Hiyes! Nakarating na rin ako ng CDO!

Jette and I took a Trans-Asia vessel (the M/V Asia China) from Cebu to Cagayan de Oro last Saturday. We’ll be staying until tomorrow, then we’re off to Camiguin.

Sunday, March 28:
Checked in at Mass-Specc Hostel, showered and fixed up before we headed over to Limketkai Mall to meet up with Carla Giopaolo and the rest of the PETA Marketing Team. Jette had coffee and cake at Coffee Works before the others arrived, then we had lunch at Bigby’s. Masarap ‘yung baja wrap nila.

Jette and I stayed longer because we were supposed to meet up with Hannah Wabe, so we went to Robinson’s and found a Phil Post station. Very helpful. We looked for a National Bookstore so I can get a CDO postcard for Kat. We also finally got to meet up with Hannah but we were only able to chat a bit and take pictures before she had to go again. We went grocery shopping, then back to the hotel.

And since it was Palm Sunday, Jette and I went to hear mass at the San Agustin Metropolitan Cathedral. The mass was in Bisaya, so I had a hard time listening to the homily, but I said my responses and sang hymns in English. As usual, nag-iiyak na naman ako after communion. The gist of my thank-you prayer is: “Lord, thank you sa walang sawang pagpapakita sa ‘kin na mahal mo ako.”

Monday, March 29:
We stayed at the hotel the whole morning because we didn’t need to look for a whitewater rafting office. The friendly guard at the front desk made the reservations for us. Ang galing ng initiative ni manong, promise. Kanina lang, hindi pa ako nakaka-akyat ng hagdan papunta sa front desk, inaabot na niya sa ‘kin ‘yong susi ng room namin hehe We also had (free) breakfast at the hotel.

In the afternoon, we went to Opol Aviary and Mini Zoo. There was a medium-sized crocodile sunning itself in a shallow pond. Sabi ko pulis, sabi ni Jette, senador daw. There were two monkeys, an albino python and a collection of birds. My favorite is this huge bird, I forget what its called, but it’s a type of huge pheasant, and it was so “malambing”. When one of the caretakers went near its cage, it hopped closer and presented its neck then started rubbing its head against the bars. I got to touch it too, and it was so sweet. I also got to touch a real deer, and a -ugh!- snake!

I said I’ve always wanted to touch a snake just so I could cross it off my list, so when the caretaker said that they also had a snake, I blinked and said “bring it on”. And he brought it on. It felt like a bag ahehe it was cold and scaly, but it was firmer than I thought it would be so naisip ko baka nag-gi-gym siya or something. Takot lang talaga ako kasi the guy put it around my neck and it started to curl. Naisip ko baka bigla na lang akong lingkisin, ay sos! Wala nang Elise. After the visit, we went to SM City Cagayan de Oro to get baon for our whitewater rafting trip, and so I can get add a pic to my collection of SM City pics.

Malambing na ibon at Opol Aviary

Deer!

Tuesday, March 30:
Nagising ako ng isang masamang panaginip. Hinihila raw ni Jean Mae Oryza ang paa ko, and ta-dah! Hindi pala siya nightmare. Totoo pala siya. Hahaha Joke lang, H!

Jette and I prepared for our rafting trip. We went with 1st Rafting Adventure, which was apt because it was my 1st rafting adventure. I love the water, and I know I love the water, but rafting was different from riding the boat from Cebu to CDO, or even from Apo back to Zamboanguita. I mean, we’re going to go through rapids. I told Jette that I wish that the scariest part was having to sign the waiver asking me for my blood type. You know, just in case.

We rode a jeep from the city to the starting point somewhere in Cagayan de Oro river which is a narrow river that runs right smack between Cagayan de Oro and Bukidnon. Sana pala bumaba ako do’n sa Bukidnon side para nasabi ko na ring nakarating na ako ng Bukidnon. One of the guides, Jun, briefed us on what we had to do (paddle forward, backward and stop) before we got into our rubber boat. We joined a group of pastors touring the Philippines to do catechism work. They’re such fun! Anyway, about three minutes into the trip I knew I was going to enjoy myself. It was water and I was on a boat, and it made me wish I wasn’t near-sighted and I was taller so I could have entered the PMA and joined the Navy.

The water level was low, probably because it was the summer, and there was El Nino but the rapids were there, nonetheless. We went through 14 rapids in 12+ kilometers. Hindi nga lang sila ganon kalakas. Our guide, I also forgot his name, told bad jokes which we laughed at because they were that bad, and the guys we joined were hilarious. He’d splash us with water every now and then kasi mainit daw sa ilalim no’ng life vest. Amazed din ako do’n sa photographer. He’s such an affable guy, at ang lakas ng upper body niya ha! He was riding in this rubber canoe going back and forth, back and forth taking pictures of everyone at ang bilis magsagwan ni kuya.

A part of Cagayan de Oro River

Aside from the company, the view was gorgeous. There were parts that made me think I was in Jurassic Park, and there were parts were there were only trees. But when you see the cliffs din and the river running between them… ang gan-da. There was also what they called a Snake Wall where – duh – snakes lived. We saw a green one wrapped around a limb. Sorry, I really don’t like snakes *shudder*

When I come back to CDO, magra-rafting ulit ako, pramis.

We went back to the hotel at around 3 then we went to McDo for a really late lunch. Gising na si H no’n, awa ng Diyos. Inabutan siya ng rotating brown out na mag-isa sa hotel bwahahahey. Then back at the hotel ulit. H read a book. Jette finished Armand, and I did my oDesk work. Then when Jette was done with her second Xenaki, I loaded it to my phone so I can read it there, and H read from Cedric. I really love Armand I think I love him more than Ken na.

Today, March 31:
I was too exhausted, not only because of the rafting but probably because of all the traveling so I opted not to go to Bukidnon. I just went out to get Filet-O-Fish for lunch, then went back to the hotel to wait for power to come back up. Sayang sana because I wanted to try the zipline in Bukidnon which is the longest zipline in Asia, but I could feel a fever building, and I didn’t want to ruin Camiguin by being sick there instead of resting now. So I took a shot of Biogesic after lunch and, like a good little girl, stayed in bed.]

Right now, I’m planning to do oDesk work and add to Mackenzie. I want to finish him before I come back to Manila sana

Hay. I so love traveling. I wish I could do more of this.