The Crazy Super Viking Ride of Tagaytay

Come, fly with me!

I remember the first time I rode an extreme carnival ride. Davao City, early 2009. My friends and I were at Mary Rose Carnival. It's a mobile carnival - it travels across Mindanao assembles by its own self (loljk just kidding)!. Mary Rose Carnival aka Enchanted Ma-a previously occupies on what used to be a vacant property adjacent to NCCC Mall (S&R Membership Shopping currently occupies the former location of the carnival).

We then tried the Sea Dragon (or Pirates Away to some theme parks). I am not acrophobic but this ride had taken its toll on me. I got completely terrified, at the same time excited after that ride, well blame it to adrenaline rush.

I never thought that I'd had the chance to ride it again, this time on different a location, occasion, and with different sets of people. Nonetheless, my latest extreme ride experience was truly remarkable. It felt like it was still my first time.

The Much-Awaited Tagaytay Adventure

12th of January, 2014

After the grand announcement of our place of assignments, my batch mates decided to bond for the last time before reporting to our respective facilities tomorrow (huhuhu #SeparationAnxiety). 30 new ATCs (too bad, not all of us didn't attend this grand getaway... we're 53 by the way) of the country invaded Tagaytay!

Not to mention that almost all of us were Tagaytay virgins. Oops.

Hello, 2014!

The First Davao Torotot Festival. Photo by Jeff Pioquinto, SJ

2013 had finally took off and we welcomed the new year with a bang. 2013 has been a good year for me, when it comes to career and self discovery.

So, how did you celebrate your new year? Well, I celebrated my new year here in Davao City, where firecrackers, sparklers, and even sky lanterns are strictly prohibited. But hey, Davaoeños are innovative. This year, we set a new record for having the most number of people who blew horns (torotot) simultaneously for ten seconds. Congrats, Davao! And to give you an idea, here's more or less how Davao looks like on New Year's Eve:

Davao City at night. Photo by jeffte

Here are some things to look forward this 2014:

In Retrospect: Year 2013

Enlightened.

As the sun sets, the sky radiates beautiful red and orange rays. We always wanted our day to end up like that. But before witnessing such amazing phenomena, one must experience the harsh realities of the day - the searing heat of the sun, air pollution, and other distractions that would hamper one's activities. In the end, what matters most is how you overcome all of it. I'd still call it a beautiful day.

That is how I'd like to describe my year 2013. It was indeed the longest race I've experienced so far.

It's Good to be Home This Christmas

The sunrise and the sharkie. Aboard PAL809. Turning final for ILS RWY 05 approach.

Happy holidays everyone!

How did you spend your Christmas? Well, I went home last December 21 because we were still allowed to have a break since we were not part of the shift complement yet, but once we have our permanent facility deployment, we are not allowed to file a leave from December 15 'til January 5. But the most challenging part of going home this holiday season was beating the holiday rush.

Florida: The Ultimate Family Holiday Destination

Florida beach landscape. Photo courtesy.

Is Florida the ultimate family holiday destination? According to the millions of visitors who flock to this sun-soaked corner of the States every year, the answer is a resounding 'Yes'! So what makes Florida holidays so special - and why is it the be-all and end-all of family holidays?

Missin' the Long and Winding Road

If you are an avid reader of this blog, you will notice that I seldom publish post about my travel stories. For the sake of updating this blog, I include the progress of my new career as an air traffic controller. Well, it is still part of my journey, the adventure of my life.

The Cessna 172 Experience

Inside the Cessna 172

Controlling air traffic at a particular facility (whether aerodrome, approach, or area control), is not a piece of cake. Before giving clearances, the ATC must be knowledgable about the local traffic procedures to ensure the safe, orderly, and expeditious flow of air traffic, the different aircraft performances, and a whole lot more. Pilots, on the other hand, rely on the voice of an air traffic controller before executing such actions.

But I've always wondered what it feels like to be inside the cockpit of an aircraft.