Exploring the world in 100 days

Despite what you hear about troubles in America, I'm here in the Big Apple, the city that never sleeps, drinking coffee with my client in a small but cozy cafe near 42nd street. We are in the southern end of Times Square, in the Broadway District in Manhattan, New York. In a few minutes, I'm seeing the Tony award-winning musical Aladdin at the famous New Amsterdam Theater. This is courtesy of my Arab client, who gave me this wonderful 100 day-tour to see the world again after the pandemic.

This is the first leg of our work and pleasure world tour, and we will be exploring again the USA, Canada, and South America in 30 days. That includes, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Mexico, and Ecuador. Then we will fly by private plane to the Caribbean. That will be followed by another 30 days to Europe, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg. We will also find time to go to Norway, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Iceland, and end our tour in London and Paris. Well, I was there with my wife and daughter in 2019 (our third European visit then) and had a religious tour from Fatima, Lourdes, Padre Pio, Rome, and Assisi.

The last 30 days of this 100 world tour will be in the Middle East, from Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi, Kuwait, Qatar, Dubai, and UAE. I will again explore Jerusalem and see all the cathedrals, mosques and Jewish temples. My favorite is Mount Sinai (returned to Egypt by Israel) and Jericho, said to be the oldest city, founded 9,000 years before Christ. The last 10 days will be here in Asia from Beijing to Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, and ending in Bali Indonesia. I will visit Vietnam, Myanmar and Laos, aside from Thailand and Malaysia. It will be a hectic and expensive 100 days indeed, but what the heck, I am not spending for this amazing tour. My work and my legal advice are paying for my trip. What matters most is that I am having 100 days of nourishing my soul, intellect, will, and spirit.

Here in the USA, I am making final arrangements for the testate (with a last will and testament) settlement of the estate of a super-wealthy Arab client that I met in Kuwait in 2009, when I worked there as DOLE labor diplomat. I'm allocating the property sharing among the four wives, three of them Filipina beauties --one from Pampanga, another from Cebu, and the third one from Iligan. The properties are located all over the USA, from New York to Las Vegas, Hawaii and Alaska, as well as in South America and all over Europe. That client was an heir of one of the oil-rich royalty in the Middle East. He died of cancer at 51 last year. And so, I am travelling with a New York lawyer now who has been appointed as estate administrator. I am the executor of the last will and testament. The probate court is based in Buffalo, New York, where my late client died.

But while I'm on foreign travel, I continue to conduct my classes in various Law schools in Metro Manila, as well as my free review classes in UV online via digital platform. I will also go on with my opinion writing to the chagrin of my friendly critics. Some of my lectures are videotaped. I flew in yesterday from Singapore in business class aboard a new Airbus 350-900 plane and landed at the JFK International Airport. We are staying in Manhattan and early this morning, I found time to stroll around Central Park which divides northern and southern Manhattan. I was here with my family before the pandemic but by then, we were just renting an AirBnB three-room apartment in Staten Island. Today, it is a luxury hotel near the UN headquarters. There are no muggers or hate criminals out to hurt Asians.

And so, from June 20 to September 21, I will be out but still connected. I am updating you each day on what really matters most in life. I am a multitasking guy who makes things happen and keeps the fire burning, even when I travel around in the next 100 days. Travelling is one of God' finest gifts. When I was in government for 25 years, and in San Miguel, Petron, and Pepsi for another 25 years, I travelled to 132 countries, all expenses were paid by my employers. I hope you too will do the same. Life is beautiful and we all deserve to be happy.