She organized a dinner with her ex-colleagues at a nice Chinese restaurant last nite in the posh new suburb, Fort Bonifacio. I think I was rather overwhelmed by the company particularly after being a recluse for so many days. But what was more shocking to deal with was her friends' astonishing disapproval of her letting me travel alone - in Puerto Galera, and to Baclaran earlier that arvo. I honestly didn't think anything of it, until I looked around and noticed a lot of Filipinos who moved about with large group of friends wherever they went; and recalled the panic my dad caused my grandmother and the whole of Sampaloc when he merely went for a quiet walk around the neighbourhood.

You don't just travel alone here. The degree of social consciouness of the lack of safety and fear inbred in the locals about travelling didn't daunt me or affect me, to say the least. Despite the pervasive ghetto environment around Manila, which isn't very different from Jakarta, I never really thought much about being afraid of getting around on my own. It's not to say I don't take care of myself when I move about on my own back in KL. I think it's the same amount of awareness towards your own safety then as much as you are any where in the world. Especially being female.

I like the sense of being independent to do things on my own. I don't need to depend on a majority on what I want or need to do. I don't need to intrude on someone to go out of their way to entertain me. And I have the luxury of doing things on my own time and space.

It's just amusing to see other's disapprove of you not following the herd mentality, or impressed by the sense of plain independence. My hostess herself astounded her friends when she recently set off to Singapore entirely on her own for a holiday. It's just something that some of us don't think much of in the presence of a group, or among people of the same mind set. But when you realise the amount you can achieve by braving the fear and not allowing yourself to fall into the trap of other's fears, there's a joy you can relish in being independent.

Right, I'm one to speak when I just ironically began my entry with being homesick and missing Lee so gravely. tsk. It's just that when I share my little idiosyncrasies and neediness, you'll see the exact opposite. But that's another entry.

So, should I head to Greenhills... Divisoria's 168 Mall... or go for an arvo of pampering at The Spa? Hmm...