Breathtaking Balakayo
10:35 PM14. May. 2015
Little did I know that I will be having an adventure-packed afternoon today.My friend Phillip picked me up from China (my office) and informed me, the moment I slammed the car's door, that we are heading to the Fifth Mountatin of Balakayo in Barangay Olympog and that we will be "accompanying" the staff of Rated K for a look-see.
Having lived practically my whole life in Gensan, I still am a stranger to my land. We had to go and get my husband so he can show us the way. Apparently, this is another #Kapalaran for us courtesy of Phillip and his love to promote the tourism industry of our City. How can I resist such a noble cause? And so off we went to faraway Balakayo.
When we arrived there, we were greeted with an awesome birds eye view of General Santos City and a warm welcome by the owners of Fifth Mountain Adventure Park.After being interviewed briefly by Rey - Rated K's segment writer, Mr. James Betonio showed us around.
We were informed that for one to reach the place, s/he can hire a habal-habal from downtown Gensan for a fare of about P100 per person, and pay an entrance fee of P30 to enjoy the scenic landscape from the park.A swimming pool is on its way to the finishing stage and construction of amenities like gazebos and cottages are underway. The Fifth Mountain adventure park is a good place to hold activities like team building or retreat. It also offers a perfect hideaway from the hustle & bustle of the city.
If you are not planning of doing some soul searching stuff, then probably you can be enticed to some adventure thrills with their zipline and cable car rides. Rates are at P250/ person. And THIS is our #Kapalaran Number 2 for the day!
We're taking the cable car and we're zipping for art's sake! Ugh! Waaaiiitttt! I am so not ready for this but these #RatedK guys need some materials for their segment which is set to be aired on Sunday, the 17th! And so we got prepped up. Harnessed and all. And I was like, "Kuya, ayusin mo ha. Tiyakin mong safe. Tatlo ang anak ko Kuya!"
We had to ride the cable car to reach the other side of the cliff where a take-off pad awaits us for the 300-meter line we will be zipping on. At first, I felt like am gonna throw up! It felt like all the butterflies in my stomach are on a riot! Cant help but run my imagination wild! The staff were kind enough to assure us that the ride is going to be safe and steady though. We were told to enjoy the view while the cable takes us slowly to the other side. And indeed, it was breathtaking. The majestic mountains looked velvety with the greens covering them. And while we hover atop the trees, we had appreciated the beauty of the cityscape below.
Look! Phillip is sooo brave!
Next stop: The Zip Line.
This is it, Pancit!
Wala ng urungan ito.
Cindy: Hold on, my bilbils!
Poppy: GERD or not, here I come!
My turn.
Whoa! Because I was the last one to hit the line, nobody was left to take my vid but me. I was half convincing, half reminding myself that I can do it, that I have to do it ( kasi mag-isa na lng akong naiwan sa take-off point---and i dont wanna ride the cable car all by meself, no thank you).
So I got hooked up, poised to be pushed down the line and then sayonara!
I took a good grip of the rope, held my cp steadily and mustered Thank You to the staff. Tho' Kulba my heart and kurog my feet, I managed to smile broadly to my camera and started talking something about "its my first time blah, blah, blah..." May i raise my kilay pa just to draw some strength . I had to tilt my camera to capture the beauty under my feet as i dared not look down! Hindi lng butterfly ang nasa stomach ko! That was the time I drained my battery.
And then what seemed like the longest 30 seconds of my life forced me to look at the landscape around me. It was just so beautiful I found myself talking to God and thanking Him for the experience and asked Him to deliver me safely.
And then I heard them shouting: "Kaway Chix, kaway!"
We made it! Hurray!
We capped the day with a sip of fresh buko juice, thanked our hosts, sent off the guys from the TV Show and went home still feeling adventurous. Did some mental note too : "Next time, I'll take the longer line. 700-meters, just you wait and see! Teehee! (well, nobody can read my mind, anyway!)
And then it was Sunday. Time for #Kapalaran Number 3. We had our eyes glued on tv. Its time for Rated K. Claiming our 2 seconds on fame! Hahahahaah! And its a wrap!
So the next time you're in Gensan and you're up for some date with mother nature coupled with a kiss of thrill, visit the Fifth Mountain of Balakayo.
#VisitGensan
#SOX
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