I was cleaning my hard drive from unnecessary files when I’ve stumbled into this photo…

Jump High….

This photo was taken by Oslec almost a year ago in Tabuelan, Cebu and I forgot the name of the beach resort. haha!

It has been more than six months the last time I went home for a vacation. This weekend would put an end to that. Yeah, I will be flying home to Bukidnon. I’d be spending the entire week to detoxify and smell the fresh air. Well, I wouldn’t forget to get in touch with old friends too!

Anyway, it has been a tough week for me. I had to struggle both my personal and career, not to mention my blogging life too. Haha! This weekend would really be a perfect time to go R&R.

On a different note, I am about to launch my photoblog and travel blog on my other domain, mabitona.com and photos.mabitona.com. I’ve already a lot of research on the places I’ve been to. I just hope I’d be able to maintain momentum in keeping the domain. I’m crossing fingers…

On another different note, haha! I’m excited to have another meetup with Cebu Bloggers. I’m hoping it’s gonna be on one of my free times.

See you soon blogosphere….

A week after escaping to Camotes Island, there I was again. But I was on another island. You see Camotes Islands consists of 3 main islands - Poro, Pilar and San Francisco. I was in San Francisco, this time. Right after my friday’s shift at work Bjorn, Yellie, Yasmin, Clancy and yours truly took the first fast craft to Camotes at 9am. It was an uneventful 2 hour trip. The AC was not all working, hot. hot. hot. It was almost 12 noon when we arrived at Sitio Santiago and we’re immediately ushered by our dear friend Oslec to our reserved room. We had a great lunch at Santiago Bay Beach Resort. An hour later we went back to our rooms and took some rest. We all decided to take a tour around the island. It was 7pm when we’re back to our rooms and had dinner. By 10pm we’re heading off to the beach front to start drinking what’s supposed to be drank. lol. Yeah Beach and Beer. We had Beer and Ice Cube scarcity so we called it a night by 3am.

The next day was a Sunday. The breakfast was good. We trekked the sides of a very treacherous cliff just to invade a very secluded portion of the island but the sea current was strong enough and all our efforts were lost. We spent most of the first half the day soaking up the sun. The Lunch was great by 2pm. It was already low tide so we decided to trek again back to the secluded portion of the bay. It was a 15minute walk trough very sharp rocks and last we arrived, and guess what? that part of the beach turned out to be a local cemetery! We had fun though. It was 5pm when we all decided to start the videoke and beer match. The beer was totally -ahem- excellent, not to mention the videoke. lolz. We called it a night 1am.

Monday, we’re back to reality

For the record, this is one trip I wouldn’t forget. The laughter, the fun, the beer, the videoke, the adventure, the near-death experience of a friend, the soaking up the sun, the sunburn, and the camwhorage are definitely not worth forgetting.

To Oslec: Thanks for everything. I thought the weekend wouldn’t be really fun but oh well, I was wrong. I had so much fun.

To Bjorn: Our trips together are worth remembering. Thanks for the company. There’d be no fun without you around.

To Yellie: We have the same wavelength. I am glad to have spent a weekend with you. “Naleke ko geng!”

To Yasmin: You are one great friend. I thought we wouldn’t get along so well but again I was wrong. I’m looking forward to our next escape. “Shot sa, Shot sa!”

To Clancy: You are one true friend. Thank you for being so patient. I thought you know how to swim?

Before I get teary eyed here. lolz. Lemme share some camwhorage:

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I started the Summer of this year by heading off to an Island known for it’s white sands, crystal blue waters and fresh seafoods - Bantayan Island. The Bantayan Island, as far as I’ve known is the only island (aside from Boracay) celebrates the holy week partying on the beach front. It is also known for having been allowed by the Vatican for its people to eat meat during the lenten season. A brief history of the Island is etched somewhere in their centuries-old church. Well, the trip was dated March 1-3 and everyone had a great time.

A little less than 2 weeks later, we were headed off to a beach on the southwestern side of Cebu - Moalboal. Although the sand is not as fine as the one from Bantayan but the weekend was still great.

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Indeed, last weekend was so much fun.

After weeks of preparation and careful planning finally our team’s Bantayan Island Invasion has come true.

Friday, February 29, 2008 - This is the last night of February. Last night to make up and pass the month’s metrics. Everybody was anxious. Everybody wants to end the shift and run off to the beach. I thought it was just an ordinary night at work but as my log-out time draw nearer my mood changed - I was on a hype.

Saturday, March 1. 2008 - 6AM- I logged out and went home to pick up my stuff for the weekend getaway. 9AM- The team convened in Skyrise and though we still didn’t have sleep we drank 6 bottles of beer. 10AM- We were on our way to Hagnaya Wharf. By 12:30PM we were at Hagnaya Wharf. Most of us were so hungry that we settled for a quick-grilled pork and chicken for lunch. 1:30PM- It was about time for the ferry to leave. Bantayan Island is about an hour and a half by ferry. It was almost 3PM when finally the ferry docked at the port of Sta. Fe, Bantayan Island. Our resort’s tenant were already at the port ready to pick us up. He didn’t have a hard time looking for us coz we were the first one’s to embark from the ferry. And yeah… we looked like tourists. Finally, 3:30PM we were at the beach. Our reservation was at Sugar Beach, in the municipality of Sta. Fe. Settling down our stuff inside our 2-bedroom apartment style cottage. Yay! most of my friends were running off to the beach was already camwhoring. Some of us were too exhausted to even move our butts away from the cottage and yet we manage to start drinking the first 3 cases of beer. By the time it was almost 5pm we decided to take a swim on crystal blue waters of Bantayan. We waited for the Sunset too. By the time it was dark, we headed off to the cottage and yeah… dinner. It was 730pm, when everybody finished off their hearty dinner made of grilled pork and we started to drink another round of beer and gin all at the same time. It was 10pm, when some of our colleagues got undressed and went swimming with only their undies on. lol. By 11PM, we called it a night. Sleep. Exhausted. Drunk.

Sunday, March 2, 2008 - 630AM - Breakfast. 7AM - we went off to the beach and took a swim. 30 minutes after we opened our first case of beer for the day. And yes! we drank while the sun was heavily rising up the horizon. Talking about basking in the sun. By 930AM we drank the last drop of our 2nd case of beer. The sun was too hot to handle so we decided to take a swim again. The drunkards that we are, we decided to bring 2 beer bottles and a glass in the middle of the water and took turns drinking the beer. lol. It was almost 1030am when 4 other friends and colleagues arrived to escape the city too. We changed clothes and headed off to Bantayan in preparation another round of big hearty lunch. On our way back, we drank 2 bottles of beer again. 1AM Lunch. Lunch. Lunch. It was 2PM when we started boating on the shallow waters while the others were busy playing cards in the shorelines with beer again. By 4PM we played “patentero” - it was fun really, though we’re already adults. lol. Nightfall, we we’re in the waters playing a so-called Team Building game - The Highest Pyramid. Unfortunately, we lost. lol. Dinner at 7PM. Beer, beer and more beer until 12midnight. Sleep.

Monday, March 3, 2008 - Just like Sunday, we had our breakfast right before 7AM. By 930AM, we were on our way to what they call the Virgin Island for a snorkeling adventure. It took us 20 minutes to get there. But the boat ride was, again, accompanied with beer. lol. We took the time to explore the wonders of the underwater. It was already 11AM when we headed back to the resort, packed up our stuffs, ate the remaining breakfast food and prepare ourselves to leave the island and back to reality.

I know it’s too early to get tanned but in the end, we all had so much FUN. Next stop? Boracay? hehe…

Group Photo:

 photo albums here: 

 Bantayan Island Invasion: First Rate, First Moments.

Oslec’s version: Bantayan! with PS peeps

Murz’ version: Bantayan Invasion…

Marielle’s version: Stolen Pics (Bantayan Escapade)

Minnie’s version: Bantayan Fever