My Dolphin Encounter

One of my childhood wishes fulfilled!


When I was a child I always wondered how dolphins are like. There were times I got to see such adorable creatures both in their natural and man-made habitat but never got the chance to touch that glossy grayish sometimes pinkish skin of theirs. (IDK why I got curious with dolphins...but don't u find them so cute?! :)

When I was younger my parents brought me to an ocean-themed park. I got so thrilled when I found out they offered a dolphin encounter but , sad to say, I was not able to do it since it was a bit expensive. I did not cry out loud or force any of my parents to let me do it for I already understood the value of money back then. So I just let that opportunity pass me by and just included it on my "Wish List".

Now that I'm all grown up and starting to earn my own money, I promised myself that I will save for a dolphin experience and finally do it. After contemplating of going solo travel for this experience and mentioning it a couple of times to my mother and failing to actualize my plan...(blah..blah..blah), luckily this month my father had a convention at the nearest place that offers a dolphin encounter. Without any hesitation, I told my parents I'm definitely joining the trip. (So...GO!GO!GO!)

YIPPPPEEEE!!!

So the day I've been waiting for finally came. (Thanking GOD for this moment O:)) To be honest, even though I was so excited to meet dolphins and brush "fins" with them , I still got a little nervous. (Well, this usually happens when I'm about to do something awesome.LOL)I just got a little scared how the dolphins might react to our actions. (Funny, since dolphins are known to be friendly mammals,right?!)


And here she is....Guys and Gals, meet my new friend Hailey! She's around 10-12 years old now. Weighing approx. 270 kg. (Not body shaming,ok?!XD).She's so warm and friendly that I want to take her home with me.:)

A little trivia about Dolphins: Did you know that their skin sheds every 2 hours? So no big amount of microorganism can thrive on this pretty dolphin. (Now I know why their skin looks so glossy. Hello there,beauty junkies! The secret is still to EXFOLIATE! ;)

What's their skin like?
It felt rubbery but smooth which makes you want to pet them all day. It has this gelatinous substance too that is said to protect their lovely little eyes .







Dolphins are so playful and lovable. They let u hug, kiss, and tickle them. And oh, did I mention that they even let you ride on their tummies?!( Awww...I wanna do it all again!)

How about u? Do u have a childhood wish u want to fulfill? Do it now! Do it sooner!:)

<3,

Jia O:)

PS: It's almost summer time and most of us will be going out for beach trips, island hopping, etc. Please do not be tempted to throw your trash in the waters when you don't see garbage bins around. I suggest you bring an extra bag for your trash and throw it on the proper areas. Sea creatures,like dolphins, may die from suffocation or consumption of our trash. They are too cute to just one day become extinct. (Like the white rhinoceros that was on the news a couple of days ago. :() Also, if you see any fisherman still practicing dynamite fishing, do report them to the proper authorities.(In the park where Hailey lives, there's a disabled (deaf) dolphin who can no longer go back and survive at sea because of dynamite fishing.)
"If we cannot help solve the problem, at least, let's not contribute to it."
Happy Summer 2018!

"Kawa Wantusawa"

Hi!

Summer is just around the corner and I’m glad that I and my family got to visit one of the many “instagrammable” resorts in Samal Island, Philippines. It was actually my birthday when we visited the place so I had the chance to enjoy it with the fambam.















This resort that we went to was filled with mangoes all over the vicinity. The set-up was something that instagramers would definitely enjoy.The resort was decorated with furniture pieces that would make your feed instaworthy. Life quotes were also posted all around the area to bring that positive vibe.

If you’re someone who would just like to relax, the resort offers spa services: manipedi, body massage, etc. But one service that made them popular in this part of the city is the Kawa Hot Bath. (Kawa is the Visayan term for cauldron.) You will be taking a bath on a cauldron with fire burning underneath. (Bwahahaha!!! :o) But don’tcha worry, the fire would just be on one side of the cauldron which you should be careful not to touch. The process is quite tedious but the resort staff will take care of it.

The Kawa Hot Bath would take around 45 minutes to prepare so you have to inform the attendant beforehand. It comes with a free drink for the price of 300 pesos/ Kawa. The maximum number of persons per "Kawa" is only 2 but if you ask me it would be more comfortable if you use it solo.






If you’re the adventurous type, this resort houses the entrance to the Japanese Cave in the island. This cave was said to be created by the Japanese soldiers during the World War. When you enter the cave you will find some fossils inside. They displayed bullets which was said to be found inside the cave and all other stuff which were labeled accordingly. We only got to explore only a portion of the said cave since going beyond the tunnel which we entered would require us to wear a headlight. We paid only around 55 pesos instead of the original 75 peso price since we didn’t really go through all the 6 tunnels inside it.

The place was nice but like any other establishment it also has its downside. One, the place has no access to the beach front. (However, they have an improvised swimming pool inside the resort.) Also, the fact that the place is being surrounded by mango trees make it a breeding site for many mosquitoes. (So, you better bring your own mosquito repellant.) Another thing which I think that they should work on is the muddy ground. When it rains the night before your visit expect your feet to get all muddy. Some workers even have to wear boots to go around the resort.




Speaking about workers, the receptionist during the time of our visit was annoying because she kept on asking us to pay even before we could sit down. Considering that we were many and we came with a private transportation, she should not have worried about us escaping without paying the bill. (We understand that she was just doing her job but she should have done it in a nice way.) It became irritating when she kept on asking me for the payment like literally every minute while we were still just checking out the area.

I hope this resort improves the next time we come and visit. (2 out of 5 stars...Peace out!) Have u been here lately? Feel free to leave a comment.



<3, Jia O:)