As the month of May is about to end, the new school year is about to open, and the rainy season is also about to start. I was thinking of a quick summer session that can relieve my stress and help me prepare for the new set of challenges with regards to my work.





Given the fact that we only have two days off, I devised a summer getaway that can be fitted in these days. A quick search in www.google.com and www.yahoo.com leads me to two choices; Batangas and Zambales. As I see it, Zambales is much public transport friendly than Batangas. Since I don't have the luxury of owning a car then Zambales is the best option for me. After choosing the place, I look for some resorts that are in close proximity to each other just in case I need to transfer because of reasons like being fully booked. After hours of selecting the optimal resort, I settled to choose Bakasyunan Resort and Conference Center in Iba, Zambales.

Armed with a mobile phone, a GPS MAP application, and a data plan. I am ready to go. Below is the list of commutes in order to reach my destination:

• My Get go bus company when traveling is Victory Liner – Pasay Terminal, the earliest bus bound to Iba is at 5:30 AM using the SCTEX route. Don't ride the regular bus routes, SCTEX will save you 2 hours of travel time! We arrived at Iba, Zambales at 11:30 AM. The fare is Php387 per person. We disembark in Iba Victory Liner Terminal and since it is almost lunch, we decided to eat first.
• Checking my Map like a pro, the resort's distance from the terminal is around 6km. We can ride a jeepney to the place but to save us from asking the locals what and where to ride. I just chose to ride a tricycle, there are many of them lining up outside the terminal so there is no issue of finding one. Since this is a special ride, the fare is a bit expensive. We paid the hefty price of Php100 for that ride. However, when I asked around about the fare it is around Php30, so by using Math, we are Php40 over the regular. The difference when riding a tricycle is you will arrive at your destination point blank. Not having to walk several meters at around 12:00 NN under the scorching sun!

I asked the reception regarding a running promo I saw on their website and asked if it still available. Fortunately, it still is. We opted for that particular promo for 1 day and 1 night inclusive of 3 meals. After filling up the paperwork, we are then guided to our room, and after patching things up. The next thing I did was to sleep! Yes, you heard that right. I slept for about 2 hours. BPO employees will be able to relate ^_^. Waking up at around 3:30 PM, we decided to eat lunch. After having that hearty meal, I decided to take some pictures of the place serve as a memory and proof that I've been there.

Bakasyunan Resort and Conference Center Images













Aside from the Resort's beach and swimming pool you can also try their other services like Pedal Boating, and ATV ride to spice up your stay. It has a separate fee though.

When night time came, I just drank some booze (after we ate our dinner of course), having nature as my background while contemplating life. Since our stay is just for a day, we woke up early at around 5:30 AM to utilize the beach and watch the sunrise. Going in early has its advantages like; we own the beach since we are the only ones taking a dip., and avoid the tendency of getting sunburned. After having our fill with swimming, we decided to call it a day, have our breakfast before buying some souvenirs and head back to the busy streets of Manila.

• The distance from the Resort's entrance to the main road is about 300 meters. Along the road, there are buses plying to Olongapo and Jeepneys to Iba. But our plan is to ride a bus straight from Iba to Pasay. So we waited for one and fortunately enough there was one! However, the problem is they are not picking up passengers. Not to miss the chance that the bus is a SCTEX route, we hailed a tricycle to Victory Liner Bus Terminal, this time paying the correct fare amount.
• Lucky enough, we arrived first at the terminal and the bus followed around 5 minutes later. Without further ado, we embark, chose our seats, and sleep for the whole duration of the travel.

We arrived in the main city refreshed and ready for the next set of challenges!

Travel Fare Details:

• Bus Fare Pasay to Iba, Zambales – Php 387/person
• Bus Fare Iba, Zambales to Pasay – Php 387/person
• Tricyle Fare – Duped – Php 100/2persons
• Tricycle Fare – Real – Php 60/2persons
• Jeepney ride around Php 16/person

Resort Details:

• http://www.bakasyunanresort.com/zambales/
• They also have a resort in Tanay.

- Your Life In Perspective -