Rain or Shine, you'll love the City of Legazpi!

Hello! This would be my first post in my blog, I do hope that I could post more of my travels here. :) 

I decided to create a blog because i'm so sick of uploading everything on Facebook. I can only get few likes and comments but there's something that I think is missing. I want my posts and travels to be seen by those people who also love travels and adventures, people whom I can learn from their experiences and people that I can be of help. :) I am no expert but if you guys have question, ask away! :) 

Let me start my travel book. I and my girlfriend, Edzell, decided to make out of most this long weekend (August 21-23, 2015). :) This started when I saw a promo in Cebu Pacific where I have bought our one-way ticket from Legazpi airport to NAIA Terminal 4 for only Php 400. Yes that's already the total - all in- for both of us. :) Our (or my) original plan was to go to Donsol, Sorsogon to see and dive with the whale sharks.. But as I search, it seems that whalesharks are hardly to find during this rainy season. They abound the sea of Donsol during summer. I actually bought a GoPro Hero4 Black because of my excitement to see whalesharks and for me to capture every moment of diving with the gentle giants. 

Instead of going to Donsol (which I promised to visit next summer if I can see promo again from airlines), we decided to see the full glory of Mt. Mayon (this was supposed to be my first time to see the volcano). We also agreed that our itinerary should include hiking the Mayon Volcano. We're both occasional  hiker just so everyone know. :) We draft an itinerary wherein we will climb Mt. Mayon atleast up to it's Camp 2. As per my research, it can be the last stop of hikers who'd like to climb the volcano up to its crater. Our stay in Legazpi is only from Aug. 21-22 and we cant afford to hike the volcano up to its crater because it requires so much time. We will not be able to see some other must-visit places in the city and nearby attractions if we'll push through to see the crater.

Sorry if I am so detailed of story :) This is my first time to post and I think it is just normal to post everything on your first try. I might be able to learn to post like a pro blogger in my next travels. Just give me this one guys. :)

Moving on.. because we can't see any cheap flight bound to Legazpi, we took Amihan Bus in Cubao (located in Philtranco Bus Terminal, alongside of Vista Hotel just beside the MRT-Cubao Station). Edzell asked the ticket booth how long will the travel would take, and they range it from 10-12 hours. We took a bus that would leave the station at 6:30 PM. I hurriedly left my work after 5 PM to my fear that I would not be able to make it before 6:30 PM...to my luck I made it at around 6:00PM. :) The bus left the station at around 7:30 PM and its sooo damn late. The bus is just a normal public bus that you can see in EDSA. I'm expecting a bus that's more comfortable like those buses bound to Batangas Pier,they are more bigger and more comfortable. With more than 5 bus stops (there's sooo many bus stops, I actually lost counting), we arrived in Legazpi Central Terminal at 9:30 in the morning. It was almost 14 hours of travel, Edzell and I we're so exhausted and tired already (and we're not even started).

Amihan Bus
Photo credits to the owner, i forgot to take picture of this bus..

We ask someone where we can find a fast food nearby and he instructed us to walk to a mall where we can find what we're looking for. We're actually not looking for a fast-food chain because we decided to eat only local restaurant that offers local dishes. Its just I believe that I can see local restaurant if I can see the downtown (that's why I ask for a fast-food because it's always in the downtown). We kept walking looking for a local restaurant. I saw the Pacific Mall, and I'm really amaze on the size of this mall. Although we didn't enter the mall, I'm really impressed in its size by just looking at it. We have no mall of this size in Bulacan. We kept walking and we see the LCC Mall. We're seriously hungry by that time and we already walked a very long road just to see one local restaurant. I decided to look for a LandBank ATM first so I can withdraw my budget during the trip. After looking for minute or two, I finally saw one ATM (just in front of St. Raphael The Archangel Parish Church and Mary Grace Restaurant (I was able to see the ATM with the help of an old kind man).

We ate our breakfast in MaryGrace restaurant, the food that we ordered actually tastes good! We rest for a while there and started to create our Plan B. Our Plan A is to hike Mt. Mayon, since we came late in Legazpi (we're expecting to be in the city at 4AM-6AM), and it rained while we're eating, we decided not to hike for some safety reasons ofcourse. :) I am not dissapointed of our decision not to hike though, I would love to hike but a good hiker knows when is the right time to hike:) Just because we want to hike doesn't mean we should hike. We're not nearby our home and family so we should be extra careful. One of the best lesson I learned in hiking is that knowing when to stop. Life offers you adventure, you can try to take it all, you can try to dare it all, but you can't do it all. Learn when to stop and start again. That's it! :)

Breakfast @ Mary Grace :)

We decided to take an ATV Adventure instead, I called Your Brother Travel and Tours to ask on how we can go to their place, but to my surprise they will go to our place (Mary Grace) and they will pick us up. I didn't expect that. :) They are already in our place in just 10 minutes after my call. We rode their pick-up car and go to their headquarters. They briefed us and without further ado we started our ATV Adventure!:) The guys in Your Brother Travel ad Tours knows how to handle their customer. I have had not the time to bother asking, they will provide you all the information you needed. They will also provide you all the necessary gears for you safety. We agree to take their Advance ATV Trail for Php 3,800. I actually surprised that they are also offering their customer a GoPro, that's a good offer for some who don't have one because taking photos and videos in GoPro while on this kind of adventure is really worth to share! 

Our tour guide, who rode a single motor, during the start of our trip asks if we do have mobile phone so he can took picture of us while me and Edzell are taking the maneuvers of our 300cc ATV. It was really good to know that there's someone is taking pictures for us.hehe He also borrowed my GoPro and take a video of us while we're in the trail. He do really know how to handle gadgets and that's already a plus points! 

Rain or Shine Activity!

After taking the trail, we finally reach the 'Base Camp', there you can climb the 2006 Lava Wall and take a Zip Line. What's good in the Base Camp is that it have a good CR and a little Sari-Sari store where you can buy cold drinks and snacks. The price in the store is not too much expensive, I'm expecting it to be a little expensive from the normal price. There's also an entrance fee in the Base Camp, Php 50 each.

We climb the 2006 Lava Wall, it is not too high (atleast for us cause we already climbed mountains) but it is rocky..very rocky. So you need to be more cautious in your every steps. The view in the Base Camp is breathtaking, although during my visit I didn't see Mt. Mayon in its full glory, I can say that it still rewarding to be on her feet. Up in the 2006 Lava Wall you can see a helipad where you can run and jump and walk without worrying of the rocks around you.

Atop of 2006 Lava Wall - Sooo many rocks!

At the Helipad

That's me!

I do really love the view.. :)

After the trip, we rest in Your Brother Travel and Tours for awhile, they offered us cold towel. Cool!

What really amazed me is that they will also bring us back to the city, we do really felt special/VIP in their service. No hassle :) 

After resting for a while in the hotel, we decided to go to the Cagsawa Ruins. I asked the security guard of our hotel how can we go to the ruins, the guard called a tricycle nearby and we took it. My biggest mistake on this part is not asking Google instead on how we can go to the ruins. We arrived at the ruins and the tricycle driver asked for a P250 fare, I tried to bargain price and we agreed that I will pay P200 instead.. I don't know if this was really the fare, but I think that's too expensive. 

I was really impressed on how organized the Cagsawa Ruins is. I was thinking that I will only see a typical church ruin, but I was surprised on how the place was maintained. You can also buy souvenirs and local delicacies in the place. I tried their Ice Cream with chili for P50, and for the people who likes spicy foods, it tastes good! 

We headed back to the city to have some walk around the downtown. The city is really unique. I love the city because we never had an experience of traffic, and generally it is clean. :) 

Before dawn we walk from the downtown to Sibid-Sibid Restaurant. Although I forgot to take some pictures, I'll never forget how their food tastes. It is a must-visit restaurant in the city! I consider the dinner in Sibid Sibid as one of the highlights of our visit in Legazpi. :)

I guess I'm not really good in writing/blogging, but still I'd like to thank you for reading this! :)

Bye-Bye Legazpi! Wait for me to come back! :)