Sometimes the most meaningful trips don’t start with big plans—just the two of us, and somehow, that makes it different.
The airport was already full of people catching early flights, and we were just one of them. Still, there was a quiet kind of excitement in the air. At the Special Assistance counter, the staff helped us quickly, and not long after, we were holding our boarding passes. Manila to Bicol. I looked at the paper and nodded. It’s been a while.
To keep us going, we grabbed some coffee and those trusty pack meals. Nothing special—just warm enough to settle our stomachs and give us something to do while waiting. Typical airport routine, but it kind of made the morning feel more official.
Soon after, our flight to Daraga was called. Gate 6 lit up with the word Boarding, and just like that, it was time to go.
We walked through the jet bridge, joining the quiet line of early travelers. There’s something oddly calming about this part—no rush, just steady steps toward the plane.
And then we were inside, buckled up, and ready.
A quick selfie to mark the start—still sleepy, but still smiling 😅
Somewhere in the sky, I lifted the window shade and there it was—Mayon Volcano, rising quietly above the clouds. The horizon was slowly turning pink, and the view was just... something else. We both leaned in to take it all in—layers of clouds, bits of light, and that familiar perfect cone.
Just seeing it again after all this time felt nice—familiar in a good way.
Landing was smooth. We followed the signs to domestic arrivals, walking at our own pace—no rush, just letting things settle in.
But before we even stepped outside, we were already greeted by something special on the tarmac.
Mayon in full view. No filters, no perfect angles. Just doing what it always does—being beautiful without trying.
It’s one of those views that makes you pause. You look at it, and somehow, everything feels lighter. It was like Mayon was just there, doing what it always does—being breathtaking without trying too hard.
And honestly, that was more than enough to make us feel home.
That was Day 1—nothing big, nothing loud, just a quiet return to something familiar. Sometimes that’s all it takes to feel grounded again.
It’s good to be back.