Beat the heat

Have you noticed that the summer is already waving at us? The cool breeze of December is slowly fading away. Summer in the Philippines is really fun but sometimes it gets too hot due to climate change. And during summer, we think of ways to cool us off. Some would take a bath twice or thrice a day. Others would want to swim in swimming pools or go to the beach. While there are those who would go to the mall to take advantage of the aircondition and also there are those who would just eat some cool drinks or dessert like halo-halo; which is a famous cold drink here in the Philippines. 

We are not the type of family who goes to the beaches every summer. When we were still in grade school, my dad would tag me, my mom and my brother when they have company outings. As a kid I really enjoyed being in the water. But when I got older, I'm not really fond of going to the beach. Yes, the scenery is really beautifu and I love to look at it. But swimming and sun bathing uh-oh no I don't. Maybe because I am afraid of the jelly fish, sharks or other sea creatures. LOL. I prefer swimming in swimming pools. But whenever I would go to a beach, I would just take a quick dip and that's it. I do like adventures yet I have only tried riding a banana boat in Boracay. Even if I am not a beach person, I would also like to try surfing. 

Not only am I afraid of the sea creatures but I am also afraid of getting tanned or darker. LOL. Few years ago I had a conversation with my cousins and I found out that they also don't like the beach. Chilling by the beach? Yes we love the idea. But swimming and sun bathing. Nope. Probably because our skin gets dark easily even in swimming pools. But when I was soul searching a couple of years ago, I have enjoyed my time being surrounded by trees, sand and water while the sun is up. If I get dark then so be it. We have to enjoy the moment, the now or the present because we may never experience that same vibe again. We may go back to the place but the atmosphere or the feeling would be totally different. I have embraced that moment and that may have been the reason I was able to move on, to forget the past, to know myself, to think of what is best and everything. Like I have said, soul searching. I took lots of pictures to post on my Facebook and Instagram account.

Months after this photo was taken, my mom and I bought a rashguard. And I was able to use it twice already. I hope it still fits me because I can't afford to buy a new one. LOL.

Now that summer is about to start, it is very hard to go to some beaches or islands because of the travel restrictions and our present situation.  Although there are now some beaches that are open but the rate is a little pricey compared to how it was before. I don't know how other Filipinos would beat the heat but as for me, I would stock up with some ingredients for halo-halo ao that we can enjoy it while at the comfort of our homes. I remember last year during the early months of the lockdown, @bbghitte shared a recipe of her homemade ice cream on Kiki. I'm hoping to make it this summer and make a video of it so I can upload it on my Youtube channel. 

Aside from cool desserts, I would take a bath when the sun sets. During summer, I usually take a bath when the sun has already set so that I would have a slightly cold evening. I don't take a bath during the day because I will still sweat. How many times do you take a bath during summer? What time do you usually take a bath? I remember that we had experienced 40degrees last year. It is actually hard for people with migraine when it is summer. We only open our aircondition for a few hours when we are going to sleep. We can't run it all day because we don't want to pay for a higher electricity. We would just bear the heat, eat cold foods and even drink cold water and sodas. 

If there is no pandemic, where do you think you would be? I think my mom and I would either be here in our house or at a shopping mall where the aircondition is free. LOL. My dad would be meeting his friends which he is actually planning to do in the coming days and I can feel it. Not only is the hot summer hard for people with migraine but also with our pets. During summer I bathe my dogs every other day or every 2 days. I don't know if it's bad to bathe them most of the time because my uncle instructed me to bathe them every 10 days or once a week. Then I would give them icy cold water. 

No matter how you would beat the summer heat, please always drink enough water. If you will go outside, don't forget to apply sunscreen, wear a cap and/or sunglasses (although wearing a cap and sunglasses are already too much since we have face shield and face masks as the new normal) and bring an umbrella. Summer or not, I always make sure that I have an umbrella with me. So how do you plan to beat the heat this summer?