Mati, here I go!
I might've spent less than a day in Caraga but from my arrival until the very end, locals had been exceptionally considerate and helpful. I have nothing but profound admiration to both Pusan Point, Prinsesa Falls and everyone who helped me make this day remarkable.
I was on time for my last and perhaps the most exhilarating destination of the day, a flying club in Mati City. I can clearly recall my uncontainable excitement. I was literally hopping on my way to this next destination and people you saw me could easily mistaken a girl who just won the grand prize in the Lotto.
I contacted Mindanao Saga Flying Club ahead of time; they gave me clear instructions on how I could reach their office. I'm pretty confident with my "following instructions" skills, but when I reached a crossroad, in the middle of empty farm lots as far as one's eyes can see, I was hesitant to take one. Luckily, a few motorists passed by and help me find my way.
In less than 10 minutes, I reached the main entrance; I breathe a sigh of relief and giddiness found its way back in my body.
Be prepared to be subjected to thorough security procedure before entering the premise. It was only when I was escorted by the guard going to the receiving area that I realized that it's not just a regular flying club; there's a massive golf course and other services within the area. It must be nice to be a member here. The flying club is inside Don Paco Rocamora Golf & Country Club; hence, the tight security check.
A lady about my age arranged the transfer for me. Apparently, the flying club is far from the guests receiving area. I was immediately assisted and rode a golf cart. While waiting for the gold cart, the lady pleasantly told me that the pilot or the assistants will explain if I could fly or not. I didn't bother; so far, it's been a really great day and all I could think of was flying that afternoon.
Not long after, I could see a glimpse of one of the hangars.
You can't have it all!
There's no way I could've guessed how things turned out. I was welcomed with a bunch of aircraft mechanics who told me to "wait and see". I patiently sat in the waiting area. I overheard "the wind's extra powerful" from their conversation. I don't have any background in aviation but I do know that the aircraft I wanted to ride won't take off during unfavorable conditions and a powerful wind is one we should avoid. At this point, I was starting to worry: "What if I couldn't fly today?" "Will I have another chance?" "This is such a waste of time!"
I was becoming impatient as time passed by. They were quick to notice and this is when things escalated for the better. One or two of the mechanics/in-charge of the flying club rose and suggested to give me a tour around while waiting for the clearance to fly. His exact words were "Tara! Tour sa ka namo diri, Ma'am. Samtang nagpaabot ta mo hinay ang hangin!" I didn't come for a hangar tour but I jumped right in!
If my memory serves me well, there were three (3) hangars lined up one after the other. Spoiler alert: I went to all three of them! 😉😎
At first, I was scared to go near the aircrafts which were mostly Cessnas. I'm not rich enough to replace even the smallest part of these aircrafts! 🤣 But everyone else from the office staff to the mechanics to the trainees, abosutely everyone encouraged me to experience their planes. That's when they started opening doors of the planes and told me to take a closer look. The next thing I knew, they were taking photos of me inside of the planes.
This is not the first time experiencing strangers going the extra mile for me but this was beyond my wildest dreams! I've proven again and again that my charm works wonders outside of Cebu!🤣 I thought that was it; well for me, that was enough.
But after one hangar, they invited me to the next one where the more planes were housed. I figured these lads were bored to death; they looked really entertained by my presence! They were like four or five of them who accompanied me at this point.
From mere picture taking, they were going into the details like the aircrafts' manufacturing dates, a little history about the owners and what shocked me the most was they even opened the engine and showed me the beauty behind a plane's glorious flight!
Most of the Cessnas were really old manufactured as early as the mid-90s or earlier but we also looked at the newer ones, sleek and shiny!
When we were almost done with the second hangar. I thought "This has been a great diversion!" I wasn't worrying if I could fly or not. It didn't matter; I was just happy to be doing this tour.
The boys were unstoppable. I don't even know if I should make this experience public; I don't know if they'd be summoned and got a good scolding by their superior for what they did that afternoon! 🤣 They were all out! I was starting to get a feeling that they're doing their best to win me so I won't be dismayed with how things turned south and that I will go back another day. Their strategy is working!
When I was ready to receive the inconsolable news, they surprised me with another one. A helicopter covered in a huge red blanket looked untouchable but they took it out for me to see the all-glass cockpit of the helicopter. I was apprehensive to go inside for a photo op; it looked fragile and one wrong move will turn this helicopter into shattered pieces.
A few minutes later, I was convinced it was safe to go in. One or two of them volunteered to take photos of me merrily experiencing this one of a kind helicopter. It was fascinating to see all these in person much so get inside three or four of them in one day. I'm really grateful I crossed paths with these kind souls! ❤
I might sound like blowing things out of proportion here but this encounter really made my day! I didn't pay I dime for this but they treated me like the VVIP of their flying club. Plus I wasn't the only one waiting; there were other guests who wanted to fly that afternoon too but couldn't. The only difference is that they didn't get a free tour! So it must really be my charm then! LOL! 😂🤣
By this time, it was clear to me that I won't be flying, at least for that afternoon. They could've seen how excitement and bliss dissipated from my face in a matter of second when they officially made the announcement. They brought me out of the hangar into the open space where they explained why they couldn't fulfill my dream. The windsock formed a straight line indicating a very strong and potentially, dangerous wind up in the air. "You might not feel it here but it's best to trust us!" sealed the notice. I was teary-eyed and heartbroken; I looked forward to this day months leading to this trip.
To keep my spirits up, they brought out the ultralight aircraft that I was supposed to ride that afternoon and took photos of me as if I made it that day! 😭 My heart was melted by this gesture; I'm even tearing up now as I write this. The staff at Mindanao Saga Flying Club went above and beyond their duties; it's deeply moving to be treated this way. And mind you, it's not easy to take this aircraft out and back the hangar just for a 5-minute photo op.
Long story short, I went home that day without riding my dream aircraft. They told me my chances of successfully riding one will be higher in the morning when the wind is calmer; I was advised to go back as early as 5:00 AM the following day.
One of the staff who was going to Mati City proper dropped me off somewhere nearer my homestay. Until the very end, nothing compares their customer service. Kudos to the management and every one who made my day! A core memory indeed! ❤
Will I be able to ride and glide in my favorite aircraft? 🤔 That's a story for another time!
Living life intentionally every single day, she believes that there’s no limit to one’s potential. Right now, she’s on the loose for the pursuit of endless holistic self-growth and development. She wants to light the way for others. She believes there’s no better way to leave a legacy than to pay it forward.
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