AN ACTION-PACKED ADVENTURE

My cousin Omar and I had a great adventure in heading to new places that awaited us with exuberant thrilling experience. We didn’t know what’s going to happen along the way and the feeling gave us intense excitement even for long hours of wait and travel.

It was already noontime of May 26, 2009 when we reached Camp Sabros in Kapatagan, Digos City for the first time where the longest zipline course in Asia is installed. The view was exhilarating and the cool breeze gave us comforting atmosphere. The place was undeniably fascinating and there were plenty of tourists around. We were happy to find new friends who were visiting from Cagayan de Oro and just like us, were strangers to the wonders of our native land. Thanks to them, they took some of our pictures together.

After lunch, we immediately engaged in the zipline that was set very high. We could barely see inches of trees from above. The first pass is a tandem so my fear was lessened because Omar and I will be going together. My heart beat faster than ever as we rushed along the zipline cable; more so when we had to sit on the steel case in the second pass of the course. All we could see is an awesome miniature view of the plains and mountains where myriad of plants and trees flourish. When we started moving along the cable, all our fears vanished that we could not help but shout “Yahooooo!!!” at the top of our lungs like Tarzan shouts “Aooooooooh!!!” We were like Supermen for some minutes of experience that seemed like flying over the grandiose creatures of the land.

On the following day, we traveled towards Cagayan de Oro City from Davao City for another adventure – whitewater rafting along Cagayan River. It was a long 7-hour bus ride passing different cities and municipalities, plains, valleys and mountains. It was also a travel passing through different bridges and seeing liver-stretching cliffs and ravines. Thrilled by just seeing these wonderful sights, all the pains and exhaustion were meaningless.

Cagayan de Oro is also known as the “Golden City of Friendship”. The city is developed in its commerce, rich in history and blessed with various natural resources and wonders. There are many tourist destinations in Cagayan de Oro. One of which is the Cagayan River where you can get a whole lot of fun and excitement from whitewater rafting.

I haven’t known of this until I saw one of my friends’ pictures. My friend Pong was one good reason too of visiting the place. I haven’t seen him for more than four years. He is one good friend I could count on. He is a kidney transplant survivor and seeing him alive and kicking is truly amazing. We were buddies then in Gen. Santos City way back 1998 during a Banker’s December Presentation. Busy as he is with his work, He gave us some information and that led us to another unforgettable experience.

We got to Cagayan past 3 o’clock P.M. on May 27, 2009. We checked-in to a chic hotel then trying to contact somebody who could guide us along the river on the following day. We were informed that a minimum of 6 participants is needed to go for the activity. It felt sorry until we got a message later that a booking was made by some group who could accommodate us. We gained life after that information. Pong accompanied us in the evening during dinner and acquainted us with some of CDO’s night life and places. We went to a bar where we enjoyed drinks and music played by a local band. He introduced us to some of his friends and the chat went lively.
After the night was over, Omar and I got back with our pleasure hunt. Whitewater rafting was new to us. We never knew what to expect. Come what may, we just prepared ourselves for the escapade.

Before the 12:30 P.M. pickup time, we visited the Museum de Cagayan in Xavier University (Ateneo de Cagayan). We got to know the history of the place, its people and beliefs and how our great national hero had influenced the lives of its populace during the heyday of his writing revolution. “La Solidaridad”, a famous newspaper he created together with great heroes Marcelo H. Del Pilar and Graciano Lopez Jaena circulated in the area. We seemed to get back to the past. It felt great that after the war was over and the place had propelled to where it stands now, we were there to appreciate the bounty of the place.

Time to meet our guides and raftmates, a jeepney picked us up. We were then headed off to the rafting site, the Cagayan River. This body of water separates Bukidnon to one side and Cagayan de Oro on the other side. Before the engagement, we were briefed with some important information about rafting safety and preparedness. One good point is to always follow what the guide will instruct. Do not throw garbage in the river. Instruction was given on how the rescue operation would progress at times when the raft would capsize.

Due to the rainy season, the waters were quite silted unlike during summers when the waters are clear; beautiful, whitish splashes are created. Nevertheless, it did not affect the action we derived from the rapids that gave us a splendid adrenalin rush. We followed what the guide would instruct us and we played so much with the current that goes along with the water. Rowing was difficult at first but as we went along the long kilometer stretch of the river, rowing just came easy. We passed by some still waters but during we approached the rapids, we do keep watch of the instruction of our guide. These were situations that we got a lot of water pressure at the same time managing to stabilize our raft. The toss and turn of the waters never fail us to give a great “Whoa!” from our lips. We also came to know rowing the forward stroke and back stroke, some terms like rapids, “kiss the wall”, whirlwind rapids, surprise rapids and some rapids named after certain events that occurred in the past like the “Kris drop rapids” where a participant named Kris was dropped when passing particular rapids. Along the river path we experienced swimming in still waters. Our guide may allow us to get off the raft and feel the waters with just a life jacket and a helmet on.

On some occasions we would do the high five by raising and bringing our paddles together when we felt great or when we overcame aggressive rapids. When still waters are lengthy our guides would create shower using the paddle. The situation would cause us to giggle.

The river was deep. At times along the way, we tried to submerge our paddle and it would measure more that its length. Swimming in the river was dangerous but it never felt that exciting until we go deep down or away the raft.

It is so amazing how danger and excitement go together in activities like this. Such may cause one’s life. But even in still waters when you least expect and think that you feel safe the most, certain unwanted situations just occur, even when you feel there’s no danger at all, some things might happen.

Life is unfathomable, miraculous, precious, dangerous… It is lived by some in fear… while others in excitement… You choose… For us, we’re already done with the zipline… done through water rafting and… Life is a blessing!

Rapids of Our Lives

Looking back at the rafting experience we have had, it was filled with so much fun and adventure. The rapids were important factor for that feeling of excitement. Without the rapids, the voyage would turn out to be plain paddling. At first, whenever we got to approach the rapids, I was so afraid. I felt I might fall out of the raft. As we went along, I got adjusted and used to the shake. Without the rapids, the experience would not be thrilling.

The rapids are noisy, energetic and rowdy. They are shallow compared to still waters. They are created by the boulders and the volume of water that flows through it. Rapids are the difficult situations along the river. It may cause you to spill out of the raft or worse it might capsize the vessel. But rapids aren’t something to be dealt with fear rather it should be welcomed with fun and delight.

A whirlwind kind of rapids will cause the vessel to turn around. It may get you dizzy. Some rapids will give you surprise. They say passing through what they call “surprise” rapids get some vessels tossed and turned up side down spilling out those on board. It’s scary. Our experience was different. We got tossed several times and I felt there’s no end to it. My gosh! It’s really frightening. When we were tossed upward I seemed to get off balanced. But we were reminded to get our feet tucked at the beam of the raft. Fortunately, we never got overturned.

The river is a very good illustration of our lives. We move along the river path, whether we like it or not. The current will bring us somewhere. There will be moments in still waters; there will be rapids. Life isn’t always journeying in still waters. Sometimes, we pass by the rapids. Life is not always easy. At times, it may be difficult. Sometimes we feel bored along the still waters but sometimes the rapids will give way for excitement. Along the river, we seem to have no choice. But we do have choice. We can set the sail of our raft. We can paddle forward or backward. We can go along with the tide so that we can rest paddling for a while. When the rapids seem to be turbulent, hold your head up high. Never be afraid. Get excited! It may give us some setbacks but if we never stop, we will overcome the difficult situations and we will emerge stronger than before.

Let’s welcome the rapids of our lives!

Travel Bugs

Travel is exciting. You get to see a lot of places, know a lot of people and hear a lot of stories. It is full of adventure but hey! There are also problems you may encounter. They also think that travel is expensive but if you use your brain and prepare for it, you can afford a memorable and worthy travel. Here are some useful tips for all travel enthusiasts out there.

1. Know your purpose. By clearly establishing your purpose, you can set your priorities. If possible be specific with your purpose so that you can prepare a checklist of things to bring. A checklist is important to avoid missing the things that you'll need when you reach your destination. For many times, I missed some important documents and stuff by not making a checklist. I depended on my memory so much that I end up buying those things that I missed. This can ruin your budget so you get to compromise your objective. It is useful if you write this in a small notebook you can call as your travel notebook.
   
2. Don't forget to bring a jacket. A jacket is very useful when you travel because you'll have something to warm you when it gets cold in the bus or in the night. You can wrap you jacket into your waist if it's warm and can't get to open your travelling bag.
   
3. Bring some useful light tools. As for me, I find it useful to bring a switch (Swiss) knife. It has scissors, knife, bottle opener, etc. But don't hand carry this because it will be confiscated when discovered by the security if you travel by plane. A nail-cutter is useful too.
   
4. Travel light. This has been an advice of many travelers and it will give you so much comfort. But don't travel that you forget the necessary things because you want to travel light. You might end up in trouble if you do this.
   
5. Bring a small book. You can read while you wait for the bus or for the plane to go. It is wise to read than to murmur and complain while waiting.
   
6. Make the most of what you have. This is something that gives me ease because I always focus on what I have and not on what I have. I discovered that my cell phone can play a video. What I did was I loaded it with an exercise video so I don't need to carry a player and a disc. There are a lot of things that we have that we take for granted. We don't maximize its potential because we focus on what we don't have rather than on what we have. Another instance happened to me. When I was travelling, I sat at the right side of the bus where the sun was shining. It was warm and it made me very uncomfortable. That time, I don't have a cap to protect me from the blinding light. I realized that I was wearing long-sleeve polo over a white T-shirt. I took it off and covered it on my head. It lessened the heat that I felt and the glaring light. I realized that if I focused on the cap that I missed to bring, I might end up blaming myself and complaining the heat and the light that was very uncomfortable.
   
7. Travel can be exhausting. But if you have a bottle of water, a drink can save. So don't forget to bring a bottle of water because it can give you a mile of comfort.
   
8. Decide early on what 'pasalubong' to bring home. We Filipinos can't make our travel complete without bringing 'pasalubong' for our loved one's. It's a good way to share the joy of travel when we give something for others. You can ask them what they want so that you can prepare for it. In the end it's the thought that counts.
   
9. Bring a camera but don't forget to check the battery. Taking pictures is the best way to preserve every travel in our memory. When we get back at home it's really nice to tell stories with pictures. I have experienced bringing along my camera only to find out that the battery was empty. I wasn't able to take pictures and it was a lesson that I want to share with all the travelers. It's good that you have an extra battery or a charger with you. I bought a fast charger for the battery of my cell phone and camera at the same time. It is more convenient than having separate chargers for your gadgets.
   
10. Seize the moment. Have fun and enjoy the moments of your travel. Thank and feel every opportunity you encounter because when you travel, it is a chance to widen your horizon, a time to unwind and a time to get away from the heavy pressures of our daily activities.
    

To all of you guys who will be travelling, Mabuhay! Have a safe and happy trip! Where's you destination? Bon voyage!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

God’s provision is always on time (never advance or delayed)

Now that I'm coping with the recent changes, I have enumerated some necessities in my mind, to mention: my transportation, my boarding house, my clothing, my food, my communication, etc. How will I acquire them being away? I have to sacrifice the extravagance of feeling sufficient in my home. I can't bring everything that I have or else I will be carrying a very heavy baggage. All I have to do is to sort out what are important. The rest, I have to be resourceful. Along the way, I have experienced that God is there to fill what I need in various ways.

I can't believe that that I have eaten my dinner with my long-time-no-see brod in Gen. Santos. I can't believe that I'm here in Alabel in the house of my high school classmate who offered this temporary accommodation. I can't believe that I have met my former classmates in high school at the wake of the father of our classmate. What a wonderful experience that God has accomplished in this moment of my life! I know that this is not an accident. I believe that He has a purpose and has laid out everything for me. I need not worry what I will eat, where I will stay, what I will wear. He will provide everything that I need. I have witnessed all this things happening in my life and it's always on time (if not, I might have died of hunger, cold or of whatever).

All I need is to acknowledge that He is mighty and able to meet my needs and I am one of His instruments to accomplish His mighty works.

 

 

Breaking Far

Visiting Thailand was one of the trips I am so grateful. It did not only let me experience to sojourn in a foreign land for the very first time but it also opened an opportunity for me to see the bigger picture of the world and the bigger picture of my family tree.
It was my first time to wander in a place of different culture, language and beliefs, my first time to see and ride a real elephant, my first time to eat dragon fruit, my first time to travel internationally, my first time to see a real tiger, my first time to see a tamed crocodile and so many firsts. I am amused to hear people greet "sawadikap" or "sawadika" everytime they see each other. Such gesture was a sign of respect. I've met some new friends and acquaintance too from different places.
Indeed, the world was bigger than I perceived it to be. Far from my native land was a different world, having a different currency - Thailand Baht, a left traffic orientation and a monarchy. Dawn, my niece and I visited some of their tourist attractions - floating market where traders exchange goods in the river, samphran elephant ground where elephants dance, play soccer and entertain tourists, King's park where families can gather and enjoy the scenic landscape. We watched a colorful cultural presentation showcasing Thailand's culture and traditions and a thrilling crocodile show. Thailand is a progressive country. It has lots of infrastructures and it's keeping pace with technology.
More important than any other things, I have met some of my relatives for the first time - Ate Evelyn, my cousin is working together with her sister Ate Erlyn in an Adventist International School. They had with them their immediate family allowing me to meet my nieces and nephews personally. They are well-educated and doing good in school. I met Ranjan, Ate Evelyn's husband. He is a good family man and has raised his family close together.
Time was so short for a very interesting vacation. We bid farewell but my travel has given me a wonderful experience that I will always reminisce in my memory. It was a realization of my dream to have a break in a different country and yes, dreams do come true.