Your Bucket List Year There’s no better time than now to start living life to the fullest and doing what you’ve always wanted to do. Mabel David-Pilar has 12 exhilarating adventures to include in your <strong>2011</strong> to-do list. Carpe diem! { 32 } PHOTO COURTESY OF ARIEL’S POINT
This could be you cliff-diving off Ariel’s Point in Boracay! D ARING ADVENTURES { 33 } January Bungee-jump off the Macau Tower Why not leap into the New Year, literally? You can do it from the world’s highest commercial bungee jump! In the former Portuguese colony, at the Macau Tower, you can experience freefalling at a speed of up to 200km per hour. It’s an adrenaline junkie’s dream that grade school teacher and travel blogger Claire Raborar (www.claireraborar.com) never thought she’d be able to pull off. “Bungee jumping has always been on my bucket list, despite my fear of heights.” So when at trip to Hong Kong and Macau materialized, she knew it was time. “The scariest part is the few seconds before the jump,” says Claire. “You’re standing on the edge of that platform, the bungee cord wrapped tightly around your feet.” But once she jumped, it really felt like she was fl ying. “Once I regained my bearings, I was actually at peace and in complete freedom. It was a very liberating experience and the best four to six seconds of my life!” The fee is HK$1,888 (about PHP10,000). Head to Level 61 Observation Deck, Macau Tower, Convention and Entertainment Centre Largo da Torre de Macau. Cebu Pacifi c fl ies to Macau from Manila and Clark. www.cebupacifi cair.com February Cliff -dive off Ariel’s Point in Boracay Maybe you’d like to plunge into stunning blue waters instead? If so, why not add cliff-diving to your list? A short boat-ride away from the most popular beach destination in the Philippines, Ariel’s Point is where Boracay-bound thrill-seekers get more than just the usual sun, sand and surf. Contractor and marketing coordinator Karla Rey took that leap with a group of friends on a recent trip. Although she wasn’t the best swimmer (“You have to swim quite a distance to return to the steps leading back to the cliff,” she shares), she did it to encourage someone in her group who was afraid of heights to cliff-dive as well. “I’d recommend it to those who love the adrenaline rush, who want to conquer a fear of heights, or just for the experience. It’s fairly safe. You get to jump off a cliff, yet you come out of it alive.” Do expect a little bruising though if you don’t do your jump correctly, because of the impact from the water, she warns. The reasonable fee of PHP1,200 covers the cliff dive, boat transfers, snorkeling, buffet lunch and drinks. For details, log on to www.arielspoint.com Cebu Pacifi c has daily fl ights to Caticlan and Kalibo from Manila, and fl ies to Caticlan from Cebu. www.cebupacifi cair.com