I wonder if a human can die from lack of sleep? Probably. A mere 5 hours since the time of my last entry and I’m up, showered and about to have breakfast.

So it seems that my 9am entertainment was having fun with a machete. I had come down the stairs to see the pastor attacking a tree (pruning is probably the more appropriate term) and as I’m nearly the tallest person in the Philippines I offered to help him. Besides, one should never ignore the opportunity to capture an action shot.

Next it was time to help Kuya A. He needed some musical help with using an old friend of mine. Musescore. A music software program I used to use and really did not expect to find here in the Philippines. So for an hour or two I spent my time plotting out violin music on a blank music sheet.

All in all I lasted about 3 hours before I needed a nap. Tis a cruel world I live in, one that rules me by prying away possible adventure time in the form of slumber. That stole away my day until 2pm. When I woke up I was served a slightly strange lunch. Whether it’s normal for them or whether they really want me to try new foods I don’t know. But I always eat completely different courses straight after each other. Today I started with some sweet tasting spaghetti bolognese and moved straight onto fried fish and rice… Individually they were delicious courses. The overlapping flavours however… It probably tasted strange, even to them

The church practice session I played some carols on the ukulele. Which I must say is well suited to the occasion. Carols are joyful and slightly carefree. Hence I was. Actually I felt so relaxed compared to the rigid posture and precision of the violins who were beside me. Like, I’m just chilling here with my uke, how’s it goin? It’s terribly hard to be serious.

Instead of a peanut butter sandwiches the pastor walks in this time with pork crackling. A bag full to the brim of pork crackling. This hospitality is getting a little bit surreal.

After that Kuya J and I went around the neighbourhood offering flyers to people who were interested (I learnt the word for “free”). We also went to a house where the children (ranging from 4 to 18) had recently become Christians but their parents had not. So we went to encourage them and to pray with them. Actually when I was sitting down an 8 year old walked in, he just gaped at me and said “oh my gosh!”. White people are truly shocking it seems. My Tagalog put them into hysterics but they could understand me okay. These people were living in something little better than a shack. There was one lightbulb for the whole house, and yet they seemed remarkably happy. Riches really can’t buy happiness.

A small secret: between you and me (and the rest of the Internet). Filipinos are afraid of the rain. This is something that, being British, makes me laugh and despair at the same time. As we were walking back from that house it started to rain, immediately Kuya J and Kuya J number 2 took out their flannels and put them over their heads. They implored me to get out of the rain as it will most definitely make me sick. They wouldn’t last 5 minutes in the U.K, it has to be said. We even stopped at a house for shelter until it cleared up, it wasn’t a torrential thunderstorm, as a matter of fact it was quite warm tropical rain. Like a shower. Except most of the showers here don’t have hot water so probably not like a shower.

That’s the day today. A bit short but much rest was needed after my journey….

Try doing that every weekend.