Because great things happen when you take a bite...

8:04am, Tuesday
0731.07

I had one of the best weekends of my life. Cebu and Bohol trip was just a blast! Super fun time of just chilling, relaxing, indulging and living the life with fabulous people. (Naks!) =D The places I’ve visited aren’t the only reason why I’m raving like crazy. It just feels great spending real fun time with those I’ve always wanted to get to know better. (Yiihaa!) And who am I to resist a weekend with the love of my life? =D

Cebu-Bohol trip was just amazing. New people, new places, walang katapusang food tripping, at photo shoot moments. Iiyak ang friendster and multiply, I swear. So in a gist, this is what Cebu-Bohol trip is all about:

1. Impromptu planning
On the evening of the last day ng Piso-fare promo of Cebu Pacific, he told his sister about it. Incidentally, his sister’s bestfriend will be coming home sometime on July and they were looking for some far away places to visit. Apparently, we were burning our telephone lines then.
Him: Pupunta kami Cebu-Bohol pagdating ni Tina!
Her: Syeeeeet!!!!! Sama nyo ko!!! Para na ninyong awa!!! T_T
Him: Talaga gusto mo??? Ate!!! Sama raw si Armine!

In a few minutes, pinlano na namin ang dates, time, how long, where to go exactly. Before the promo closes at 12mn, tickets for five had been purchased online. Whoooosh!

2. Rebooking fiasco
The very next day, I was riding MRT, smiling to myself. Departure day: Thursday evening, July 26. Arrival Day: Monday evening, July 30. That’s four nights of fuuuuun, baby! Until I remembered that July 27 is my Early Bird deadline for event #1. Namputsa! I think I’ve posted my ranting here then.

I went to Cebu Pacific office in Megamall twice (dahil pinagsaraduhan nila ko nung first time) to rebook my flight to Saturday, July 28, 5am. I was feeling frustrated since then. It took me quite a number of weeks before I was able to move on.

3. The-nights-before OT
July 26 evening, all four of them were in Cebu already. I, on the other hand, was upto my neck with deadlines, registrations to be acknowledged, emails all pretending to be urgent, patung-patong na bilins from officemates who were in Kuala Lumpur, payments to be received, registered delegates to be chased for their payments, meetings with trophy supplier, trophy inscriptions to be approved by sponsors, script to be drafted, sermon from boss to be absorbed, at marami pang iba.

I went home late that night. I started packing my things for the early Saturday flight but my energy was wearing off, I hit the bed with all my things scattered all over my room.

4. Early Bird deadline stress
I was already expecting a highly-stressful deadline. This was, after all, my Early Bird deadline for event #1 and my final selection of winners day for event #2. Two of the most crucial deadlines for two different events. Two functions that are normally handled by two different persons. Pero dahil akala nila eh si Wonder Woman ako, I was forced to do both at the same time.

But the pressure was even more unbearable because at the back of my head I knew that I could have been somewhere in Cebu already maxing out my lakwatsera hormones in me.

5. Tulog? Ano yun, nakakakain ba yun?
I left the office at 11pm. My always reliable, thoughful father spent more than an hour in Greenbelt just to wait up for me. =D We got home 12:15am.

Dad: Anong oras ang flight mo? Hatid na lang kita.
Me: 6am po.
Dad: Then we should leave at 3am so you’ll be there 2 hours before.

I went back to my room and packed my things. After doing so, I saw my ticket…My flight’s at 4:50am pala!

Me: DAD! 5am pala flight ko!
Dad: Alis tayo ng 2am.

I looked at the clock, 1:15 na! Maliligo pa ko!

6. First flight alone
First time kong mag-domestic flight. At lalong first time kong bumyahe mag-isa! =D Everytime magta-travel kami, I really didn’t give much attention sa kaganapan sa airport. Usually, my bros and I were just taking pictures, eating, or reading pocketbooks.

Pero dahil mag-isa lang ako, I was texting my Dad the whole time: “Nakapag-check in na po ako.” “Nasa departure lobby na po ko.” “Nakatunganga na po ako.” haha!

So I checked in, paid terminal fees, got myself a warm cup of joe and sat quietly on my own. I was fighting between keeping awake and falling asleep and not knocking my hot coffee down. I was also trying not to look “lost” as scary looking men were smiling silly at me while whispering, “Ingat ga, Miss” as I passed by them.

At 4:30, I boarded the plane. I sat beside the window, an empty chair separating me from a big, scary looking old man – who looked as dead tired as me, by the way. I fastened my seatbelt and lost all consciousness. All I could remember are snippets of moments na nagigising ako dahil nauuntog ako. Parang fx moment lang. haha! Then sa mga pagkakataon na nagigising ako, tinitignan ko si Mr. One-Seat-Apart seatmate, knocked out din siya. Hehe!

7. The eagle has landed
I arrived at exactly 6am in Mactan Airport. Thanks sa mga nakaw na sandali sa eroplano, medyo may energy na ko nun. I casually retrieved my bag, hailed a cab and asked the driver to bring me to the church nearest to Plantation Bay. It was quite a long ride. Ni-chika ko na lang si manong driver. Napagkwentuhan namin ang buong angkan niya. Heheh!

After a quick visit sa church, pumara ako ng tric and asked the driver na dalin ako sa Plantation Bay. No cabs around the vicinity na kasi and tip naman sakin ni Manong Cab driver na mas advisable mag-tric. It was another long ride, despite my hair blown all over the place, I enjoyed it while chatting loudly with manong tric driver (maingay eh).

8. The Plantation Bay

When I arrived at Plantation Bay, he was already there waiting for me. =D The place is absolutely amazing. Cebu must be really really damn proud. We went around the place, not much time since check out was at 9:30am. I had breakfast courtesy of room service as I was already starving then.

I dunno how to give justice in decribing the place, really. One must be there in order to appreciate it. Ako nga sasandali lang dun na-amazed na. And I only had a glimpse of the place.

A coaster drove us to Pier just in time for our 12nn byahe to Bohol.

9. Sakay Na
Sumakay kami ng Supercat (or Fastcat? =p) and we were seated just in front of the TV. Isa na namang nakaw na sandali for me to catch up some doze of sleep. Power nap lang to last me a day. ;)

It was a smooth ride in general. Not much fuss. Just picture-taking…and picture-taking…and more picture-taking. =D

10. Panglao Island Nature Resort
We arrived at around 2pm ata. The coaster driver from Panglao has been waiting for Cristina Villamil and friends then. Hehe! Panglao was quite a long ride from Tagbilaran City. Pero hindi ka maiinip with the unspoiled nature as your backdrop. Asteg talaga. Pwede naman palang maging unpolluted ang isang lugar kung gugustuhin eh. ^_^”

After checking in, we spent some time muna admiring our villas. We have our own private lanais, how cool was that??

At random, we went around the area and took photos in almost every nook and cranny possible. We played billiards (where I sucked), darts (where I sucked even worse), and they played table tennis (where I didn’t dare to showcase how I sucked the worst). =D We visited the cave, na may pagkalalim na malamig na tubig at nagpapakitang-gilas na mga bats. Pumunta rin kami sa beach area. Low tide siya so makikita mo lang eh ang mala-white clay na supposedly eh buhangin. With funny-looking-pero-sige-na-nga-nakakaawa-rin na starfishes na na-stucked. But they seemed to be so used to it naman.

There was also some sort of an island sa area na kapag high tide eh medyo lalanguyin mo papunta. So nilakad namin yun and drool in admiration. May ganito sa Pinas??? How else could we capture the moment? Photos galore. =D

And of course, nag-swimming sa pool sa may Spa area. We figured this was nearest to our villas….at walang tao. After several attempts to get decent underwater shots worthy of a pedestal spot in our fwendster accounts, we ordered some snacks and dove into our kiddie meal snacks.

Natulog ata ako ulet pagkatapos ko maligo – nakaw na sandali lang muna ulet. I woke up just in time for dinner. After that, I attempted to make progress sa Harry Potter readings ko, ngunit I failed sa kaantukan.

(Parang andaming naganap sa isang hapon lang?)

11. The Land of Tarsier and Chocolate Hills
We woke up at 6am the next day. We hit the infinity pool (Yeeees, it was my life long dream infinity pool!). Ate Lany, Aphie and Butching went biking – with one of the bikes na manu-mano ang brake and all. =D Tina and I went back to our vilas then. Naligo na ulet, packed our things and had our breakfast.

Mang Noly arrived ever so promptly and was ready to tour us around the area before 9am pa lang. So we checked out, swamped our sfuff in the car’s compartment and began the joy ride.

First stop ay ang Blood Compact…errr…statue? Hehe! Ano bang tawag dun? Ang natatandaan ko lang kasi nagpicturan kami.

Next: Baclayon Church (Huh? Sinong bakla? –cornball!) It was the oldest church daw sabi ni Mang Noly. Marami na ring mga tourists.

Next: Python Sanctuary, isa lang ang python actually. Tsaka mas patok pa sa visitors si Marimar, ang bading na nage-explain about sa mga alaga nila. Hehe!

Next: Tarsier. Waaaahhhh!!!!! Sila ang pinaka-asteg na hayop na nasilayan ko!!! Kasing-laki lang sila ng fist ko. I can hide them in my pockets. Hangkyuttttttt!!!!! We took quite a number of photos with them. Kasehodang umuulan at nagsisiksikan kami sa isang makulay na payong. May mga batang Hapon pa na mambubully sayo. Waaah. :-I Asteg talaga ng tarsiers! Let’s allow them to go forth and multiply! We need more of those lovely creatures in this planet!

On the road, papunta na kami ng Chocolate Hills nang madiskubre ni Ate Lany na blurred yun mga pictures namin with tarsiers. Nyahaha! Por dat, babalikan namin later in the afternoon. =D

Next: Chocolate Hills. Aba’y may kalayuan pala siya. Nakipag-unahan pa kami sa ulan dahil foggy at wala kami makikita if ever =( Buti na lang may lahing Jeepney-Driver-ng-Rizal si Mang Noly, lumipad kami at naunahan ang ulan. We took the most breath-taking shots in all of Bohol with the tropahan of Chocolate Hills in our background!!! Smoooooth. \(^o^)/
Hindi mabilang na pose, na anggulo, na pictures. Kahit nagsisimula nang umulan eh nakangiti pa rin from ear-to-ear. Haha!

It was a tiring hundred steps (ata, or at least it feels like that many) paakyat. And then we ran all the way down sa attempt na hindi tuluyang mabasa ng ulan. Pero it was all so worth it.

On our way back to Loboc, may nadaanan kaming man-made forest where sunlight couldn’t penetrate. Coolness! Pwede naman palang gumawa ng puno eh bat nagpuputol pa? Mang Noly was kind enough to noticed that we wanted a group photo and he volunteered to play photographer and induldge our vanity cravings. Hehe!

Next: Hanging Bridge
Gawa siya sa bamboo so isang madulas, manipis at magalaw na tulay siya sa ibabaw ng maulang Loboc River. Needless to say, we didn't dare cross even halfway. Enough na siguro yung we had a photo to remember it by. hehe!

Next: Loboc River Floating resto
Buffet lunch to your heart’s (and stomach’s) content while cruising the river. Fantastic view of nature all vying for your attention. Kids dancing “Totoy Bibo” while you chomp your barbecue away. Little kiddo na nangho-hoard ng mangga. Mga madreng nagchi-chill. It was a nice experience. =D

Next: Tarsier Déjà vu
At dahil blurred ang initial photos, bumalik kami sa Tarsiers for one more round of photo ops! Haha! This time around, it was made sure that every photo captured was crystal clear for the whole wide world to see…and admire…and envy. =D

Next: Clarin's Ancestral House
Alam nyo bang ang mga Clarin ay kilalang pulitiko sa Bohol? Alam nyo bang may senador tayo dati na ang pangalan ay Clarin? Hinde? Ako rin eh. :P

It has a "bahay ni lola" feel on the second floor (ancestral home nga eh), na meron chick cafe sa ground floor. Ayus ding pampababa ng energy rush ang pag-ikot sa museum. Di ko lang gets bat may naligaw na preserved porcupine dun ^_^"

Next: Pasalubong Shopping
Mang Noly brought us to this place na pugad ng mga turista. A two-storey pasalubong shop. May discount coupon pa silang pinapamigay. Parang McDo discount coupon lang na di mo naman talaga mararamdaman. Joke only lang.

Next: Tagbilaran City
We finally reached the city where we looked for a place that will adopt us for the night. We stayed at this Pension House that – aside from our bathroom’s wall na hindi entirely sarado – eh reasonably priced and clean enough.

Early to bed. The next morning, off in search for a place that served Goto for breakfast. Kaso wala kaming nakita at nanalo na rin si Jabee. We tried searching for store sa city nagtitinda ng mga souvenir shirts. Kaso sa mall lang meron and hindi rin ganun kadami ang choices.

12. Back to Cebu
At 10am, we’re sailing (parang manglalayag lang ah) back to Cebu. My travel buddies were nice enough to go back to Magallanes Cross just so I can see it too. Yey! :D

We searched, yet again, for the perfect pasalubong shop. Lekat na Shamrock yan malapit daw eh ang layu-layo kaya! Hindi ko pa alam kung gutom lang ba ko or pagod or annoying lang talaga yun mga tindera nila. Hmpf. Enough of negativity bilang kinain ko na naman kaninag breakfast yun binili kong danggit from them so okee na rin. :)

13. Back to Manila
It was a jiffy. Mabilis ang mga pangyayari kapag tulog ka. The next thing I knew we were waiting for my brother at the arrival gate of Domestic airport. After that, tulog na ko sa bahay. :)

14. Hangover
‘Nuff said.