Tired... sleepy... excited... I'm feeling a mix of emotions. May 29, 2023. It is the day our team is traveling to Cebu. 

It is my first time going to Cebu, although I've shown interest many times to my uncle, who lives there, that "I WILL SEE YOU IN CEBU." 

The last time I was at the airport for travel was in 2019 (I arrived early enough not catch the COVID virus - whew! I'll share with you about this trip in my next posts.) Not much has changed except that there is now Terminal 4. Although we arrived early, the time we had to wait for breakfast before the flight was too tight. That was because we would board the plane on Flight Z2 759 at a different terminal. We had to exit at one of the available gates, and we will be transported via bus to the aircraft. I always hate it when I have to board or embark the plane on the stairs. I mean its okay for connecting flights that I had to transfer from one terminal to another, but boarding and embarking - I am never a fan.  

Anyway, I enjoyed my flight though - it's my first time to be seated at the EXIT row, and I slept the whole flight - did I mention that my BP before boarding the plane was 165/100? Yes - I was also having high blood pressure, and I was so uneasy - thanks to the flight attendant who assisted and delighted me with a bottle of water. I somehow felt relief.  

After an hour, we landed in Cebu - it was rainy, I felt more tired and sleepy... at this point, I am just thinking of jumping in bed and sleep in the next few hours. But when we arrived at the Airbnb, they were still cleaning, and we had to come back after 1 pm. I poured the rest of my energy into breakfast, walking - exploring the streets of the Ayala Center of Cebu - I felt like I was in BGC but in a tiny version, hahaha because the roads are narrow and it was easy to find one place after another.    

Then came the afternoon, the moment I had been waiting for - we checked in at the Airbnb around 1:30 pm. Choose our rooms and bunks - after setting up my work station - YES, because we are a VA and we can bring work while we travel (I love this perk in my job!!!). I went straight to bed and woke up in the evening before our shift started. 

Traveling with Sam and the team is very rewarding - I get to experience the front row of Sam's vision for VTMEMBER and his words of wisdom. We learned everyone's work habits. We basically learned something new and inspiring about everyone. 

Next day, well after our shift at 6 am we went on a tour. here goes our itinerary: 

Sachiko's Little Kyoto - it is a very beautiful place. I love nature, and it feels warm, energetic, and full of life when we are there. It resembles some places in Japan - Kyoto, and highlights its must-visit spots. It's like Kyoto in a mini version. 

Temple of Leah - I heard this was owned by the family of Ellen Adarna. We didn't much enjoy our time here because the temple itself is under construction. We just saw a few rooms with antiques and mostly statues - nude statues, I should say. It was fun going there because the view from the top of the mountain meets the sea, which is so nice and breathtaking.  

Taoist Temple - Ahhh! My first time visiting a religious temple. And my first time praying like a Taoist. It was a high climb from the stairs, and I couldn't believe that I still had the energy to enjoy the tour despite the night shift. 

Sam had to catch a flight the next day, so we just hung out and stayed home until the afternoon. We took him to the airport and sent him off. 

We now have the time to ourselves. We visited my cousin's coffee shop - The Not Today Cafe, even though I don't drink coffee. I just want to see them and visit them while I am there because - who knows when I can come back. 

That night, my friend Star and his husband came to see me, and cooked us Tinola for dinner. We enjoyed the dish and even had some more until the next day for breakfast, until we packed for check out. 

It was our last day. We were on different flights, and I was the last to leave. Star picked me up from the airport and took me to a few more places in the city. The Lapu-Lapu Shrine ot the Mactan Shrine. I finally got to visit a historic place in Cebu, where I found out that it was the exact port (it was a river), Lapu-Lapu had fought Magellan. Reliving history in my memory, as I understood in the books, made me feel blessed on this trip. 

It was a great opportunity to finally travel in Cebu and meet my relatives and friends. I haven't seen all of it, and I am definitely going back... Thank you, AirAsia, for taking me to Cebu and bringing me back home safe, blessed, and fulfilled. 

If you want to travel in Cebu - alone, with family, and friends, send us an email at vonarktravel@gmail.com.