Hi, Hello!

Hello! I hope you guys are still around (anyone?) April and May have been very busy for me and no complaints from me. I barely have the spare time to post here but it is always on my to-do list to try to squeeze it in. So I'm pretty thankful for today's work downtime.

Watcha been up to guys?

For the past two months, I've been trying to ignite the creative spark within me that's why you can see a lot of calligraphy, rubber stamping, doodling in my instagram feed. I'm not the best at it but I'm pretty happy that I am making things with my hands again. I didn't realize sooner how much I've missed it.

I also took a break from the traveling (and I terribly miss it already) and from the writing/blogging gigs. It was a good detox. I've been blessed enough already last year and it's time to give others the opportunity. I'm hoping to get back to it eventually though. But I'm into prioritizing my blog this time. :)

I've been sick for the past 3 weeks too, down with a persistent cough. I was on an observation phase last week and it turns out I have allergic asthma. I feel quite devastated about it but I'm waiting for confirmation tomorrow. My fingers are still crossed that this isn't chronic or limiting. The past 3 weeks have been testing (a lot of food restrictions and I couldn't even stand everyday dust!), I just hope to get well very soon.

That would be it for now. :) I hope I can update soon with the past happenings (a lot happened, really!)

What's new with you?

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Meet Me In Magalawa | DIY trip

Remember that scene in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind where Clementine whispered to Joel to meet her in Montauk? Yes, I've been thinking about it for the past weeks while I was planning my quick getaway to Magalawa.

I longed for another moment on the road. I missed the sweeping view of trees, endless concrete roads, those moments where you can drift off into nothingness and just be happy to be away. Being on the road, on a plane or threading across the waters is my kind of escape from the crazy world.

The Cancelled Trip

 All my bags are packed and I'm ready to go. Just a few hours until our 4AM departure to Magalawa, the bad news came.

We have to cancel. Imagine my dismay and disappointment. I felt like crying, hitting someone with the tripod and tent I have with me and sulk in the corner.

My spirit crashed and burned.
I guess we all know the feeling of such disappointment? Nakakadepress no?

The rest of the night was spent stress-eating (as always).

Fast forward.

Meet Me In Magalawa

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Come Again to Camiguin!

Our Camiguin tour started at 12:30nn (sobrang bilis namin mag-lunch! sayang oras!).
Our drafted itinerary for the countryside tour: Ardent Hot Springs/ Katibawasan Falls/ Macao Cold Spring/ Taguines Lagoon/ Santo Niño Cold Spring/ Tausan Falls/ Gui-ob Church Ruins/ Sunken Cemetery/ Vulcan Daan/ Tangub Hot Spring (total of 8 hours) -- but we don't have 8 hours left to do the whole tour so we have to cut the tour short and we only get to visit 4 sites so that we can still go to White Island in the afternoon (we're going after the low-tide condition of the sea) and if time permits, a few more after White Island. We only passed by the Walkway to the Old Volcano and Stations of the Cross since we don't have too much time to spare.

Our first stop! Sto. Niño Cold Spring

Entrance Fee: Php 20.00 for adults, Kids 9yo and below are for free. Shed/Table Rental: Php 50.00
We only get to stay for 15minutes (time constraints! ugh!) but it was okay, not much to explore in the area. I just took the time to take some pictures and dipped my feet in the cold water.
It just kinda disappointed me though that the place was too commercialized (pool, etc), I prefer springs in their natural state, some development/construction is good but it is more fun when it's closer to nature.

There was one thing I really enjoyed the most while we were in Sto. Niño Cold Spring -- that crispy sheet of fried cassava flour drizzled with sweet arnibal on top. Sounds heavenly, yes? The And only for Php 5.00 sold by some old ladies outside the spring. Perfect to eat with ice cold softdrinks but make sure to have water handy. It gets nakakaumay from too much sweetness after finishing the whole circular sheet. But being the sweet tooth I am, I had 2! Good thing I didn't get tonsilitis afterwards!
Eat it straight! Sarap!
Our next destination was the Soda Water Swimming Pool

Entrance Fee: Php 20.00 for adults, Kids 6-12 y/o Php 10.00. Cottage/Shed: Php 50.00. They are close on Wednesdays for maintenance.
We were just curious if it really tastes like Soda without the sugar.
They was a designated area wherein you can drink the water (no, you don't drink directly from the pool! LOL!) -- it really does taste a bit like sprite minus the sweetness and the fizz. I drank a lot because I had too much arnibal and wala akong tubig na nabili! Para-paraan! Haha! Another 15 mins and off we go to our next stop!

Known as Cotta Bato way back 1870's and was the Capital of Camiguin. After the volcanic eruption, what was left were the ruins, this church site being one of them.
There was a small chapel inside and it was really nice and serene inside the area.

And there was this veeeery big tree! Ganda. Dito kami nagtagal, daming picturan na nangyari.
For our next location (and much awaited)... can you guess where?

That's right! The famous Sunken Cemetery!
It looks so small from afar but wait when you get close to it. You'll say wow. There are boats that can take you to the cross for a fee of Php 20.00. Puro ata bente ang bayad sa Camiguin.
The Giant White Cross in its towering beauty (kahit pa cross yan ng lumubog na sementeryo, haha!). Napa-wow nalang ako and imagined kung pano inakyat ni idol travel blogger Journeying James ang tuktok. Nakakalula na sa pag-iimagine pa lang!
More kodak-an moments!
We are inside the cross! Na-overexpose yung picture at nilamon kami ng liwanag. :P
The inside of the cross. So that's how. Akala ko ni-rapel ni Journeying James yung cross paakyat eh, hehe.
Medyo creepy sa loob. Baka may sadako na biglang sumalubong sayo.
If I'm not mistaken, that is a volcano. No worries, it's not active. 
Time to get back to shore. Riding the paddle-boat back was kinda nerve-wrecking. The waves were not so friendly and even though the water was only a few feet deep, you can somehow see a few corals and if I was right with what I saw (I hope!) -- a tombstone! They say it was used as a props in the movie Quija. Trinkets and other pasalubong items are available in the area across the Sunken Cemetery.I bought an ice cream for Php 21.00 -- there goes the 20 pesos streak! Haha! Nasira ng piso sa ice cream.
That was bitin. I guess that's why I should really come again to Camiguin. There's a lot more to see. :)
Separate post on our White Island a/k/a Temptation Island escapade coming soon!

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The Masa Effect on our way to Camiguin.

Here's the Part 2 of our CDO-Camiguin escapade.

We got picked up at CDO airport at 6:30am. Still a little groggy put pumped-up for what was to happen that day. We were running on a very tight schedule. We only have the rest of the day to maximize our stay in Camiguin.


My CDO-Camiguin Travel Buddies - Lea, Vincent and April. Took advantage of our free breakfast at Victoria Suites. Not being able to avail our accommodations there, a free breakfast is appreciated at least. Ate breakfast under 30 minutes with picture time included!

Traveled to Balingoan Pier to take the roro heading to Camiguin. Road travel time takes about 2 hours, our driver amazingly made it for about an hour and a half (talk about time pressure!). I really can't recall what happened for the entire road trip -- I might've had amnesia. NOT. It was just the MASA effect.
What is the MASA effect? It is simply MASANDAL TULOG. Hahaha! And the four of us had it altogether during our entire trip to Balingoan. Mga kulang sa tulog eh.
First time to take a roro. There were kids asking us to throw coins into the water and then they'll dive for it. I was secretly envying deep inside. Sana ganun din ako kagaling lumangoy! *cries in the corner* I was excited about the roro ride but when it began to sail -- slooooooooooow. I've imagined roro rides to be slow but not terribly slow! -___-" I got bored staring at the endless stretch of water in front of me. People-watching wasn't an option to unbore either and the masa effect was not on.

I didn't know why but I wasn't able to take any photo of our accomodation in Camiguin. /fail. Paras was an awesome place to stay! And try their sizzling bulalo! It might not be the best but it tasted very good to me!
Plus they gave us welcome drinks (I think it was four seasons juice) and a little souvenir!
I'm not yet done editing the photos of our Camiguin tour! So there will be a Part 3!!

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The One That Got Left Behind

... that would be US.

We weren't able to ride our flight to CDO, booked another flight that emptied our pockets, wasted work leaves, 4 hours sleep and I will not do that thing ever again (well, for now).

We were supposed to leave Manila at 2PM. This would be my first time to ride a plane under a different name, well, last name in this case (no! I didn't marry anyone at the last minute, LOL). I was kinda nervous of the idea of us replacing those who backed out in the trip but hey, this was a travel opportunity.

Also my first time to travel with an itinerary in print. It was fun to have things arranged for you but I prefer a half-planned, half-spontaneous kind of trips.

THE ITINERARY.

July 22
325PM pickup at CDO airport
Dropoff at Victoria Suites
Free day

July 23
Breakfast at hotel
630AM pickup at hotel, private van transfers to Balingoan pier (2 hours travel time)
Take Roro to Benoni pier (1 hour travel time/ P175 per person)
Pickup at Benoni pier, transfers to Paras Beach Resort
Countryside tour: Ardent Hot Springs/ Katibawasan Falls/ Macao Cold Spring/ Taguines Lagoon/ Santo Niño Cold Spring/Tausan Falls/ Gui-ob Church Ruins/ Sunken Cemetery/ Vulcan Daan/ Tangub Hot Spring ( total of 8 hours)
* actual sites to be visited will be dependent on schedule and route. Entrance fees and meals are excluded.
White Island boat trip- best done after 3:00PM as the island doesn't have any shade (option to do this on day 2)

July 24
Early breakfast at Paras Beach Resort - please inform the resort of your orders
Take 530AM ferry to Balingoan pier ( 1 hour travel time/ P175 per person)
630AM pickup at Balingoan pier, transfers to CDO city proper ( 2 hours travel time)
830AM transfers for Whitewater Rafting adventure

• You will be dropped off at the airport after rafting

We only have more or less 2 days to spend in CDO-Camiguin but make that a day and a half. No more free time to roam in CDO. Why? -- We got left behind.

Thanks to that airline company's lack of good service. /sarcasm HINT: ORANGE!
Charge such bad incident to experience nalang (kahit naimbyerna ang lola nyo). Hehe.

We have no choice but to get another flight, 4am via CebuPacific. *ka-ching* Goodbye Php 2800 for a one-way ticket to CDO. My wallet just cried.

After wasting our Friday away with almost-empty pockets, we spent the rest of it bantering about what happened over 4 movies and a lot of food hence I was awake for almost 24 hours. The only time I caught some Zzz's was on the plane.

And finally!!


Hello City of Golden Friendship! I came in peace, adventure and sabawness (from the lack of sleep). You have no idea what we went through just to finally see you.
The adventure begins in CDO in my next post! :)

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