It’s normal for people to have a to-do list before they die.
Dreams they want to reach, goals they want to fulfill for them to really say
that they have lived this lifetime to the fullest. I am one of those who have things
they want to accomplish as chances and opportunities let me. Traveling the
Philippines, and later on, the world, is one of them.
And now, the story I have to share with you is, I can say,
one baby step I managed to take to realizing this dream. Baler is the third
town I get to visit ever since I decided to live this dream.
So now, onto the trip. :)
For this trip, I decided to join a group from Facebook.
They’re a group of people who always go on trips all around the Philippines,
taking photos, eating each place’s delicacies, witnessing great sights and
scenes, gaining experiences and enjoying adventures one after the other. Travel
enthusiasts you can say, and I wish to be like them.
Going on a weekend trip with strangers? Some might think
that this is extreme, but really, there are some perks with doing so. *smiles
Back on the track, we left for Baler at 11pm on March 14,
Friday. We are expected to arrive by 7am but reached the resort by 4am. But
before that, let me just share with you a small incident that happened while on
the road.
Though I wanted to sleep and recharge for the adventure of
the next day, I just couldn’t get enough sleep. And when we reached that part
of the road where visibility turned to zero, all sleepiness and hopes of sleep
flew out of the window. Suddenly, I am worried about our safety. It’s 3am, we
are on a zigzag road, and we couldn’t see the road! Hah! Sounds fun, no?
Though I wanted to steal some sleep, I couldn’t possibly let
the opportunity pass to witness the moment where we successfully get passed
that tricky road and move on to our adventure. Right? Right!
Hello Baler! ^_^
So, 4am. We were too early to do anything but steal some
naps. With the fresh and cold wind hitting my face and body, I leaned on one of
the tables outside and let myself be lulled to sleep even for a short while.
A short while it is, indeed. For not long after, it was
already wake up call for breakfast. We ate at an eat-all-you-can buffet
restaurant where we dug on the usual breakfast feast of hotdogs, fried eggs,
fried rice, champorado, pan cakes, suman (which is the specialty of the
province), coffee, and juice.
I spotted this cute banner and didn’t let the chance slip
and took a photo of it. Well, I gotta say that it is, indeed, a stress-free
zone.
The restaurant is exactly beside the sea. After eating to my
full, I walked out of the restaurant and was welcomed by that same cool breeze
of ocean air. I stretched my sight the farthest it can reach and filled my
lungs with fresh air then thought to myself. “Two days of this? Heh, joining
this trip is definitely one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life.”
Then I smiled to myself.
Hunger quenched, we set to our first adventure: two-hour
trek to the Mother Falls.
See that? That's what we needed to walk on!
Nothing. Just feeling proud about myself for getting passed all that. :)
So, the reason why there are handrails is because of the strong current! I thought I was gonna be washed out!
We need to follow that tube to get to Mother Falls. :)
The trail is way steeper in real life, I tell you.
Remember that tube earlier? We are now walking on top of that. :)
The Dam!
And the Mother Falls. She's so beautiful up close!
So, I decided to come a little closer. :))
After that, it's lunch time!
Again, we chose to feast in an eat-all-you-can restaurant
and, just like what we did for breakfast, eat our full and just gobble every
food that took our fancy. As for me, it’s the desserts that got me! Well, my
sweet tooth needed to be satisfied, right?
What came after that?
FREE TIME!
FREE TIME EQUATES TO SURF TIME!!!!
Ah! This is definitely one of the best part of the whole
trip!
Okay, so the moment I heard about the availability of
surfing, I already told myself that I would definitely try it. I don’t know how
to swim. That’s one. I don’t know how to surf. That’s two. BUUUUUT! None of
that stopped me from pushing through the activity. Hehehe.
So, with Ate Grace, (one of the group), we told the resort
assistants that we wanted to try surfing. They then arranged everything for us.
Called on surfing instructors and pick surfboards fitted for beginners. The
sight of the surfboards alone made me jump in glee and anticipation. That’s the
adventurous in me kicking in. *smiles widely this time
Meet Kuya Aldrin and his twin brother (which I didn’t ask
the name of hehehehe), my surfing instructor who has been so patient with me
and really see that I get to enjoy the one hour-long surfing session.
The waves are big and strong and scary and there has been
multiple times when I felt scared I might fall off the board and drown.
But I know that I gotta trust him that he won’t let me
drown. Just like how I trust jeepney drivers that they would drive me to my
destination safely, just like how I trust other drivers that they would step on
the brakes when I cross the streets, just like how we all trust the cooks at
the food courts and restaurants that they wouldn’t put poison in it.
The whole experience was truly fun! I get to ride the waves
seven times! Beat that! Seven times!! Woot! I remember myself screaming in joy
every time! Hahaha!
It’s so fun and one of a kind that it didn’t just ended with
nothing but fun. I stepped out of the water with lots of bruises, a wound on my
left leg where the fin of the board, and hurting arms and body because of the
constant contact with the waves.
After that, we went to visit Aniao islet and had a great
view of the island from the higher ground.
The island is so beautiful and picturesque. This is just the
first day of the trip yet I am already having a full load of great things
happening one after the other.
See this? I tell you, the pictures (especially MY pictures) didn't do it justice! Hahaha!
Since we have been eating from nowhere else but eat-all-you-can
buffet, the group started to make plans of cooking our own food with which we
settled with fish. But then again, circumstances didn’t let us. So, we settled
for the famous rolling restaurants of the province. Only, they have lost the
wheels now and is simply a stationary restaurant near the municipal church.
After that, it’s back to the resort and bath and sleeping
time!
Before 5am the next day, the group prepared for our sunrise
hunting adventure at yet another beach.
Patiently waiting by the beach.
The waves are like WOAH!
Sadly, this is the closest to sunrise we got. The clouds are so thick!
Then breakfast!
Ah, we all started to think that this is not an adventure
trip but rather, a food trip! Haha! Again, we ate at the “rolling restaurant”
to have our fill for the morning.
The second day is set to explore the city and the history it
carries with it. We went to Donya Aurora’s house,
Sadly, the presidential car itself is inside a huge glass room. With my digital camera, I didn't even hope of CAPturing a decent photo of it. :)
After that, every tourists’ destination before leaving any
place, off we went to pasalubong center! Yay! Bought shirts for my brothers,
and a cute ref magnet to commemorate my surfing escapade. Hehehe
And then we visited the Museo de Baler for a deeper taste of
Baler’s history.
They look like vampires! Like woah!! :)
The closest I get to the Philippine Eagle. Hehe. It's HUUGE!
Beautiful tree outside of the museum.
And then and then and theeeeennnn…. I have been waiting for
this part of the trip: meeting face to face with the six-century-old Balete
tree. Being a huge fan of trees that I am, you can only imagine the euphoric
high I’ve felt with this encounter! See the photos!
Do I look too excited? Hehehe
Look at how small I am in front of it! Woah!
This is how it looks like inside! And you can climb it from there!
We didn't let the chance pass of doing this! Hahaha!
Things happened. Wonderful things happened. And though the
trip was over, the memory and the joy and the fulfillment I’ve felt because of
this will be with me; to keep and to share with you all. Hah! I am sure to have
a lot more of this in the future. Look forward to it, will you? :)
Until my next adventure! ^_^
