Team Offsite: Baler Encounter

My team is always planning to have a weekend getaway, but as we all know, planned activity never happens. Rounding up everyone for discussion seems impossible, especially that everyone have an idea where to go, what to do, what to bring, how to go, and the outcome is nothing.

As much as I wanted to have a weekend getaway on my own, I decided for my team to tagged along with me (wink, they didn't know it). So in my not so busy time, I created a presentation and hacked our weekly team meeting and present my planned getaway. Chose the dates that most, if not all are available and stick to it.

Then everything comes in breezyy...

Not really 😐, initially we decided to go to Real, Quezon, but since, I have not been there and knowing them, I opted to choose Baler, where I know the place and everyone else doesn't, so I have the upper-hand. It's my weekend getaway after all.

ON THE DAY:

We need to meet and leave Makati by 1:00am. Being everyone are all excited, and someone made an "on-the-day" change of plan, we left at 2AM. Stop over at first Petron Station in NLEX and wait for the rouge team member (you-know-who). 😄

The road to Baler is a lot of fun, when communication is supposed to be easy, but with us it's the hardest thing in an out of town activity. 

2 Cars, 
2 Ways,
2 Groups with different understanding, where are the others really? 💁💁💁

So, no waiting and no convoy. Let's meet in Baler at the resort. Done.

Along the way.....

Selfie challenge!

Welcome to Baler!

Check-in and do some random things, like walk the shore, play with waves by not getting wet (use your imagination 😉) and just enjoy the beautiful Sabang Beach.

Team FCS-EUC 

We took a little rest until lunch time, and took our lunch to the nearest food stop we have seen. We are all famished. Order everything we think we like to eat and just eat it all out.

Feeling full, we are ready for some activity. 

Thank you to Waze, for being our Baler navigator all the way.

To Balete Tree. Waze is always reliable. But somehow the way was cut-off, probably because of the recent typhoon that hit Aurora province, which gave us a little fun. Well since everyone is a driver and everyone has something to say. Glad that a motorcycle rider passed us and showed us how to get around. 

To Ditumabo Falls. I've been to the falls and being with someone from Baler before, we don't need a guide. The route is always the same. To my surprised, that we are stopped at the entrance (like tourism checkpoint) and told us that the route was changed because of the recent typhoon, and we need a guide. But, no route was changed. Tsk. Tsk. (personally, it's okay to have a guide, also for the locals to have a little income, but not tell us any reason otherwise). 

Since, I trek (I'm sporty, wink) and have been there trice, the trail is a walk in the park. But for us to have the fun that we always have, a lot of whining and complaining are being staged (as I see it) for them to make me feel guilty of the physical activities I put them in. 😁










My response: "Walang pilitan na nangyare. Kusa kayo sumama."

...and the purpose of it all: Surfing.
Surfing all we want (the ones who knows how to swim) with the unlimited waves Sabang beach has to offer.

Prepping for the waves 👍👍👍

We had our dinner at Thelma's Kitchenette and the foods are delicious. Recommended is the halo-halo.  
Back to the resort, the boys have the drinking session, I joined for a while, but I'm too tired to stick with them. 

Goodnight.

ON THE NEXT DAY:

The sunrise will be at 6:00AM so I am up early to wait to witness. I urged the boys join my sunrise moment of admiration. 

Then, we had our breakfast at the resort before preparing for our drive back to Manila. Since almost all of us have planned activities back home.

Good Moooorning Beach! 👧

We left as soon as everybody were ready.
We had our lunch along the way, chicken party at KFC, NLEX.

and Home Sweet Home.

✌✌✌✌ Peace Out ✌✌✌✌