The Year That Was – Year 2016
This article is literally a year-ender
post, written barely 2 hours before Year 2016 bade goodbye. So here goes our review of the year that was
2016.
Our new year was surprised by a sad news
from friends, co-mountaineers/rescuers alike, regarding the damage typhoon Nona
has caused in the Infanta area. Without
hesitation, we responded even it meant walking nearly 15 kilometers under the
rain and cold wind. We passed several
landslides, damaged houses and newly formed waterfalls along the road. The team helped set-up rope access to bring
the relief goods to the affected areas in other side of the damaged bridge.
We celebrated the month of love with an amazing
race trip to the Eastern Visayas with a Biliran-Southern Leyte-Leyte-Eastern
Samar route. Yes, it was an arduous
journey but the doting ambience of Caluwayan resort on the heart’s day was a
startling compliment.
Sailing Back Home
More than a decade has passed and I
haven’t returned to the island I was hailed.
Yes, I was raised in a small town, an island though part of Bicol is
situated in the Visayan region. The
longer I am away, the more yearning to revisit my once abode, my bliss. I am now a stranger to the place I knew so
well. Deep inside, fearful if I still
belong to the town life used to revolve.
Since mum passed away, the feeling of an outcast filled in. I have wandered around looking for “home” but
truly, “there’s no place like home”. My
heart wishes for my first home; where memories were still vivid and has held a
special site.
Catanduanes Up Close
What is great about how the regions in the
Philippines are structured is that visiting all provinces in one trip is
doable. Depending on your itinerary and travel goals, some regions might
require a week or more to explore but some areas will only take you a long
weekend.
The other beauty of crossing all provinces,
apart from the scenery as you journey, is the experience of riding different
transportation vehicles. Although the Philippines is lacking in direct
transport networks, travelers from around the globe patiently endure long
commutes on their trip to discover the unexploited gems of the country.
Undeniably, the rise of local tourists boosts the tourism of all
localities which challenges the government to improve the infrastructure.
Among the regions that are easy to explore is
the Bicol Region as it is accessible through land or by air. It’s friendly to
all kinds of tourists be it solo, couple, family or group and accommodations ranges from budget to
luxe. Just use any online hotel booking site like Traveloka and you will see various accommodation options. You will find
that at least a few are sure to meet your budget and needs.
TravelBookPH First Blogger Affiliate Get Together Event At The Legend Villas
The first ever TravelBook.ph Blogger Affiliate Get Together has been a huge success! From the event proper,
to The Legend Villas Hotel Tour, and Buffet Lunch of Lola Maria Restaurant, TravelBook.ph’s
Blogger Affiliates surely enjoyed the rest of the day!
True to its word, with the
event’s fun and interactive contests, games, raffles, and networking
opportunities, the blogger affiliates together with TravelBook’s Business
Development Team had a great and exciting day to remember.
The Legend Villas toured the
blogger affiliates around the hotel to check their elegant Function Rooms, and
different hotel room types.
BICOL ROADTRIP WITH KIDS [Camarines Norte – Camarines Sur – Albay – Camarines Sur]
A trip unplanned but thanks to the APEC
holiday for the long weekend plus it coincided with my youngest birthday;
indeed, a birthday celebration away from home.
We are true blooded bicolanas; me a full born Masbateña and hubby’s father was hailed
from Sorsogon. Whenever we’re in Bicol’s
soil, it has a natural homey tone except that we missed both our provinces for
this round. This however was the kids first Bicol trip which made the voyage a
family tree quiz bee.
During college, the Bicol highway is a
customary sight and the verge of trees shadowing the road was inscribed by my
countless lonely plies then but today, it was the kids turn for the dumbfounded
gaze.
The actual account of our Bicolandia road
trip as follows:
Day
1
Depart Manila for Bicol
Around Daet, Camarines Norte
-
Jose
Rizal Oldest Monument
-
Kapitolyo
ng Camarines Norte
-
Parroquia
de San Juan Bautista
-
Bagasbas
Beach
Traveled to Naga City
The Year That Was – Year 2015
We jolted Year 2015 with a rainy Intramuros roam that ended in a savage
Zark’s burger meal. Yet, it failed to please the New Year travel itch…
HULUGAN FALLS AND ALIW FALLS DAYTRIP _ Part 2 – Aliw Waterfalls
With tummies filled, we continued our
jaunt to the nearby Aliw Waterfalls. The
flurry from the earlier Hulugan Falls adventure still loiter in our
psyches.
Aliw Falls though part of Brgy. San Jose
was less than a kilometer away from Brgy. San Salvador of Hulugan Falls. The two are actually within strides, just
note of the gate of a deserted housing project which served as the jump-off
of Aliw Waterfalls. Earlier on, we
informed our guides that we will explore two waterfalls. They’re the one who suggested what to visit
first.
HULUGAN FALLS AND ALIW FALLS DAYTRIP _ Part 1 – Hulugan Waterfalls
Laguna is famous not just for Pagsanjan Falls but of other waterfalls as well and we’ve visited quite a
number already. So when we heard of gigantic
waterfalls in Luisiana, we wasted no time and organized an instant daytrip…
It was 5am when we took off for our
Luisiana adventure with a two waterfalls goal, Hulugan Falls and Aliw Falls. We had a quick breakfast at Paviola in Siniloan
and even punned of Buruwisan Falls instead.
Hulugan
Falls
We nearly missed Brgy. San Salvador
being the first Luisiana barangay after the municipality of Cavinti. Thanks to the Hulugan Falls poster for directing
the way. At the barangay entrance is an
information area where you will first secure your guide.
Breakfast at L'Aubergine Restaurant
L'Aubergine Restaurant is a renowned fine dining
restaurant in the Metro and is said to always top this category.
It’s not a usual weekend for us sitting
in comfort in a resto far from home. But
even hubby, a non-breakfast person is curious of Aubergine’s new morning offerings. We buzzed at 530am for ample time to freshen
and drive to the Fort.
Supposedly a meet-up with a dear
friend who arranged for our reservation but due to family reasons it turned an
early date for us :)
A TRIP TO THE LAND DOWN UNDER – Sydney, Australia
Our trip to Sydney was for
the Rotary 2014 International Convention which happened to coincide with my
birthday J
We took the Manila – Kuala
Lumpur – Sydney route via AirAsia. I am
a usual flight snoozer but being out of Asia for the first time kept me awake
all the way. The Indonesia – Australia pass
was a long journey but the moment the next land mass was at sight, I was caught
in awe… I startled hubby of the reddish landscape down under, I thought I was out
of earth for a while. LOL.
Baler Day Tour – Part 2, What to do in Baler?
It
was 10am when we reached Brgy. Ditumabo, the house of the Mother Falls more
known as Ditumabo falls. We forgot that most
trippers were held indoor as well yesterday by the bad weather, so it was then
that everyone was at the waterfalls. We
took a trike to the main jump-off which was filled earlier on. We trekked for nearly an hour by the river crossing
bamboo bridges, rivers and streams. It
was fun and the kiddos were loving it.
Batanes Travel Tips and Do-It-Yourself Itinerary
Travel
Tips:
1.
Batanes
is feared for its pricey fare as the regular return airfare can go as high as
P16k per head… Lucky for us, we were able to grab a promo fare of less than
P1500 two-way per head. We booked in
October but our travel date was July of the succeeding year.
2.
Basco
runway is just 1.25km long which explains the limitation in the aircraft
capacity. Brace yourself as landing can
be a challenge especially at times of strong winds tied with the sways caused
by being at Mr. Iraya foot.
NORTHERN MINDANAO TRIP [Ozamiz City – Marawi City – Iligan City – Camiguin – Bukidnon – Cagayan De Oro City]
This is our version of a short amazing
race covering all of the 6 provinces of Northern Mindanao in a 4-day stretch… We wanted to spend more time appreciating the
culture, the people, but so little time.
A Quick Dayhike to Buruwisan Falls
The New Year day slipped barely and I yearned for an adventure that early. Exactly 10 years ago, we did a New Year’s Day
climb and now, a January 2 hike would not be bad. With a wide smile, I
persuaded hubby for a quick hike...
SNAPSHOTS | DIGUISIT FALLS - Baler, Aurora
Diguisit
Falls is a series of cascades that joins Diguisit River. Also referred to as Cemento Falls by the
locals, the waterfalls is located along the highway between the Cemento and
Diguisit Beach.
A short hike up and you’re at the main flow. The rocks splitting the stream adds charm uniquely Diguisit.
MT. MAKILING TRAVERSE DAYHIKE - STO. TOMAS TO UPLB
We took off at the Cabaong
Bridge at around 6am and by 630am, we surpassed the last section of the housing
development leading to the Makiling trail.
Most of the team were Maktrav hardcore
in their college years but with the housing and commercial progress in the
area, we got lost on our way up. We faced boulders unpassable that we backtracked until the recollection of the
right trail appeared.
Why I Climb Mountains?
This
post was long overdue…. Sometimes in November 2014, I stumbled upon TripAdvisor’s
Why I Travel series and it led to a realization of why I climb mountains. So I posted in various Facebook pages/groups
asking mountaineers of why they climb mountains.
During
our Mt. Kinabalu climb, we halted at the KM8 marker, the St. John peak’s point…
I have admitted at that moment that we were up to that point. We sat as we witnessed the sun broke the dawn…
with the summit at our back, calling, luring us… just 166 meters (masl) away. That close and yet…
Baler Day Tour – Part 1, What to Do in Baler?
Amidst
the pebbly highway, the journey went smoothly but just when we were about to
enter our lodge grounds, the steering wheel broke unexpectedly. Lucky for us, we arrived safely. I whisked at once the idea of an untoward
incident or the least, a grope in the dark highway should it happen while in
transit. Whew!
KUALA LUMPUR – HO CHI MINH – SIEM REAP – BANGKOK TRIP
Coming from our South Korea trip, the travel itch continued and I reckoned that the upcoming holy week break would be the perfect time. Perfect because I would be done with all the April 15 tax filings then... Yahoo! But then March arrived and the airfares were soaring high day by day. It was a habit already to check all airlines daily hoping for a fare steal. Then on March 3, an answered prayer; AirAsia went on sale, not bad at P5600++ return trip for Manila - Kuala Lumpur. I booked at once, originally for a 6 day trip. I plotted our itinerary and the flights in between but I failed to squeeze all 4 country plan in such a short time. So I rebooked making it an 8-day trip but was charged a P1600 fee... Okay, okay... I know, my bad. After our return flight was confirmed, I booked the rest of the flights, all through AirAsia; Kuala Lumpur - Ho Chi Minh, Siem Reap - Bangkok and finally Bangkok - Kuala Lumpur.
An actual account of our 8-day Indochina amazing race trip crossing 4 countries (excluding Philippines) on a shoestring as follows:
An actual account of our 8-day Indochina amazing race trip crossing 4 countries (excluding Philippines) on a shoestring as follows:
 |
| KUALA LUMPUR – HO CHI MINH – SIEM REAP – BANGKOK TRIP |
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