A Retrospect: Hong Kong Ocean Park

Our days were starting to get pretty mundane, and I swear, it's not just severe homesickness kicking in. It's basically work-eat-sleep for us, and although I try to add my own sorry excuse for a workout in between, things are still bordering on, well, boring. I really cant find a nicer word.

The entrance to Ocean Park

We've been wanting to go to Ocean Park for months, but for some reason, there was always something that stopped us from doing so. That week, however, we were resolved to go the moment our schedules permitted. I dont know about them, but I needed to unwind. Badly

 Getting there

Ocean Park is located in Aberdeen, and there are two ways to get there. Three, actually, but a car was not an option for us since, one, we didn't have an access to a car, and, two, even if we did, none of us knew how to drive. So we were left with either taking a cab, which is easier and more convenient, or taking the bus which is cheaper and more challenging. Being us, we took the cheaper and more challenging route. If we took the cab, all we had to do was tell the cabby to drive us to Ocean Park, whereas going for the bus involved taking an MTR to Admiralty Station, then after getting off, we had to look for EXIT B which lead to the bus stop for Ocean Park. There were already plenty of people in line when we got to the bus stop, but we didn't have to wait long because a new bus arrives every 10 minutes.

Bus 629 to Ocean Park

The Park opens at 10 A.M and tickets are available at the entrance for HKD 320(around 1800 in PhP). To save queue time, however, we purchased our tickets at a 7/11 store beforehand. 

Ocean Park is divided into two. 

The Waterfront, where the entrance, the Aquarium and animals are. 

Waterfront

The Great Aquarium

Inside The Great Aquarium

Under the sea

Asian Animals section of the Waterfront

The theme park, where the rides are; located on the other side of the mountain. 

Rainforest section of the theme park  

The Dragon

Thrill Mountain section of the theme park

You can get from A to B by cable car or the Ocean Express. We decided to try both. The cable car offers a relaxing transit with breathtaking view. The Ocean Express is a faster way to travel though, which was perfect for when we were rushing to get back to the Waterfront to catch our bus. The last bus leaves Ocean Park at around 3:45 - 4:00 PM. We were catching our breath by the time we got to the bus station, but we made it!

Cable cars connect the Waterfront to the Theme park

The Ocean Express

Food and, especially, drinks are expensive within the premises, and we kinda wished we brought our own drinks to save some money. 

Panda Cafe. One of the pricey restaurants.

Luckily, there is a McDonald's branch inside and it's quite affordable compared to the other  food stalls and restaurants around, but they're also selling beverages at almost twice their regular price.

Lifesaver!

There were plenty of water rides in the park and chances are, we'd get wet if we try them. But then again, we'd be missing half the fun if we dont! So we jumped into the first water-ride that caught our eyes - without a raincoat, mind you! There were raincoats for sale in the park, but like everything else, they're quite costly, so we risked getting wet. Yeah, we're stingy like that. Haha.

Soaked ourselves in the Rapids

Other water-rides

Some of the rides shook our nerves by the mere sight if them, but we didn't let our nerves stop us from having fun! There were also rides that didnt look scary at all, but we shouldn't have let appearances fool us. I dropped my heart in what I thought was a Disneyland-level roller coaster, and Im not telling you which one! ;)

***ehemmmm

Ocean Park is too big to explore in just a day. Seriously, there's so much to see, so much to do, and a lot of things to experience! It's a great place for sightseeing, learning, exploring, and having a good time. Whether you're 6, 16, or 60, you'll love the place! 

awww <3 reminds me of the Disney movie "UP"

I really wish we could've availed of the 2-day tickets (the 2nd day is at a discounted price) and come back for seconds. Unfortunately, a day is all we got. Time is a luxury we didn't have. But that's okay, because that awesome day with friends was all I needed to break the monotony. :)

<3

Impromptu Summer Getaway: Appletree Resort & Hotel CdeO

More than a week ago, I came home to the Philippines for a break from my work abroad. The first thing I noticed when I got off the plane in Manila to transfer to my connecting flight, bound for Cagayan de Oro, was the heat. While I am very aware that summers in the Philippines are hot, the heat this summer has escalated into a whole new level, and every day, I keep looking for ways to battle the humidity and the ceaseless assault of the scorching sun.

One lazy afternoon, while I was nagging my brother to run to the mall and buy me a smoothie, I came across a post on Instagram hash-tagged “appletreeresortcdo”. When I visited their site, I was surprised to see that the resort of my childhood was revamped into a trendier getaway, and a picturesque infinity pool was added into the mix. 

I suddenly became nostalgic. 

Way before it became the Appletree we know today, the resort used to be named Lauremar, and I have the fondest childhood memories of summers spent running around its poolside with my cousins.

LAUREMAR: the Appletree of my childhood days
Disclaimer: Photo from travelblog.org

The memory of those days stirred something in me as I watched my sister focus on her mobile game with a concentration that could put chess-masters to shame.

And so, driven by the forces of nostalgia and curiosity, plus the unbearable humidity and heat, I pulled my sister away from her gadgets and dragged her to Appletree Resort & Hotel in Barangay Taboc, Opol, Misamis Oriental to cool off.

Appletree is a 15-20 minute drive from the center of Cagayan de Oro City (a taxi-ride would probably cost around Php150-200), and while there are plenty of pool-places that are closer to the city-proper, the resort is more appealing to those who don't mind the extra travel-minutes because of it's beachfront that's just a few steps away from the pool-area.

Day-use of the pool is for Php150; from 9 am – 9pm, and proper swimwear is required. Guests are free to go for a swim in the adjacent beach and use the chairs, tables, and pool lounges around the area. Free wifi access is also available, just ask any of the pool attendants or the front office staff for the password. 

If you get hungry after swimming, you can always grab a snack from their restaurant when you feel hungry. The resort does not allow day-users to bring food bought outside the premises, but if you insist on bringing your own meals or snacks, you can negotiate with the front desk staff about the corresponding corkage fees.

Al fresco dining overlooking the pool are and the beachfront

The resort is also very accessible to tourists who are visiting or passing by Cagayan de Oro as the municipality of Opol is nestled somewhere in between Cagayan de Oro and Laguindingan International Airport. Getting there is easy because the place is well-known. Just tell the cab driver to take you to Appletree resort or ask the locals for directions. The resort also offers airport pick-up services, but you have to contact the management and make the necessary arrangements days before your arrival.

Disclaimer: photo from Appletree Resort's official site

With accommodation rates ranging from Php2500 – Php4500, the resort is a good option for staycations and quick getaways. 

Families and friends can luxuriate by the pool in the afternoons and then enjoy a bonfire by the beach at night. Couples who want to share a romantic weekend together can take a leisurely stroll along the shore while basking in the beauty of the sunset.

My sister and I mostly spent our time taking water-selfies and underwater shots in the pool.

We headed to the beach later in the afternoon, but to catch a magnificent view of the setting sun.

I wish we could've spent a night there, but nevertheless, we had a fun time. My sister even made some new friends. Thinking about it now as I'm posting this, Im sort of glad I was able to give her a glimpse of my own childhood and what summer was like for us then - minus the GoPro, of course.

For questions and more information, you can visit their website: http://appletreeresortcdo.com

Quarter-life Crisis: To the rest of the world from a 25 year old who's just taking her time

"And now that you don't have to be perfect, you can be good."
- East of Eden, A novel by John Steinbeck

It's very hard to single out a word from a language that makes “shit” sound delightful, but of all the words in the french dictionary, “flaneur” is perhaps my favorite. It essentially means someone who strolls around without a specific destination in mind, while enjoying and observing life as it happens. You can say it's “wanderer” in english, although that's just a rough translation.

If you would ask me to describe myself in one word, I guess that would be it. I am “Le flaneur”. I used to think I was lost, but I later realized that I am just taking my time. I do not know where I am going yet, but I'm determined to make the most out of this “flanerie” and gain a better understanding of life from where I am.

“Taking my time” at 25, though, is not a very popular choice in a world that expects me to have clear-cut goals. It's often very difficult to keep strolling with my head held high and my dignity intact when everybody else is goading me to take the train with the rest of my more accomplished counterparts.

There were several instances when I was this close to succumbing to the never-ending pressures. I almost gave up my resolve and fast-tracked my way into maturity just so I could finally free myself from the nags and the judgmental stares, but I am glad I didn't because getting on that train, at this moment of my life, still feels like settling. I can play the part of a responsible grown-up, but I don't want to play pretend. The “Barney phase” of my life is over and I don't want to go back there anymore.

People develop at their own pace. The chosen few know what they want to do with their lives the moment they carried themselves and their technicolored lunchboxes into the chaos and fantasy of pre-school. The lucky ones form a 10-year goal by the time they loiter the hallowed university halls, while the ones, like me, are suspended in a taboo: crawling in circles, still trying to figure out the way to the life we have imagined.

The mounting pressures only add to my confusion and the attempts to hasten this process of self-discovery only creates another gap between me and whatever it is that I am searching for. I expect something of myself too, and you might be surprised to know that those expectations are greater than yours.

Even I cannot tell what possibilities this squander holds; what passions it may unearth and the desires it may unmask. I may be a vagabond in your eyes today, but I certainly won't be that way forever. All I am asking of you is to let me explore – the world around me and myself. I want to see more, feel more, and understand more because my soul yearns for more wisdom in order to hear the muffled whispers of my heart. You had your chance at mistakes and failures. It's my turn now. It is not enough that you pass your wisdom to me; I have to live the moments that gave you that wisdom to make it my own.

Let me make mistakes and learn from them; let me tumble so I'll know pain; let me experience failure because I want to know what they meant when they said victory is sweetest as after you have faced defeat.

Let me fall down, so I can rise up, run, jump, fly and then soar.

Give my heart and my mind the time they demand to turn me into a woman you'll be proud of.

I'll catch up with the rest of the world, but not now.
Someday.

In my own time; on my own terms.
Not by train, but on a jet a plane.

My way back into blog

"Sometimes, I can feel my bones straining under the weight of all the lives I'm not living."  
-Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, A novel by Jonathan Safran Foer

I have given up blogging several years ago, when I was suddenly ushered, no – shoved would be a more suitable word for it, into the world of the employed. You may argue that it was not a necessary trade-off, but it was. I had to toughen up if I was to survive a life away from my family, and while I am the tough girl on most days, when the cursor starts doing laps across my laptop screen and the clumps of letters transform into words, then into paragraphs, the chains that are tasked to bind loosen and my heart dangles on my sleeve for the world to see.

Before I became fascinated with fashion and developed the wanderlust to explore the world; before I was smitten by the flavors of cultures and the intricacies of politics; before I realized that boys can be interesting and lost all sense of reason when they're concerned, I was already in love with words and the magic that only words can bring.

There are so many things tangled inside that need to be sorted out; random gems of memories that I want to capture in words for posterity; lessons and reflections that should be immortalized in case I forget them someday; and soul-nourishing experiences that I want to share to the people who are treading the same path of self-examination.

There's a part of me that I've been wanting to find. I even crossed oceans to look for it.

I haven't found what I've been looking for yet, but there's this lingering feeling in my gut that tells me I'm about to.

This is all of me, just a click away.