Beautiful Bicol

For most of us, the Bicol trip was the event to look forward to. Having purchased the tickets in early March, September was quite a long wait. That meant a lot things happened in between, including the cancellation of the Donsol stopover because the whale sharks were just not there at this time of the year (fail). But we all still made it just in the nick of time for our Legaspi-bound flight. It was a Friday and we were finally off to beautiful Bicol!

The beauty that welcomed us once we landed was, of course, Mayon volcano. If I remember it right, the Bicolano word for beautiful is magayon and I think 'Mayon' is just so fitting. Like any other landmark, there was that shortest moment when I was struck with awe. I like landmarks because they're like pictures and postcards coming to life, only at the middle of your moment, you realize that it's not anything like the photo in your mind -- it's even better and more beautiful.

Caramoan had its own charm as well. White sand beaches, starfishes, beautiful landscape and even more beautiful sunsets made the long boat rides well worth it. We were blessed with little rain. And we did soak up the sun and live the beach life with an excess of sunblock and early mornings. The best lunch I've had in recent memory was at a Caramoan island that we had all to ourselves. We had liempo, pusit, different kinds of fish and fruits. These are the simple things in life made even simpler by eating with our bare hands under our makeshift tents. On that day, simple was just so good.

We weren't up to just chillaxing, we also had our share of adventure. I don't know how most people would define adventure, but for a group of IT professionals, I think it's anything physically taxing. On our first day of island hopping, we climbed a 15-foot rock to get to the hidden lagoon in our swimsuits and Havaianas. Also, at the end of the trip, we tried out knee boarding and wake boarding at CWC. Both are reasons behind our tired muscles, but it was well worth the experience. It goes without saying that going through it with fun friends makes the jitters go away.

For me, the funniest and most memorable things in this Bicol trip are in the details. To be honest, I've started a draft with funny quotes from everyone to remember the trip by. But the list is just so crazy and I can't imagine anyone aside from us reading it and being able to relate. So, suffice it to say that it was a trip of time checks, head butts, fish fights, comic underwear, trampoline jumps, birthday greetings and flirty laughs. It was also an adventure of being carried to the boat, waiting a long time for our ride to CWC, getting stranded in Naga City, and looking for a certain Kapitana. And our OST? Kahit maputi na ang buhok ko, the Survivor theme song, Merry Moe (who is actually Mary Moon and who is a vegetarian) and really, really bad Pinoy rap.

As always, there is just so much to say.  It was a great and well-deserved vacation. After all the trips up North, traveling to south Luzon is a refreshing change. I'm also glad I got to share this vacation with my friends. We haven't been together too much as a complete group in the last few years, but it was quick to pick up with the old humor, jokes, and quirks -- a proud sign of good friendship.

Pips, ang tatag natin. :) We'd do our emo college selves proud. Coron next? :)


*Photos by Kyaps