We were finally able to take a family vacation at Puerto Galera over the weekend. Conne has been egging me all these times to try Puerto Galera out, and so, off we went.

This was sort of a post-valentine date, family vacation and celebration (Conne’s promotion to manager-lvl2) – rolled into one – event.

Conne, CJ and I had lots of fun. And we thank the Lord for giving us the opportunity to have a safe and wonderful trip.

Cheers!

Today was a pretty rough and tiring day.

My boss called me up last night, on short notice, to inform me that I was slated to go to a client’s office in Subic Bay for a meeting early Monday morning.

I left early in the morning, a little over 6AM to head to the office and meet up with my boss to get some materials. Thereafter, I had to drop by Eastwood City in Libis, Quezon City to pick up a business partner, who turned out to be a former college schoolmate of mine. We then headed off to Pampanga, which was along the way to Subic Bay, Zambales to pick up another business partner. (Note to Self: Wake up earlier you lunkhead!)

The drive was long and traffic was unexpectedly moderate to heavy, which slowed us down even further. We ended up reaching the client’s site, an awesome facility nestled between the sea and surrounding mountains, after 4 hours of driving. My Toyota Innova, “Puti”, ended up battered underneath by rocks and boulders on patches of unpaved road strewn across a scenic, winding mountain pass heading to our destination. I wished I had one of them 4×4 Ford Expeditions or Toyota Fortuners so I could just plough through with ease. (Note to Self: Start saving up for that 4×4 you’ve always wanted!)

After spending much time trudging through high security protocols and miscommunication mishaps involving language barrier, missing key personnel and lunch breaks, we finally had a chance to meet our clients face-to-face at, oh, a little over 2:30PM! (Note to Self: Start catching up on some basic Korean language skills.)

Suffice it to say, we were on the road again in 45 minutes. ‘Twas another 4 or 5 hour drive back to Manila. The drive home would have been uneventful had it not been for the highway patrol pulling us over for having a busted left head light, oh man! But, lucky for us we were only given a warning! ;-P (Note to Self: Have that headlight fixed!)

I dropped off my colleagues along the way and picked up Conne, who had been waiting for me at her office, about half past eight and headed straight home. It’s a wonder CJ was still up waiting for us. :) (Note to Self: Thank God for a wonderful family He’s given you!)

To summarize my day, it was: 10 hours driving, 2 hours waiting, 30 minutes eating lunch, and 30 minutes meeting. And the rest? Some quality time with my family, of course! :) (Note to Self: Stop whining, you crybaby! It was worth it!)

Cheers!

These pictures were taken last May 12 and 13 at the Kabayan Beach Resort in Laiya, San Juan, Batangas.

——
Related Blog Entries:
Directions to Laiya, San Juan, Batangas
Kabayan Beach Resort – San Juan, Batangas

Related External Blog Entries:
Gerald Manalo’s Blog: Kabayan Beach Resort
Gerald Manalo’s Blog: Kabayan Beach Resort Version 2

My family and I had a lot of fun at the Kabayan Beach Resort in San Juan, Batangas last May 12 and 13.

In our opinion, the resort’s facilities, in terms of space and ambiance, are better suited for family and group outings than that of the Blue Coral Beach Resort, where we held our company outing, which is situated roughly half a kilometer away from Kabayan. Even though the rooms at Blue Coral were better looking than that of the simple yet cozy Kabayan rooms, the Blue Coral beach front was too cramped for our liking.

We definitely recommend Kabayan Beach Resort as one of the places to go to in Laiya, San Juan, Batangas.

Update:
This has turned out to be one of the most popular pages in my blog and a lot of readers have been asking about the rates, amenities and facilities of the resort.

The resort area itself is quite clean and well maintained. Facilities-wise, they have a playground, an aviary, a chapel, fresh water swimming pool, gardens, multi-purpose hall, restaurant, souvenir shops and a convenience store.

Some of the amenities or activities offered by the resort include beach volleyball, kayaking, cove hopping, snorkeling, hiking/trekking, billiards, and massage.

We particularly liked the fact that big trees supply decent shade from the scorching sun throughout most of the “inner” resort area, except when you’re at the beach area, of course.

The rooms/cottages are clean, well maintained and have air-conditioning and cable TV. And we also liked the fact that you could bring your own food and not be charged with corkage fees or other charges like what other resorts do. Some of the cottages even have their own kitchen, complete with cooking equipment and a refrigerator, and all you have to do is bring your own cooking ingredients.

If it’s a Sunday, and if you’re religious, a priest actually comes over to celebrate mass at the resort’s chapel. Which is quite good, since you won’t have to worry about hurrying back home to hear mass. (No excuses here, ha!)

And if you’re finicky when it comes to the type of sand the beach-front has, the downside is – don’t expect it to be the powdery-white, Boracay-type sand variety. Taking a stroll while barefoot can sometimes be a challenge.

All that being said, I can say that the overall beach vacation experience we had at the place was pleasurable and worth repeating.

——
Related Blog Entries:
Directions to Laiya, San Juan, Batangas
Pictures – San Juan, Batangas Outing – Kabayan Beach Resort