Reliving GenSan. Davao. And the most of Mindanao.

I think that travel comes from some deep urge to see the world, like the urge that brings up a worm in an Irish bog to see the moon when it is full.  ~Lord Dunsany 

April 4. Mary and I started our trip Wednesday evening as we traveled to Cebu to catch our 0940 am flight the following day (April 5) towards the southern coast of Mindanao Island. We were early birds since we arrived at the airport 3 hours earlier than our scheduled flight. We took off and forty minutes later, we were already standing over the soils of General Santos City.

GenSan

April 5. The feeling of finally being able to go back after more than 3 years since the last time we were here was pure elation. Excitement and anticipation filled our senses as we drove off to my Aunt’s home and settled there. I was amused to see my little cousins grow a little bit from the last time I saw them. Abigail and Gabrielle, our dear college friends whom we haven’t seen for about 3 years now immediately planned an excursion during the afternoon of our arrival.

April 5 (Late afternoon). Riding my Uncle’s Trooper, Auntie Mohai, Shaira, Jade, Mary, Abigail, Gabrielle, Januar, Ken and I headed towards Sarangani Highlands. It’s a garden and restaurant located on a hilltop that overlooks the Sarangani Bay. Since it was Maundy Thursday, regular restaurant menu was unavailable. Instead, we paid an entrance fee of 100 php which is consumable by ordering their available snack items and beverages. We munched on a few chips and butterscotch bars with mocha shake.

Overlooking the Sarangani Bay.

Gabe, Auntie Mohai, Shaira, Jade and I, Abby, Mary and Januar.

Their hotel has the cutest doors ever.

Sarangani Highlands has such beautiful landscaping that most of what we did, aside from eating and catching up thru stories, was to take pictures here and there. Credits to Ken and Gabrielle for the tons of photos taken throughout our whole escapade. :)

April 6. We went to Alabel, Sarangani and stayed on Abby and Gabby’s home. The fact that it was Good Friday posed a snag as we thought there weren’t any tricycle that will bring us to Alabel. Luckily, there were a few available so we were able to reach Alabel a little over lunch already. Later that afternoon, we went to A-Montana Resort (formerly Isla Parilla) and did a "photoshoot". Haha! After which we dipped on the pool for an hour or so. All that for a 50-peso entrance fee. I say the entrance fee was worth it because the amenities inside were nice. So nice that it makes me want to go back there again with more friends. ;) Later that evening, after having dinner at the Alaba's, we bought and prepared spaghetti and snack food for our trip to Davao City the following day.
Witness my kabaliwan... tantananan!!!

Photographer: Kenneth; Director/Asst Make-up Artist: Gabrielle; Make-up Artist: Mary

swing, swing from the tangles of....

dipping into the pool was refreshing. getting out of it was cold and freezing. Haha!

Davao

April 7. Off to Davao City. We woke up as early as 4am and started heading towards our meeting place at around 5 am. Again, using my aunt and uncle's vehicle, we headed to Davao making stops at Malungon (to do some minor repair to our vehicle) and Digos (to do major repairs! lol) before finally arriving at Davao City. 

The journey to Davao was long and tiring. We ate lunch first before finally heading out to Blue Jaz Resort located at Samal Island. The resort was full of people enjoying the long holiday. And so we did our thing.

they say the early bird catches the biggest worm. in this case, it's not. haha! there were glitches along the way but we still managed to reach Davao. Heeee

Me, Abby and Mary. #philbestgirls

Our attempt at spelling out the word L.O.V.E.

@ Blue Jaz Resort, Samal Island 

there's no escaping the heat of the sun!

the 5-minute boat ride.

Davao, i say, is so big a city that a single day is not enough to go around and experience everything there is that the city can offer. We arrived at GenSan at around 2 in the morning of April 8. And April 8 was the day of our flight back to Cebu. You would think that the Davao trip was the longest roadtrip we would experience that time. Little did we know that we will unluckily miss our flight and will travel by land through Mindanao to Leyte the next day!. Hahahaha. #epicfail. Our summer getaway to the Southernmost part of Mindanao made us travel by land, sea and air! Haha. 'Coz these planes! They just don’t wait. :)

New friends were made. Memories were spawned. Fun was experienced. Lessons were learned. I am so looking forward to going back. Who wants to come?

xoxo. Bam.