Had a fun weekend with the Tanjutcos.

Click to visit gallery

Things learned/noticed from the trip.

1. I confirm that while Thule top-loading bike racks are rated to 130kph, they can easily handle in excess of 160. I didn’t try going faster than 180 since I didn’t want to end up wrecking $7k worth of bike equipment (not to mention the rack/roof of my car)¹
2. I still haven’t gotten the chance to really punch the speed on my new car; next time I pass SCTEX I won’t bring the bikes along – hopefully wala pang nanghuhuli by then. I’m guessing based on the feel of the car at 160-180, it can easily do 200 or more and still feel solid.
3. If you’ve got those bags with raincovers on your bikes, take them off – the rain covers will be decimated by the wind if you drive a bit fast. Might as well just be safe and take the whole thing off instead.
4. Don’t bring bikes unless you’re specifically going to Subic for that purpose (or have friends who are bikers as well); Cris and I only got to bike at night – most of the time we were out doing something else with the family.
5. Meat Plus Cafe cook excellent value steaks.² The last good “restaurant steak” I got to eat was at Myrons and it cost 2k for about 400g+. At Meat Plus, you can get 350g properly cooked steaks for 600 bucks.³ It was so good, we ate that for dinner, then we got an 800g split in two for 1k for lunch the next day hahaha.
6. “Outlet” stores suck here (in the Philippines in general), there are hardly are any decent models/sizes available. I was able to score a nice pair of Royal Elastic “porma” shoes though – unfortunately, they weren’t on sale.
7. Maltesers Whites are so-so; I still prefer the original recipe.
8. The History Channel has got pretty interesting shows; we watched the US-produced documentary on the Abu Sayyaf and Burnham kidnappings – the whole family was practically glued to the TV.
9. The name Zoobic, while clever, is an irritating name; you can’t help but have the impression that anyone who says “We went to Zoobic (pare!)” is a douchebag. Don’t even get me started on “Zoovenirs,” dude!
10. If you’re going to the TreeTop Adventure, do it first thing in the morning; the “rides” that are worth it last only a few seconds, so it would kinda suck to have to wait such a long time for those extremely short moments of fun.⁴ Having said that, the TreeTop Drop is awesome!
11. I want a helmet action cam!

post updated on August 31, 2009 @ 5:50 pm