My last four days in Philippines were well spent by the beautiful shores of Boracay with the bestest girls in the world! Amidst all the school-end chaos, we planned this trip around February where every senior in school is bombarded with last minute thesis work, the Hildegarde awards and many many others. The thought that I'm going on a 4-day trip with (and only with) my girls, Mich and Julia, was probably one of the things that made me excited to get college over with, or even survive my last weeks as a student. I have been in that island too many times in my life, I have even witnessed the semi-virgin Boracay (circa 2001), but this trip to Boracay now is far different from all the trips I've had with my family before. This time, it's all about basking in the sun, destressing, being one with the ocean, doing (quite) extreme water sports/activities, late night talks/walks/drinks, and spending time with my best friends.
DAY 1
Everything was according to plan. Plane-shuttle-boat-tricycle. Four vehicles in a span of 4 hours. Aside from the concessional baggage check-in at the airport, the three of us had no choice but to carry each of our 10-kilo baggages as we independently traveled to Boracay. It was sure as hell exhausting, but that did not stop us from changing to our bikinis right after arriving at the hotel.
We were picked up by a speed boat later in the afternoon and went to the balsa. After "driving jetskis" and waiting for the sunset, we went back to the island to change for dinner. First night's dinner buffet at Le Soleil was superb! I enjoyed our little semi-private eating area, and of course the baked mussels were the best part. Good food, good company, our feet buried in the sand, inhaling that sweet summer breeze, hearing the waves crash while a rendition of Tracy Chapman's Fast Car is being performed in the background; that night was perfect.
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| Me and my dry lips. Waddup! |
DAY 2
Our whole day was spent in Ariel's cliff diving point. Yes, you read that right... Cliff-freaking-diving! Looking at the three of us, I don't think "adrenaline junkies" are part of the first impressions. But, yes... We went cliff diving. It was an unforgettable experience, though I only jumped once (and off the lowest plank not to mention). I personally think that even jumping off a 3-meter high cliff (while holding hands with a cat... ehem, Mich, who, by the way, ditched our swimming class in college) still counts as cliff diving. I just crossed one off the bucket list. Sadly, I wasn't able to take photos for I decided not to risk my camera's life (but decided to risk my life instead when I jumped off the cliff).
The Ariel's Point package comes with free flowing drinks, from water to beer, all throughout the day; a buffet lunch and merienda (which was really good!); unlimited use of snorkeling equipments, kayaks, and of course the cliff, for only PHP1,600/head. The cliff, by the way, has 4 diving planks: 3, 5, 8 and 15 meters. Julia jumped off the 5 meters (and took home a pair of heavily bruised legs) while Mich and I forcibly jumped off the 3 meters. Thank heavens nothing bad happened to me, but I had to watch Mich continuously cough for about three minutes because she drank a lot of salt water. HAHA! After the first and last jump, we decided to go snorkeling instead. It was the first time for me to see a school of fish up close while snorkeling. What looked like hundreds and thousands of silver fishes swam around us and if only I could open my mouth under water in amazement, I would! But instead I had to rise from the water just to call Mich and Julia's attention, which is useless because obviously from the size of the school, they already saw what I saw. HAHAHA!
After Ariel's Point, we went back to the island to change for our GNO (Girls' Night Out)! Nothing wild happened. Everything was calm, perhaps also due the fact that our energy is close to 0-bat after the whole Ariel's exprience.
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| Wanna be on TOP? (of the cliff) |
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| Julia's jumpshot |
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| Was already wearing a knitted cropped top that night yet I was still sweating like a pig! |
DAY 3
The highlight of our whole stay in Boracay! Everything was unexpected. We were on our way to our "spot" (part of the island with little amount of algae) when one guy offered a really low price on the Parasailing activity. We just had to stop and say yes! The experience was superb! We were around 15 stories above the ocean while being tugged by a speed boat. We were so high, I was starting to go apeshit crazy. Crazier when I saw a packing tape wrapped around my side of the harness. I thought, 'Is that the only thing holding me here?!' I started thinking of the worst, like what if my harness breaks and all that Mich and Julia could do is to stare helplessly at me as I fight for my life. HAHAHA! Anyway, we had amazing photos taken by the manongs in the speed boat. This is definitely deeeeeeeeefinitely the highlight of our whole vacay.
After spending 15 minutes in the air, we went back to the island and decided to have fruit shakes by the beach. By that time we had the chance to take advantage or in other words, to 'rape' the pituresque scene of Boracay (thus explaining the selfies).
After eating lunch, a speed boat picked us up again en route to the balsa. I was starting to prepare myself (arms) for yet another adventure, and when we got there, we immediately rode the Flyfish. It was a first for the three of us and it was really scary and exhausting! The inflatable raft, or so called the 'Flyfish', really is flying while being pulled by a speedboat!!! I had to hold on for my life! I had no idea that Mich and Julia were laughing at me as my body repeatedly flied and hit the Flyfish because, well, apparently I was so busy shouting and holding on for my life! After three rounds of Flyfish, I begged the manongs to stop and take us back to the balsa.
I thought the adventure was over after that, I actually started to breathe again, but no! Next stop was the banana boat... I begged Julia and Mich to let me ride on the speedboat and just watch them from there but of course, they said no. I didn't want to be much of a party pooper so I hopped on the 5-seater banana boat. A few minutes later, we were all splashing in the water after falling off the banana boat. After two more rounds, we begged the manongs to bring us back to the balsa. We were just in time to witness our last sunset together.
DAY 4
Last day. We just went for an early swim and checked out of the hotel. I'm surely going to miss Boracay with my girls. I'm going to miss frolicking under the sun in (and only in) my bikini. To be honest, that's what I'd miss the most. Walking around wearing only a skimpy pair of bikinis, not giving a single damn about my stretch marks or my flabby self. 'Til next time, Boracay. For now, Jumeirah Beach would have to replace you. Oh and check out my tan in these photos! It looks like I'm the only one who had 'fun undah the sun' while Mich and Julia stayed tucked in our hotel bed. HAHAHA! Life is so unfair... Or at least our sunblock is.
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| Rare (Mich), medium rare (Julia), well done (me) |
