, hahaha.
What freaky weather have you encountered while traveling?
This post was imported from my old Shibuya Daze Blogger, a drunken, laughable blog intended only for friends that eventually evolved into the HoliDaze Blog and the HoliDaze Travel Community
