attalife

Wednesday, December 23, 2009 | Labels: bukidnon, dahilayan, travel, zipline, zipzone

Zipzone at Dahilayan, Bukidnon, does not only live up to its name – it goes beyond all expectations. The resort is situated at a lovely pine-dotted and forested area, cooled by fresh mountain air.
The zipline, the main attraction, was a wonderful experience. We took the less challenging rides – 320 and 150 mtrs. (only P200.00 for both, or approximately $4.50, and well worth it!). We thought the rides would be scary, after all we’d be hanging from a cable and literally zip down the line towards a far-off point. But we hardly felt scared. First, the equipment are very sound, even to the untrained eye. Then, there are the staff. They were very professional, clearly knew their stuff, courteous yet fun. I’m sorry I forgot to take their names, but the guys at the launching pads oozed confidence and they enjoyed what they were doing, despite our many questions and jokes. Kudos to the management for having such well-trained people manning the resort.
The rides were unforgettable! It gave me a new appreciation for nature, to be able to enjoy it from above, with an unhindered view. I expected the trip to be fast, but it was more of a glide rather than a zip. There was ample time to enjoy the thrill and the view, despite these being the shorter rides.
Our group of nine ‘girls’, Amy Aquino-Aladano, Emily Omaña-Ebarle, Joy Dalagan-Acedilla, Noemi Cagadas, Leah Lim-Cinco, Gemma Cuerqis, Gatgat Solon-Cue, myself, and our very generous sponsor Imelda Cagadas-Hobbs, all had our fill of fun. And we all thought we should have gone for the 840-mtr ride, too! Ah, well, something to look forward to, on our next visit. Because we are definitely going back!
Oh, and we managed a good deed for the day – we got to know a sweet girl, Rowena Palmos (hey, Rowena, get your pic here!), who was so scared she refused to take the ride at first. We convinced her that she could do it, and Gatgat paired up with her while we all cheered that she could do it. And she did! And she enjoyed it! By the time she got to the 150-mtr ride which she had to take solo, she had totally overcome her fear.
After we were done (of course, with lots of photoshoots in-between!), we dropped by at Camp Philips to buy some pasalubong and visit with Imelda’s cousins, eat sweet corn, all the while with Emily quizzing Dodong our driver on whether or not it is true that “basta driver, sweet lover.” Apparently, she is doing a thesis (wink, wink), and needed to conduct a survey. Either that, or we needed entertainment on the way home, LOL.
By the way, those who are going there for the first time – go early, bring lunch, and don’t forget your camera. The lines can get long. If you arrive there at 10:00 a.m., there’s a possibility you won't get a ride until after lunch if many people are waiting before you. There’s no restaurant in the place and the only food available are chips and instant noodles. Don’t analyze the height and risk too much. Just let go and have fun!
And something more to look forward to: the Obstacle Course -- for those who are gluttons for punishment!