We were in the middle of a very strenuous activity (Okay, we lazed around the whole day) during our trip to Bacolod when my sister told us about the piso fare of Airasia. We booked tickets to Cebu right away then sent a screenshot of our impulsiveness to our group chat in viber. My sister’s response was, “Let’s celebrate mom’s and dad’s birthday there then!” Her words were clear and simple but flying the whole family was a complicated idea for me.

Well we had to make it happen. So we did.

We were a little bit worried that the trip might be cancelled or ruined due to the horrible weather. Thankfully, some God somewhere was nice enough to hold the rain long enough for us to enjoy our vacay. Anyway, here’s a summary of what we did, where we went, and where we ate:

DAY 1 – Arrived in Cebu at 8:30 AM then travelled to Oslob for about 3 hours. Checked in at Hotel Sebastian, had lunch there, then drove to Tumalog Falls. Had dinner at the BBQ strip along the road near the hotel.
DAY 2 – Early breakfast at the hotel, swam with Butandings, went to Sumilon Sandbar, drove back to Cebu City, then checked in at Alba Uno.
DAY 3 – Bohol day tour, dinner at Seafood Island (Ayala Mall in Cebu), coffee and wine at La Vie.
DAY 4 – Breakfast at McDonald’s. Went back to Manila.

I’d say the trip went pretty well. We were able to do all of the things we said we’d do, visit the places we said we’d visit, but didn’t get to eat lots of lechon. There were no delays or major setbacks. Over planning and planning way ahead paid off. Aside from spending time with the family and taking a break from our busy lives, I’ve learned a few useful things from this trip:

1. Research well. Make sure you have the latest and active contact info of hotels, tours, etc. Read other people’s reviews. Watch out for promos and fine prints. Consider the location of your destinations. ASK ASK ASK..
2. On accommodations. Be picky, it’s okay. Ask questions, from the obvious to the small details. Bug them to answer your questions. If they answer, then good. If not, then they have crappy customer service and start looking for another place. Look at what they post online. Read about other people’s experience with that hotel. There are many wonderful accommodations waiting to be discovered, so many to choose from.
3. Book and reserve stuff ahead. You don’t want to get the last seat or the last room. You want to be able to choose freely. Ask for their payment terms and mode of payment. Make sure they send you the invoice as soon as you send them anything. Make sure they confirm your reservations through email or text. Document everything.
4. Delegate tasks. While I did most of the research, the whole thing wasn't as troublesome as I thought it'd be because everyone pitched in. it would've been crazy if I tried to do everything on my own.