Mt. Apo : Reaching The Top

      "Mount Apo is a large solfataric, potentially-active stratovolcano in the island of Mindanao, Philippines. With an altitude of 3,412 metres (11,194 ft) above sea level, it is the highest mountain in the country and is located between Davao City and Davao del Sur province in Region XI and Cotabato province in Region XII. The peak overlooks Davao City 40 kilometres (25 mi) to the northeast, Digos City 25 kilometres (16 mi) to the southeast, and Kidapawan City 20 kilometres (12 mi) to the west.

        Apo, which means "ancestor", is flat-topped mountain with three peaks and is capped by a 500-metre-wide (1,600 ft) volcanic crater containing a small crater lake. The date of its most recent eruption is unknown, and none are verified in historical times.

      The volcano is one of the most popular climbing destinations in the Philippines with the summit, on the average, takes two days to reach. The first recorded climb was on October 10, 1880, by a party led by Joaquin Rajal, then Spanish governor of Davao."~ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Apo

i have always wanted to reach the top of it . i have always wished that someday i could somewhat converse with mr. sun a bit closer while he sits quietly over the bed of clouds.  i have always had this strong desire to experience the great adventure of looking at the world in a different perspective.

finally, it happened! 

March 27-31, 2013. Malumpini - Mt. Apo Route

my tag all throughout the journey

meet kaykay... the mountain dog... 
she trekked with us until she reached her home.. 
i just wish someday Niji can come with me too...

hello jinibibi... she's the lady who tagged me along.. so thankful!

our colorful socks and gloves to fight the cold nights

breakfast at the camp...

walking in paradise...

almost there but not quite..

i don't drink sodas that much.. but it's a relief that they sell some at the mountains..
beating the scorching heat while on trail break...

mt. apo summit... almost!

guess who climbed the peak too.. hello there butchokoy!

tres marias on top...

and yes... without a doubt.. i finally reached the peak!!!

happy girl in her happy place...


MT. APO THROUGH MY EYES
seeing the beauty of nature from my point of view

indeed... when you want something so bad, all the universe conspires to make it happen!

i'm so in love with you Mr. Sun... always and forever!!!

it's time to go down now...

our ride, the jeepney...

AND WE CONQUERED IT TOGETHER...
thank you for tagging me along...
very much thankful for the experience
and the new set of friends i gained...

TAKE VACATIONS.
GO AS MANY PLACES AS YOU CAN.
YOU CAN ALWAYS MAKE MONEY,
YOU CAN'T ALWAYS MAKE MEMORIES!

YOLO!

One Wednesday Night

November 21, 2012

Abreeza Mall

i met up with Mi Amegas (my friends in my nursing class) on a wednesday night. as usual i was the last person to arrive given my super duper far place. i had to go back home after work to get D3 (my ever reliable camera) and at the same time change. 

L-R: angel, angie, dada, melai, darcy, aldy and me

it has been months since i saw these pretty ladies again. though we constantly send each other messages, it's still different from bonding physically. plus angie is literally miles away too. we are all busy doing our own stuff, but we still see to it that we bond and see each other every now and then. 

angie and kaykay (her daughter) had to leave us early due to a prior commitment. but before they left she handed me over two things from the land down under; one from her and one from jay (her hubby).

thank you JAY for this cute australian glass map paper weight

thank you ANGIE for this Perth ref magnet. it's actually on our ref now. lol

spending some quality time with the people who you consider as friends is really priceless. it doesn't matter if the meeting's just for a few minutes, a few hours or the whole day. but it's the act of retying the knot of friendship which matters the most.

gelo is getting big now. and we are getting older too. haha. i just couldn't help but laugh when darcy said gelo doesn't want to go to school when it's raining and says " ayokong magskul. sabi man ni tita ceara wala daw klase kase basa ang blackboard" (i don't want to go to school. tita ceara said we don't have  classes cos the blackboard is wet)  . they still have to convince him much just to dress up and go to his classes. hahahahaha... oh gosh silly me! after hearing that, i talked to gelo and said "magpasok ka na sa skul kahit nagaulan ha. nagtalk na kami ni teacher. bumili na siya sa akin ng magic chalk para makawrite pa din sya sa blackboard kahit basa." (you go to school even though it's raining. i already talked to your teacher and she bought a magic chalk from me which writes even when the blackboard is wet.). hahaha.. you just have to lie sometimes. lol. i just realized, i really have some special powers when it comes to kids. i can convince them easily.  guess we are on the same wavelength. hahaha

Gelo Gelo Gelo Dear

after our reminiscing the past dinner, dada and angel had to leave us. so that leaves aldy, darcy, melai, gelo and me for a little bonding extension.

comfort rooms are called as such for a reason. lol

after our chitchat and picture taking underneath the mall's christmas tree, we decided to try the XRider Roller Coaster Ride. we were laughing all the time. i was actually laughing at aldygirl's reactions who as at the middle.. laughtrip, i should say. it was not because of the ride, but it was because of aldy hahaha.

 

such an unforgettable experience. super laughtrip. 

i really had fun from dinner til the end.see you all in december Mi Amegas! mwaaaaaaah!

Gino's Burger: A Must Try

i finally had my first taste of Gino's Boom Burgers...

my charcoal-grilled dinner on a saturday night.

it's a good thing that Mamma Maria's Pizzeria near Sychar Hotel now serves Gino's Burgers.

it's much accessible and comfortable as compared to the main branch which also closes really early.

  

here's my first ever charcoal-grilled Gino's Burger...

100% Pure Beef Burger Patty stuffed with  Bacon, Mushroom and Cheese

indeed, it is what they say it is.. Deliciously Juicy!

if you are into burgers and has that male appetite but wants something budget-friendly,

Gino's Burger is a MUST TRY.

indeed, it is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

How to get to Gino’s Burgers:

Yu Uy Tong Building

Lapu-lapu St. near cor. Sobrecary St.

Agdao, Davao City

Tel. No. (082) 2262659

Mamma Maria's Pizzeria

Address: Sychar Hotel Building Iñigo Street, Davao City

Tel. No.: 082 221 4411

you only live once!

Bare It All

in my eagerness to introduce B-waxing to one of my barkadas, i paid my waxing salon a visit again. i wanted her to experience something new and not so ordinary before she turns a year older in a few days. she was i should say, hesitant but eventually i managed to finally convince her.

having a brazilian wax for the first time is a bit scary. it's just normal to be apprehensive when you don't know what will happen during the whole procedure. truth is, waxing hurts. i had my fair share of the pain too but it was tolerable. and i have to thank my very high threshold to pain for that. 

when you decide to go bare down there, you really have to be physically and emotionally ready. the first session is usually the most painful one. but trust me, it's going to be fine the next time. that's if you decide to go back the next time. lol.

so what is BRAZILIAN WAXING?

Brazilian waxing is the removal of all hair in the pelvic area, front and back, while sometimes leaving a thin strip of hair on the pubis.[2](p139)[7][8][9][10] It can be used by those who wear thong bikinis.[11] It is a form of bikini waxing, and involves the complete removal of hair from the buttocks and adjacent to the anus, perineum and vulva (labia majora and mons pubis).[12][13] If a thin vertical strip of hair is left, it may be called a landing strip. Brazilian waxing is also known as a full Brazilian wax, full Bikini wax, Hollywood wax or the Sphinx.[2](p139)[8][9] The Sphinx variety involves the complete removal of all hair in the pelvic region. The name is derived from that of a naked breed of cat from Canada. The smooth-skinned, hairless Sphynx cat was a genetic oddity discovered in Toronto in 1966. Some salons refer to the Sphynx as the Hollywood.

Brazilian Wax Style Guide/Menu from www.wheninmanila.com

here are some of the the things "waxing virgins" should remember before going bare down there.

• prepare yourself. as i have said, waxing hurts.and you have to get yourself ready for that. there's always a first time.
• let your hair grow. hair should be at least 1/4 of an inch to give ease to waxing.
• no period please. for obvious reasons, one should not go for a wax when the red flag is up. experts say that one should avoid doing it three days prior to and following your period because it is when your hormone level changes which make you more sensitive to pain.
• kill the pain. you can take ibuprofen, paracetamol or mefanamic acid at least 30 minutes prior to your appointment to lessen the pain.
• keep clean. wash up before the procedure to avoid infection. it is also advised to lightly exfoliate days before so as to keep the skin healthy and ingrown hair.
• choose a trusted waxing salon. do some research if you don't have some friends to back you up. better be sure than sorry.

http://www.waxing1.com/after-your-appointment.html

there have been arguments on whether having a brazilian wax is safe or not. fact is, pubic hair is there basically for protection and getting a wax literally strips away that layer. waxing creates inflammation which can possibly cause infection. that's why you have to be extra careful in choosing the facility and be extra vigilant on keeping an eye on hygiene. again, do some research. go for the trusted ones.

i want my friends and everybody else to try it. it's a different experience but i should say it's worth a try. it's not that complicated and scary. (well, at least it's not to me.lol) besides, i believe that it's all in the mind. some people will like it, some people will not. that's just how it goes. 

you only live once. 

so why not try something different..

something scary.. something adventurous?

if you think the experience is not for you, then don't do it again.

but at least try it once.. 

that way, you will take pride of doing something you didn't imagine yourself doing..

adventure begins outside your comfort zone. so go out and bare it all!