Suroy-Suroy sa Sugbo*: Under the Sea

As if 2 consecutive days of being in the water weren't enough, our 3rd day started with what else but snorkeling at Moalboal! Walang kasawaan lang?? At first, we were hesitant to wake up early for today's activity because let's face it, snorkeling in the rich Philippine seas is a pretty common activity during beach getaways. But after learning that we might get a chance to see dolphins, we immediately agreed to stick to the itinerary which was to start the activity at 6:00 AM. Ang dali lang kausap e! :)) If you've tried dolphin-watching before, you'll know that the best time to do it is early morning when the sun's rays aren't as harsh and the waters are cool. Learned that from our boatman in Panglao!

I have no idea how I do it but I magically turn into an early riser during trips. I was already awake before an alarm blared off at 4:30 AM. Crazy and brutal! Erin was the first one to react so I assumed it was her alarm and I immediately reprimanded her for being too loud at an ungodly hour. I don't think she heard me though because she went right back to sleep. Ty was the second one to get up so he was obviously my next suspect. FYI, I only found out who the real culprit was when we were already on our way to the airport. Haha It's Bry btw.

Ready for more swimming!

After changing into our swimwear (for the nth time!) and a rushed breakfast, we're ready to go snorkeling! So we went to the beach and met up with our boatman (Kuya Michael) which kind of surprised me because he was all alone. Usually when we go island hopping, there would be 2-3 boatmen accompanying us but not in Moalboal, I guess. Or maybe Kuya has superpowers so he can manage everything on his own.

The cool sea breeze felt good on our sunburnt faces, I couldn't help but close my eyes from time to time. Only when Kuya spoke up (for the first time, I think?) did I come to my senses. Did someone say dolphins?? Okay, I'm alive, alert, awake, enthusiastic!

It wasn't my first time to see dolphins but nevertheless, they always amaze me. Each time is just like the first time. Wow parang kanta lang! Anyway, my idea of dolphin-watching was to watch them from a distance. But this time, not only was Kuya a good spotter, he also chased after the dolphins so we can see them closer! Sugoi naaaa~!

Kuya, follow those dolphins! Daliiiiiii~!

We were literally (at least, Mabel and I were) clapping our hands with glee and giving the dolphins a standing ovation. Kuya even had to remind us to maintain our boat's balance! Haha But then an even more amazing thing happened - the dolphins came closer until they were swimming alongside our boat! Parang movieeee!! Sure, it was awesome but I got a little worried for their safety too. I kept telling Kuya to slow down a bit or to steer clear of the dolphins but he assured us that the dolphins know what they're doing. They are naturally playful creatures which explains why they were racing with our boat. But once they get tired, they'll fall back. At least that's what Kuya said.

Suroy-Suroy sa Sugbo*: Swimming with the Gentle Giants

Tired as we all are, I still managed to wake up by 5:00 AM without the help of an alarm. But it wasn't until someone in our room shifted that I decided to get moving as well. We changed into our whale shark watching outfits (i.e. rash-guard, board shorts, aqua shoes) and had a quick breakfast. By 6:00 AM, the tricycles we hired last night were already waiting for us. After a couple more preparations, we were ready to go.

The tricycles dropped us off at George Resort where a Kuya greeted us and introduced himself as our contact for the whale shark watching activity. We just said yes without thinking when he suddenly informed us that there is an additional Php 70/person fee on top of the Php 500/person whale shark watching fee. Php 70 for using the shower/toilets and queuing for us?? Kaloka, we were not informed! But since we were already there, we agreed just to get it over with.

Present!

After buying a couple of butanding magnets, we were ready to hit the waters! But not before going for a quick bathroom break. I was so nervous/excited, I just had to pee real quick before facing the gentle giants. And because of that little break, I almost got left behind which would result to our Misadventure #2. Good thing, they didn't forget about me. Hihi But still, that was close!

Suroy-Suroy sa Sugbo*: Island Getaway

Throwback Thursday, anyone?
(Photo credit: Tanja)

I can't believe it's been five years since I've met these amazing people. Like being part of the Big Brother house, we were chosen as individuals via auditions (by auditions I mean a technical exam + a series of interviews) and brought together by fate. We had no choice but to interact with each other and work together as a batch. As time went by, we grew together and formed an unbreakable bond. Some have left the company while others stayed behind (including me) but we remained the same group of crazy friends.

Feeling backpacker!

To celebrate our 5th anniversary (not as a batch but as friends), we decided to escape to South Cebu and swim with Oslob's famous whale sharks among other things. Thanks to Cebu Pacific, we were able to get reasonably priced plane tickets. Did I mention we're crazy? Crazy enough to book a 4:20 AM flight, that's for sure! That being said, I woke up as early as 1:30 AM to get ready then met up with Szet, Tanj and Ruel at Mcdo Mindanao. We left QC around 3:00 AM and reached the airport by 3:30 AM. Take note that boarding time is at 3:45 AM. Oh thank God for web check-in and my dad's super fast driving skills! The rest of our companions were already waiting for us at the boarding area so imagine our frenzy as we checked-in our toiletries and started brisk walking all the way to Gate 133.

I was so keen on listening to the announcement of our flight, I didn't even notice my batchmates looking at me (and my game face lol) and calling me while I made my way through the slow-moving crowd. Eventually, they got my attention and I got all excited upon seeing them - especially Mabel whom I haven't seen in a long time (and who thought I was already in the US HAHA)! As if on cue, the last call for our flight boomed all throughout the boarding area and we hopped on the shuttle that took us to our plane.

Good morning indeed. #nofilter

While some people hate airplanes, I love sleeping during flights. For some reason, traveling (be it by land, sea or air) relaxes me and puts me to sleep almost instantly. After chatting with Mabel for a bit (because we missed each other!), we all decided to catch some Z's. However, my nap didn't last for long as the rays of the sun seeped through my window. I welcomed the wake up call though because it's not often you get to catch the sunrise. It's definitely a sight to behold and I feel truly blessed to have been a witness to its beauty at thousands of feet off the ground. So yeah, thank you Lord, for another beautiful day!

Mactan Airport, we meet again!

We arrived at Mactan International Airport around 5:30 AM and took a cab to South Cebu Bus Terminal. From there, we rode a Sunrays bus (Php 155/person) that will take us to Sumilon. Take note that there were 11 of us so imagine how crazy it was to commute from place to place. Thus, Misadventure #1 happened.

Escape the busy life.
(Photo credit: Bluewater Sumilon Island Resort)

After eating breakfast and paying all my travel dues (Php 3,192 all in! Or so I thought. :|) to Erin, I started preparing for a nap when I heard a commotion near the end of the bus. Vanie looked a little panicked while talking to someone on the phone. It turns out, Bry and Joan didn't get on the bus with us!!! They were still at the terminal and were asking if the bus has already left. It took us a while to get convinced they weren't pulling a nasty prank on us. We're not sure whether it's a good or bad thing that the two of them got left behind. You see, it's good that there were two of them because not being alone makes any bad situation better. But at the same time, it's bad that there were two of them so there was no one to remind us that one of them was missing. Still, the show must go on! So after giving them instructions on how to get to Sumilon, we were ready for our much-needed naps.

On the way to Sumilon!

Being a certified sleepyhead, I didn't even notice that the bus ride to Sumilon was bumpy and kind of scary as the bus driver drove really fast and didn't even slow down at curves. I only found out from my batchmates, of course. Nevertheless, we got to Sumilon all in one piece around 9:00 AM, just in time for the 9:30 AM ferry trip. They served us lemongrass iced tea as welcome drinks which tasted weird at first but you'll get used to it after a few sips.

Chilling at the briefing area.

At 9:30 AM, we took the ferry to Bluewater Sumilon Island Resort and the ride was just wonderful. The sea breeze was a welcoming change to the scorching heat we've been experiencing lately in Manila. I even closed my eyes for a while to savor the fresh air and rest a bit as if the 3-hour bus ride to Sumilon wasn't enough. Haha Upon arriving at the resort, we were briefed regarding the inclusions of the Day Trip package (Php 1,500/person) and then it's game time!

What sand bar?

After changing into our swimwear, we separated into groups to explore the island. Vanie, Mabel and I stuck together and headed off in search of the sand bar. It's quite a long walk from the briefing area so by the time we reached the sand bar, we were quite confused why the sand bar is nowhere to be found. We asked one of their staff if we were in the right place and of course, we were. He then reminded us that it's a shifting sand bar so since it's still high tide, it's only natural for it to be hidden. Duh.

Para para paradise

That definitely played in my head as I walked out of our hotel room and was greeted by the beauty of Boracay at 6:30AM. Who wakes up that early at the beach? Well, my folks, auntie and Kuya Caloy did so I had no choice but to roll out of bed as well.

Good morning, Boracay!

After availing our free breakfast, Daddy, Kuya Caloy and I set off to walk around the beach. I've been to Boracay multiple times* (around 20 I guess?) but it's beauty never fails to put me in awe each and every time. It may not be as beautiful as ever but it's still breathtaking nevertheless. Definitely instagram-worthy! And you won't even need to apply a filter to make it dramatic.

I took off my flip-flops and walked barefoot by the shore. Ahh~ the familiar fine sand felt great on my bare feet. I sure missed this! I've been to a lot of beaches but nothing compares to Boracay's fine white sand that remains cool even in the sweltering heat of the Philippine weather. These are the moments that make me extra thankful for God's amazing creations.

We walked on the beach front from Station 1 to Station 3. Then walked on the commercial side from Station 3 back to Station 1. If I did this as my daily exercise, I wouldn't mind sweating so much.

Speaking of sweating, we saw children in PE uniforms playing by the beach. Pretty odd, right? I thought they were cutting classes but since there were too many of them, that's kind of impossible so we asked one of them what they're doing at the beach at 7AM. It turns out, they were playing beach volleyball and beach soccer for their PE class. Antaray! Imagine having your PE class by the beach. At Boracay Station 1 pa ha! If that was the case, I wouldn't have to go to the library or join the varsity team just to skip PE. I'm so jelly!!

Crystal clear waters.

I went straight to the water as soon as we got back to our hotel's beach front. Ohmygod the water was as clear and as refreshing as I remember! I've always loved Boracay because of it's beach that's perfect for swimming. The water's so calm, you'd think you're in a huge swimming pool. It's kind of sad though how some tourists are after Boracay's night life now rather than the beautiful beach. I would never get that.

Boats for island hopping lined the beach of Station 1.

The weather was perfect. It wasn't too hot or too gloomy. Before we know it, we've been in the water for over 3 hours! We started swimming before 8AM and was shocked when we learned from one of the boatmen it was already 10:30AM! Great. I didn't even put on sunblock. But the weather was so nice, we couldn't pass it up. We stayed in the water until it started raining a little past 11.

After washing ourselves off, I went with daddy back to D'Mall to buy him new flip-flops because his Havs gave out after our morning walk. The funny thing is, he didn't even wear it while walking! He only wore it upon arriving at the hotel then one of the straps broke. Haha

The only souvenir I got from Boracay.

On our way to D'Mall, we passed by Starbucks again and I decided to give in to my shopping urges. I bought a Boracay tumbler just because it's unusual. How often do you see a Starbucks Tumbler made after an island (or a famous beach) and not a capital city? I couldn't help but order an Iced Chai Tea Latte for myself when the friendly barista asked if I've tried the blended version. Of course, I haven't because I'm not a fan of frappes but curiosity got the best of me and he managed to convince me to try it. Boy, I'm glad I did. It was delish! Aside from the guilt the whipped cream brings, it was satisfying. Oh and if you're wondering, daddy was barefoot the whole time! This is probably the only Starbucks in the country where you can go in without a shirt nor shoes but still get service. You don't even have to be sexy and know it. :p

After buying daddy some cheap flip-flops, we went looking for the famous Jonah's Fruit Shake stand. We didn't find it though so we just went straight to the hotel for lunch. I ordered choco banana shake while all of them ordered sodas. Ahh~ it's definitely as good as I remember. Since the food was taking a while, dad asked me to buy fries from Potato Corner. I ordered Cheese & Chilli BBQ Giga  fries and we finished the bucket even before the food arrived.

We were stuffed by the end of lunch, we were so ready to go home. This is my most relaxing trip to Boracay to date. No island hopping, snorkeling, banana boat, nor partying. No touristy activity whatsoever, just plain swimming and relaxation by the beach.**

Boracay was my first love and will always be my favorite. Sure, it has become crowded and commercialized over the years. But still, nothing compares to its sky, sand and sea. I just wish more people realize this and feel the need to preserve its beauty. It doesn't matter how many times you've been here, you'll definitely keep on coming back.

Fun fact: Never in my whole life have I paid for the tourist rate nor environmental fee because I know enough Aklanon to get me through the check points and prove my residency. :)

Travel dates: September 7 - 8, 2012
Accommodation: Royal Park Hotel (We got the room good for 4 persons for only Php 3.5k/night thanks to daddy's amazing PR skills. With free breakfast and no additional person charge even though there were five of us.)
Photo credits: Autumn - my trusty iPod touch so pardon the low resolution.

*My first trip to Boracay was when I was 4 years old, even before tourists started calling it Bora for short. Since then, our family has been going almost every year. Lucky that my parents have Aklan as their hometown so a trip to Boracay is just like visiting relatives. Only it's more fun, of course.

**Take note that we went to Boracay after my Lola Melba's interment. We definitely needed time to unwind and relax. The last time I was here was after Lolo Ricoy's burial. I hope this doesn't become family tradition or something.