It's summer once again. Just last year, I wrote about my summer escapade in my journal. Then nothing came after that journal entry. The silence was not because of the lack of things to write about but more of the lack of opportunity to write about the wonderful things that happened to me during the rest of 2006 and the early part of 2007. So allow me to relive the wonderful moments last year and this year:


June 2006 (Manila-Cagayan de Oro-Bukidnon-Davao-Manila)
I went to Cagayan de Oro for the first time with my cousin Kit. The highlight of my Cagayan trip was the experience to walk on canopy bridges, take a zip line and rappel several feet to the ground at Makahambus Gorge. As the name suggests, the canopy bridges hang under the canopy of old and towering trees. It was fun crossing those bridges with the smaller trees below me. Taking the zip line back to the starting point of the first canopy bridge was exhilarating. I was hanging and sliding fast on a cable wire several feet above the ground. It happened so fast that the next thing I knew I was on the other side already. The next activity was rappelling 150 feet to the ground. That was the most exciting part. I got to go first. Hanging on a piece of cord didn't scare me at all. I really enjoyed the trip down because I got a 360 view of the gorge. I could just remember my disappointment when feet touched the ground. After my cousin rappelled down, we started to climb up the gorge through a flight of stairs. When we got back on top of the gorge, my Tatay and Tito were there to meet us but the unimaginable happened. I passed out after the long climb back up. I could remember holding tightly to my father with my vision waning out. I attempted so hard not to faint but as this picture suggests, I did. The height, walking on the canopy bridges, sliding on a zip line and rappelling down, didn't get me but it was the climb up. Darn!

The drive from Cagayan to Davao was equally exciting. It was a long drive through Bukidnon but you would never be bored because of the beautiful sights around you. The pineapple plantations, rock formations and the mountain side were so beautiful that I didn't mind being awake the whole time. It was like driving along the countryside of Italy and the canyons of Arizona. I wanted to take pictures of beautiful sights but since we were moving fast, I only managed to get one.

When we got to Davao, we were starved. We ate barbecued chicken in this restaurant by the road. Getting used to the prices in Manila, I was shocked at how cheap the food were in Davao. Too bad I wasn't able to wander around in Davao that much because I only had a few days off from work. Kit was teasing me to resign from my job so I could stay longer in Davao. Well I did consider her suggestion but I chose to pack my bag muttering to myself that someday I'll be back in Davao.


November 2006 (A Birthday and An Anniversary)
Since I celebrated my birthday last year, I have a hard time remembering that I'm 25. When asked about my age, there's usually a pause before I come up with my answer. Several times I had corrected myself after having said that I'm 24. I don't know why I get confusedwith my age. I don't think this is Alzheimer's setting in but just maybe there's a part of me that wants to stay young. The fear of "I'm-not-getting-any-younger" haunts me to this day and seeing wedding pictures of friends and their cute little babies doesn't help at all.

Also in this month, my boyfriend and I celebrated our third anniversary. It's another milestone for our relationship. It wasn't an easy feat for the both of us but we made it. End of story.


December2006 (Holidays in Cebu)
I went home to Cebu for Christmas and New Year. I was so ecstatic to be with my family. I bonded with my parents and brothers. During Christmas, I continued my tradition of gift-giving. Since I graduated college, I also have become a Santa Clause just like my parents. Before, I get gifts. Now, I give gifts. With the latter being more fulfilling, I spend my weekends before Christmas on a Christmas shopping rush. It can be tedious and draining but seeing the smiles of the gifts' recipients are enough to forget about what I had to go through to get their gifts.


January 2007 (A Weekend in Hong Kong)
I spent four days and three nights in Hong Kong with my ultimate travel companion, Kit. This time, there were only two of us. It's not really a big deal but being petite ladies posed a problem. Mostly we got funny stares from other people because we were like two unaccompanied minors running around. We went to Disneyland and Ocean Park. The whole Disneyland experience was magical. It was like being a little girl again. Ocean Park, on the other hand, tested our guts. There was this one particular ride called The Abyss where we plummeted 20 stories to the ground in just a split second. The queue was short that's why we went back to try it for the second time and again for the third. The whole Hong Kong trip was a breather from our usual schedule.