I Fell in Love with Dear Old Bukidnon

The travel time from Mukas to Bukidnon is roughly 4 hours after a 30-minute barge ride from the port of Ozamis. Lucky for us- me, Arts, Kat and Jen- we were spared from the exhausting bus ride since my friend's mom was kind enough to lend us their car. It was a quiet ride. Arts slept like a babe in the passengers seat while Kat dozed off beside me. Traffic has not congested the road yet and the blur of the scenery that was moving past us is a different kind of beauty in itself. I could just feast my eyes on the enormous lakes and the mountain sides. The familiar traffic reemerges along with the day to day lives when we arrived in CDO. We made a quick stop in Ket Kai mall to pick up the rest of the gang who flew late- Tin, Choi -and Geear ,who had to ride a boat to CDO and some supplies. 

Then we're off to Bukidnon. Upon seeing the winding roads ahead as we exited the road leading to Barangay Dahilayan in Manolo Fortich I couldn't help but feel the excitement ran through my travel-weary veins. The anticipation of what's to come is roaring in my bone-tired body-  tired from the lack of sleep from the previous night. The road leading to the Camp is not well-paved and its dusty but it only added to the appeal of dear old Bukidnon. Along the dirt roads are rows of young pineapple plants that goes on and on bearing their God-given crowns.

attempting the obligatory "jump shot"

You'll pass by this iconic giant Pineapple landmark somewhere along the road reminding you that an enormous plantation is just ahead.

Upon reaching the vicinity of Dahilayan Adventure park we checked ourselves in the Kubo Huts @ Saddle Ridge Camp and hunted for lunch. The huts are adorable, no pun intended! Best part is it's really cost efficient for only 1500 php for 3 to 4 paux.

We met a new friend while waiting for the food. I call her Suzie yet I'm not really certain if there's a lack of dog balls thereof. Boy how glad I am that Suzie is as tamed as a carpet rug when we started browbeating the crews for a really lousy service. 

  

First thing that got my attention are the Horses. Damn those beauties really do belong in Bukidnon. Young boys shy of 12 years old expertly riding a trotting and galloping horse is just another normal sight.  After lunch  we got ready for the the adventure park.  Yeah, baby!! Carbs plus adrenaline is a great combo when you need all the energy you can get to survive those rides! Then it hit me. I was enraptured by the  scene laid  out for me. Cliffs surrounding us with rolling green hills on the edges and towering pine trees . But nothing beats the freshness that fills my lungs when I breathe the cleaness air I've ever tasted, so far.

That's Tin and Arts on the picture. Shamelessly destroying what could have been the money shot. But I forgive them but not as much as I forgive my hand :)

I could just live here forever.. with cable tv and wifi, of course. Or how am I supposed to update  the blog? I bet arts could also live here, if the good entrepreneurs of Bukidnon decide to build her coffee shops and movie houses. Or Te Jen and Tin could live here if our gov't decides to build satellite labs here; that's malls for Choi; The One for Kat with her quiet dark places and as for Geear, he can live anywhere. 

We head up to the Park and purchase the tickets for the Unlimited Zip-line, first.  Gear up, baby!! It's gonna be one bumpy ride!

And I ain't joking around:

What the fudge, right?! But that's how they do it in dear old Bukidnon. U gotta experience it all or nothing at all. The only way to get to the first Zip-line is through a death-defying 3-5 minute ride in this ATV with a reckless-for-hell of a driver giving you a complete yet insane experience- Dahilayan style! If you cant see whacked-in-the-brain crazy fun on that video then I will feel sorry for you and your sense of adventure. 

Then comes the Zip-lines. I never fully understood the concept of acceleration until I did the superman Zip-line against Kat- a.k.a The Skinny B. Boy! Superman himself couldn't haven been much faster. I was like a bullet train and the whole time a little voice inside my head is wondering how the hell should I stop?

One of the nicest background view I've seen taken from a running Zip-line. Good job pre!

- to be continued- 

****Next in I fell In Love with Dear Old Bukidnon are the heart-stopping Dropzone and the cozy bonfire bonding. :)