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21 Days of Bliss (part 4)

From Calbiga we wanted to go to the beach so we decided to go to Marabut where Sham2x's Auntie also had a crab meat processing plant which means we did not have to spend anything again! Our carefree souls have found a carefree sponsor as well! We love you Auntie Ann2x! :-D

We hitched on a ride from Calbiga to San Juanico bridge where we learned about a million's worth of racing pigeons. From there we hopped on to another free ride on someone who turned out to be a friend of a friend to get to Marabut, Samar.

Day 15, May 13, 2018, Sunday and it’s mother's day! Today we finally get to meet Auntie Ann2x and Auntie Wendy and we shared our trip stories as we thanked them for adding more days to our extended trip with their offers of free food and accommodations. We hopped on to their pick up to go to their house in Palo, Leyte.  We stayed there for 3 days. They left on the 2nd day leaving us their house keys and a message saying we should finish their supplies in the fridge before we leave. On top of that, they left us some beer money and access to their videoke! Happy days!

For our final side trip, we spent an afternoon in Dulag, Leyte. There was no surf but it was relaxing and slow. A good mellow afternoon to end a series of such exciting previous days.

A blooper clip while trying to take a dramatic clip. ;-D

Day 18, May 16, 2018, Wednesday Sham2x, Milbin and Nibram are headed to Ormoc to board a ferry back to Cebu. On the other hand, I was at the back of Jason's truck, catching up on sleep, headed to Limasawa Island! He and his team had a project with an adventure film and lucky me got invited to join in for the reccie days. I've never been to this side of Leyte so I was keen to come. We entered a cave in Limasawa, camped under the stars and was introduced to an app called Star Walk to help me learn more about constellations.

A shiny view from the back of the truck lying down.

Hello Limasawa Island!

Limasawa Island is known in history to be the first place in Philippines Ferdinand Magellan held a mass on so we went to this land mark on top of a hill. My highlight would be snorkelling in Son-ok Bay, this was one of my first moments snorkelling. We also saw some dolphins on the boat trip back to Tangkaan! Happy days again!

At Son-ok bay.

I was headed home on Saturday, May 19, 2018, Day 21. This trip is definitely one for the books! It was a perfect combination of just enough planning (to ensure our safety), carefree spirits (in other words mga wala'y libog) and a great attitude on spontaneity! Here's to more extended trips!

Happy hitching!

[orangewanders]

21 Days of Bliss (part 3)

Day 12, Thursday May 10, 2018, we left Bulusan's morning chill topload on a jeepney to Irosin.  The party is going home and myself, Sham2x, Nibram and Milbin have decided to extend the trip a bit longer. Another jeepney topload ride to Matnog where we boarded a ferry to San Isidro, Leyte. The rest head on to Calbayog where they would ride a ferry back to Cebu. The four of us waited quite a long time for whatever we can ride on: jeep, bus, van, or an open pick-up or truck to hitch a ride on until one stopped and took us in. It was the start of our extended journey and we were smiling up to the ears even with the rain grateful for the free ride. Little did we know, we will be treated with more 'priceless' treats of rides and food on this extended trip all thanks for Sham2x's Auntie. ;-)

With gracious Ate Pangging in Catbalogan.

Our destination is Calbiga, Samar to go caving on one of the largest caves in Southeast Asia. We got to Calbayog and hopped on another free ride on Auntie Ann2x's delivery truck to Calbayog where we were graced with free accommodation and unlimited supply of 'priceless' crab meat, shrimp and other seafood! The same delivery truck will be passing by Calbiga the next day, there goes another free ride for us! We did not have to spend another time until we got to Calbiga and booked ourselves an overnight stay in Langon-Gubingob cave system. We arrived at the entrance at dusk, we made packed lunches of crab meat, shrimp and adobong pusit and had them for dinner. We entered the cave around eight in the evening and boy, it was grand! I've only had a few moments where I am in utter awe of the majestic sight in front of me and this was certainly a good addition to that list. Not to mention the sight is not just in front of me but surrounding me. I can't believe how small we are! Another first experience for me: sleeping inside a cave. The crickets were curious and clingy, so cute and borderline annoying at the same time.

View of the cave entrance from the view deck.

Us about to have dinner.

(I wish I had the patience to take better photos.)

Waking up after five hours just felt like a nap, we ate and continued on scrambling and making our way through the mud trying to make as little impact as we can on some formations we had to step and hold on to. It's so magnificent! Every new chamber felt more beautiful than the last one which made it quite difficult to make a step as I just wanted to stop and stare, stop and stare and stop and stare again. The grand finale at around ten in the morning nearing our exit was an astonishing skylight in the Langon side of the cave and it was sublime! Even when our guide warned us about the 3-hour hike after the exit to the nearest town which means we have to keep going because we might ran out food and water, we did not care. We definitely had to take our time taking all this enchanting experience in.

The sublime skylight.

Goofing around before heading out.

Here is a clip of the exit.

The hike did not disappoint as well. We signed up for a caving trip and had a bonus of what seemed like a 'major' day hike! To some, this might be awful but we were rather pleased and delighted despite it being kapoy. I guess nothing can ruin your day if you've just been in the Langon-Gubingob cave!

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21 Days of Bliss (part 2)

It was Sunday, May 6, 2018, Day 8: Rest day/ Laundry day. We crashed at Manoy Chico's good old friend's place in Arimbay Albay, one of the pillars of Philippine outdoor community, Kuya Juan Añonuevo.  He wasn't there.  His cousins let us in and gave us keys without question. Lucky us!

We were headed to Prieto Diaz, Sorsogon the next day. Another friend of Manoy Chico invited us to check out their mangrove forest and kayaking spot. We got there in the afternoon, had a brief meeting with the town's Mayor and head straight to Sabang beach where we camped for the next two days. Fronting us is a calm mangrove beach where some of us anchored hammocks at night. We have a view of the pacific ocean and we could see and hear its waves a couple of kilometers away. We also had the chance to eat freshly caught prawns, literally still alive. Felt quite sorry for the prawn to die in my mouth but I have to say it was tasty: sweet and soft.

The itinerary we had the next day involved paddling through Prieto Diaz's mangrove forest and sea grass garden and snorkeling in the pacific ocean! We were so excited, we couldn't sleep especially because the night sky was glittering under us having drinks and singing with our feet on the water.

Snorkelling in the pacific ocean was my highlight! The waves were huge and scary so we stayed at a safe distance. The water was so clear! On the way back, we planted some propagules that we got by ourselves passing through the mangroves.

We also went to Nagsurok Cave where we were accompanied by 8 heavily armed policemen who got curious seeing us go in.

The next destination was Bulusan Lake where we had our most delicious food so far: Seafood curry with crabs and LOBSTERS cooked by no other than Manoy Chico himself. Wee can still remember its delightful taste up to now. Bulusan Volcano Natural Park is something I want to go back to in another time to hike and see old growth forest.

Very small (probably illegal), my first lobster!

By the lake, there was a canteen where we snacked on my first Kalabasa na budbod. We also saw locals with unique belts: a cord lined with freshly-caught fish. They were allowed to swim and free dive to spear fish.

[orangewanders]

21 Days of Bliss (part 1)

This is the longest trip I did so far. We went to Albay, Sorsogon, Samar and Leyte. The plan was only to attend the 18th PSS National Cave Congress and maybe have a few days of side trip to maximize the effort and fare we spent to get to Albay all the way from Cebu via land and boat trips which we did but some of us just wanted to extend it a bit longer. ;-)

We started with a 24-hr accumulated trip to Albay on April 29, 2018: Cebu to Bogo on a bus, to Cataingan, Masbate on Roro, to Masbate City on a van, to Pilar, Sorsogon on a ferry and two jeepney rides to Daraga and finally, Cogon Elementary School Legaspi, Albay. Somewhere along this trip I managed to have a taste of shark meat from Milbin's lunch. Apparently, shark meat is common to see in carenderias in Sorsogon.

At midnight of April 30 (which is yet May 1), rain poured on us while we were sat on armchairs right outside our classroom accommodation and Philippine Islands Conservation of Karst (PICK) celebrated its first year anniversary! We did so by saying words of inspiration and playing 'ninja' and 'shagidy-shagidy-sha-poo-poo' under the rain. Just goes to show the extremes of our personalities put together. There is a video of this celebration but we rather keep it to ourselves.

Topload on jeepney ride to Daraga, Albay from Pilar, Sorsogon.

All smiles for Day 1 of the 18th PSS National Cave Congress. (Asa’ng baon na itlog nilaga diha? Kinsa’y naninuod ug sayaw shagidy gabie? Kinsa’y nasalisihan ug lamas diha?)

Group photo after another game of ‘Shagidy’ (silent version) while waiting for Manoy Chico to finish his meeting.

Group photo with the legendary George Cordovilla.

Group photo with another legend who happened to be our adviser (lucky us), Bill Granert.

One of the most lovely night: hosted dinner overlooking Mayon Volcano with a good live band. We were one by one drawn to sit on the ground just facing her majesty.

Sham2x and Milbin wala’y lingaw.

PICK got inducted to be a member club of PSS.

Cave Congress was over and we were unsure where to go for side trip yet so to kill time we made an easy choice to come and visit this live postcard.

[orangewanders]

This was summer of 2017 right after school ended. The guys and Manoy wanted to do a fun kayak trip triggered by the memory of a similar trip we did a few years ago that appeared on facebook. It was the kind you knew from day one that would be more easy to extend than to end. This took place in Camotes followed by an extension of a road trip in northern Cebu on a holy week. Manoy took charge of driving and the mobile kitchen where sumptuous make-shift-but-well-prepared dishes came out of. Days were filled with staring at the clear blue sky, sun rising, morning runs to the market, food trip, kayaking, SUP, snorkeling and just sitting enjoying a moment on the shore. Nights as we preferred were spent with “bows and arrows,” looking at the moon rising offering the majestic sight with a “tribal” dance, firefly watching, star gazing, “balak” competitions, book reading and whatever conversations until we get to sleeping on shore. This was one of those trips that you just want to go camping with a combination of good friends and perfect secret spots with only one intention that is to have a good time, and definitely did.

[orangewanders]

Sicogon 2016

This is a short 8-day trip Reymond and I had for Christmas of 2016.  He saw this island while browsing online a few months ago and we thought it was beautiful.  It's not a popular holiday destination (yet) so we expected it would be great for our little getaway trip for two.  We decided to make the trip longer than necessary making stops in Bacolod and Iloilo City while building up on our excitement to finally get to Sicogon.  The island was indeed as beautiful as we imagined and the best thing about it is that the entire time we were there it felt like we were just visiting an old relative in the province during summer vacation.  There was nothing to worry about (not even when Reymond's feet were hurting or when we found out there was no dock on the island).  Our minds were definitely on holiday mode.  White beach and clear water was everywhere.  Food was fresh and delicious.  Our host was like a relative.  Residents on the island knew everyone else so they would look at us with curiousity that would emerge on their faces in a form of a smile.  When we got back home, we couldn't get over Sicogon so we printed our holiday pictures and made an actual photo album (and I made a video).

[orangewanders]

Fall Season 2016 I’m happy to continue to work this year even when I’m back in school to finish college especially that where I work and where I study are in two different countries.  It’s like an affirmation of a plan well carried out.  It was quick but still packed with wonder. 

[orangewanders]

Leyte and Samar Trip last January 2016.  This was thanks to dear friends who showed us their local surfing spot and a remote island to kayak to and camp on.  Dulag, Leyte is a mix of gentle beauty and hardwork - lovely beach break with a spot for beginners; the challenge was not only to get a good ride but aslo on paddling or more like walking my way against the pull of the water back to the surf.  Samar let us paddle 40km which was serious for me and my lack of experience (except for my partner) but it was gratifying when we got to camp.  Locals were quiet but kind and friendly and at night the tree beside our tent was glowing with ten thousand fireflies!  My mental photograph of it is something I can take out as an escape or an instant thought of a haven might I ever need it someday.

[orangewanders]

When you need to know how to speak effectively, Julian Treasure in TED talks discuss them.

[orangewanders]

Another side of Lamma Island I get to see while at work. The island without motorized vehicles makes all the hike worth it. I would do this on my own free time and it’s rewarding to be able to do this for a living.

[orangewanders]

Figure out on your own what you want and stick to it. Being unique with a sole intention to be different and cool is no different than conforming to a trend without understanding. It is phony! Being unique because everyone in your 'unique' group of friends are is peer pressure. Being unique independently and authentically is what it is.

[orangewanders]

It is wonderful when unexpected things happen and you go with it because you believe that life works out well for people who do what they love. Because you followed your own advice some time ago of finding happiness within you, you 'deservedly' discover another amazing thing of sharing it. Here's to my first valetine's day of being in a relationship! :-)

[orangewanders]

Work location: Upper Luk Wu with some of the team and students on a gorge hike

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More of Lamma Island

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Work locations: Lower Luk Wu and Sai Wan Beach; Sept 2015

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Work locations: Gillwell, Mt. Davis, Tung Lung; Sept-Oct 2015

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Temporary home, Lamma Island, September to December 2015