Yey! We managed to squeeze in one last summer outing and were able to take the kids to the beach! Being the kids’ first sojourn at the beach, the trip will always hold one special place in our hearts.

Our trip didn’t take long weeks of planning. My husband’s motorcycle club, Skydrive Society, happened to have an outreach activity in Zambales. He wanted to take us with him so we could all participate in handing out school supplies to the students of Panaan Elementary School. Botolan was just a few minutes drive away from their venue so I eagerly suggested that we spend the night in Ambay Beach Resort, a resort being run by a co-parent in school and her friends.

So off we trooped to Zambales with both kids excited to see what a real beach looks like. Little Jak was off and running the moment we arrived. It was quite the opposite with Jade though. The little princess did not like the feel of the sand on her feet and would shake the sand off every few steps. She was also wary of the soft sand probably thinking she’d fall deep into it and get stuck. The lure of the beach was too much though and she was soon playing on the sand with her brother and I. I’m so glad that I decided to bring our beach umbrellas as it allowed us all to have fun in the sun whilst staying protected. I will definitely use them again if we go on another beach trip. When the afternoon sun let down its heat a few notches, we hit the water where the little girl had fun swimming, or at least attempting to swim.

The kids had loads of fun and were downcast when I told them that we had to wash and get dressed already. Near sunset, the air grew chilly and windy. At home, the kids would often stay glued to the boob tube while waiting for dinner. Since there are no televisions in the resort, they had to find ways to keep entertained. The sound of their laughter while playing with their Papa made my heart smile so! It wasn’t a sound I often hear, you see.

Dinner was served on the patio just right outside our room. We had homecooked sinigang, adobo, and veggie fritters. What’s so special about this fare is that it is vegan. Jak is a picky eater and wouldn’t eat vegetables even if threatened to not be given any food at all but he heartily ate the adobo cooked with veggie meat. Jade, on the other hand, would eat anything given to her. She took the most liking to the veggie fritters and happily munched on them between spoonfuls of adobo and rice.

Ambay Beach Resort lets you appreciate nature at its finest. You are provided with just the basic amenities – bed, bath, and food – allowing you to enjoy life at its simplest. A wide expanse of clean beach with fine sand, pristine waters calm enough for toddlers to swim in, fresh air with the faint scent of sea water – really a welcome respite to the hustle and bustle of city life.

Would we go back there? Yes, definitely! We’re hoping next time we go there, Satya will be around to play with Jade and Jak. 🙂