"All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy."
Finally, I was done with my work in Cagayan de Oro City. I had the whole weekend to spend however I wanted it! I didn't want to stress out so much about where I was going. All I knew was that I was going to rent a motorcycle and ride to Dahilayan, Bukidnon, where adventure mountain resorts were located.
Struggled to wake up
I had a couple of drinks the night before this trip. I was feeling all the feelings throughout the night. I thought I was lonely and tired of having to enjoy traveling without having to share it with anyone else. My girlfriend told me that traveling alone can be fun and exciting, but I just wanted someone to talk to for each exciting thing I encounter.
I woke up late, and I struggled to get up. Maybe it was because of the alcohol or my low spirits. It was almost 10 in the morning when I headed to the motorcycle rental shop.
As I checked Google Maps for the location of the shop, a nearby restaurant caught my attention. It was called Camhills Cafe. I checked the place and saw it was located high up, overlooking the city, sea, and mountains. I decided that I'd visit the place for lunch after getting my motorcycle. I almost didn't get to rent a motorcycle because I didn't book in advance. Luckily, a unit was just returned, and the owner agreed to let me rent it.
The restaurant was located in Gusa, Cagayan de Oro City, and it was only a few minutes from where I picked up the motorcycle. After paying the fees, I put on my helmet, adjusted the side mirrors, and drove towards my first stop.
Riding a motorcycle lifted my spirits. The wind blowing against my face made my blood pump faster. Being on the road and on the move opened my imagination to the places I could go and things I could do.
The road towards my destination started getting stepper. I passed through rough roads. A beautiful landscape started to be visible from the road I was driving. I stopped a few times to marvel at the sight. Finally, some excitement about my time in Cagayan!
I arrived at the entrance of Camhills Cafe. Google Maps was not very accurate, and it was a good thing that there was a sign telling which road to take. The road wasn't paved, but it was passable. I saw an archway up ahead and saw that it was eerily quiet. I started to worry that the place was closed.
I walked towards the restaurant, and there was a welcome sign at the entrance. There was no sign of anyone yet. I went in, and a lady welcomed me. Thank God. The place was open. I greeted her a good morning, paid the entrance fee, and walked towards a magnificent view of Cagayan de Oro City.
An awesome reward for a spontaneous decision
I was so glad I made the spontaneous decision to visit this place. I was containing myself from the joy and awe that I was feeling when I saw the view from the place. There was so much to look at. I just walked around, snapped a lot of photos, took in the sights, and enjoyed my time. I moved from one spot to another without anyone disturbing me. I was the first tourist to arrive at the place.
The center of attraction of the place was this platform that was built around a tree. It served as a foreground to the city below and the sea ahead. It also provided shade from the hot sun. I can imagine people posing beside the tree to get the Instagram shot. I was alone, so I was fine taking shots of the place without me being seen in it.
There were other 'intagrammable' locations in the restaurant. One was this nest-shaped area with artificial grass surrounded by colorful plants. Another was a platform built around a different tree. The east side showed views of the ocean while the west side showed the plains and the mountains of Misamis Oriental.
There were stairs surrounding the property, and I climbed down on them. But they didn't lead anywhere in particular. Instead, it gave me a good view of the restaurant and the surrounding plants. The place looked like it was just a normal house and was converted into a restaurant.
Lunch with amazing views
I settled at one of the tables with a view of the cityscape and the harbor. I went to their counter to order food. They had rice meals, snacks, and coffee. I ordered their Bicol Express and some orange juice. I wasn't hungry yet, but I knew I'd need the energy for the journey I'd be taking in the afternoon.
On the counter, I saw some packaged foods that were sold as souvenirs. I bought some corn coffee for my parents because I know they love that stuff. I'm not really good at buying souvenirs, especially when I go to souvenir shops. I tend to accumulate my souvenirs from the different places I go to.
I took out my Kindle while waiting for my food to be served and read a few chapters of the book I was reading. Reading with a nice relaxing view is one of the things I really enjoy. I feel like it's the perfect resting activity.
My food arrived, and it was served in a paper box which put me off a bit. Bicol Express is a pork dish that has beans and chillis in coconut milk sauce, and it's originally quite spicy. Their Bicol Express didn't look that menacingly spicy because I could only see long cuts of string beans.
I dug in and finished the food in a matter of minutes. The serving wasn't that big, and I knew I had a long ride ahead of me, so I needed to get going. Just as I was about to leave, local tourists started arriving. My timing was just right. But I soon realized later that I was taking too much of my time for my true destination.
Arresting lanscapes
I left Camhills Cafe and started my long journey to Dahilayan, Bukidnon. I needed to pay attention to the road more than usual because it was my first time driving through the location. On top of that, the roads were steep and winding. I left Cagayan and entered Libona and Bukidnon, and It wasn't long before beautiful landscapes presented themselves. I told myself I would enjoy them more properly on my way back. But when I passed through a particular spot, the views were so arresting that I had to stop and take them in. I parked my motorcycle in a clearing where a horse was grazing. He looked up at me as if in confusion why I had stopped.
The horse wouldn't get it because the sights around him are probably so mundane to him. But not me. I walked to the cliff edge of the road and stood on top of the barriers. In front of me were rolling mountains patched with green forests. The mountains stretched as far as my eyes could see. Paying attention to the details revealed a waterfall between two mountains.
I would have stayed longer if Google Maps didn't tell me that I was still over an hour away from my destination. I went back to my motorcycle and continued with my ride.
Plains of beauty
I initially thought I could stop at some of the destinations along the road, but I realized that it would take a bunch of my time if I did that. So, I only stopped for the occasional bathroom break.
I somehow came out of the mountains and was driving along a stretch of the plain. I stopped along a corn farm, and I was in awe of the mountains behind the stalks of corn.
I continued my way through the flat terrain, and I came across plantations after plantations of pineapples. I stopped for another bathroom break, and I noticed a pineapple just lying on the ground. I was later told that I could actually eat the pineapples from the plantation for free as long as I didn't bring them out of where I got them.
The pineapple plantations were a landmark signifying that I was getting closer to Dalihayan. As I continued with my drive, the sky was growing dimmer and dark clouds loomed threateningly up ahead. I prayed that it wouldn't rain hard before I reached my destination.
That'll be it for now! Find out if I was drenched in rain or if I made it in time at Dahilayan on my next post. My adventures in Cagayan de Oro City will continue for a few posts. If you missed the previous parts, you can check them out below.
Until then. Cheers!
I Rode a Boat! | Taking the Longer Route to Cagayan de Oro City
Food Adventures Around the City | Day 2 of My Trip to Cagayan de Oro City
Up for Another Food Adventure? | Indulging at Cagayan de Oro City
