It was during a boring (and jam-packed) train ride to work when the ridiculous idea of forming an all-girl travel group hit me. I was so excited of the possibilities that I had to immediately send a message to Ate and Neng and tell them about it. I asked them if they're game to make it happen, and I am so freaking glad we did.
We started with the planning on how the group will work, who can join, what's in it for them, what's the difference of what we're forming from other travel groups, etc. We have discussed about a lot of stuff before deciding to push through with the project. Neng was the brain behind our name (seamaid, n., a mermaid or a nymph of the sea) and it was a collective decision to give out a Seamaids Kit, and of course, to strictly keep it all-girls -- separating us from the others. (As far as we know, we're the only group in Manila doing something like this right now.)
It took us months before we have finally taken the plunge and went ahead with our first official getaway.We had a lot of worries: what if they won't get along? What if they won't enjoy the place? What if we won't be able to live up to what we have been blabbing about and advertising for weeks? Only to be proven wrong by our first batch of seamaids.
Our Jellyfish batch. They were the chillest girls ever. Some came with a friend, some came solo. They did not become instant friends but they gelled so nicely that the trip turned out to be as smooth and as calm as the sea of Dasol that weekend. We had fun, shared a lot of laughs, and had the grandest time. It was a small group but their big personalities made up for the lack in numbers. Just the people you'd want to have in your summer escapade. It was our maiden tour, and these girls made us realize that maybe, just maybe, this thing that started out as a crazy concept, has a potential after all.
Then came the latest one, the Cagbalete party. Prior the actual day of the trip, we couldn't stop talking about how excited we were to meet the next batch, a bigger group of female sea and sun worshipers compared from the last one. We were also a bit anxious on what to expect. How are we gonna make them interact? They don't know each other for crying out loud! Total strangers! How are we gonna make this trip the least awkward as possible?! Viola! They solved it themselves! Our Kabatiti (or Sea Cucumber -- don't ask, they have their reasons) girls were a pure joy to travel with. They're a bunch of friendly gals who weren't afraid to throw a joke, speak their mind, laugh at themselves, and give out witty comebacks that will make you rolling on the floor. Their energy is infectious and their love of the sea is inspiring.
I still can't believe that Seamaids MNL, our baby, is now grinding and rolling, slowly emerging from its little corner, one trip at a time. It isn't big, and definitely not popular, but being able to cater to girls who love the sea as much as we do is enough for us to keep going. We'd like to be the go-to group of that one girl who has been dying to go to the beach but has no one to go with. The sisters of that woman who has always wanted to explore but thinks that she's too old for it or too busy to do it, or to shy to make friends, or thinks that boys are a pain in the butt to travel with. (I'm kidding. Haha.)
We've been hearing a lot of good stuff, and my heart flutters whenever someone tells me that what we have is something special. Sobrang kilig, mas nakakakilig pa kesa sa boyfriend. Joke lang, Jake, I love you. (Most supportive other half in the whole wide universe.) But seriously, it is truly amazing to meet people who share the same devotion the three of us have for the ocean. So here's to all the girls who aren't afraid to have the sun kiss their skin, the sand to cover their bodies, and the ocean engulf them whole. Cheers to new-found friends and seamaid sisters!
PS. I am so grateful to have been working with my two real sisters (on in blood, one in pananampalataya) cos I can't ask for a better team. They practically do everything, I only post stuff on Facebook. Haha. I love you Xandee and Neng!
Like us on Facebook, facebook.com/seamaidsmanila
We started with the planning on how the group will work, who can join, what's in it for them, what's the difference of what we're forming from other travel groups, etc. We have discussed about a lot of stuff before deciding to push through with the project. Neng was the brain behind our name (seamaid, n., a mermaid or a nymph of the sea) and it was a collective decision to give out a Seamaids Kit, and of course, to strictly keep it all-girls -- separating us from the others. (As far as we know, we're the only group in Manila doing something like this right now.)
Our Jellyfish batch. They were the chillest girls ever. Some came with a friend, some came solo. They did not become instant friends but they gelled so nicely that the trip turned out to be as smooth and as calm as the sea of Dasol that weekend. We had fun, shared a lot of laughs, and had the grandest time. It was a small group but their big personalities made up for the lack in numbers. Just the people you'd want to have in your summer escapade. It was our maiden tour, and these girls made us realize that maybe, just maybe, this thing that started out as a crazy concept, has a potential after all.
Then came the latest one, the Cagbalete party. Prior the actual day of the trip, we couldn't stop talking about how excited we were to meet the next batch, a bigger group of female sea and sun worshipers compared from the last one. We were also a bit anxious on what to expect. How are we gonna make them interact? They don't know each other for crying out loud! Total strangers! How are we gonna make this trip the least awkward as possible?! Viola! They solved it themselves! Our Kabatiti (or Sea Cucumber -- don't ask, they have their reasons) girls were a pure joy to travel with. They're a bunch of friendly gals who weren't afraid to throw a joke, speak their mind, laugh at themselves, and give out witty comebacks that will make you rolling on the floor. Their energy is infectious and their love of the sea is inspiring.
I still can't believe that Seamaids MNL, our baby, is now grinding and rolling, slowly emerging from its little corner, one trip at a time. It isn't big, and definitely not popular, but being able to cater to girls who love the sea as much as we do is enough for us to keep going. We'd like to be the go-to group of that one girl who has been dying to go to the beach but has no one to go with. The sisters of that woman who has always wanted to explore but thinks that she's too old for it or too busy to do it, or to shy to make friends, or thinks that boys are a pain in the butt to travel with. (I'm kidding. Haha.)
We've been hearing a lot of good stuff, and my heart flutters whenever someone tells me that what we have is something special. Sobrang kilig, mas nakakakilig pa kesa sa boyfriend. Joke lang, Jake, I love you. (Most supportive other half in the whole wide universe.) But seriously, it is truly amazing to meet people who share the same devotion the three of us have for the ocean. So here's to all the girls who aren't afraid to have the sun kiss their skin, the sand to cover their bodies, and the ocean engulf them whole. Cheers to new-found friends and seamaid sisters!
PS. I am so grateful to have been working with my two real sisters (on in blood, one in pananampalataya) cos I can't ask for a better team. They practically do everything, I only post stuff on Facebook. Haha. I love you Xandee and Neng!
Like us on Facebook, facebook.com/seamaidsmanila
