Escapism is a beautiful thing. More than a year ago, I went
on a 3-day silent retreat (no talking /
cellphone for 3 days) to Tagaytay. It was a peaceful experience, and I terribly
miss it. Last weekend, we went on an intro-dive-day-trip turned intro-dive-full-dive-with-fish-feeding-overnight-trip.
And I swear, it was one of the most relaxing, exciting and fun weekends I’ve
had in a while. =) And just like how I felt after my Tagaytay retreat, I wish I could go back there.
on a 3-day silent retreat (no talking /
cellphone for 3 days) to Tagaytay. It was a peaceful experience, and I terribly
miss it. Last weekend, we went on an intro-dive-day-trip turned intro-dive-full-dive-with-fish-feeding-overnight-trip.
And I swear, it was one of the most relaxing, exciting and fun weekends I’ve
had in a while. =) And just like how I felt after my Tagaytay retreat, I wish I could go back there.
Saturday, April 19. I woke up at 4am, since Kri told me we’d
be meeting her officemate Jun2x at SLEX at 530.
5:10am. After 30+ missed calls, I finally managed to wake
Kri2x up when I called her landline.
6am. Left Makati for SLEX.
Bought breakfast.
Left for Batangas, with Jun2x driving.
be meeting her officemate Jun2x at SLEX at 530.
5:10am. After 30+ missed calls, I finally managed to wake
Kri2x up when I called her landline.
6am. Left Makati for SLEX.
Bought breakfast.
Left for Batangas, with Jun2x driving.
We arrived at the parking area before lunch time, and had to
take a boat to Dive and Trek, the resort. When we arrived at the resort, Alex,
the resort manager, ‘lent’ us a room where we can store our things, since we
were planning to just go on a day trip. After the briefing, we had lunch. Myo’s
friend Eric joined us at our table. When lunch was done, it was time to get
ready and head for the pool!
take a boat to Dive and Trek, the resort. When we arrived at the resort, Alex,
the resort manager, ‘lent’ us a room where we can store our things, since we
were planning to just go on a day trip. After the briefing, we had lunch. Myo’s
friend Eric joined us at our table. When lunch was done, it was time to get
ready and head for the pool!
We were the last batch to have pool training, so we decided
to go for a short swim at the beach. I scraped my foot on one of the submerged
rocks and it bled a little. But it was no biggie.
to go for a short swim at the beach. I scraped my foot on one of the submerged
rocks and it bled a little. But it was no biggie.
Myo did her pool training first, then Kri, me and lastly,
Eric. When we were ready, we were given the go ahead to go on the 15-minute
dive. Since we had no professional certification, our dive master/instructor
has to hold our tanks at all times under the water.
Eric. When we were ready, we were given the go ahead to go on the 15-minute
dive. Since we had no professional certification, our dive master/instructor
has to hold our tanks at all times under the water.
My dive master was Rusley, and we had slow start because I
was still learning to equalize the pressure on my ears. But eventually I got
the hang of it. =) The other instructors later commented that hinihila ko daw si Rusley towards the corals. He said I kept on touching
everything. Haha. I didn’t see the turtle that the others saw though. =( booo.
But we were able to go around 29ft below the surface. We surfaced at the other
side of the resort and walked back to where we started, which was where the
others surfaced.
was still learning to equalize the pressure on my ears. But eventually I got
the hang of it. =) The other instructors later commented that hinihila ko daw si Rusley towards the corals. He said I kept on touching
everything. Haha. I didn’t see the turtle that the others saw though. =( booo.
But we were able to go around 29ft below the surface. We surfaced at the other
side of the resort and walked back to where we started, which was where the
others surfaced.
After our first dive, Myo, Kri and I just sort of walked
around and watched the sunset and had merienda
and thought about whether to stay for the night or not. Anyway, we finally
decided to stay and got really good discounts, plus they were gonna take us on
a full dive and fish feeding the next day. =)
around and watched the sunset and had merienda
and thought about whether to stay for the night or not. Anyway, we finally
decided to stay and got really good discounts, plus they were gonna take us on
a full dive and fish feeding the next day. =)
After showering, we had dinner and inuman with our
instructors and their group. It was really fun. Dong quizzing us on Mr. X and
locker room mischiefs, and then debriefed us. Rommel and Bel throwing jokes at
each other’s expense. Rommel’s very-gentleman move. Bel’s girl-magnet powers.
The humihiling (did I get that
right?) Japanese girl. Jun-jun never growing up. Sharon’s hair. Kri’s alleged
bisexuality. Myo and I’s NBSB status. Never say never. I had a pyro moment. Haha. And when I
finally decided to blow out my candle, Rusley replaced it. Weird. But anyway.
Mr. X was memorable and I saw 2 shooting stars, but didn’t make a wish until
the next day. I had one San Mig Light, and Bogart the really cute and adorable,
but a-bit-smelly-coz-of-swimming-in-sea-water, Labrador followed us to our
rooms when we decided to call it a night before midnight. We had to get up
early tomorrow!
instructors and their group. It was really fun. Dong quizzing us on Mr. X and
locker room mischiefs, and then debriefed us. Rommel and Bel throwing jokes at
each other’s expense. Rommel’s very-gentleman move. Bel’s girl-magnet powers.
The humihiling (did I get that
right?) Japanese girl. Jun-jun never growing up. Sharon’s hair. Kri’s alleged
bisexuality. Myo and I’s NBSB status. Never say never. I had a pyro moment. Haha. And when I
finally decided to blow out my candle, Rusley replaced it. Weird. But anyway.
Mr. X was memorable and I saw 2 shooting stars, but didn’t make a wish until
the next day. I had one San Mig Light, and Bogart the really cute and adorable,
but a-bit-smelly-coz-of-swimming-in-sea-water, Labrador followed us to our
rooms when we decided to call it a night before midnight. We had to get up
early tomorrow!
The next day, Junjun woke us up before 7am. Then, we had
breakfast and got ready for our dive. We got bread (pagkain ni nemo) from Alex for our fish feeding. We had the same
dive master/instructor partners that we had the day before, and Junjun joined
us for our dive. I really had a hard time with my balance, especially when we
had to kneel down on the sea floor to feed the fish. Colorful fishees. =)
breakfast and got ready for our dive. We got bread (pagkain ni nemo) from Alex for our fish feeding. We had the same
dive master/instructor partners that we had the day before, and Junjun joined
us for our dive. I really had a hard time with my balance, especially when we
had to kneel down on the sea floor to feed the fish. Colorful fishees. =)
After feeding the fish, we toured the reef in front of the
resort. A sort of take 2 of Saturday’s dive. It was fun fun fun. I teased the
clams and the anemones and watched the fishes (Finding Nemo is accurate, dude.
Haha) and watched a sea slug crawl on Bel and Myo’s hand (it wouldn’t go on
mine. Booo). I got a few scrapes from going too near the corals and the rocks,
but it was worth it damnit! Haha. We went as deep as 40ft below the surface.
resort. A sort of take 2 of Saturday’s dive. It was fun fun fun. I teased the
clams and the anemones and watched the fishes (Finding Nemo is accurate, dude.
Haha) and watched a sea slug crawl on Bel and Myo’s hand (it wouldn’t go on
mine. Booo). I got a few scrapes from going too near the corals and the rocks,
but it was worth it damnit! Haha. We went as deep as 40ft below the surface.
After our dive, the certified divers went on another dive. 2
dive sites, one dive. We snorkelled near Sombrero
Island because we didn’t have the skills to master the current. And it was
too deep for us, anyway. While snorkelling, we watched not only fishes, but a
group of divers (party of four) as well. We waved to them, and Myo made a bit
of chit-chat with some of them when they surfaced. We also got stung by
jellyfish, bummer.
dive sites, one dive. We snorkelled near Sombrero
Island because we didn’t have the skills to master the current. And it was
too deep for us, anyway. While snorkelling, we watched not only fishes, but a
group of divers (party of four) as well. We waved to them, and Myo made a bit
of chit-chat with some of them when they surfaced. We also got stung by
jellyfish, bummer.
On the way back to the resort, they saw dolphins, but I
didn’t. booo again. Damnit.
We had lunch and left around 430pm. Traffic was bad at
first, but it got better as we got nearer the city. Arrived at my building
around 8pm. =)
didn’t. booo again. Damnit.
We had lunch and left around 430pm. Traffic was bad at
first, but it got better as we got nearer the city. Arrived at my building
around 8pm. =)
*phew narration. Hehe.
It felt so good to get away and try something new. =)
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