My 2014 in Review

Thanks FB for the Year in Review, but I'd rather list down important things, not based on the number of likes or comments, but what's really memorable to me.

So, here's my memorable 14 for my 2014:

1. I celebrated my 30th birthday doing stuff for other people (I think that's a very good reminder that I'm not just a grown up but a matured woman looking after the welfare of other people). So, I celebrated my 30^th (almost) every month… ^,^

play time with the baby CyD

2. I welcomed a new man in my life -- no, not yet that man -- it's baby CyD!

3. I've been using Sun Cell's freebie and this year, I finally bought a smart phone.

the beautiful Calaguas shore

4. Finally I was able to go to Calaguas -- 5 years in the making! It's my best beach bumming destination so far.

This year also brought me to the wonderful Biri Rock Formations in Samar -- an amazing display of God's majesty.

5. I tried something new this year -- wakeboarding. It was not a success, but I enjoyed it.

6. I tried something weird -- civet coffee, whose beans passed through the civet's gut.

7. 2014 also brought me to my first out of town professional lecture – in Chong Hua Hospital, Cebu City -- and a major speakership in PhilSPEN's SINGs.

8. I had the most toxic cycle menu this 2014 -- a Renal Diabetic Diet for 4 weeks! @,@

9. This year, our family bid goodbye to Apo Conrado.  We also lost our furry love -- Scrappy Doo.



TS Glenda's aftermath in our backyard

10. It was my first time to experience the not so usual blow of mother nature. When typhoon Glenda hit Batangas, it was the worst I experienced. The wind was so violent, then we had no electricity for almost a week, and water was so scarce, you can't have it even in restos.

Another unusual was our flooded street day before Christmas.

11. Our family was able to invest in real property -- an answered faith goal for 2014.

12. My life (death) plan was completed this year, then I started another life insurance.

Baby Cydlings in sidera

13. This year’s Christmas vacation is my longest -- and my most workaholic. Our tiangge experience is really something!

14. In 2014, I said yes… to some… thing!

The best is yet to come -- for me, my family, and friends -- this 2015. ^,^

Malapascua Island

happy feet in Malapascua

This one's our first stop for our #AVinEV Adventure.

Malapascua Island is a small island of the municipality of Daanbantayan in the Northernmost part of Cebu Province. It's mainly a diver's island known for the thresher sharks and manta rays.

Activities:
If you're not into diving, enjoy Malapascua's marine life by snorkeling. (I think Sumilon & Sombrero Island offer a lot better snorkeling experience.) There are (table) coral reefs and fish sanctuaries, and a Japanese shipwreck. If you don't have your own gears, the resorts usually have rentals. Or you might just bump into a boatman who'll offer you the island tour with the snorkeling gears included.

The Japanese shipwreck is located near this watchtower. 

Other activities in the island include jet skiing, kayaking, and wind surfing. The island's white sand is also inviting for beach bumming, and some sunset watching.

Aabana Resort has a wide nice beachfront.

How To Get There:
It is recommended that you go as early as 4 in the morning so you'd be in Malapascua by lunch time. Ride a bus to Maya Port from North Cebu Terminal. Non-aircon Ceres bus costs PhP163 per person. From Maya Port, take a boat to Malapascua Island. This costs PhP80 per person, but you may be asked to pay PhP100 if there are only few passengers. This happened to us, and it's OK rather than to wait for the boat to be fully loaded (around 16-20 passengers).

Maya Port was affected by typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) but it's already functional