It's been a few days now since I've returned from Davao, and I only wish that I could have just stayed a little bit longer there. Good food, fresh air, extreme thrills. What a vacation.
Life over in Mindanao is less stressful than it is here in Manila. Traffic is minimal, the air is cleaner and cooler, and it's quieter - a far cry from the chaos here in the highly urbanized metropolis. Our place in Davao City is frequented by many different kinds of birds, and their songs were a welcome replacement for the annoying noises of the big city.
The calmness helped to soothe my stressed mind and purge it of all worries and problems - those still left intact after my flight into Davao. It was my first time to check in at the airport entirely by myself, and I wish that driving a car would be just as simple as getting on an airplane.
Flying in
30,000 feet in the air, and all my troubles seemed to go away. The flight itself was very relaxing and the view from my seat in the back was stunning. We flew over Taal Volcano and Mt. Makiling, but the best thing I saw was the rainbow that followed the plane all the way to Davao airport. I wish I had a camera with me - the plane's shadow on the clouds was surrounded by a circle of vivid reds and blues and every other color in between.
As the plane started to land I was treated to a beautiful view of Mt. Apo, the highest mountain in the Philippines. It looked as majestic as ever in the morning sun, with just a few clouds to break up the outline of its tall peaks. Whatever doubts I had about rushing off to Davao faded away as the plane rolled past PAF attack aircraft on its way to the airport terminal.
Food trip
My dad was there waiting for me. After I got my bag we went to our place at Red Knight Gardens where I had a yummy breakfast of corned beef and eggs. Yes, the food over there was one of the reasons I went on vacation. When I came back to Manila a lot of people took note of my 'expanded' figure. No wonder - one call to the bar below our room and I could have any matter of gourmet food. Word is that I severely depleted their stocks of sirloin steak the last time I was there.
However, the steak at Red Knight paled in comparison to the steak I had the following day. On our way to Cagayan de Oro City - a trip that took more than half a day by car from Davao City - we stopped for lunch at the Del Monte Golf Club at Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon. My dad told me beforehand that the clubhouse here served very good steaks, so in anticipation I ate only a light breakfast early in the day at Seagull Mountain Resort.
And just as well. The sirloin steak I ordered was huge - and it was only a medium order! After we had soup and salad the waiter set before me a thick slab of beef that was almost falling off the plate. The meat was so tender and juicy that it quite literally melted in my mouth, as did the thick slices of soft and buttery bread that came along with it. The gravy added nicely to the taste of the meat. And, to top it all off, we had fresh pineapple juice from one of the biggest pineapple plantations in the country. It was a very scrumptious meal, THE best steak I ever had. In writing this blog I came across many other blogs about this place. Apparently, a lot of people also enjoyed the steak here.
After the long trip across the island of Mindanao, we finally arrived at Cagayan de Oro City. We stayed at the Mallberry Suites Business Hotel, which was conveniently just across the street from Limketkai Center - the largest mall complex in Northern Mindanao according to its website. My dad had business to do in the city, so I spent the next day and a half playing games on my laptop in the hotel and book hunting in the mall - I got five books for less than 400 pesos when I was done.
Further depleting my dad's pockets, I had two more steaks at the hotel - one 'Porco' steak and one more expensive rib-eye steak. While both were half as big as the plates they came in - and those were huge plates - they couldn't hold a candle to the steak at Del Monte. They were still good though. I love steak. Hahaha.
Roaring rapids
The next day we went white water rafting at the Cagayan de Oro River with my dad's office mates. Our half-day trip through 17 kilometers of the river, courtesy of Great White Water Tours, took us through 21 breathtaking rapids and a pristine (well, as pristine as I've ever seen) jungle.
Our trip started with a short safety briefing at a holding area 30 minutes away from the hotel. It was really simple: if you fall out of the raft, just float and the guides will take care of everything. It was another 20 minute trip to the river itself. We went down to the rocky bank below a road bridge wearing life jackets and helmets to our raft. It was all so exciting - and a bit scary; I was afraid that I would fall off the raft and bang my head on the rocks or drown in the rapids.
My fears disappeared after the first two rapids. It was an absolute thrill to ride the fast-flowing - and cold! - white water. The raft plunged this way and that while we rowed furiously through the spray. Our guides were so skilled that no one fell off and our raft did not flip over. Apparently, if even only one person in the group does not want the raft to flip over, the guides won't let it happen.
The river was a sight to behold. Tall trees and even taller white cliffs lined the banks. The water was brown with silt but was surprisingly clean - a far cry from the Marikina and Pasig rivers here at home. Our guides told us that the river could go as deep as 20 or even 30 feet in places - we went over the side and had a dip in one such place - but was only 4 to 5 feet deep or even shallower at the rapids. Where the cliffs would not budge the river cut deep recesses. We went into a few and were treated to the sight of many snakeskins hanging down from the roof among huge spiderwebs and the big spiders that made them. Fast-moving birds swooped in and out of small caves in the cliffs.
One of the rapids was lovingly nicknamed by the guides as "Face the Wall" because if we were not careful our faces would be planted on the solid rock face beyond the churning rapids. Such quips and other entertaining stories from our humorous guides made the already exciting trip a more enjoyable one. Who can forget the 'mad cow' - the owner would get mad if someone took the cow - or the story about the 'green lady' - no more spoilers; take the trip yourself to find out!
Lunch was served back at the holding area. Along with the photographs and the video it made the 1200 peso per person fee all worthwhile. We went back to the hotel right after then started on the long trip back to Davao City. It was past midnight when we got back to Red Knight Gardens.
Taking the plunge
But we weren't tired enough to stay at home the next day. After a lunch of - what else? - sirloin steak, my dad and I went out to try the zipline at Outland Adventure - its 'Xcelerator' is touted as the longest speed zipline in Asia.
Now I'm the type of person who couldn't look over a ledge from the second floor of a building without shaking in fear. I avoid riding roller coasters and other fast and high rides. But after the 17-kilometer thrashing I experienced the day before, the zipline looked like child's play. Sure, I would just be sliding down from a 200-foot high hill on nearly a kilometer of steel cable across a few trees and a small lake. No biggie.
We were among the first people there. Apparently, Outland Adventure only opens at 1 PM on Sundays. When the place finally opened a few minutes after we arrived we were given a short safety briefing and then we were put in harnesses. My dad and I opted to go for only two rides (only 400 pesos per person; it costs 500 pesos to go for unlimited times) as it would be our first time on a zipline and we weren't sure if we could take it.
And we couldn't take it. The climb up the hill, I mean. The ride across the lake on a wooden raft was fun, but the long hike up over 300 steep steps cut into the hill was pure torture. It took us around 20 minutes to get up that hill - rest stops and photo ops included. We got up on the platform at the top of the hill nearly out of our breath. The view from the top was beautiful; the city of Davao sprawled below us, with the Davao Gulf shimmering in the afternoon sun far off in the distance. Across the hill was a tall cliff, with the end of the zipline far below. The little green lake was far below us.
We let the two brothers who came before us go first. My dad and I watched them go off in the 'Superman' style. We had opted to go across in the 'sitting' style first. Cowards. Hahaha. My dad had his camera with him to film the zip across; he went first so he could film me going down the line.
When it was my turn I was already quite nervous. I was afraid that the cable would break, that the harness would fail, that I would plow through the trees, that I would plunge down into the lake, or worse, into the ground, that the brakes on the other side would fail and I would fly off the cable. A million things raced through my mind. I even considered backing out. But my pride soon got the best of me, and I found myself hooked up and ready to take the plunge.
As a person zips down the line, the cable makes a shrill screaming sound, eerily reminiscent of the dive bombers from war movies. Well, I felt like a dive bomber as I kicked off the platform. Even in the sitting position the speed was intense. My harness turned me around so I was facing backwards; even then, the wind whipping past me was so fast that it felt like being in a typhoon. The ground dropped off quickly. Pretty soon I was high up over the lake screaming not with fear but with glee at the adrenaline rush. Barely a minute later I was crashing into the brakes at the end of the line. I stopped at a tall movable staircase. My legs were a bit rubbery after the trip across so I could only get onto the stairs with some difficulty. I was laughing my ass off the whole time, eager for another crack at the zipline.
Round two had us climbing up the hill again. This time we were joined by three ladies who turned out to be old officemates of my uncle. Small world. Once at the platform we waited for our turn. There were a lot more people now, and more were still coming in. We watched as a small girl got on the zipline by herself. Wow.
When it was finally our turn once again, things were different. Our last ride had us sitting on the platform before sliding. Now we tried the 'Superman' position. This time, we would be going off the platform first before lying down on our stomachs. In the air. It's not as easy as it sounds; you have to put your trust in your harness and the guide behind you.
My dad went first again. When my turn came, I was more scared of hanging off the cable than by the actual zip itself. But that part was over quick. Soon I was speeding down the cable, faster than the first time. I was facing forward; I couldn't stretch my arms because of the sheer speed of the ride, and the wind pushed my glasses into my face. The ride was so fast that I crashed into the brakes at the other end hard. I actually missed the stairs and had to be fetched with a rope.
Home stretch
The next day my dad and I went bird watching at Palos Verdes. Birds of all kinds and colors zipped from tree to tree. It was hard to get those birds on camera - they flew off every time I moved. It was so frustrating, given that there was a beautiful pair of yellow and white birds chasing each other through the trees, and I wanted to get a picture of them. We passed by an ostrich farm on our way out. I got out of the car and took some pictures of a male ostrich. Little did I know that as I was happily clicking away the big bird was moving closer to me. When I put the camera down the ostrich was practically in my face, with only a flimsy wooden fence between the two of us. I scampered back to the car with my dad laughing at me.
Nothing much happened in the next two days. My dad had to go to Cebu so I stayed at home with a can of peaches, a tub of ice cream, and some chocolate milk. And anything else I wanted to eat just a phone call away. I must have gained a few pounds during my last two days in Davao.
Going home
I actually felt sad on our way to the airport for the flight home. It was a rainy Thursday. About the only nice thing was that I had my dad's camera with me so I could take pictures from the plan. Too bad we had to sit in the left side of the plane; I missed getting a shot of Mayon Volcano on the way back. I did get some good shots of Cavite and a number of SM malls from the air. Hahaha. The moment I stepped off the plane a blast of hot air hit me. Welcome back to Manila.
Now I'm back to my old routine of sleep, eat, and bum around. It's boring as hell. Add to that the heat and the crappy Internet connection and the stress of job hunting. Life sucks. It's enough to make me wish that I delayed my graduation a little bit more.
But hey, look on the bright side. I got to have a very enjoyable and exciting vacation. In a few months I'll be going to Cebu and Bohol. A few months after that I'll be in Aklan. Right after that it's Cebu and Bohol again. And right after that I'll be back in Davao. Maybe I should try to find work writing for a travel magazine. Hehehe.
Life over in Mindanao is less stressful than it is here in Manila. Traffic is minimal, the air is cleaner and cooler, and it's quieter - a far cry from the chaos here in the highly urbanized metropolis. Our place in Davao City is frequented by many different kinds of birds, and their songs were a welcome replacement for the annoying noises of the big city.
The calmness helped to soothe my stressed mind and purge it of all worries and problems - those still left intact after my flight into Davao. It was my first time to check in at the airport entirely by myself, and I wish that driving a car would be just as simple as getting on an airplane.
Flying in
30,000 feet in the air, and all my troubles seemed to go away. The flight itself was very relaxing and the view from my seat in the back was stunning. We flew over Taal Volcano and Mt. Makiling, but the best thing I saw was the rainbow that followed the plane all the way to Davao airport. I wish I had a camera with me - the plane's shadow on the clouds was surrounded by a circle of vivid reds and blues and every other color in between.
As the plane started to land I was treated to a beautiful view of Mt. Apo, the highest mountain in the Philippines. It looked as majestic as ever in the morning sun, with just a few clouds to break up the outline of its tall peaks. Whatever doubts I had about rushing off to Davao faded away as the plane rolled past PAF attack aircraft on its way to the airport terminal.
Food trip
My dad was there waiting for me. After I got my bag we went to our place at Red Knight Gardens where I had a yummy breakfast of corned beef and eggs. Yes, the food over there was one of the reasons I went on vacation. When I came back to Manila a lot of people took note of my 'expanded' figure. No wonder - one call to the bar below our room and I could have any matter of gourmet food. Word is that I severely depleted their stocks of sirloin steak the last time I was there.
However, the steak at Red Knight paled in comparison to the steak I had the following day. On our way to Cagayan de Oro City - a trip that took more than half a day by car from Davao City - we stopped for lunch at the Del Monte Golf Club at Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon. My dad told me beforehand that the clubhouse here served very good steaks, so in anticipation I ate only a light breakfast early in the day at Seagull Mountain Resort.
And just as well. The sirloin steak I ordered was huge - and it was only a medium order! After we had soup and salad the waiter set before me a thick slab of beef that was almost falling off the plate. The meat was so tender and juicy that it quite literally melted in my mouth, as did the thick slices of soft and buttery bread that came along with it. The gravy added nicely to the taste of the meat. And, to top it all off, we had fresh pineapple juice from one of the biggest pineapple plantations in the country. It was a very scrumptious meal, THE best steak I ever had. In writing this blog I came across many other blogs about this place. Apparently, a lot of people also enjoyed the steak here.
After the long trip across the island of Mindanao, we finally arrived at Cagayan de Oro City. We stayed at the Mallberry Suites Business Hotel, which was conveniently just across the street from Limketkai Center - the largest mall complex in Northern Mindanao according to its website. My dad had business to do in the city, so I spent the next day and a half playing games on my laptop in the hotel and book hunting in the mall - I got five books for less than 400 pesos when I was done.
Further depleting my dad's pockets, I had two more steaks at the hotel - one 'Porco' steak and one more expensive rib-eye steak. While both were half as big as the plates they came in - and those were huge plates - they couldn't hold a candle to the steak at Del Monte. They were still good though. I love steak. Hahaha.
Roaring rapids
The next day we went white water rafting at the Cagayan de Oro River with my dad's office mates. Our half-day trip through 17 kilometers of the river, courtesy of Great White Water Tours, took us through 21 breathtaking rapids and a pristine (well, as pristine as I've ever seen) jungle.
Our trip started with a short safety briefing at a holding area 30 minutes away from the hotel. It was really simple: if you fall out of the raft, just float and the guides will take care of everything. It was another 20 minute trip to the river itself. We went down to the rocky bank below a road bridge wearing life jackets and helmets to our raft. It was all so exciting - and a bit scary; I was afraid that I would fall off the raft and bang my head on the rocks or drown in the rapids.
My fears disappeared after the first two rapids. It was an absolute thrill to ride the fast-flowing - and cold! - white water. The raft plunged this way and that while we rowed furiously through the spray. Our guides were so skilled that no one fell off and our raft did not flip over. Apparently, if even only one person in the group does not want the raft to flip over, the guides won't let it happen.
The river was a sight to behold. Tall trees and even taller white cliffs lined the banks. The water was brown with silt but was surprisingly clean - a far cry from the Marikina and Pasig rivers here at home. Our guides told us that the river could go as deep as 20 or even 30 feet in places - we went over the side and had a dip in one such place - but was only 4 to 5 feet deep or even shallower at the rapids. Where the cliffs would not budge the river cut deep recesses. We went into a few and were treated to the sight of many snakeskins hanging down from the roof among huge spiderwebs and the big spiders that made them. Fast-moving birds swooped in and out of small caves in the cliffs.
One of the rapids was lovingly nicknamed by the guides as "Face the Wall" because if we were not careful our faces would be planted on the solid rock face beyond the churning rapids. Such quips and other entertaining stories from our humorous guides made the already exciting trip a more enjoyable one. Who can forget the 'mad cow' - the owner would get mad if someone took the cow - or the story about the 'green lady' - no more spoilers; take the trip yourself to find out!
Lunch was served back at the holding area. Along with the photographs and the video it made the 1200 peso per person fee all worthwhile. We went back to the hotel right after then started on the long trip back to Davao City. It was past midnight when we got back to Red Knight Gardens.
Taking the plunge
But we weren't tired enough to stay at home the next day. After a lunch of - what else? - sirloin steak, my dad and I went out to try the zipline at Outland Adventure - its 'Xcelerator' is touted as the longest speed zipline in Asia.
Now I'm the type of person who couldn't look over a ledge from the second floor of a building without shaking in fear. I avoid riding roller coasters and other fast and high rides. But after the 17-kilometer thrashing I experienced the day before, the zipline looked like child's play. Sure, I would just be sliding down from a 200-foot high hill on nearly a kilometer of steel cable across a few trees and a small lake. No biggie.
We were among the first people there. Apparently, Outland Adventure only opens at 1 PM on Sundays. When the place finally opened a few minutes after we arrived we were given a short safety briefing and then we were put in harnesses. My dad and I opted to go for only two rides (only 400 pesos per person; it costs 500 pesos to go for unlimited times) as it would be our first time on a zipline and we weren't sure if we could take it.
And we couldn't take it. The climb up the hill, I mean. The ride across the lake on a wooden raft was fun, but the long hike up over 300 steep steps cut into the hill was pure torture. It took us around 20 minutes to get up that hill - rest stops and photo ops included. We got up on the platform at the top of the hill nearly out of our breath. The view from the top was beautiful; the city of Davao sprawled below us, with the Davao Gulf shimmering in the afternoon sun far off in the distance. Across the hill was a tall cliff, with the end of the zipline far below. The little green lake was far below us.
We let the two brothers who came before us go first. My dad and I watched them go off in the 'Superman' style. We had opted to go across in the 'sitting' style first. Cowards. Hahaha. My dad had his camera with him to film the zip across; he went first so he could film me going down the line.
When it was my turn I was already quite nervous. I was afraid that the cable would break, that the harness would fail, that I would plow through the trees, that I would plunge down into the lake, or worse, into the ground, that the brakes on the other side would fail and I would fly off the cable. A million things raced through my mind. I even considered backing out. But my pride soon got the best of me, and I found myself hooked up and ready to take the plunge.
As a person zips down the line, the cable makes a shrill screaming sound, eerily reminiscent of the dive bombers from war movies. Well, I felt like a dive bomber as I kicked off the platform. Even in the sitting position the speed was intense. My harness turned me around so I was facing backwards; even then, the wind whipping past me was so fast that it felt like being in a typhoon. The ground dropped off quickly. Pretty soon I was high up over the lake screaming not with fear but with glee at the adrenaline rush. Barely a minute later I was crashing into the brakes at the end of the line. I stopped at a tall movable staircase. My legs were a bit rubbery after the trip across so I could only get onto the stairs with some difficulty. I was laughing my ass off the whole time, eager for another crack at the zipline.
Round two had us climbing up the hill again. This time we were joined by three ladies who turned out to be old officemates of my uncle. Small world. Once at the platform we waited for our turn. There were a lot more people now, and more were still coming in. We watched as a small girl got on the zipline by herself. Wow.
When it was finally our turn once again, things were different. Our last ride had us sitting on the platform before sliding. Now we tried the 'Superman' position. This time, we would be going off the platform first before lying down on our stomachs. In the air. It's not as easy as it sounds; you have to put your trust in your harness and the guide behind you.
My dad went first again. When my turn came, I was more scared of hanging off the cable than by the actual zip itself. But that part was over quick. Soon I was speeding down the cable, faster than the first time. I was facing forward; I couldn't stretch my arms because of the sheer speed of the ride, and the wind pushed my glasses into my face. The ride was so fast that I crashed into the brakes at the other end hard. I actually missed the stairs and had to be fetched with a rope.
Home stretch
The next day my dad and I went bird watching at Palos Verdes. Birds of all kinds and colors zipped from tree to tree. It was hard to get those birds on camera - they flew off every time I moved. It was so frustrating, given that there was a beautiful pair of yellow and white birds chasing each other through the trees, and I wanted to get a picture of them. We passed by an ostrich farm on our way out. I got out of the car and took some pictures of a male ostrich. Little did I know that as I was happily clicking away the big bird was moving closer to me. When I put the camera down the ostrich was practically in my face, with only a flimsy wooden fence between the two of us. I scampered back to the car with my dad laughing at me.
Nothing much happened in the next two days. My dad had to go to Cebu so I stayed at home with a can of peaches, a tub of ice cream, and some chocolate milk. And anything else I wanted to eat just a phone call away. I must have gained a few pounds during my last two days in Davao.
Going home
I actually felt sad on our way to the airport for the flight home. It was a rainy Thursday. About the only nice thing was that I had my dad's camera with me so I could take pictures from the plan. Too bad we had to sit in the left side of the plane; I missed getting a shot of Mayon Volcano on the way back. I did get some good shots of Cavite and a number of SM malls from the air. Hahaha. The moment I stepped off the plane a blast of hot air hit me. Welcome back to Manila.
Now I'm back to my old routine of sleep, eat, and bum around. It's boring as hell. Add to that the heat and the crappy Internet connection and the stress of job hunting. Life sucks. It's enough to make me wish that I delayed my graduation a little bit more.
But hey, look on the bright side. I got to have a very enjoyable and exciting vacation. In a few months I'll be going to Cebu and Bohol. A few months after that I'll be in Aklan. Right after that it's Cebu and Bohol again. And right after that I'll be back in Davao. Maybe I should try to find work writing for a travel magazine. Hehehe.
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