Out Of Office--- Far and Away!!!!

    ******Part 1- Manila-Philippines******

This time the ultimate answer why we have chosen the Philippines is for two reasons. When I googled, best places to visit in March and April, this is in the top list of most visited places and secondly, as my budget is falling in its range with a wide variety of options. 

When we first started researching places we wanted to see in the Philippines, we had a list that would have taken nearly one and half months to get through.

 Like many people, we only had just eight days off from work to make this trip. So as you can imagine, we had to cut a ton of places from our wish list.

Many people highly recommend doing your local travels ahead of time. But my own experience is, you can easily sort out after going there and in fact at decent prices too. But you should be very sure of what to visit on a particular day.  But if you're strict on your travel time, then you may need to book in advance.

I definitely want to mention on travel safety here and just be sure that you do not carry unnecessary valuables in your journey which will definitely unease your freedom of travel. Also, I don’t put too much emphasis on traveler safety but yeah you need to be little careful about purse snatchers or taxi scammers. 

Always GO LITE with NO VALUABLES.

Day 1:

We are three (Meethali, Pravin, and Myself) started our journey from Dubai and reached NAIA terminals in Metro Manila(it's just the name of the place, but no metro over there :)) at around 1 pm local time. 

We planned to catch up our fellow traveler Yogi along with his princess Pari at Burger King, who landed a day before us and explored the Manila fun city. We quickly geared up ourselves with a Chicken burger, french fries and started to sort out our transport to reach the hotel at Mabini.

Believe me when I say that we understood the look of confusion on our faces now that we’ve landed in Manila :D :D

Regardless of where you land, the best way to get to your hotel from the airport is by Grab, or yellow taxi(metered taxi). Personally, We opted Grab mostly. They are prepaid taxis.(Same as uber/Ola)

 At a glance of the city, you will definitely like it despite its heavy traffic. 

It’s located near the commercial business district so there are plenty of shops, restaurants, bars, and convenience stores in the area. 

We badly need to fresh up after the tiring flight journey for 9 hours and relax for a while then had a plan to go for a bay walk which was just 5 minutes from our Hotel.So, ventured out of the air-conditioned hotel and into the streets of Manila.

We reached there to watch the sunset and then had a horse cart ride along the bay and of course a short photo shoot too, our usual ritual of any travel :D :D...

Manila has numerous white air-conditioned Toyota UV Express vans that follow similar routes to the Jeepneys, picking up and setting down passengers en route. The fare starts with P8 to P15 for shorter hops and P35 for longer rides. We decided to explore all local transports during the 4-day stay.

We took UV Express van to reach star city, an amusement park. It isn't advertised as a tourist attraction - we just saw it whilst walking the bay side and headed there.

We gulped some local steamed food, tofu, and momos over there before we enter the star city. 














It’s More Fun Here! (+ Inexpensive). We tried almost all the rides and decided to reach the hotel before 11 pm as we have a planned trip for trekking at Masungi.

Last but not the least reason to travel this place is that of MASUNGI, one of the places attracted me when I saw an online video about an year ago.

Day-2 MASUNGI…...

Masungi is 2 hours drive from the place where we were staying - Mabini, Manila.

We sorted out our transport for the next day just right outside the amusement park whilst waiting for a taxi back home. He agreed for P4000 return along with Masungi and Daranak Waterfalls which was indeed a very decent deal.

We headed towards Masungi at 7 am in the morning after grabbing a quick breakfast.

We reached 30 minutes before the schedule and started exploring the surroundings with little photo shoot :D... 

Now its time to gear up for the trekking,So we unpacked our sense of adventure, put on a tough traveler face and started listening to the instructor very seriously ( Instructor is speaking in Tagalog-Philippine language  though :P )

Each trial requires minimum 7 people, we were just three and so we opted for a shared trail. After looking at the fellow trekkers' attire, we started being more cautious, then bought hand gloves and applied sunscreen on all possible places :P :P Put on the helmet and followed the instructor. There are in total 9 highlights in Masungi wherein we have to trek all these.

When is the last time you hit the gym or even just exercise? I haven’t been to the gym since the beginning and I guess my last attempt at exercise is a two days brisk walk a month before around a pond near my house. Basically, I’m a certified couch potato :D :D So, I really don’t know why I made this Masungi Georeserve trip on the first place. This unfit girl just planned her ufffffff…

BUT FIRST, WHAT IS MASUNGI GEORESERVE..??

The below is all from the google though!!!!

According to their website, “The Masungi Georeserve is a conservation area and a rustic rock garden tucked in the rainforests of Rizal. Masungi’s name is derived from the word “Masungki” which translates to “spiked” – an apt description for the sprawling limestone landscape found within.

Don’t forget to bring your unfit girlfriends too, the more the merrier so that they will wait for you or carry you :D.

Go do your restroom before the trail. There will be no restrooms around so go empty your bladder. Bonus points, they have a pretty comfort washroom inside those rocks.

Wear your helmet. So in case you’ll slip or fall, there will be 50-50 chance you’ll be alive :D, Carry a very lightweight backpack just to keep the necessary things like a water bottle, sunscreen, shades, hand gloves.

The first obstacle is to climb a fishing net maybe around 15 feet height. Since you still have 100% of your energy saved up, this will be an easy thing even though you’ve never exercised in your entire life. 

 Just be extra careful in the top part because you really need to carry your whole weight to be able to stand on the edge. The view is nice up there though.

Get ready with your legs because you’ll actually start climbing up now. Don’t worry, there are dramatic spots along the way so ready your camera too!

At the top of the first mountain is the Sapot, designed like a spider web. This is one of the famous areas of Masungi. Below it is all limestones.

Had a little photo shoot as part of our reflexive action :D

There’s a narrow (good for 1 person only) lane you need to cross to be able to go in the middle. The Sapot is made of thick metal wires but it swings a little!!!

It is freaking high so if you’re afraid of heights, I advise you not to look down. 

But there will be also a lot of rest stops. So use it well.

Regain your strength here because the trail will start to be harder.

The Patak is the next area after sabot.

The mountain above is where the Sapot is. You just conquered one more mountain 

Survived part 2!! 

This is the hardest one on the trail, of course for me. From Patak, you have to climb up the net to Ditse (means second daughter).

The scary part is the climb down to hammock. Channel your brave soul here!

The one in our back is where you will climb down to the hammock. It is suspended between Ditse and Tatay. You are not afraid of this, maybe because the view will drive out all the fear. It is so green and beautiful.

After the hammock, you’ll explore the cave, the name is Reuben. It is dark inside so bring out your phones for some light source.

Tatay (Father) is the tallest among all the peaks in Masungi Georeserve. It is a long way up to the top and this is where my whole legs are almost giving up. 

 I’m so tired to even click my camera. Bring chocolates or energy bar or anything that will give you energy. You badly needed it on your trek to the peak.But the view from above is priceless! It is an endless green and mountain.

(The mother)

On our way to Nanay (Mother), I’m quite sure I’m just dragging my legs to move forward, one after another. Unlike Tatay, Nanay offers so many rocks where you can sit and even hammocks! True to her name, this peak will offer you rest before you end the trail. Even in nature, mothers are nurturing and loving.

Nanay is the last stop on the trail. And it’s time to climb down for your complimentary food – which is just sandwiches and juice.

We are done. We were stumbling down until the car and had taken some photos with the staff over there. They are quite friendly, helpful and are very patient during the entire trek.

Here you go!! They awarded us with a certificate of completion of the trek.

We had a plan to visit Pagsanjan waterfalls and we could not make it because of our limited time. So, we opted for Daranak as its quite near to Masungi.

We were in dilemma whether our body will support to head towards Daranak, Waterfalls. It is the less famous but more impressive Falls and a great alternative for nature lovers. We opted this as water is the best healer and would take away the fatigue and offers a rejuvenation.

When you get there, be ready to pay PhP50 for each person.

One of my fellow travelers saw a scorpion inside water. That's it, no way m going to step into the water. We took a tire for 30 P and I was floating on it till the bottom of the waterfalls. We had a little photoshoot and started back to the hotel, Manila.

We thought our body definitely requires a massage as we have one more trekking tour the very next day. I have opted for a full body massage and hit the bed keeping everything ready for next day trip.

Day 3:

A trip to Taal Lake is a must for anyone heading to Manila but be warned, it needs bucket loads of patience.

Its Just 50 kilometers from the south of Manila, the second most active volcano in the Philippines and the smallest in the entire world.  Its a kind of wonder, imagine a volcano within a lake and an island within a volcano.

We left our hotel at seven in the morning and traveled for around 2 hours. Eventually, we entered a small town lining the lakefront. after 10 minutes wait we got into the boat crossing to the crater within the crater. This volcano is unique for its small island in the middle.

The crossing took around 20 minutes. If you wish to avoid the hike, you can pay an additional 500 for a horse ride to the top. The number of the horses were just as many as the number of tourists visiting this tourist spot. 

We opted to hike as we estimated it would be less than 2 kilos :(. But it's around 5 km long and the trek was so exhaustive, might be because it was a consecutive day of trekking.  The weather was too hot and dusty, but little refreshing due to beautiful views on the trek to Taal Volcano.

And finally, we made it! Seeing the crater lake was worth the hike! Undoubtedly it is spectacular with serene waters.

On the right side of the terrain is what they call the red lava area.  There is an additional payment of 50 pesos for its entrance fee but it’s definitely worth it since you get to be closer to the crater and have a perfect backdrop.  The area can be reached by a 10-minute hike.  As usual, we stayed for a little while to do some photoshoot. 

Remember to be cautious as there are no railings on the side, so watch every step as the path is steep and dangerous.

We are back to the same lakefront where we took our first boat. It's time to eat !!!

My legs almost gave up by then.

This is such a spontaneous road trip in search of food actually and finally decided to go to Picnic grove after setting up a side trip deal with the cab driver for 1000 peso.

Picnic Grove, one of the popular tourist destinations in Tagaytay City. It has many built-in cottages and greenish and completely hilly surroundings. This recreational area is just perfect for family gatherings ...

It started to get a bit cold and super windy at noon. It has almost all types of fun pony rides, zip line, and cable cars a wide variety of food stalls, Fish spa, adventure zoo wherein you can actually touch many of the animals and can do a photo shoot, and many souvenirs shops.

Had a sumptuous lunch after the tiring trek.

Then its time to relax!!!!! and so We opted for a relaxing fish spa for around 40 minutes followed by foot massage as well. 

After that, We did the zip line which is 300 peso per person. 

We had to make a few stops just to take the beauty of nature in and stare at the scenery of blues and greens. It’s so relaxing! 

Day 3 come to an end with sequential herculean tasks.

We decided no more hurry burry restless tours and the last day in Manila, we wanted to explore on our terms and conditions.

It started as a lazy day and after our regular breakfast, we started in a Jeepney (local transport) to Intramuros. We just paid 8 Peso per person.

Intramuros, which means City inside the walls, the walled city, has a long history. You can see its former glory in the ruined and empty buildings, and those that have been preserved and are still in use. The streets here are quiet, making it a pleasant area to stroll around.

Be careful with the tricycle riders as they try to mislead you. We got to know from other tourists that they lend out eco-friendly bamboo bikes 200 pesos per hour. We decided to take a two-hour cycle.

We started with Casa Manila same place as in where we took the bamboo bicycles.

We then entered a museum where they preserved not only beautiful paintings but also some old walls. This place looked quite interesting. we were wondering where to wander next,

and then we moved to Fort Santiago, ruined though. We did the little photo shoot. 

Then moved to Manila Cathedral and San Agustin Church. These were huge and beautiful. It would definitely take you back in time. 

Then we had been to San Diego Gardens. This has an entrance Fee of PHP 75 per Adult.

This place was really pretty – the only problem we had was the heat of the sun. We were tired and hungry when we went here so we rested in the shade for a while. It was peaceful. We were also able to take pictures, have fun and admire the place. There’s so much to see in Intramuros. We ended our tour here and returned the cycles as we were too hungry and the sun was hot, but the ruins were beautiful nonetheless!

We had sumptuous Filipino and Indonesian lunch at White Knight Restaurant and then we decided to explore china town to do local shopping.

The world’s first China Town, located in Manila, the place is a maze of hustle and bustle, traditional food, vendors etc and prices are too low. We shopped our souvenirs. Though traffic is very congested, get close to the vicinity and walk around the streets to discover the fantastic offers of Chinatown. There are cabs, three wheelers for hire with very affordable fares.

 It's time for us to wrap up for the day and hired a three-wheeler to reach CASINO at a City of Dreams Manila. 

But unfortunately the luck on this day was not so great, so we neither lose nor won much.

However, we all went again on the day of our return to Dubai. since we have a kid in the group, we went in batches to play. We got their FREE membership cards. 

Each membership card already comes with a free P300 worth of credits. Since our Japan trip, we haven’t tried playing at a slot machine yet, so decided to give a try. I was not lucky for the first few minutes and took a little swing and earned some points. My fellow traveler with a click of one bottom got bonus plays. His lucky stars were shining so brightly that night :)

We were personally so shocked with this gesture as we never won any lucky draws. Intoto, we won P 13,000. We thought it would be too greedy to continue and we quickly cashed out and stared happily at all the money :D If only it was allowed to take photos inside a casino, we would have probably taken a jump shot :D :D 

Headed back happily to catch the flight and had heavy lunch in the airport lounge, grabbed a couple of beers and slept. It's a long flight again and reached Dubai safely.