I woke up at 5:00AM feeling well rested, probably the best I’d felt on the trip so far. I was up early enough to watch the sunrise over the Chocolate Hills but wasn’t motivated to go outside. The Internet was working, so I opted to get some things done online while I had the opportunity.
I wasn’t sure what I was going to do for the day. I spent some time looking around Google Maps but there wasn't much for tourists north of the Chocolate Hills. There was a cave an hour away but apparently it was hard to find and hiring a guide was suggested.
I could’ve gone an hour west to a different waterfall or two hours east to another beach called Anda. Anda was in the original plans. I thought I'd stay there for a night or two but after the volcano erupted, I got in five days of beach time at Alona Beach, which was plenty for the time being as there was more beach time coming up before the end of my trip.
I knew I was not up for a long day. Usually I love exploring, but this time around was about getting some much needed R&R. I went upstairs to the restaurant for my free breakfast around 7:30AM and then headed out on a trail near the hotel. I lost the path but trekked on for some fabulous views of the hills, perhaps the best yet!
After, I went to the Chocolate Hills Adventure Park, which was around the corner from where I was staying. I didn’t have high expectations but thought it'd be fun to try a few of the activities. The place opened at 8:30AM with an entry fee of 80PHP. When I arrived, it seemed I was the only one there. The park was odd and old-looking and I wondered if going there was a bad idea.
As I walked into the park, a girl greeted me and took me over to a counter to introduce the available activities. They were trying to sell me a package deal but it included things I wasn’t interested in. I really wanted to see the cave but the two girls tried talking me of it. They were not successful.
I signed up for the ‘Superman Zip Line’ at 450PHP, the ‘Bike Zip Line’ at 500PHP and ‘Cave Spelunking’ at 300PHP. I was required to sign a waiver stating that I was in good health. And one totally absurd thing worth mentioning was that their sign said if you were menstruating, you weren't allowed to participate in the activities because they didn't want blood to get on the harnesses. And I was like, ............. ?!
I mean, really. Let's think about this. A harness doesn't touch that part of your body, first of all. Secondly, don't most ladies prepare well against leakage? Thirdly, if blood were to get on the harness, that would suggest one has bled out of whatever protection they were wearing, plus their undies, plus their shorts or pants and would have blood dripping down their leg(s) in order to get it on the harness. And if one is bleeding that much, they should be in a hospital getting checked out, not at a fun park.
I happened to be menstruating (TMI, I know) but it took everything I had not to walk back over to the desk on my way out of the park to announce that I was, in fact, menstruating and let them know that in no way did I mar the harness. So stupid. Anyway ...
I went spelunking first. They asked me to bring my phone because they didn’t have flashlights. Not off to a great start. I should’ve brought my headlamp that was sitting in my backpack in the hotel. Perhaps that was why the girls were trying to talk me out of spelunking.
I had three guides with me and the first thing we did was rappel down into the cave. Then two of us went inside. It was awesome! There were a bunch of bats at the start of the cave. We then had to go through a tiny hole to get into another part of the cave. It was too dark to get any shots but I enjoyed every moment.
There was a second part to the cave but the hole to go in was extremely small. The boys seemed hesitant and when I suggested we at least go and have a look, they followed. I agreed with them that it may have been a bit tiny and it certainly looked scary. That being said, had I had a secure headlamp on my head, I most likely would have gone for it. Unfortunately, one of my hands was needed to hold my phone as a flashlight.
After the spelunking, I went on the superman zip line. It was hilarious and not nearly as scary as I imagined it to be. There is another superman zip line over the Loboc River where I would be heading the following day and knowing me, I would be going for round two!
After the superman zip line, I got to ride a bike on a zip line. It was fun but a bit nerve-racking. The tires are made to stay on the line on their own but the bike wasn’t terribly sturdy. I was attached to the line above me had I fallen but it would’ve been a nightmare to try and get back on that bike! Anyway, I giggled my way across and back again. Near the end, there was a guy with a professional camera asking me to stop and do some poses so he could take pictures. I was a sucker and bought some. (100PHP/image) I mean, when will I ever ride a bike on a zip line again?
After I was done with the activities, the staff tried selling me more but I wasn’t interested. I was hot, sweaty and dirty and had had enough! I headed back to the hotel for some lunch. I ordered noodles with veggies and meat and had two beers. (380PHP) I watched some TV while I ate and relaxed in the restaurant.
After lunch I retired to my room without any motivation to go back out. I read for a bit and tried napping but had no luck. I then tried catching up on my journal and my pictures but the Wi-Fi at the Gonzala Suites was frustratingly slow. The place I was going to the following day was supposed to have fast Wi-Fi. Fingers crossed!
The rest of the day went by and I'm not really sure what I did with the time. My dinner consisted of spring rolls and a vegetable salad with a beer. (425PHP) I burned through two episodes of 'This is Us' before crawling into bed for the night.
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