CMK TRAVELS : PLANET DIVE RESORT AND MY FIRST DIVING STORIES

Try proper scuba diving. That's one of my to-do's in my bucket list. And for the longest time, I've been so chicken to tick this off. Then one ordinary day at work, a friend invited me to try diving! I was in London, UK that time and it was winter. I don't know what got into me but I guess I miss the sun so much that I said, let's do it!

It was a Good Friday when we went off at Planet Dive Resort. It's in the heart of San Teodoro, Mabini, Batangas, Philippines. We met at Makati and left at around 7:00 am. We arrived 10:30 am-ish. Note though that it was Holy Week.
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THE PLACE

Oh, where shall I begin? To describe it with mere words would do you a disservice. You have to physically be there to appreciate it! It was such a paradise! Well, before I forget there's one disadvantage pala. From the parking lot you have to mini-trek upwards to get to the view. Oh man, I was sweating like a pig and my leg muscles were shocked by this exercise. BUT, the moment you saw the view (and the food, lol) you'll forget that you've stepped into some rigorous rocks :)

THE DIVING EXPERIENCE

This is the moment I've been waiting for! Or was it? I was on the verge of backing out again because of {insert all imaginable excuses here}. However, I need to do this. NOW. I've had my first intro dive on a Good Friday (!). My dive master was Kuya Herbert (from PADI) on the first pic {with me in a blue rashguard). I was given a set of instructions:

1. Diving uses hand signals because we can't talk (oxygen/regulator is in your mouth the whole time, remember?) I was like, oo nga pala. So me being madaldal would be utterly useless here. We have hand signals for OK, NOT OKAY, DANGER and LOOK AT ME.
2. Breathing. We'll be underwater for 40 minutes so you have to know how to breathe using your mouth. Kuya explained. I gulped three times. Parang nag-yoyosi ka lang. He quipped. I said, di ako marunong mag yosi. :D Seriously, he showed me how to do it. Okay kuya, got it! But I was really hoping I'm doing that right!
3. You have to equalize. This means you have to pinch your nose and blow gently to take the pressure out of your ears. Otherwise, you'll have ear problems.
4. Mask clearing. Water will slip into your mask inevitably, so you have to look up (whilst 20 feet below the surface) and slowly get the water out of your mask.
5. Never panic. Whatever happens, keep calm.
6. Make sure to remember items 1 - 5. And enjoy!

K and his dive buddies were prepping for their own dive too {they're all seasoned, certified divers}. They're some few distance away and they can see me! I bet you if they didn't I will tell Kuya na bukas na lang :)) Oh well, I gather that this is universe conspiring and telling me to GO FOR IT.

4 THINGS I'VE LEARNED FROM MS. SAYURI AT KISS ME HEROINE BLOG EVENT

Attending events is one of the things I've missed when I was in London. I love attending such whenever I can because it's a different world from my everyday job. One fine Sunday, I got the privilege to be a part of a makeup demo by Ms. Sayuri Igarashi. She's in the makeup industry for 25 years and from the time she walked into the room, you'll really know that she's a master of her craft. Here's the TOP 4 THINGS I'VE LEARNED FROM HER:

1. The history behind the brand icon of KISS ME HEROINE MAKEUP

The brand  icon's name is  Princess Elisabeth  Himeko. I'm loving this, it takes me back to my Sailormoon days! She vows to  educate  the women of  the world  on how to  beautify  themselves. Also, as a heroine she has to look fab at any angle! Wink! 

2. Applying eye shadow can be a simple process

She did the demo and I was amazed on how she made it look so effortless! I love their Rose Garnet eye shadow set. It can perk your eyes up but in a natural way. Admittedly, I'm not a huge fan of eye shadow but after I saw its effect and how un-complicated it can be, I think I'll give it a try. 

3. When you don't have time to perfect an eyeliner, apply a dark-shaded eye shadow to for the same effect

I'm looking at their jewelry eye color quad and I noticed a grayish to black colour. You can use this to cast an eyeliner effect without the fuss. Of course, you can opt to apply a real eyeliner but if time is of the essence, good to know that there's a quick workaround! I'll post a separate review on this so you'll see what I mean :)

4. All things said and done, a SMILE will always be the best accessory

Blog events are one of the best ways to meet new friends outside of our respective work circles (unless, of course, if you're working in the PR industry). I'm happy to have met new and old faces each time. To me, it's not a season to sulk back and shy away. Rather, it's a good avenue to open up, smile and enjoy beauty and girl talks. Say hello to Pau of www.aboutfacebypau.blogspot.com. - CMK

FASHION ALERT : WHITE MAXI DRESS

Most, if not all, of us have their own problem areas. To me, this has to be my arms! I'm top-heavy and to be honest, I'm not liking it. Thanks to social media empowerment campaigns. Those that encourage people to love their own and not to wear themselves out trying to fit in!

Picture was taken at Bag of Beans Tagaytay. I'll be surprised if you haven't heard of the place. It's a cheesecake haven to say the least! You have to try their blueberry cheesecake and/or hot chocolate! And here am I wishing to impis-size my arms! Sometimes I can be bipolar, pardon me.

I got the Maxi Dress for less than a thousand pesos! Woot! Thanks to CopaCabanana at SM Department Store :)

Fabric is breezy but with skirt lining. I got the sandals from a thrift shop in the UK - I think it's about Php 500. Obviously, it's not doing my arms any kindness but heck, who cares? It's summer! Ideally, you can wear a mini denim jacket as a cover up but with Manila's ghastly heat these days, no can do! :)

Fashion peg for today is Kate Hudson. I love her on Something Borrowed. She didn't play the lead role but she's fab just the same. Here she comes with a boho-chic slash Coachella vibe. Image source is from popsugar.com.

Some few summer tips before I end this post:

NYX BASKED BLUSH + ILLUMINATOR + BRONZER REVIEW

You know what I've realised lately? It's that no matter how long you've been on hiatus from something you love - you'll always go back and make time for it. I'm speaking about blogging and some other things. It's 11:53 pm Sunday, MNL time right now but I'm in the mood of ticking my keyboard away - and I'm enjoying every bit of it! Same is true for friendship, they say that people make time for things that matter to them. #SoTrue

Yesterday, I've had a 9-hour long bonding with Heather, my best friend. Time flies! Bitin and never enough time as usual. We stopped by NYX at SM Makati and obviously, we went gaga ogling their lipsticks and blushes. I'm not a fan of online buying {yes, I'm lola like that} so NYX being available at SM Department Stores since last year was a good news for me!

WHAT IS IT?

Baked to sheer perfection, this luxurious formula is packed full of pigments to provide a natural glow and highlight to the face. Uniquely designed to be used wet or dry, depending upon the makeup statement you want to make. When used dry with a brush, the look is light and fresh. Want more color? No Problem! Apply wet with a makeup sponge for more intensity. {Source}

CMK HAPPY THOUGHTS

It's fairly pigmented. Few swipes and you'll see the colour pop on your cheeks. I got the Spanish Rose {BBL07} as it's perfect for summer! As always, NYX products did not cause any break outs on my skin. Yay! Plus, it's long-wearing too. 

CMK WISHFUL THOUGHTS

To me, the packaging seems vulnerable. One wrong drop and it will smash to pieces! Gulp. Remember my NYX POWDER BLUSH {Review HERE}?, that's exactly what happened. Nadurog siya. *Sniff! I can't seem to decide if it's a good or bad point - the item costs Php 490. Well, if you'll compare this to MAC and NARS, it's def a steal no doubt. Another wishful thought is it has some hint of shimmer dusts, which I'm not a fan of.

OLAY REGENERIST ADVANCED CLEANSING SYSTEM REVIEW

How to maintain a healthy, supple skin? We will always go back to good ole way of a) good sleep, b) vitamins and minerals infused diet and c) proper skin care. Speaking of skin cleansing, I'm excited to publish a review of my latest favourite gadget. I'm aware it's a bit too late since this craze has captured the PH shore some few years back but you know me, I purchase about 90% of the products I'm reviewing {on this blog} and as such, I only buy stuff that I think is worthy of my buck.

WHAT IS IT?
Simplest way I can paint this in words is that it's like an electronic toothbrush, only it's for the face. OLAY REGENERIST promises the following: It deeply cleanses, gently exfoliates., and it primes skin for anti-ageing regimen. It contains: facial cleansing device, brush head, skin renewal cleanser (20 ml) and battery.  The whole she-bang costs Php 1,599 but I got it at 10% off at SM Department Store.

CMK HAPPY THOUGHTS
The moment the rolling facial brush hits your damp skin, you can tell that it's making a difference. I've been using this for about a month now {as of press date} and what I like the most is its exfoliating factor. I feel that my clogged pores are loosening up bit by bit allowing my skin to breath and glow. Device is easy to operate, nothing complex really. With its fast rolling and turning, you can tell that the facial wash is gently absorbed by your skin. Far more better than doing the scrub-a-dub ritual by hands!

CMK WISHFUL THOUGHTS
The wishful thoughts I have is reserved not for the product itself but for the Olay counter at SM Department store. What happened was the battery included in my package was dilapidated {and worse, wet which is btw dangerous!}. Long story short they didn't replace it but again, I don't want stresses - so I ended up buying AA battery anyways. Lesson learned: Always check every single thing before heading to the counter. Don't rely on their sample product alone.