CWC: FAMILY EDITION / MAY 15-17,2008 =D

We braced ourselves for the 3 hour ride to CWC from Donsol. We had commissioned the van that picked us up from the airport to take us all the way to Pili. P3,750 for the entire trip. P2,500 to bring us from Legaspi to Pili; the balance for the airport-Donsol-Legaspi trip. Darn. We could have saved P1,250.00 had we known we couldn't go whaleshark watching that day! Still, Sister Pusjing and I thanked our lucky stars that our flight was moved back to 5:40 a.m. Had the 8:40 a.m. flight pushed through, it would have been almost lunch by the time we got to Donsol, and the entire Day 1 would have been totally wasted. Since we took the red-eye flight, by 8:00 a.m., we were on our way. Hubby Sweet became increasingly giddy at the thought of being able to wakeboard immediately after lunch. Haha! 'D

Still, Murphy seemed to have bestowed his special grace on us that day. Midway to Legaspi, the van airconditioning started to conk out. I initially thought that the change in temperature was only because of the rising sun. Apparently not. The Hubby initially took off his jacket. After a few minutes, he asked Sister Pusjing to adjust the aircon vent.

"Naiinitan ka?" Sister Pusjing asked, quite surprised because she knows the Hubby to be lamigin.

"Konti lang naman," Hubby S declared, "Palagay mo?" Sister Pusjing guffawed when she looked to the backseat to find the Hubby sans sweater and shirt.

It was only then that Leo, the driver, told us that we would have to change vans as soon as we reach Legaspi because not only was the aircon shot, we also gathered from his cell conversations (in Bicolano) that the clutch was also starting to give. HAHAHAHA!!! ACK! 'D

Thankfully, niece Patita was oblivious to the series of debacles, choosing to concentrate on chattering us all up to oblivion. After a short wait in Legaspi (the replacement car was in the carwash), we were off.

I had written about CWC before. Several changes have happened since. The welcome change is that they now accept credit cards. Yey!!! 'D

The unwelcomed change--for serious wakeboarders--is that they no longer have the P1,500 per person promo for 3D/2N accommodation with breakfast and two days worth of free wakeboarding. Still, when I tallied our expenses for this visit, the Hubby and I came out even against our last visit. But that's only because I did not go wakeboarding this time. (OK, kneeboarding because I can't even do that decently yet. Haha! 'D) Even so, considering the superior facilities, wakeboarding at the CWC still comes out much cheaper than the rates in Lago. (P610 for an entire day / P370, I think for half-day at the CWC compared to Lago's P1,200 and P850.)

There were also a few changes at the massage cabanas. Instead of the asosasyon ng mga provincial manghihilots (hahaha), the CWC massage facilities are now operated by Nurture's Spa (yes, the same one in Tagaytay). If you opt to do your massages by the infinity pool within the CWC cablepark, you can get your massage at a friendlier rate: P375 for a full hour. Sadly, Ate Paz about whom I previously wrote praises, has resigned and gone the way of the P250 massages. Hay....=( If you want the full shebang, you can go to the Nurture Spa facility by the villas, and pay P1,250 and up. Now, really, why would I want to do that? =)

I had also previously written about what CWC has to offer non-wakeboarders. The complex was much quieter this time. With winter over in Europe, there were less foreigners. With the advent of the rainy season (it came a bit early this year), there was also none of the showbiz glitter going on. Still, Sister Pusjing and G-Genius were impressed at the seeming buzz radiating throughout the complex--even as they acknowledged that, yes, CWC is the kind of place you go to when you want to relax. Ironic, really, when you think about the fact that it was built primarily for an extreme sport. =)

With Sister Pusjing turning into Mother, she also couldn't stop raving about the fact that the food was good AND cheap. Hahaha! Yey! 'D

The Hubby, of course, got his fix of wakeboarding soon after lunch. Patita, sufficiently drawn by all the action on the lagoon asked if she can go wakeboarding too. Sister Pusjing readily agreed, backed by guarantees from Nangnang T&T and Tito Hubby that some of the more experienced wakeboarders really let their kids tag along on the kneeboards. It was all set for the following day.

For Day 1 at the CWC, however, all of us, except for Hubby Sweet flocked to the infinity pool. ‘Twas the first time I saw Waterbaby Patita in action. Patita had fun. Mama and Nangnang got tired. Hahaha! ‘D

HAHAHA!!! 'D The following day was a big day for the W family. Dada G-Genius lined up to try kneeboarding, but the big news for the day was Patita joining Tito Hubby S on the water.


"Remember, Patita," Sister Pusjing admonished over and over and over, "If you fall into the water, remember that you know how to swim, OK? You just swim. Remember, OK? You know how to swim already. If you fall into the water, remember that you know how to swim...."

"Yes, Mom," Patita replied, reaching down to her aqua socks and losing her balance, almost falling into the lagoon before regaining her footing. Sister Pusjing must have jumped a mile with her heart in her throat in what would have been a vain effort to stop Patita from keeling over.

"Remember, Mom, Patita knows how to swim....If she falls into the water, Mom, remember, she knows how to swim....Remember....." HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! 'D

Soon, it was time to gear up, call Tito Hubby S from the water and line up with the rest of the wakeboarders. And, Dear God, may Mother never get to read this post and see the pics. Otherwise, that would be the end for Sister Pusjing and me! Hahaha! 'D


































As I geared into position to take pictures, Sister Pusjing bravely took hold of the videocam--as all moms are apparently wont to do. Documentation is key. Hahaha! I myself couldn't stop grinning at Patita. Everyone else within the complex gathered around near the lagoon, curious to watch this 5-year old get on board. I couldn't stop myself from jumping up and down and screaming "WOOOOOOOHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!" as soon as Hubby Sweet and Patita hit the water. Just like that, they were off! WOOOOOOHHOOOOOOOOO!!!

I rushed over to Sister Pusjing who was still holding the camera, at the time Hubby Sweet and Patita were preparing for the turn.

"Did you get it?! Did you get it?!" I asked excitedly, wondering if she was able to take hold of the video cam on time.

"Dapat yata ikaw may hawak nito," she replied, surprising me with her voice shaking, and her eyes tearing up as Hubby Sweet and Patita turned the bend, disappearing from sight.

"Di ko yata kaya 'to. Dapat ikaw may hawak nito. Nasan na anak ko? Nasan na anak ko?!"

Despite the panic in her voice, I, of course, simply doubled-up in laughter. HAHAHA!!! 'D

I looked to the other side (hidden by the island in the middle) and found the cable to be still taut. It was as clear indication that the rider was still in the water.

"Nasa tubig pa. Di pa nahuhulog." I reassured her.

"Sigurado ka?! Pano mo alam? Pano mo alam?!" she demanded, the entire time absent-mindedly moving the camera around (think Blairwitch project, hahaha!).

"Mahigpit pa yung cable. Ibig sabihin, may hinihila pa."

"Saan? Saan?!"

"Ayun, o." I reassured her, the entire time laughing, "Malapit mo na makita ulit."

Soon Hubby Sweet and Patita did turn the bend and came into sight.

At the final turn--nearest the dock--Hubby Sweet let go of the cable, signalling the end of the run. That turn was the most difficult turn to make on a kneeboard and he did not want to risk snapping with Patita in tow. Without the cable to pull them, Patita and Hubby Sweet sunk gently.

'Took them a while to reach shore as the Hubby had to navigate both Patita and the kneeboard back to the dock. Still, it was quite an experience.

Asked how it was to ride, Patita said in a low voice, quite visibly shaken by the experience, "It was fun....but it was scary, Mom."

To which Sister Pusjing could have replied, "Amen!" Hahaha! 'D

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Despite the Hubby's denials (hahaha =D), our own digicam must have fallen into the waters of Lago and is currently out of commission. For this trip, we borrowed the W family's spare digicam. (Thanks, Harming!) Still, I must remember to turn off the date feature next time. It's distracting. Hay...=)