The Perfect Place for a Summer Vacation

Wazzup Pilipinas!

When you hear the words “summer vacation”, what comes in to your mind? Exhausting weather? Wandering? Boring days? Messed up body clock? Here’s how I spent mine.

Last day of Junior Year, staring at my wrist watch, hearing the word “summer” echoing in my mind. And then I heard the dismissal bell ring. It’s officially the start of our summer vacation.

On my ride home, I kept on thinking what interesting things would and could happen during my two-month vacation: "Will we go to our province?",  "Will I meet relatives I didn’t know yet?", "Will we go to the beach?", "Or will it be tedious just like last year’s summer stay-cation?"

Well apparently, April was a staycation for me. My usual routine: eat, bath, household chores, read e-books, sleep late, wake up late and just repeat the process. I managed to finish reading Veronica Roth’s Divergent trilogy and Becca Fitzpatrick’s Hush, Hush series. They are those kind of books that would make you tell yourself, “Just a few chapters left, I’ll continue reading.” That’s why I slept late and screwed up my biological clock (My body clock is still messed up until now). 

Bangkok, Thailand: Seemingly Fast-Paced Tour of a Picturesque Country

Wazzup Pilipinas!

It’s been weeks since we had our vacation to Bangkok, Thailand. I’m seriously so sad that our trip is over, and how everything just felt too fast-paced and short during our three-day escapade. I wish we could have stayed longer, but it’s alright. Going to Bangkok, I had the chance to admire their picturesque country which made it the highlight of my summer vacation.

We totally lived our life to the fullest even though we did have a hard time trying to understand the Thai language, and I don’t even know how I managed to survive their food- everything was so spicy! I adored everything (literally), so sleeping for only about two to three hours was really worth it especially when you know that tomorrow is another day to explore and have fun. 

As soon as our plane landed in Bangkok, I can’t stop myself from smiling. My seatmate kept on glancing at me because I really can’t stop moving and I kept on poking my sister. I was really feeling giddy that day. I mean, who wouldn’t? We’re in Thailand! That's why we all went crazy taking pictures at the airport that we kept on posing as if we were models. 

Mount Tabayoc of Kabayan, Benguet: A Trip to the Fifth Highest Mountain in the Philippines

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Ten months of hard work, waking up early, doing assignments and reviewing for tests but only two months of rest. This unfair division of the year has been the culture not only to us, Filipinos, but to most of the countries in the world. But somehow, we have been used to it despite the unfairly-made situation made by the government. By the phrase 'used to it' doesn't mean there were no complains voiced out from us, instead we use this short piece of time to make up for the active ten years we've spent. This is where my story comes in, the days from April 18 to April 21 have become part of the highlights of my life. These days were filled with laughter, complains and adventure—and also don't forget the scratches and wounds.

The start of my summer vacation was idle until my father was invited in a mountain-hiking trip to Mt. Pulag, Benguet. This said mountain is known to be the third highest mountain in the Philippines but officially the second highest. I haven't yet experienced climbing a mountain before so I took the rare opportunity and insisted my dad to take the whole family–except for my younger sister and baby brother–to Benguet with him.

Fortunately, my dad loved the idea and got us there the next day. But by the time we got to Baguio, the meeting place, we found out that most of the other hikers cancelled their plan with my father's group and it turned out that the only people left were our family, my dad's friend and his wife. The plans were altered but the trip went on. The fifth highest mountain, Mt. Tabayoc, in Kabayan, Benguet was where we went instead.