After spending much of the Covid-ravaged year socially distancing myself from other people and the great outdoors, I welcomed the spontaneity to experience nature once again when I received an invitation from an old friend. “Hi Marky, are you free this Sunday to Tuesday?” Jackie wrote to me on Messenger. “I’m going to Cavinti. I was going solo, but the place is kind of off the grid so maybe I shouldn't go alone. Would you like to come?” she wrote in a follow-up message that reached my inbox just as I was about to reply “Yes”—even without knowing the details yet.
Nature & Chill at Glamping, Etc. in Cavinti | Laguna
Like manna from heaven, Jackie’s invitation was exactly what the doctor ordered, as I was about to go out of my wits from reading travel books and watching NatGeo shows to cure my thirst for wanderlust. It had been a couple of months since I last went out on a trip—a travel writing trip visiting organic farms in Quezon.
After we set the time and place of our meeting, I hurriedly packed my things inside my backpack because the journey was only two days away and because of my sheer excitement.
“Not a Romantic Vacation”
Already appreciating Jackie’s gesture of inviting me, I also valued her straight-to-the-point declaration that the trip should be a friendly one. “I’m sorry, but I have to say, this isn’t a romantic vacation. Ha-ha. I just want to reset. So, flirting is off the table.” Since we had hung out on a few occasions that could be labeled as dates in the past, I appreciated her candor in clearing up any expectations she thought I might have.
The Road to Cavinti
Her Waze directed us to drive through the backroads of Rizal going to Laguna as opposed to the straight-up path from South Luzon Expressway. It was a longer route but one that was blessed with a photogenic sight of the rolling hills of Rizal passing through the windmills of Pililla and the winding roads of Baras before moving towards the lakeside roads of Caliraya and, finally, Cavinti, Laguna.
It was a Sunday, so the roads were filled with cyclists coming from both directions. Throughout the ride, I was salivating at the thought of doing my own bike ride over the same route. However, I thought to myself that I would need more training first, so I could negotiate the uphill terrains with ease.
Glamping, Etc.
Situated on a lakeside property dishing a sense of isolation since you needed to ride a boat from a nearby small port to reach the place, Glamping Etc. appeared lush with smooth lawn grass, towering trees, and an air of Zen.
From the docking bay, you'd walk on a short uphill trail leading to the restaurant and reception hall, and from there, a footpath led you to the spot where three Geodesic domes and a Triangle tent were built with ample space for free movements allotted for each.
Inside our tent, there was a double-sized bed, two chairs, and a small table positioned beside the see-through wall (covered with a plastic cover) that offered a magnificent view of the lake.
Our Geodesic Dome facing the Eastern side of the lake was a cozy one with more than enough space to move around, hang out, and even do yoga. Each Geodesic Dome was good for two persons, while the Triangle tent could sleep up to four people. Each one had its own private toilet and shower rooms.
The property, according to its Airbnb page and as told to us by the staff, was owned by an Indian couple. That explained the Indian influence on the menu as we had Chicken Biryani on our first night and Chicken Masala for our lunch the next day.
The staff manning the property was composed of one extended family who were long-time residents of a small town near Lake Lumot. Therefore, staying at Glamping, Etc. emitted more of a sense of immersing in a community rather than staying in an exclusive resort. When I say a whole extended family, adorable little kids running around were included.
Waking up on consecutive mornings to bird songs and quacking ducks was something to behold. After a night of star-staring, downing a bottle of wine, and musing conversation, it was a delightful feeling opening my eyes to a serene scene.
Jackie and I spent our early afternoons kayaking around the lake. The water was so still with barely a ripple of current, making it a lot easier for us to paddle and explore the lake by slicing our way over the glass-like water circling smaller islets and passing by other lakeside houses and resorts.
Afterward, we’d wait for the sunset seen on the side facing Mount Banahaw while swimming on the shallow part of the lake near a bamboo jetty. I could say life was ideal in this lovely spot of Cavinti.
An Escape from the Pandemic Reality
It was the week after my birthday in January, and the anxiety caused by the unstable curve of new infections and the uncertainty of when our Government would procure the vaccines needed to achieve herd immunity had piled up a mountain of worries in my head. Same with Jackie, I was also badly in need of some nature resetting.
The three days we spent at Glamping, Etc. comprised a blissful cycle of swimming and kayaking in the lake, chilling on a hammock, meditating, and practicing yoga—plus the usual eating, sleeping, talking, and wine drinking.
I sure did milk every moment of it because of one thing this pandemic had taught me: it was how the universe could press the pause button anytime.
After being faced with the ambiguity of when I could experience doing all the things I loved again, this quick nature and chill trip to Cavinti gave me a glimpse of the old normal as we wriggled our way out of this pandemic.
