Cagbalete: Sun, Sand and Storm

9-10 May 2015

All my bags are packed.
I'm ready to go.
Except I just needed one more thing: a destination.

It was already Friday and I needed an alternative to Baler for the weekend. For weeks, I had been planning on surfing in Baler but a storm was coming and the wave forecast was 9-13 feet high--not for beginners like me. I was quite desperate to soak under the sun and I wasn't gonna let a storm ruin my weekend. I was cooking up several alternatives when my friend Luther invited me to a trip to Cagbalete Island with his friends and a few of our colleagues. And so, I finally had my destination.

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A couple of hours before our scheduled departure, we got news that boats were currently prohibited by the coast guard from travelling to the island due to the storm. Nevertheless, our contact in the island told us that it was sunny there and the prohibition might be lifted by the time we arrive the next day. There were other options in the vicinity so, we crossed our fingers and went our way to Quezon.

Barbecue dinner at Mauban 

After 5 hours of land travel, we arrived at Mauban, Quezon. Unfortunately, the prohibition had not yet been lifted. We decided to just stay in a nearby resort and make the most out of the day. Luther's friends were all nice and friendly. So, despite not making it to our destination, I enjoyed spending the day with good company.

Our luck finally turned around on Sunday. Upon receiving the good news, we quickly changed into our swimming attire and ate our breakfast. Then, off we went to our boat ride to Cagbelete Island.

Cagbalete is known for its long stretch of white sand during the low tide. It was sunny and we arrived just as the tide started to fall. We planned on leaving the island by 3PM but we ended up staying until 5PM. 

It would have been really nice if we spent the night on the island. But I really enjoyed the weekend, the hiccups included, and I got more than just sun and sand: new friends.

Bungee Jumping in Nepal

6 April 2015

I had already crossed out bungee jumping on my bucket list because I was acrophobic but there I was, about to bungee jump onto the Bhotekoshi River in Nepal. I had a sore throat, a stuffed nose and my head felt like a huge balloon. Under normal circumstances, the height of the bridge would have made my legs feel like jell-o but my biggest concern at that moment was having mucus all over my face when I jump. I was already running out of tissue on the bridge, so I was quite anxious to jump. 

I took a deep breath. And another one. And another one. Then I jumped. For about 2 seconds, I didn't know how to react and then serenity swept over me. I felt like flying (not falling) and although I wanted to close my eyes, the view was simply too amazing to miss. It must've only been a few seconds but the falling and the recoil and the swinging felt as if I was in slow motion. My stuffed nose was forgotten and the only thing that came to my mind was: AWESOME.