Davao - Epilogue

March 10. I woke up to the sound of my alarm: 4:30 a.m. Our flight was scheduled at 6:30 a.m., and Tito Bert were to pick us up and bring us to the airport. I have packed my bags already the night before, so all I had to do was wash my face, brush my teeth and get dressed. I thought I’d just take a shower when I get home. Tita Lit woke up and made sure we didn’t leave any stuff behind. She decided not to come with us to the airport because she contracted UTI the day before. We also insisted that she get some rest. Tito Bert arrived just in time. Tita Malou tagged along. The airport was just about a 10-minute drive. There were no teary-eyed goodbyes - I guess because they knew we’d be back again (maybe this year or the next, we don’t know yet).

Still half asleep, my mom and I went through the usual checking in of baggage and security checks, then settled at Gate 8 of Davao International Airport. The sun had already risen when we got there, and I looked out the glass windows, focusing my attention on the airplanes. Our plane arrived on time. We boarded on time. But again, our flight got delayed. This time, it was because the plane had to refuel and there wasn’t enough fuel left at the airport so the airport peeps had to go get fuel from somewhere else. We got delayed for about an hour, but I didn’t mind, really.

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Davao (Day 5)

March 9. Toffer Day. It’s my cousin Toffer’s 27th birthday, and everyone was invited to dinner at their place. It’s our last day in Davao, so Mum wanted to go shopping for pasalubong and take-home goodies. Since our schedule was hectic the past few days, my frail immune system started to malfunction and I woke up with a feeling that I had sand in my throat. I wanted to go with Mum and buy some stuff myself but I decided to rest instead so I’d have energy in the evening during Toffer’s party.

Fast forward to evening. As usual, there was a hefty amount of food and of course lots and lots of booze. Mum didn’t want me to drink though because of my throat and also because we were leaving early the next day. But I said I’ll drink just one bottle so as not to disappoint the birthday boy. I would have been in the let’s-get-wasted mode if only our flight wasn’t at 6:30 in the morning the next day. I guess I owe my cousins a drinking session next time I visit.

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Davao (Day 4)

March 8. Another nature trip which again made the nature lover in me very happy. This time we went to Eden Nature Park. It’s located at the foot of Mount Talomo in Toril. Eden is around 3,000 feet above sea level, and you can see the city expanse when you enter the buffet area.

The history of Eden is quite interesting. Before, it was a logged over area that was discovered in 1971 by the Ayalas (not related to the Ayalas in Metro Manila). The owners reforested the whole 80 hectares and transformed it into a fully functional resort and park.

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Davao (Day 3)

March 7. I’m in love with Pearl Farm! This is probably the best beach resort I’ve been to so far. Our day started out early because we have to catch the 7:30 a.m. boat ride to Samal Island where it’s tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the city. The resort started out as literally a pearl farm, and when it got transformed into a beautiful resort that it is, the name stuck with it. The weather was cooperative. We were greeted by blue skies and cottony white clouds at the dock which made for a great photo I took of my cousin Jeff.

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Davao (Day 2)

March 6. I think I’m a nature lover. I really enjoy going to animal sanctuaries and beautifully landscaped gardens - practically any place that has living plants and animals in it. I could spend hours in those just staring in curiosity and awe at how beautiful the natural world is. As a photography hobbyist and nature lover, I think it’s always a treat to capture the beauty of nature through this medium. Our second day was a hectic one but nevertheless satisfied the hunger of the nature lover in me.

I went with my mom, my two aunts and my cousin Jeff who was our driver for the day. First stop is the Philippine Eagle Center in Calinan. This sanctuary houses a whole host of Philippine eagles, including the most famous one, Pag-asa. Aside from the eagles, the center also serves as home to other birds like hawks and owls, and other animals like a ginormous crocodile and some playful long-tailed Macaques.

PAG-ASA: The most famous Philippine eagle

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Davao (Day 1)

March 5. It’s the trip I’ve been anticipating for months. My mom loves to travel and scours the Internet every now and then for promo flights and travel packages we could afford. October last year she found a zero-fare package to and from Davao and immediately told me to decide on a date. Travel period was February to March. We have a handful of relatives there, and she wanted us to pay them a visit.

We left just right after lunch, though our flight was scheduled at 6:15 pm, to give allowance for traffic jams along SLEX, which is still being widened and improved. We drove to the airport and checked in our car in a garage that charges parking per day. We arrived at the airport at around 4:00, just in time for check in. It was my first time in NAIA Terminal 3, and though the terminal was impressive, the airline’s system was not. The check-in counters were not that organized - whether you were bound for Cebu or Davao or wherever, you can check in to whatever counter, which made no sense to me.

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