I can't remember when it was said...

I can't remember the exact moment I told my friends, "Before the teen gets off my age, I want to visit a theme park at least once." Now that I think about it, I did mention this before them many times, but we just never really talked about it in detail except in passing. Until three years ago, and my closest friends decided that they will accompany me to one of the most well-known theme parks in the Philippines: the Enchanted Kingdom.

Boy was I glad that Dana @zareceerine documented the whole day with her awesome phone photography skills. Now I have something to always look back to. ❤ Thank you, besh! (All images used here are Dana's, and are credited to Dana.)

Enchanted Kingdom is a theme park located in Sta. Rosa, Laguna. It boasts of many attractions, rides, and activities.

One of the best days ever

I'm claiming it: November 7th, 2015 is definitely one of the best days ever. I just love reminiscing everything about this day, from the early morning down to the very late night. It goes without saying that I love the people I was with that day: Aly, Hazel @travelingmercies, Dana @zareceerine, and Eloi.

The morning

We met up in the famed Jollibee early in the morning. I believe it was before 8. Breakfast was had over some excited conversation, and I remember being irritated over lost call credits worth PHP 50. But I was determined to not be swayed by menial inconvenience. That morning, we commuted to Sta. Rosa, Laguna and headed to Enchanted Kingdom with barely contained excitement.

I almost lost it in the highway when the top of the park's Ferris wheel came into view. A note: when I was a kid, my parents forbade me from taking rides and going to theme parks in general in fear of accidents (and well, it wasn't like we could afford it!). But knowing it was an early birthday celebration, my parents conceded. Besides, I was turning twenty, and I wouldn't let myself reach the age without ticking this off my bucket list!

Each time I passed by the Sta. Rosa Exit of South Luzon Express Way (SLEX) and caught a glimpse of Enchanted Kingdom's Ferris wheel, I'd always think, "I want to get to ride it someday."

The commute experience was, overall, satisfactory. I mean, as far as commuting goes, it was pretty flawless. Two jeepney rides from UPLB and a tricycle ride to the place itself wasn't quite bad, in my opinion. When we got off the tricycle, however, we were all but presentable -- hair all over the place and clothes not quite fine. Regardless, I remember how we refused to have our moods dampened (even at the ungodly sight of long queues to the ticket booth)!

We were a group of five girls, and we commuted to the place. We ended up arriving with messy hair and unflattering looks, though.

Birthday promo

Talk about luck! I got a free pass because my birthday was within one week of our visit. My friends weren't as lucky and had to pay quite a lot, but they were able to get discounts, too, because we were all students then (would you believe that we are all degree holders now?! How fast time flies!). The crew had me wear this green bracelet ticket to let other staff know that I was a birthday celebrant.

One of the most fun part? Every staff who saw my green bracelet kept greeting me with a very enthusiastic "Happy birthday!" Their avid greetings made up for my lack of free souvenirs because of my free entrance (my friends got free caps), and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Adrenaline rush

It was 3 years ago today that I found out I love the feel of adrenaline rushing through me while taking extreme rides. Yes, I actually love extreme rides! I fell in love with their Disk-O-Magic, which would spin its riders around while rocking them back and forth in varying degrees of speed. I remember enjoying a lot of other rides (Flying Fiesta, Space Shuttle, Rio Grande Rapids, etc.) and exploring many of their attractions.

Flying Fiesta was one of the first rides we took. It was amazing -- it was literally a swing hung up high enough!

The food

I can't remember much about our food, except that we took a late lunch and was pretty annoyed by the crowded food court. What I do remember, was that outside food wasn't allowed, so we had to settle ourselves with the incredulously expensive food inside. I think, at one point, we actually treated ourselves with DQ ice cream and some overly priced takoyaki.

We spent a lot of time under the shade of the food court. Three years ago today, we laughed on our table as we heard the screams and squeals of riders of the park's own roller coaster -- the Space Shuttle. We had it all planned out -- get wet in Rio Grande Rapids then dry ourselves with Space Shuttle. We just didn't take into account the very, very, very long lines leading to these infamous rides.

This takoyaki was quite delicious, but the price wasn't as much.

The night

The night was just so magical. The place was lit up so fabulously, and the park's lit-up Ferris wheel was even more so.

The day was good to us and the night beautiful.

We rode the Ferris wheel (Enchanted Kingdom calls it Wheel of Fate) together -- all five of us in one coach -- and we talked about how that ride was actually a lot scarier compared to the "extreme" ones. We talked about school and our favorite rides and the day so far, and we took silly pictures together. We thought about how we can see the express way from where we sat, and how beautiful the orange and indigo and black were in the backdrop.

It was a good day. It was a beautiful night.

The best part

The best part would always be my friends and how they went with me so I could tick this off my imaginary bucket list. It made me grateful (even now) how they made everything fun and bearable (because ugh, don't even start with the long queues).

I am truly blessed for that day exactly three years ago, but I am eternally and even more blessed to have friends like them who I can always count on. Going through all our pictures together in that place, that time, just makes me miss them more now that we don't see each other as often anymore.

3 years ago today...

...was awesome and tiring and not without roadblocks, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

High up from the ground, we watched the skies change color together.