It was already 6:30AM! I overslept because my alarm clock didn't feel like waking me up that day, so I arrived at the bus terminal almost three hours late. When I saw my groupmates, I was so close to blushing for feeling a bit guilty and embarrassed. Mariel, on the other hand, already had me tagged in her FB status, telling how pissed she was because of me being late. Everyone scrambled to find a good seat in the bus, while I, on the other hand, didn't bother looking for mine since I was already sitting on something – it was called the “Hot Seat”, so I just shut my mouth after saying a few sorries. The ride to Magpayang was an hour long. Most of us were not really into road trips because of our motions sickness so we thanked God for not dragging the trip even longer. For the moment, we stayed at a local restaurant where we decided to have our breakfast. Suddenly, it started to rain. It made the whole trip a bit harder and messier, literally. We occupied two trikes on our way to Kasili Resort in Mainit. Every puddle that our trike rolled on sent splashes of cold and nasty mud on our clothes. We thought we should've worn something for “Function” rather than for “Fashion”, like hiking boots and raincoats instead of rubber shoes and skinny jeans. To our dismay, Kasili Resort had no vacant rooms for the moment. The attendant told us that we should've called them for reservation, and that we should've done it at least two days prior to our arrival. I looked back at my friends and realized Ate Lizil's eyebrows were already merged into one, while Cherry and Karen looked as if they were about to cry. I, too, couldn't look at myself in the mirror next to me, I thought I might pass out just by looking at my then disintegrating body. To our relief, the attendant told us that there'll be a vacant room around 4PM. The only problem was if we were willing enough to wait –which wasn't a problem at all. We decided we'll just return to the resort after our nature adventure. After all, we didn't mind bringing our luggage with us as long as we don't end up spending the night on streets. Our first stop was Tugonan Falls. The ride up there was the best and the funniest, I must say. We rode this so-called “skylab”, a local vehicle which is actually a motorcycle with wooden seats extended on both sides. In my skylab, I was with RichJean, who was the most pessimist of us all and was just screaming “Papa Jesus” all the time. We also had Lito and Lyndon on board who were sitting on both wings with such finesse and glamour. But deep inside, I knew that both were already frightened by the ride, especially Lito, whose insides probably tangled every time the skylab tilts to his side. He looked like an overgrown tarsier hanging on a branch for dear life. No wonder he let out a big sigh in relief after the long way up. Tugonan Falls was far better than what we've pictured it out. Our “TakTak Falls” in Siargao is nothing compared to it. It was indeed one of the best things that I've ever seen in my entire life and I loved every ounce of its beauty. Lito stood side by side with Lyndon and had a “Pose-Off ”, a game wherein the players would have to outstrip each other in striking different poses in front of the cam. I, together with Deborah, Dawn, and Armilyn, took a dip in the swimming pool that actually felt like liquid ice. It was so cold it sent shivers to my spine. For the record, it was the coldest pool I've ever been in. Our next destination was Mapaso Wellness Hot Spring. We didn't have a hard time getting there since we already had an informal contract with the skylab drivers who took us to Tugonan. They said we'll just give them a call when we're done and they'll come running in no time. The hot spring was very relaxing, though it felt like fire the first time I went in it. Even though the water looked muddy and smelled rusty, the warmth of the spring will still make you want to bathe in it. According to Lola Maria, one of the locals who bathed with us, the hot spring came from a dormant volcano nearby, and the water looked muddy because the rain had washed off soil particles from the mountain down to the spring. When we returned to Kasili Resort, our room was already organized. It was bigger than what we thought it would be. 6 double-deck beds were arranged properly in the room and toiletries like shampoo and soap were placed on each bed, ready for use. It was fully air-conditioned as well, not bad for Php200 per head, per night. After eating out, we decided to call it day and hit the hay, except Lito. He stayed in the lobby, still fascinated by the abundant array of foreigners he was hoping to flirt with. The next day, we decided to hit the road home. But we promised ourselves to do it after a big, extravagant pool party.