SWIMMING WITH SHARKS / MAY 18,2008 =D

We woke up early Sunday morning in preparation for the ride out. By 5:00 a.m., everyone was trying to sneak in their bathroom rituals in order to make it in time for the 6:00 a.m. breakfast. Yes. We needed a full hour because all five of us had to stay in one room. Upon check-in the previous day, we found out that the room assigned to Sister Pusjing and fam had a defective aircon. We told the innkeeper that we have decided to just bunk in one room; we found out that each room actually has two larger-than-double-but-not-quite-queen-sized beds. We also found out that cash was running low (long story, haha) and that if there were no TVs in Donsol, asa pa kami that they will take credit cards! Hahaha! ‘D

We stayed at the Donsol Woodlands Resort. Very basic, but all we needed really was an airconditioned room and a clean bathroom. For P1,700 a night, it was also practically a steal. Not only did we have two big beds, we had a relatively big room (maybe 30 sqm) plus an honest-to-goodness veranda with the usual bamboo resort sala set. There was therefore no need to feel cramped.

We had wanted to get out by 6:30 a.m. Our guide arrived well before that. Unfortunately, the resort kitchen seemed to have only one cook and one stove so our breakfast orders were literally coming out one at a time! Hahaha. Naku! ‘D It was way past 7:00 a.m. by the time we managed to get a move on.

As with the previous day, we took a tricycle ride to the dock. Not too far this time. Everything has also been paid for at the tourism office the day before so there was really nothing left to do but ride the banca and pray for luck. P3,495 per boat plus P300 per person for the equipment. It would be a shame if we did not see any.

The seas were very rough. As I said in previous posts, I am NO water-baby so while I had my life vest on, I was also holding on to the boat and the Hubby for dear life. The Hanging Habagat apparently does more than just drive fireflies away. It brings on GIGANTIC waves. This was a literal, real-life ocean park roller-coaster ride. Hahaha! Ack!

Thankfully, the banca was made of stern stuff and our boatmen were experienced enough to keep the boat from toppling over. Hubby Sweet also reassured me that the chance of us toppling over is slim because the katig (the bamboo extensions) are there to stabilize the boat. Still, it was an experience riding the crest of a wave only to “crash” big time as soon as the crest gave way to the valley of the wave. Susko! “Father will kill us,” Sister Pusjing and I thought, remembering his text message earlier during the trip. Having watched from the news that there was a storm approaching Bicol, he told us NOT to take unnecessary risks. WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!

We laughed out loud to ease the tension, thinking that if something happened to us, they would be calling Father and he would probably have only one thing to say, “Mga pinutukan ng lintik na mga anak at manugang ko! Di bale. Kalimutan na sila...Ang gusto ko lang malaman, OK ba si Patita?” HAHAHAHAHA!!! ‘D

Now back to the business of whaleshark watching.....=)

We asked the guide how far we would have to head out to see the butandings. It really depends, they said. On a good day, you don’t have to go too far to encounter them. On bad days, you can go an entire day without seeing any. There are no promises, no guarantees. They cannot, after all, force the whalesharks to show up.

Uh, oh….. =(

Some gambled on going out the previous day despite the slim possibilities, they told us. They had no choice because they were going to go back to Manila that afternoon. They came back to shore not having seen any. Sayang ang P3,495! =( Some Europeans insisted on heading out too, but unlike the regular tourists, they brought along their diving gear. They were luckier, but only because they decided to dive.

“Paano niyo alam kung saan sila hahanapin, Kuya?” we asked, wondering how in this vast ocean they could manage to find these whalesharks.

“Papalaot ka. Nandyan lang naman sila. Makikita mo yung dorsal fins nila,” our guide replied.

“Parang pating? May dorsal fin?”

“Oo, makikita nyo….”

All of a sudden there was pandemonium. As our guide was explaining how to spot a whale shark, the two other boat men stood up excitedly and started shouting simultaneously (screaming actually) in the local dialect. They were excitedly pointing at something, the entire time blubbering continuously in a language we could not understand.

We all turned around in the direction they were pointing to and saw two dorsal fins sticking out from the water. Not one. TWO. The pandemonium continued with our guide and the boatmen shouting instructions back and forth in Bicolano.

“Get ready!” our guide barked, “Pag sinabi kong talon, talon!”

The boatmen shouted something to him in Bicolano.

Our guide hesitated for a moment before he advised, “Malakas daw ang hatak ng dagat. Hanggang dalawa lang muna ang sumama sa akin…”

We all tried to gear up as fast as we could, but by the time the boatmen excitedly shouted out, “Ngayon na, ngayon na!” only G-Genius and I were ready to jump. G-Genius jumped with nary a thought. I hesitated. The gigantic waves were still rolling in. I did not want to jump without the Hubby beside me. Ack! Scaredy cat. =(

And so it goes that only G-Genius got to swim with the first set of whalesharks. The rest of us just watched from the boat in awe as these gentle giants started swimming toward our banca, their dorsal fins sticking out in the air. Both passed under our boat, and I remember thinking, don’t flip us. Don’t flip us! Ack! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! Hahaha! We saw a mother butanding and her baby. =) Things were looking up. We had been out to sea no more than 15 minutes at that time and we had already encountered two. YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!! ‘D

(Note: The underwater pics of the whale sharks are not mine. I lifted them off the Albay Tourism website because I wanted pics to match my experience, but I obviously did not have a high-tech enough camera. Click here to access the site. =))

As we relived the first experience as soon as G-Genius and our guide got back, I remembered stories I had heard about swimming with the butandings. Kris, one of my dearest friends, once told me that he hesitated to jump because of the sheer size of the creature. It was much bigger than a bus! Their guide reassured him by saying, “Di po kayo makakain ng butanding. Kasinlaki lang ng piso ang lalamunan niya. Di kayo kasya.” To which Kris replied, ”Oo nga, Manong. Pero ayaw ko naman maging chewing gum niya!” HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

At that moment, I understood exactly just how Kris felt right before he jumped. Haha! ‘D

G-Genius couldn’t contain his excitement. I found myself praying that we would get to see at least one more. Despite the terror building up inside me, I WANT TO JUMP IN!

“Sa susunod, lahat na tayo tatalon. Hawak lang kayo dito,” our guide told us as he held up a buoy. I suppose after testing the waters on the first jump, he has confirmed that he can handle having all of us jump in at the same time.

Soon after, the boatmen started jumping up and down again! From a distance, we could see a dorsal fin sticking out. One whaleshark stood there. They stopped the boat from a distance. I suppose they did not want to disturb it nor scare it away. We would have to swim to get nearer, even as it headed toward us. We all jumped into the rough seas and swam as best we could toward the butanding.

“Look down! Look down!” our guide instructed, “NOW!!!”

There was no time to think. I looked down.

May I say that it was the first time ever in my entire life that I was stupid enough to literally SCREAM UNDER WATER! AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! Hahaha! 'D

I had looked down at the precise moment the head of the whale shark was passing by, its mouth FULLY OPEN as it fed itself with the plankton in its path. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!! Imagine, if you could, a fish head that’s bigger than a bus WITH AN OPEN MOUTH. You’d scream too if it were you. HAHAHA! Ayaw ko din maging chewing gum ng butanding ‘no! Hahaha!

I had to come up not only to sputter the sea water out, but to gasp for air. The whale shark is a sight that will literally take your breath away. The entire time my head was above water, I struggled to put my snorkeling mask back on as fast as I could. I did want to miss out on anything.

By the time I looked back down, I realized that the whaleshark was now swimming slightly below us. Stupid me, I SCREAMED AGAIN. Hahaha! This time, I panicked at the thought of its tail hitting me. I could see it swinging from left to right. Granted, it seemed like it was in “slow motion”, but slow-mo or not, its tail was still a pretty big paddle to be hit with. ACK! I, all of a sudden, realized why we had to stay 3-4 meters away from the butanding! While I suppose that was the intention, the rough seas had pushed us nearer to the whale sharks than we intended. Ack!

I managed to move away in time, but the tip of the tail managed to lightly graze Patita’s leg. At that, the whale shark dove deeper. It’s true what they say. Despite their size, they are very shy creatures after all.

As the butanding swam away, I can’t help but stare in awe at the way it gently moved. There was apparently peace under the turbulent seas. It was brought about by the sight of a whale shark quietly slicing through water, oblivious to everything else below, beside and above it. I also watched with curiosity as it slowly moved away with a posse of mini-fish (well, mini-only in reference to the butanding, haha) swimming right below it. Those were full-grown janitor fish, our guide, explained as soon as we got back on the boat. They swim under the butanding because they know there will always be food in its path. Oh………..=)

With the butanding gone, I looked up to check for the Hubby only to find him dolphin-kicking away, trying to chase the whale shark! In rough seas! ACK! He kept up with it for a while, but it soon outpaced him. Although the whale sharks move relatively slowly, their sheer size automatically puts them at an advantage over smaller swimmers. Hay!

I struggled to get back to the boat. The seas were getting rougher, and by the time I got back, my energy had been all but spent. Still, all of us couldn’t stop grinning and shouting as soon as we climbed back up. The huge smile and twinkle in everyone’s eyes, especially Patita’s, were priceless. =)

We saw one more whaleshark after that, our sightings spaced out no more than 15 minutes away from each other. We were extremely lucky. With the seas getting rougher, however, we decided to head back. Us adults figured it would not only be the wise thing to do, it would also give all of us enough time to rest and take a shower before we head to the airport.

We found out as soon as we got back just how lucky we were. Only two boats were allowed to go out that day. Ours was one of them; we managed to do so only because we headed out before 8:00 a.m. No one else was allowed to head out after because the waves were getting too big and the sea was becoming too rough. That’s when we realized that the fact that we got out, saw four whale sharks and got back safely really ought to be attributed to more than just luck.

Quite fittingly, let’s attribute it to Divine intervention # 4, shall we? =)

****************************************************************************

All in all, Donsol is worth going to, but for future travelers, I really suggest you go early. February to April would really be best. May used to be considered still a good month to go, but I suppose the unpredictability of the weather has changed all that. It is possible for the showers to come in early, and you don’t really want to travel that far and spend that much to see….uh…nothing. =)

We stayed at Donsol Woodlands. Call 0921-9699544 or 0920-8630191 for reservations. If the line is busy or out of coverage area, just keep on trying. The signal in Donsol is erratic. It may take a bit of patience, but you will eventually get through.

Click on the Albay Tourism website for more details and tips about whale shark watching in Donsol. =)

LAST: In a gesture of supreme gratitude that it did not eat me, I have since resolved to stop eating sharks fin soup and sharks fin siomai. I'm lobbying that you do too. =)

Sya! Happy weekend, everyone! =D

THE TOUR OF THE FIREFLIES / MAY 17,2008 =(

We finally arrived in Donsol to find the tourism office closed. We had wanted to get the “required butanding orientation program” out of the way so we can go out to sea as early as we want Sunday morning, keeping in mind that we had a 1:30 p.m. flight back to Manila to catch. Thankfully, the owner of the resort we were staying in apparently asked its keeper to wait for us at the office and to keep it open until we arrived. Yes, we were deep enough in the provinces to have the tourism office kept open at the mere request of the kapitbahay. Haha. =)

The orientation was really just a 15-minute VCD shown on a small TV. Nothing high-tech, but it did lay the basic ground-rules for interacting with the whale sharks. Stay 3 meters away from any point of the whale shark. Do not block its path. Do not touch it. The whale sharks are apparently very gentle but also very shy creatures. If it senses a threat, it will change its swimming patterns and will likely move to somewhere else where it can feel safer. The people of Donsol would obviously not want that. =)

The video was supposedly developed by the WWF. The environmental conservation group, silly, not the wrestling federation. Haha. Yes, the one with the panda on the logo. =) At some point, the butchering of the whale sharks in Sorsogon apparently came under its radar which then prompted the organization to send a troop to this small fishing village. Through education and communication, they made the natives understand the role the butandings play in the ecosystem and why they must be saved. The WWF was largely responsible for transforming this sleepy fishing village into an eco-tourism destination. It was largely responsible for converting its fishermen who only once cared about hauling fish into staunch protectors of the environment.

The best time to visit Donsol, they say, is between the months of February and April—when the ocean is still relatively warm, before the rain showers of May come in. The rain apparently not only changes the temperature of the water (forcing the butandings to migrate to warmer seas), strong rain apparently also brings in silt from the river, making the sea murky and making it virtually impossible to see anything.

We came in mid-May. Butanding sightings, we were told, are still a possibility, but the chances of going home luhaan (as the oldies would say) was also just as big. 50/50. Darn.

The first day was reserved for the Firefly River Tour. It was a trip both Sister Pusjing and I were excited about. As children, we both had fond memories of sitting on the front steps of House Better, watching the narra tree on our neighbor’s front lawn “burning” as soon as the sun went down. The tree was literally home to hundreds of fireflies, and we would always sit there in awe, staring at this year-round “Christmas tree”. Every night, right before bedtime, we would catch a few and put them in bottles. We would take them inside and set them on our bedside tables to serve as our night lamps. I would literally fall asleep watching the fireflies flutter around, their tails flickering in the dark, only to wake up the following day to find the fireflies gone. As in gone. Not dead. GONE. It has always been a mystery to me and as a kid (stupid kid, haha), I remember wondering if fireflies evaporated like vampires as soon as the sun went up. I suppose that as an adult (albeit still stupid, haha), I have a more logical explanation. Every night, Mother must have set all of them free as soon as we all fell asleep. =)

That was decades ago when House Better seemed to sit in the middle of nowhere, and when the air in the immediate outskirts of Manila was still relatively pure and clean. A few years ago, Tito Rod had the tree cut down to give way to the expansion and reconstruction of their home, but the fireflies were really long gone before that. They say fireflies thrive only in unpolluted air. Such was no longer the case.

Thus the excitement over the Firefly River Tour.

It was a chance to relive our childhood. It was a chance to give Patita an opportunity to see fireflies first hand as opposed to just reading about them in some science book. I saw a feature on the Firefly River Tour once on the Living Asia channel, and it heightened my excitement even more. So, never mind that I literally wanted to doze off soon after we arrived, tired and grimy from the long trip from the CWC to Donsol. Never mind that the Firefly River Tour cost us a pretty penny (P1,200 per boat if I remember correctly). Never mind that to get to the river, we had to endure a 20-minute P200 tricycle ride on bumpy and rocky provincial roads. Never mind that by the time we got to the “dock”, my back was literally aching and my mind was already wondering if this was all worth it. It had better be! Haha. (If you click on the photo below, you'd have a better idea of just how far we had to travel that day. Camarines Sur to Sorsogon. Ack!)




We boarded the banca and navigated the dark river with nothing but a gas lamp and a flashlight to show us the way. I should have sensed that our guide was already setting us up for major disappointment. We should have come in April when the winds are not as strong, he said. Hanging Habagat daw ng gabing iyon. Malakas ang hangin, pero susubukan na rin namin. Then again, I suppose I was too excited about the possibility of seeing both sides of the river lit up with a million fireflies (as I had seen in the Living Asia feature). We navigated the river, the motor droning. It was practically the only sound you can hear. In the dark, I felt like I was watching one of those movies where something just pops out of the water to snatch one of the people on board. It was the movie playing in my mind. Hahaha. We slowly turned the bend. I eagerly anticipated the sight. They say the beauty of the Firefly River Tour lies in the fact that you see nothing but darkness only to be dazzled by a million flickering lights as soon as you turn the bend.

We turned the bend.

We saw….NOTHING.

Nothing but darkness.

ACK!

Where are the fireflies?! Where are the DARN fireflies?! =(

Dapat po nung Abril kayo nagpunta. Di pa masyado malakas ang hangin. Hanging Habagat ngayon. Malakas ang hangin kaya kokonti ang mga alitaptap, pero subukan na rin natin.

ACK!

A good 10 minutes down the river (which is quite far when you think about it), we finally saw ONE SMALL TREE flickering in the dark. It was home to a hundred fireflies. The excitement has waned for us adults. If any, we were just thankful that we saw this one tree so Patita can get to see how live fireflies really look like. We approached the tree. Initially, I thought we had done so to be able to take a closer look. To our surprise, our guide reached out and shook the tree. The tree burned with more intensity. I suppose when the fireflies are stressed, they burn more brightly. Maybe. I don’t know. =( We moved on further down the river and managed to pass by a slightly bigger tree. We moved closer. This time, we asked the guide NOT to shake the tree. Let the fireflies be. We will just watch.

We decided to turn back soon after. We thought there was no point in going further down the river, and we thought spending more than 15 minutes looking up this puny tree was getting ridiculous. Even Patita was getting bored.

The 20-minute bumpy ride back to the resort was rendered more unbearable by the fact that without the adrenalin shot from having watched a million fireflies in action, all of us were reduced to simple, tired and disappointed tourists. It was like getting yourself worked up to see the World Pyro Competition only to deal with the sad reality of two small baby rockets that barely pierced the night sky before puttering out.

Our guide explained that because of the Hanging Habagat, the fireflies must have gone someplace else. On a good day, we would have found the entire stretch of mangroves fully lit. I couldn’t help but wonder if they moved somewhere else for an entirely different reason.
If your house is always being disturbed by the neighbors, wouldn’t you also decide to up and leave? =(

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The last in this series to follow in the next post! Right now, I have to work.

MAYON / MAY 17,2008 =D

The highlight of the trip back was the side visit to the Cagsawa Ruins, the bell tower that was left standing when Mayon erupted centuries ago. (I say centuries ago because I’m too tamad to research exactly when. *Sheepish grin =D *)In any case, the one fascinating thing about Mayon is that you can apparently see it from any point in Legaspi. It was even supposed to serve as a majestic background to the Legaspi airport runway. I wanted to see its perfect cone first-hand. If we cannot see the “perfect cone”, what’s the point? Quite unfortunately for us, we have only seen Mayon covered with clouds since we arrived. We had therefore been reduced to pointing it out and saying, “Ayun! Ayun ang Mayon! Sana makita natin yung cone….” Waaaaaaaaaaahhhhh…=(

In any case, since we had time to spare on the way back, we decided to veer slightly off the road to go to Cagsawa. We figured we might as well see the bell tower even if we don’t end up getting a full view of the actual mountain. (Hey, well, what do you know. I forgot I took a picture of the “history slab” that seems to be found in most old churches. =) February 1,1814! That’s when it got buried after a major eruption. I was right. It was centuries ago. ;p)

The road to the ruins was paved with volcanic soil and lined with volcanic rocks. On either side of the van, one can see partially-destroyed houses. Most were hit by rocks that were spewed out during some of the more recent eruptions, and we were told that the owners probably did not have enough spare money to rebuild. Niece Patita looked out the window with the rest of us. I, personally, was in awe at how huge these boulders were, and how I would have probably fainted with terror at the sight of one of these falling from the sky. One could wonder why people would choose to live at the base of a volcano, but it’s really because of the soil. Farmlands are apparently most fertile near the mountain, and I suppose, most families have decided that the possibility of a once-in-a-lifetime-eruption is a “work hazard” they would be willing to live with.

I felt a certain sense of reverence as I surveyed the scene outside, still wondering how these people might have felt as volcanic rock and ash rained down on them. Soon, however, the silence was broken. We had reached the ruins, and as soon as the van doors were opened, a multitude of children literally swarmed around us, each peddling their own set of Mayon pictures, each automatically mouthing off the history of the mountain’s eruptions and the story behind the Cagsawa ruins. I suppose it would have been helpful (and quite charming really) to be approached by one child who knew everything there was to know about the mountain, but to be assaulted (yes, it felt like it) by about 10 children, all talking at the same time, all pushing their volcanic pics, is a bit too much. Imagine walking into a room with 10 TVs, each blaring loudly, but each programmed to a different channel, and you’d get a pretty good idea of how grating everything was. As soon as I stepped out of the van, I wanted to get back in and get out. =(

I suppose I cannot fault them. I suppose these kids are just trying to make a living, hoping that some tourist will give them a big tip to augment their parents’ income. I just wish they could talk among themselves and agree to have only one or two approach each van that arrives. That way, the tourists can truly appreciate the history of the place and what everything stands for—as opposed to feeling like they are being attacked by a swarm of bees. =( I’m even going to bet that if they do it this way, they’d be “earning” soooooooooooooooo much more. *Sigh…=(*

We had arrived at the Cagsawa Ruins to find Mayon still covered with clouds. We decided to mill around, despite the chatter of children, desperately trying to tune them out. As a kid, I would look at postcards of the Cagsawa Ruins with Mt. Mayon in the background, and every time I looked at them, I felt a sense of serenity. I had this vision in my head that when I finally get to stand at its base, it was going to be a sight to behold—one that would literally render me silent as I stood before it in awe. I was therefore not prepared for the actual experience. While the mountain was definitely a sight to behold, I had to let go of the serenity part. Hay….waaaaaaaaaahhhhh!!! =( Still, seeing just how big the boulders were put everything into a much more in-depth perspective for me. (The boulders were even bigger than G-Genius and Patita and me!)

After about 15 minutes, we decided it was time to go back on the road to Donsol. Just as we were about to board, our van driver excitedly shouted out that the clouds were clearing.

“Nawawala ang ulap!” he cried out, “Makikita niyo na ang bulkan!”

At his cry, all of us rushed out again and posed like crazy. The clearing of Mt. Mayon would happen only for no more than 3 minutes. Soon, it was covered again by thick clouds.

“Masuwerte po kayo,” our driver explained, “Sabi po nila, sa mga mababait na tao lang nagpapakita ang bulkan.”

Sister Pusjing and I beamed, “Ganun po ba?”

Our pride was pierced by Hubby Sweet’s side comment, “O, over kayo. Si G-Genius yung mabait na sinasabi niya. Di kayo ‘no! Two atribids nga kayo eh…” he teased, referring to his oft-repeated half-meant joke that the sister and I are two atribidas pretending to be saints. Hahahahaha!!! ‘D
Hay, sya! The important thing is we finally saw Mayon in its perfect-coned glory. =) And, let’s officially count that as Divine Intervention #3. =D

THE ROAD TRIP BACK / MAY 17,2008

It was a roller-coaster ride of expectations the entire time we were at CWC. Every time the sun shone intensely, we celebrated. Every time the rain clouds started to move in, we sighed. We did, after all, plan this trip with the whale sharks foremost in our minds. Sister Pusjing and I had more or less accepted the possibility that we may not be able to go. G-Genius refused to give up. Rain be damned, he will see a butanding before he gets on the plane to Manila! For his sake, I did pray that the weather will clear up by Saturday. Otherwise, we would go home to report only one butanding sighting. That butanding’s name would have been Toyang & Tweety. Hahaha! Augh. I really, REALLY (!) must lose weight. Hay….=(

All of Thursday and Friday was generally cloudy, with intermittent drizzles. I called the Donsol tourism desk early Friday morning to check if they were already sending out boats.

“Hindi pa po. Malabo pa po ang tubig. Umulan kase ulit ng malakas nung isang araw,” she said, “Baka po sa Sabado malinaw na. Baka po pwede na.”

Operative word: BAKA.

With this advisory in mind, Sister Pusjing and I decided to ride back to Donsol only after lunch of Saturday. We can arrive in time for the firefly river tour Saturday evening, then go whale shark watching Sunday morning. We figured that while baka on Saturday, the boats will be allowed to go out, the chances of seeing a butanding would still be relatively slim, and we really did not want to be stuck the entire day in Donsol with nothing to do. Sunday it is then, even if it means going straight to the airport after a quick change (possibly no shower, ack! =D).

Sounded like a plan. Then Friday evening rolled along and over dinner, strong (as in, STRONG!) rain and wind ripped through the CWC. We were all already seated for dinner, except for Hubby Sweet who had just finished wakeboarding and was still in the cabana taking his shower. We were all sighing and shaking our heads, wondering if: (1) we should give up all hope for the butandings, and (2) if our massages will push through because the massage cabanas have been drenched. =(

We were all in a dreary mood when Hubby Sweet ambled along, absolutely dry from the mid-thigh up, but totally drenched from the mid-thigh below. I could have wrung his shorts and it would seem like it just came straight out from the wash.

“What happened to you?” I asked, “How did you get here?!” I all of a sudden remembered that we did not exactly bring an umbrella with us (unlike Sister Pusjing who had turned into Mother who actually packed an umbrella and a raincoat on her summer vacation! Hahaha! ‘D).

“Wala ako makitang payong eh,” he said.

“Yes…….And?????” I asked, already expecting that my maabilidad husband had somehow found another (quite possibly hilarious) way of pulling through.

“Nakita ko yung XL na garbage bag that we packed for the wet clothes,” he explained.

“And?” I asked, “Ginawa mong payong?”

“Hindi. Sinuot ko, tapos binutasan ko sa mata para makakita ako, tapos naglakad na ako papunta dito,” he said, instantly explaining why his upper body was absolutely dry while his lower body was absolutely drenched! Everyone guffawed at the thought of him walking around like a gigantic garbage bag with holes for eyes.

“Ang dami nga tumitingin sa akin habang naglalakad ako eh!” he said. Goodness, you think?! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! ‘D

The sun shone brightly early Saturday morning. It was as if the heavens just needed to let all the rain out. The hubby rushed out, excited to get at least half-a-day more of wakeboarding in, only to be disappointed. The park was closed. The cables were hopelessly entangled—obviously from the strong winds the night before. It would take rework and it was not likely that the park will be opened anytime that day.

Which brings me to Divine Intervention #2. =)

Hubby Sweet would never have left CWC willingly and whole-heartedly. The fact that the cablepark was closed with no hope of operations for the day instantly made him excited over the idea of swimming with whalesharks. Hahaha! ‘D Sister Pusjing and I also couldn’t help but marvel that if things had gone as we had planned everything (Firefly Tour: Day 1, Whaleshark Watching: Day 2, CWC: Day 3), we would have arrived at the CWC on that day only to find the cablepark closed. Wow. =D

And so it goes that after a quick lunch, we rode the rented van (P3,750 again back to Donsol). (NOTE: This was NOT our van. Hahaha! It was just an abaca truck that we passed by along the way. ‘Thought I’d include it here because nothing screams Bicol more than a truck full of abaca. =D)

Unlike on the first day when I was asleep for most of the trip, I stayed awake for a good part of the trip. Driving through provincial roads is always a stress relief. Open spaces. Green everywhere. Nothing hi-tech. Take this gasoline station, for example. When was the last time you saw a gas pump that was not digital?! Hahaha! Man, the rolling gas digits of my childhood still exist in the space between Legaspi and Naga. Haha! ‘D

For most of the trip, the entire brood laid asleep. Everyone jumped into action only when we reached the mid-way point and Manong remembered Hubby Sweet’s earlier hirit for a “libreng turon man lang”. During long trips, provincial buses usually have a pitstop. This makeshift hut was apparently the pitstop for a lot of vans making the trip from Legaspi to the CWC and back. The mounds of maruya and turon called out to us. Loudly. Hahaha! So loudly did they call, we ended up with two bags: one of I-don’t-know-how-many-maruyas, the other of I-don’t-know-how-many-turons. We ate like there was no tomorrow. Hahaha! Yum! ^_^

Now, you might think, why the heck am I blogging about maruya and turon?! Surely, there must be so much more exciting things to take note of.

Let's just put it down to learning to appreciate the simple joys in life, shall we? 'p

Yum.

Yum.

Yum! ^_^

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...=)