"A php21,000 worth it Experience"
About 150 Second Year Hotel Restaurant Tourism Management students of
the St. Paul University Philippines participated in their field trip to Puerto
Princesa City, Palawan on July 30, 2012 to August 2, 2012
DAY 1 (JULY 29) -
The local tourist-students from the St. Paul University Philippines
went to Metro Manila today with use of four (4) Florida Trans buses. Leaving
Tuguegarao at 6 o’clock in the evening of July 29, our trip was delayed due to
change of the damaged bus we rode on at Sta. Fe, Nueva Vizcaya. On our way to Sta.
Fe, I felt dizzy. However, my and other students’ dizziness was not felt anymore
since we sang songs in our Sta. Fe to Manila travel.
DAY 2 (JULY 30) -
From Sta. Fe, we went directly to the Manila Domestic Airport where we
arrived thereat at about 7’o’clock in the morning. We ate our breakfast and
waited for our Philippine Airlines plane which took off at 8:00 o’clock.
We arrived at Puerto Princesa City about 9:15 AM. We checked in at the Legend
Palawan Hotel, My roommates in our Room 405 were Jude de Asis, Charlomagne Tanguilan,
Jed Reyes, Dee Jay Mamba, and RJ Casino, With the “eat all you can” hotel rule,
we ate to our satisfaction our favorite and other dishes. Instead of resting,
which should be needed because of the long trip, we went swimming at the
Hotel’s swimming pool for 5 hours . After resting, I and my roommates went shopping
at the Robinson’s Palawan for foods and
snacks and for stocking in our refrigerator. After we went back to the hotel, we
attended a seminar about fine dining. In here, we learned how to eat properly
and many more. Then later, we had a tour inside and around the hotel. We slept
at around 1:30 AM.
DAY 3 (JULY31) -
We
ate our breakfast and we were satisfied again because of the hotel’s eat all
you can policy. After eating, I and my room mates raced back to our room. We
agreed earlier that the first to be in front of the bathroom will be the first
to take his bath. After our bath-taking, we changed our clothes to start our
day’s tour. We joined our respective tour groups. Our bus number was 10, and
our tour guide’s name was Kuya Buds, a small and bald guy, but expert and funny
tour guide. In our first stop schedule, we had an island-hopping in Honda Bay, In
the first island we went to, many of our classmates went for snorkeling, but I,
Charlomagne and Jed didn’t snorkel because we felt lazy. I was then in my pants
and rubber shoes. After that, we transferred to Pandan Island where we had our
lunch; under the eat all you can ruling again. It was then raining in an “on
and off” condition. After eating, we went back to the Honda Bay Port. Later on,
we had a city tour. First, we went to Gov. Abraham Mitra’s house, and later to the
Baker’s Hill to buy some “pasalubong” like hopia, and other foods. Later on, we
went to the “tiangge”/store to buy other “pasalubong” like souvenir t-shirts,
key chains, etc. After shopping, we went back to the hotel. However, I,
Charlomagne, and Jed went back to the “tiangge” to buy other “pasalubong” later
because during the first time that we went there, we didn’t want to buy yet
because there were too many people. After shopping, we went back o the hotel to
have some rest. We later had our dinner at Puerto Princesa’s in-demand
restaurant, The Kalauis. We ate crocodile sisig, which to me is a delicious
delicacy. After that, we went back to the hotel and had a meeting where we
talked about the underground river tour: whether or not, we will go. Our
teachers announced that we are not going to the underground river anymore because
the weather is not cooperating, and to avoid possible accidents. I was very
disappointed. All our classmates were also disappointed because we all wanted
to see one of the wonders of the world. Nevertheless, I and many of our
classmates agreed that we will not go there anymore. It is OK for me not to see
this wonderful and much talked about river.
I’m not blaming our teachers as they are most concerned about our
safety. After the meeting, we went back to our rooms very disappointed. To ease
my disappointment and sadness that time, I went to the room of my female-friends,
namely, Contesa, Mae, Nica, Hannah, Excy, Mica and Coleen. There we ate and
ate, laughed and laughed and talked and talked. It’s a good thing to have many
girl friends, not “shotas”, of course. After that, the rest of my friends went
to sleep. Excy, Jude and Mica later asked me that I treat them with banana
splits. After ordering and eating the splits, we realized it was already 2:30
in the morning, so we decided to sleep.
DAY 3, AUGUST 1 -
When we woke up this morning, we received information that there were
changes in our revised tour schedule for Day 3: we will pursue the original plan, which is: the
continuation of the trip to Puerto Princesa Subterranean Underground River. We
were all very happy and excited.
After breakfast, we rode in a van in going to the Underground River. I
felt dizzy again that time. On our way,
we saw beautiful mountains, the avatar, the elephants, etc. When we arrived at
the port, we rested first and waited for
the boat which would bring us to the Underground River. The waves of the
sea were high and the current was strong when we arrived at the bay of the 8.2- kilometer underground river, with use of a hired
a banca. As I was seated at
the front portion of the boat, I was holding the flashlight. But, I was annoyed
because I was not able to hear the voice/announcements of our guide. After we
entered the cave, we saw at the entrance and inside the caves the biggest stalactite
and stalagmite formations that were naturally formed by nature thousands of years ago. As we went on, we saw many
animals including bats, big lizards, different monkeys, squirrel and even some
snakes on the sides of the caves and on the water. After we finished
our tour in the Underground River, we rode again in a boat. While we rode on, a
big wave splashed at our boat, so the boatmen had to remove the water inside
our boat. On our way to the port, it
rained causing us to be wet. Then we rode on a van back to the hotel. Our
teachers organized a socials night for us where they hired a live band. While
we were eating (eat all you can, as usual) the band played. I was not feeling
well that time so I slept early. My roommates and co-local tourists enjoyed the
party all night long, while I was sleeping.
DAY 4, AUGUST 2 -
As I woke up today, I
realized it is already our last day at Puerto Princesa. After breakfast, we
packed our things, then we went to the airport.
We checked in our pieces of baggage, and waited for the plane to arrive.
When we arrived at the manila domestic airport, we waited for our buses. Then,
we went to the Mall of Asia for a shopping spree from 3:30pm - 8:30pm. At the
Mall, we met our former High school friends, namely, Michelle, Alexa, Khloe,
Jericho, Bryan, and Paolo. We had good feelings and were very happy to see each
other again after some months of not seeing each other. After our bonding with them, we went back to
our buses and went home to Tuguegarao
CONCLUSION -
As a conclusion, I am happy to
have joined the trip to Puerto Princesa where I saw one of the world’s
wonderful places. Although it was a costly trip, I have seen much, leaned much
and gained much. The trip gave me and other HRTM students additional knowledge
needed in our course and more wonderful and unforgettable experiences.
SOME OF MY PHOTOS IN PALAWAN:
