You know that video where people are climbing nets, crossing a giant duyan, and posing on top of a spiderweb-like platform that's been on Facebook for almost a year now? If not, well, you're definitely missing out! That beautiful place called Masungi Georeserve happens to be close to my hometown - Baras, Rizal. Here's a video to see how our adventure went:
Masungi Georeserve only allows 17 groups 7-14 people each day if I'm not mistaken. They start at 5:30am for those who would like to catch sunrise during the trek. We booked our reservation about a month before and didn't find any weekend availability. There was only one spot left for the weekday we opted to go, so we sent our request form to Masungi via their website. Waited a couple of days to receive a reply from them asking us to send a deposit. It took a while before they got back to us so I suggest give yourself plenty of time to book your reservation ahead especially if you don't live in the Philippines as you can only communicate to them via email.
The trek took about four hours for us to complete but that already included picture taking, breaks, and other stops. The group before us was a large one so we kept stopping and waiting for them to finish in some of the areas. The trek starts at an ascend to the famous spiderweb-like platform seen mostly in pictures and videos. The view was breathtaking! The web can hold about 15 people because it's made of industrial steel wire. It was still scary to walk on though! It moves whenever you step on it. Underneath the web are rock formations similar to the ones in Palawan. They got their shapes through time, wind, and rain.
The trail was not too difficult but at the same time challenging. We had to climb up and down net contraptions. At first, I was so scared to climb down but it ended up being my favorite obstacle there! There's also three suspension bridges there with the last one being the longest. The trek will take you to both Nanay and Tatay so you're able to see the captivating views they offer.
The steps were narrow and steep. We were told by our guide that all the steps/blocks used for the trail were manually carried/brought there by people! That's thousands of steps we're talking about. Aside from the narrow trail, the passageways are the same. There was one that we all had to walk like a duck!
Looking at others' pictures, the giant duyan didn't look that scary at all but being actually on it was kind of a struggle. I'm not one who's good in balancing thy self so you know how that went. Haha. It's situated on treetops. When you get there, try to not focus on being scared of what's underneath but just take a breather and appreciate what's below and around you. You'll be mesmerized!
There's also this cave called Yungib ni Ruben which was named after the person who discovered the place. It's so nice inside. Thank goodness for the helmets they made us wore to protect our heads because I definitely hit mine a couple of times. The last part of the trek is called the Liwasan which serves as a bird bath for the inhabitants there in the georeserve. They also have an area wherein you can relax and eat the snacks they prepared for you. We picked it at the time of the reservation. The options are egg salad, tuna, and chicken spread. They also serve you water, juice, and bananas.
The cost for the trek is Php 1,400.00 each person with a minimum of 7 people so if there's less than 7 people in your group, you still have to pay for the entire cost which is Php 9,800.00. Masungi Georeserve is located at Kilometer 45, Marcos Highway, Rizal, Philippines. Visit them at http://www.masungigeoreserve.com for reservations!
About a week ago, I was just in Japan eating sushi, drinking maccha green tea, visiting shrines, being a part of the infamous Shibuya crossing, adoring the Harajuku girls, and just learning everything I can about their culture. This is definitely one of my favorite trips I've ever gone to. Although, the beginning of the trip was something I wouldn't want to do again. Here's the quick story of my Japan trip together with the pre and post events.
Grabbed from my Snapchat: kymskie
Coming from my 12-hour night shift (7pm to 730am), I went home, took a quick shower and finished packing my suitcase. I knew I would be so tired that day to pack so I started packing three days before the trip but unfortunately did not finish and I ended up regretting it. Luckily, I was able to squeeze in a quick nap before I had to drive to the airport - 2-hour drive from my house. I got to the parking garage and left my car there. Once I arrived at the airport, I just dropped off my bags as I already checked in for my trip online. The 11-hour flight to Japan was not so bad at all. I just slept half of the flight but once I woke up, I was not able to go back to sleep. I just watched movies and listen to my Spotify offline. When I arrived in Japan, I opted to go to my hotel via their rail/subway system. It was a nice experience but the very first time I bought my ticket for the train, it felt really overwhelming. Good thing there's an English translation option for the kiosks. I reached my hotel, took a shower, and immediately went to bed.
My first day in Japan was consisted of walking, walking, and a lot of walking. I bought a sim card from BIC Camera to use for the rest of my stay and activated my JR Pass (which was very useful). My first stop was the Shibuya crossing but unfortunately I was not able to the a photo of it during the day. I chose to just live in the moment and not focus too much on taking photos and videos. I had coffee and then headed to Harajuku. So many kawaii stuff there that I didn't want to leave! Sanrio ad Disney overload! I wanted to buy everything. Haha. Harajuku is also famous for their cute desserts such as crepes and ice creams.
Across the exit from the Harajuku Station
Crepes crepes crepes
The next stop was Akihabara - the land of discounted electronics in Tokyo. There were so much feels in that place! Brought me back to my childhood by seeing Sega, Gundam Cafe, and other anime characters. I enjoyed walking around the area. I reached the infamous Cure Maid Cafe located in one of the floors of Don Quixote but the line was insanely long! I ended up looking for a place to eat and then went to the Tokyo Metropolitan building.
Akihabara
View from Tokyo Metropolitan Building
My parents and grandma arrived that night from Indonesia. We had dinner with my uncle who lives in Saitama together with some of their friends. The next morning, we joined a group tour to Mt. Fuji and Hakone. Unfortunately, we were only able to to go tot he first station due to the snow that occurred the day before. It was still an amazing view to see though! Some people hike up to Mt. Fuji during the summer but it requires a lot of training.
Mt. Fuji
It was such a long and tiring day but definitely worth it! We rode the bullet train bus home to Shibuya and had an Izakaya dinner which was very filling. The next day was dedicated to just walking around Shibuya and some shopping. We went to Don Quixote which is a discount store that basically has everything you could think of. They are open until late night too. The one we went to operates from 1000 to 0400 in the morning. Bought a lot of snacks to take home and some Dolly Wink eyeliners. Everything in Japan is so kawaii!
Breakfast view
Hachiko Statue
Of course, we couldn't pass up some ramen from Japan. We tried Ichiran Ramen in Shibuya which always seems to have a long line any time of the day. It was great! You're able to customized your ramen, pay for it, and hand the order ticket once you are seated in individual booths.
Seating chart in Ichiran
Extra green onion and mushrooms for me!
When my parents and grandma flew back to Indonesia, I stayed in Japan for two more days and decided to do a one-day trip to Kyoto - which was not enough! Kyoto used to be Japan's capital. It's very unique and different from Tokyo. There's not much people walking on the streets. Very quiet and traditional. It was raining the whole day but there were still quite a few people who were in the tourist areas. I just visited the Fushimi Inari Shrine and Arashiyama Bamboo Forest. It took me a while to take my photos due to the people passing by but they're so nice, they even offered to take it for me!
Tori Gates to Shinto. Each are donated by organizations and companies.
Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
Aaaaahhh writing this post makes me want to go back there ASAP! I'd love to come back and visit Osaka next time. To end this post, here are some random photos I'd love to share from my trip.
Last week, my family and I drove to San Luis Obispo to visit Hearst Castle and the vicinity. We stayed overnight at Sycamore Mineral Hot Springs' 3-Bedroom Guesthouse and oh boy, it was indeed a beautiful place to stay at. Sycamore Mineral Hot Springs is located in the Avila Valley surrounded by the beauty of nature. It's walking distance from the beach, has accessible hiking trails, and multiple hot tubs. What makes this place unique is that each room/suite has its own private balcony/patio and a hot tub with low sulfur mineral water.
The guesthouse had a full kitchen, dining room, balcony, and two hot tubs. I forgot to take a picture of the hot tub because of too much excitement so here's a photo from their website.
Photo grabbed from http://www.sycamoresprings.com
I was kind of bummed that their Meditation Labyrinth was closed. It didn't even say on their website that it's been closed since February 2014 and there's no exact date on when it's going to be open again.
Photo grabbed from http://www.sycamoresprings.com
They also offer pilates, yoga, and tai chi classes in their Healing Arts Dome. If you're up for relaxation, try their spa treatments but be sure to call early for reservations as they tend to get full fast. They also have Hillside Tubs that can be rented in an hourly basis and it's open to guests and non-guests of the hotel.
Overall, it was a really beautiful and serene place to stay at. Very relaxing and quiet. Although, it might be nice if they renovate some parts of the hotel especially the guesthouse to make it look new. Here's a short clip of the guesthouse tour I took with my GoPro.
