From jam’s rat-up-your-pants surprise during the ride going to Irosin, I knew this trip was going to be eventful.

Surely enough, Caloy greeted us with rainfall on our arrival. Here we were, an overexcited bunch on a getaway five years in the making, and we were welcomed by the rainy season’s first storm.

Caloy does not know us very well yet. A storm’s not enough to get us down. As soon as we settled at Mig’s house, we went off to Bulusan Lake to, well, to see the lake and Mt. Bulusan. Next stop was the hot springs, which never fail to spark a discussion about Dante’s peak. Add some of Irosin’s giant ensaymadas and you get a lot more grins.

Since I just got my wisdom tooth pulled out, I stocked up on soup mixes, thinking I would have nothing but soup. But the moment someone mentioned ‘Bicol Express’ and ‘Tinuktukan’ during dinner, I knew that thought was out the window. Yum!

The storm brewed during the night, with a wind that went ‘whoosh’ and rain sprays through the window that go ‘haha! basa ka na!’. It was house arrest for us during the 2nd day, with no electricity nor water. Kamusta naman ang buhay probinsya? But with true self-entertaining Bugsy spirit, we passed time with our friends Poker, Psycho Game and Pinoy Henyo. (Btw, probably 70% of our photo ops were made inside our room. Haha.)

The third day brought light… literally. I couldn’t help but gasp, ‘SUN!’, once awake. We trooped the Dorotan private beach. My last days as a dependent were actually had a lot of firsts for me. For those who don’t know me, I’ve always had this morbid fear of the sea. For some reason, although I love Dory, sea+corals+fishes+me = love<->hate relationship. But thanks to Tidoy, Dana, Migs, Mace and the whole troop who put up with my whining, I actually got to dive and sea the marvels underneath, even if just for a few minutes. It was also the first time I got to play frisbee with my bikini-clad friends (sorry guys, you missed out). It was also my first beach-MTV (haha! eto nagagawa ng nawawala sa sibilisasyon!).

Fast-forward to day four: It was also my first time to attend mass in Bikolano. We were leaving Irosin that day, onto Donsol where the butandings await, commonly more known as whale sharks. No, they’re not whales, they’re sharks. For a sea-coward like me, this actually means a whole lot. What the heck was I doing swimming with sharks? Yes, they only devour planktons, but who said they haven’t got any other shark friends?!?!

But once our butanding spotter shouted ‘Go!’, all thinking stops and you find yourself jumping off the boat. You look down and sea the butanding swimming under you. Ayos! For those going to Sorsogon, you simply have to do this.

Then off we go home. The stop at Casagwa wasn’t originally in the itinerary, but it was a pleasant surprise nonetheless. The sight of Mt. Mayon was enough to dwarf anyone. You know that tiny church tower peeking from the ground in Mt. Mayon postcards? I never expected to see that up close anytime during my life; that really made my day.

Never mind that I almost niffed my first day at work. Never mind that I arrived 6 am at home to my frenzied family worried about the 9am shift I had that day. It was all worth it.

Here’s to Team Bugsy and to more adventures. :o)