Bicol '12: Whale Shark Encounter, Wakeboarding

From Legazpi airport, we took a tricycle to the jeepney terminal going to Donsol. We opted this transportation because vans take much longer. Jeepneys usually leave even they're not full. We paid php100 each. But I think it would only cost you Php80. Nakalimutan ata kaming suklian. So better ask first before handing your money. The only problem is the jeep would stop at markets to pick up more passengers. So the normally less than two hours travel became three hours.
We arrive few hours past noon. We're just gonna do all the activities tomorrow. Today, we rest. Stuck in Donsol the whole afternoon.

Kinunot

We stayed at the Santiago lodging house. Quite an old house and I like it. There's kitchen for cooking and bathroom is communal. We were the only Filipinos lodging at the time. Mostly were germans.

Common room

 

 

After breakfast the next day, we headed to the tourist information to register. Php20 for the tricycle going there. Php100 for the registration if you're a filipino and php300 if you're a foreigner. We paid the latter (haha). Php3500 is the fixed rate for boat rental maximum for six persons. Rental masks and fins costs 300. 

We were out in the open sea few hours before noon. Our BIO (Butanding Interaction Officer) was briefing on what-nots and what-tos when we're out in the open sea. 
I actually did this two years ago. And I have been telling friends that the experience is surreal. My storytelling isn't really that good coz no one went to Donsol after that trip.
So back at the sea, we already saw a few boats. Our BIO, Kuya Salti, was hoping we get some good sightings today. Yesterday, there were only two reported. He hopes we can see at least four.
Kuya Salti suddenly shouted "Ready na ha... then after a few seconds.. Talon! Talon! Talon!". Just a few seconds of swimming, Kuya ask us to look down. Ayun! The huge mouth of the butanding swimming towards us. We then followed it. I can't put into words what I felt. Even if I've done this before. The experience of seeing the gentle giants is surreal. And for the whole interaction, we saw seven, HUGE whalesharks. SEVEN! It officially surpassed what I experienced last time I was here. Guys, you really should get yourselves in Donsol and do the whaleshark encounter. 
Our best sighting was the last one. Parang nanadya talagang magshow off yung butanding. For over five to ten minutes..we were swimming on top of it. That long! Kami na actually ang sumusuko. It was just so relaxing to see it on its natural habitat doing its own thing, swimming freely, feeding.

That night, we went firefly watching. This is the one thing I was looking forward to so I was really psyched on this one. We found ourselves into a shed with dimmed lights. 

Pitch black river cruise 

 

We proceeded to board the boat. We were actually traversing the river in total darkness. The two girls, Maan and Aira were freaking out. I find it quite nice though. The wind is cold, the stars lit the night, and the river is peaceful. It is just perfection. And when finally saw a tree full of fireflies..parang nagsabog si Tinker bell ng isang bag ng fairy dust sa isang puno..ang ganda! Un lang, we can't capture it on camera. asar. For one whole hour, we just sat on our boat watching the fireflies while our tour guide tells us some fascinating things about these creatures. 

Fireflies aren't flies, they're actually bugs. And they emit light not on their butts but on their bellies. O di ba. Tapos konting tsismis ako ke kuya. How much kita nila. Magkano parte nila every tour. ganun. kwentong barbero lang. Two hundred ata per boat ang nauuwi ni kuya. Un the rest sa 1,250 maddivide sa local govt, sa bayad sa bangka at dun sa isa niyang kasama. Hindi ka din basta basta pwedeng magtour guide. You have to undergo certain trainings and you have to have a certificate for that. Good thing, training's free. I found out super organized ng tourism nila sa Donsol. From whaleshark encounter to firefly watching. Once you're a BIO, hindi ka na pwedeng magtour guide sa firefly watching. Reason for that. Equal job opportunities for everyone. Which is true. Mainly, their source of income comes from fishing. Second na lang ang tourism. Education system naman nila, hanggang high school lang sa donsol. Pag college, sa Legazpi na. Sana lang hindi maapektuhan un local life, that is un prices ng local merchandise, etc, once nagboom ang tourism sa Donsol.
So dinner na! I was craving for tinola that night. Di ko na tinanong un mga kasama ko kung ano gusto nila. We went to the market and bought the ingredients. Tinola for dinner! Yum!

 

 

Si Donita

Good night sleep to!

And what more better way to cap the night than a good bottle of beer.

The next morning, it's CWC day! We left Donsol early and arrived at Legazpi almost noon. We checked in at a hometel. We got the room for 1,800 overnight with breakfast. 

 

After settling our things, we left for CWC. We boarded a van bound to Naga at the terminal. After two hours of travel, we reached CWC. You have to ask the driver to drop you off at CWC, or else you'll be in Naga. That could be so much waste of time. Then take a trike to the complex. Five to ten minutes, you're there. Inquire at the reception counter what you guys what to do. We availed their half day promo which is from 1:00-5:00pm. Check their site for the rates.

  

No tournament this time, we have almost the beginner's lake for the five of us except for one group. Unlike before there were briefing before hitting the water, now, the instructors actually teach you on the water while on your board.

 

 

After an almost two hours of hitting your face on water and drinking almost a liter of i've-no-idea-where-the-water-came-from, we were dead beat. We lazed around the pool waiting for the 7pm shuttle that will take us to Naga, where we will be taking a ride back to Legazpi.

Our last day, we went to see the Cagsawa ruins.

 We met a photographer who took this photo. And do you know how he did it? There were four of them, all photographers, who rented a helicopter for Php60k just to fly over the volcano's crater. It was not permitted at the time. But you know, Pinoys. So he eventualy got this shot. And you have no idea how much he sells one copy of this shot. The photo's worth 20k. Winner!

Pansit bato

The bridge to Cagsawa ruined by the two storms that passed Legazpi

And of course, the pasalubong shopping. 

I got to talking to one of the vendors in one of the stalls. It was really hard for them after the two storms hit Legazpi. Some stalls never reopened. Sabi nga ni ate, maraming tao, wala naman bumibili. Yung mga foreigners, titingin lang yan, di bumibili. Pero pag un foreigner me kasamang pinay, aun, uubusin paninda mo. Natawa naman ako dun. Nice observation eh. Well I hope the best for her.

Then soon, before we knew it, we were back in Manila. Now,it seems the past days all became a blur to me..