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Series: Fox & Firefly

Fox & Firefly

Yoga
Fox & Firefly

Plus-sized
Yoga

Loboc
Bohol
04/20/2024

SUP Yoga with Lalah de Dios at Fox and the Firefly

SUP Yoga
Lalah

5 Weeks
@ FOX

In-House
Yoga Teacher

Dec 13, 2017 - Jan 23, 2018

5 Weeks at the Fox and Firefly Cottages

Location : Fox & The Firefly Cottages, Loboc, Bohol, Philippines

Wishful Thinking
It was uncanny. When I arrived Loboc 3 months ago and stepped foot at Fox and Firefly for the first time, I already liked the place. But I couldn't afford to stay there so my wishful thinking was, "it would have been nice to stay here". I didn't even know the owners. Two months later, without any effort on my part, I became the resort supervisor to oversee operations while the owners were away on holidays until their return - that's 5 weeks of actually staying at the resort!

I have to be careful what I wish for - everything I ever wished for already came to be (hmmm....except for that Lamborghini Diablo).

Optimizer
When the position was offered, it was the realization of a fantasy - of being a resort/hotel optimizer. As a homeless nomad, I've lived the last 6 years of my life in resorts, hotels, guesthouses, dorm rooms, hammock, etc. and I already know what works and what needs to be done to optimize a resort/hotel from different perspectives - as a guest, as an owner and as staff member.

I would often play the optimizer role to friends who own their own resorts, but not in any official capacity. Now, I'm that guy! I really have to be careful about things I wish for. This beats printing money!

This is probably pushing it, but the best case scenario for me is to be an optimizer with no accountability! That's right, no accountability. Why? It's not because I don't want to own up. Sure, I take responsibility. But with accountability, you also lose spontaneity because of the added pressure. Just ask any champion paper trader how much he loses when he actually trades real money! Best role? I'd have the ears of the president (any president) without me being a cabinet member or a political appointee. Kinda like what Bong Go is to President Duterte.

taking care of business at the resto with a river view

Tours
Occasionally, I would join the tours - stand up paddle or mountain biking. Even though I'm there only as an observer, I do a lot of things like a tour guide would - from towing an SUP because the paddler was already winded out, to pushing a cyclist who couldn't start on the bike on a mild grade, to positioning myself for a good photo-opt, to coaching how to paddle, how to shift gears, etc. In fairness, it was fun while it was happening. But after arriving, I feel the fatigue.

Mr. Unpopular
The staff are polite and courteous - despite me being the guy to blow the whistle on them. It's not a choice - it's my job. I'm not here to win a popularity contest. Despite their exterior smile, I wouldn't be surprised if I am disliked for pointing out all the wrong things I see.

With all the "ooops!" happening under my watch, I wonder what else happened last year when there was no one representing the interest of the owners...and what were hidden from them? I can only speculate.

In fairness again, the staff do their jobs. But they need a nexus to pull everything together into a seamless production flow. Otherwise, what could go wrong is liable to go wrong.

Resort Guests
When I interact with resort guests, I introduce myself as a traveler on a brief 'life hacking' stop at the resort - which is true. This way, they don't see me as a suit and become more spontaneous. I enjoy this part the most - interacting with travelers the way I've always done on the open road as a fellow traveler. The interaction is good while it lasts no matter how promising. The pattern repeats itself without fail - you meet someone, and as you both warm-up to each other, it's time for the other guy to leave. Story of my life. Sigh!

post-firefly tour bonding with Julia and Nishane

Netflix
The owner already warned me that Netflix was a black hole that would suck me in. That was so true. With their high-definition flat screen tv, I became addicted to my Netflix fix - Madame Secretary, Marco Polo, Unabomber, The Crown, etc. I can't blame myself though. I know that after this stint, when I take on the open road again, it may take years before something like this happens again. It's all good while it lasts, no matter how indulgent. I'm not attached to it anyway.

Kitchen Access
I love having a kitchen to work with again. I could make my dough from scratch, whip-up dishes that excite me, make my pan-roasted pizza and whisk my own sikwate drink. I share some to friends or resort guests I've been friends with. Tagbilaran is only an hour away and I can do my city indulgence while stocking up at the same time. With a fridge to use, I can now buy butter for my hot off-the-cast iron flat bread.

Don't Lie to Me
Whenever I hear about an inter-staff complaint, the lesson I learned is never to make judgement on the initial allegation until all parties have been heard and information synthesized. Almost without fail, what I hear is a half-truth, exaggerated truth, inverse chronology truth or an outright lie that paint a totally different story. And they can be crafty in spinning the story. I had to talk to all parties and put the pieces together in the right chronology to make sense of what really happened. At one point, I had to tell one, "do you appreciate my frustration talking to 3 people who give me three different stories about the same incident? You know what that tells me? You're all lying!" It was exhausting!

I know it's not part of the Filipino culture to own-up. But it would have been a lot easier for the culprit to simply say, "my bad...sorry" - end of story. Instead, there's a lot of finger-pointing even on things that weren't even big deal to begin with.

I take this episode as an interesting experience in the human factor, but if I have to do this full time as an HR employee, I would rather eat broken glass.

Ending Thoughts
At the apparent level, it would seem like life on Easy Street - resort lodging, compli-meal, tour-access, friend-privilege, interacting with guests, etc. But I wasn't there as a guest-on-holidays. I was vigilant 24/7 wearing the optimizer-hat - ensuring operations run smoothly, ironing-out the kinks, trouble-shooting issues, keeping the staff on their toes, monitoring a flooded river, balancing the books, probing for possible anomalies, fixing what's broken, conducting a workshop, etc. I came up with almost a daily report to the owners to update them on what's happening and also to present my observation and suggestions. Even when I was on a hammock or watching Netflix, my mind kept racing. At the end of the ordeal, it was exhausting.

Of course, my lenses are that of a newbie...unclouded by past history of what else have already happened here. I am not burdened by baggage the same way the owners who have been running this resort have gone through. Perhaps I approach all this with equal idealism and naivité. Now that I'm gone, I come away feeling that I played my role too seriously. But the experience was priceless.

I may have stumbled-upon a hidden niche. I just saw a TED Talk episode about an established surgeon who took a mentor just to tell him what he was doing wrong - no established professional does that! But he was surprised to realize how many blind spots he had - from lighting conditions in the operating room, to the way he handled the precision surgical equipment, etc. Hotel/resort owners face the same dilemma - they've seen the dirt on the wall too many times, they now think it's part of the wall. They need someone with fresh eyes who can spot the obvious issues that require fixing. But there is no job position for this sort of thing. This experience is another tool I put into my human Swiss Army knife. As wonderful and enriching as this experience is, I'm actually glad to be moving on again.

Many thanks to the owners of Fox and Firefly for the trust, many thanks to the staff for putting up with my overbearing scrutiny and many thanks to the resort guests who added color and animation during my stay!

--- TheLoneRider
YOGA by Gigit | Learn English | Travel like a Nomad | Donation Bank

Fox Signature Salad, the best on the menu

morning routine balancing the resort cash flow

invited by Troy to a Christmas gathering

flat bread, sikwate and butter for breakfast

mountain bike workshop with the tour guides

sumptuous breakfast with Jeanne and Gabbie

dinner with Winfried and Jesa at Riverside Native House

good times with Jeffrey, Leonid, Xander, Darwin and Purow

Making Sikwate: from cacao fruit to a hot dark chocolate drink

(Jan 25, 2018) How does the cacao fruit make its way to be the glorified hot dark chocolate drink we now savour in proper cafes? Let me count the steps...more »»

Next Traveling story:

Farm Tour with Mr. Raymond Cal

(Jan 29, 2018) Given the 240-hectare expanse of the private farm land that was marked by cacao, bananas and other fruit trees, the veggie farm itself seemed modest at barely the size of 4 basketball courts on a flat land cupped by surrounding hills. Trellis were lined-up for various vegetables. It was more of a getaway in a peaceful place where no karaoke sound or motorized vehicles disturb the soundscape.....more »»

Loboc, Bohol, Philippines

tourist attractions

Cruz Daku - 80-foot white cross erected in 1986 on top of Loboc's highest mountain
Virgen de Guadalupe - giant statue of the Black Madonna perched on a Loboc summit
River Cruise - river cruise on a floating restaurant serving lunch with cultural presentation
Busay Falls - accessible only through the river cruise
Loktob Spring - cold water spring, free admission, huts for rent
Zipline and Cable Car Ride - at the Eco-Tourism Adventure Park

hotel

Fox & The Firefly Cottages - SUP paddle boarding, luxury riverside native cottages, mountain bike tours, SUP yoga
Lyn's Backpackers Inn - family-run guesthouse in the heart of Loboc

Loboc Local Info

Tourist Attraction

Cruz Daku - 80-foot white cross erected in 1986 on top of Loboc's highest mountain
Virgen de Guadalupe - giant statue of the Black Madonna perched on a Loboc summit
River Cruise - river cruise on a floating restaurant serving lunch with cultural presentation
Busay Falls - accessible only through the river cruise
Loktob Spring - cold water spring, free admission, huts for rent
Zipline and Cable Car Ride - at the Eco-Tourism Adventure Park

*** entries below were submitted by Dodette Bernaldez

Chilling at the Hanging Garden
Watch the Loboc Children's Choir practice at Loboc Central Elementary School, 5pm daily
Watch the music classes of the Loboc Youth Ambassador Band on Saturdays
Attend Masses at St. Peter Parish and Quinoguitan Parish. We have a very rich culture here
Swim in the river at the same time talk to the ladies doing their laundry
Spend at least 2 hours (suggested time: 11:30-1:30pm) observing how Loboc Tourism Complex is operated and hopefully give your feedback to the Chief Tourism Operations Officer with the help of Jeffrey
Go to Loboc River Resort and Basak View in Camayaan
Visit the blacksmiths in Agape
Go to the hills and mountains of Gon-ob, Calunasan and Cambance areas. In Calunasan, visit Balai Silangan
Visit the caves of Guimba, Buenavista and Tigbao but don't expect too much, the caves are not that marvellous but the journey in going there are awesome, that if u like to be with nature
Visit the woodcarvers of Alegria and Tigbao
Visit the home-based weavers of Tigbao, Oy and Calunasan
Visit the rice fields of Basak Daku, Jimilian ...almost all barangays have patches of rice fields
Boating at Loboc River downstream on a late afternoon
Firefly tour
Salabat Centre in Candabong
Taste our delicacy at Tres Hermanas

Loboc Blogs

Loboc

LOBOC

Beginner Yoga at Fox and Firefly December 13, 2024

Yoga for Plus-sized Women May 24, 2024

Bohol Yoga Festival April 20/21, 2024

Goodbye Loboc, Goodbye Philippines Mar 15, 2018

The CubbyHole: Envisioning a Utopian Shangrila Mar 10, 2018

Fat Shredder with the Russian Twist Mar 2, 2018

No-Dismount Climb to Cruz Daku Mar 1, 2018

Jeffrey's Cardio Program Feb 26, 2018

SUP Yoga with Lalah de Dios at Fox and the Firefly Feb 25, 2018

Bike Ride with Juan Huerte: Loboc, Sikatuna, Corella and Baclayon Feb 25, 2018

CT Scan Result Feb 23, 2018

The Silent Killer has Arrived Feb 19-22, 2018

24+ Days at Lyn's Backpackers Inn Jan 23 - Feb 16, 2018

All Day Fun with the Loboc Crew Feb 11, 2018

20-Minute Rope Skipping w/ Pranayama and Meditation Feb 9, 2018

Calisthenics with Jeffrey Feb 7, 2018

Abs-Core Workout with Jeffrey Feb 5, 2018

High Intensity Cardio Workout Feb 2, 2018

Ride to the Landslide with Jeffrey Jan 31, 2018

Farm Tour with Mr. Raymond Cal Jan 29, 2018

Cacao Drum Roasting Jan 27, 2018

Making Sikwate: from cacao fruit to a hot dark chocolate drink Jan 25, 2018

5 Weeks at the Fox and Firefly Cottages Dec 13, 2017 - Jan 23, 2018

In-House Yoga Teacher at the Fox and Firefly Cottages Jan 22-Mar 14, 2018

Mountain Bike Rides from Tagbilaran to Loboc Jan 18, 2018

Firefly Tour on a Stand-Up Paddle (SUP) Dec 19, 2017

Playing Mountain Bike Tour Optimizer Dec 18, 2017

Back to Loboc Dec 13-17, 2017

37 Days in Loboc - Thank You and Goodbye Oct 8-Nov 14, 2017

Exploring Busay Falls, Loktob Spring And Jimili-An Spring Nov 11, 2017

Stand-Up Paddle Yoga with Joan Christine Nov 3, 2017

SUP (Stand Up Paddle) Bohol Oct 29, 2017

Exploring Guimba and Sog-ong Caves of Loboc Oct 22, 2017

Ziplining and Cable Car Ride at Eco-Tourism Adventure Park Oct 22, 2017

Savouring Villagio Pizza Oct 19, 2017

Wet and Wild Bonbon-Alegria Downhill Ride Oct 18, 2017

River Cruise on Loboc River Oct 17, 2017

Back Road Ride To Loay Oct 17, 2017

Leisurely Ride to Loktob Spring Oct 14, 2017

Sweet Ride to Busay Falls Oct 13, 2017

Bike Climb to the Virgen de Guadalupe Oct 12, 2017

The Ride to Cruz Daku (Big Cross) Oct 11, 2017

Exploring Loboc, Bohol Oct 8, 2017

Bohol, Philippines

tourist attractions

Danao Adventure Park - zip lining, cable car ride, caving, river rides/trekking, off-road buggy ride, root climbing, rappelling and ultra-glide rides
Alona Beach - hub for tourists with hotels, resorts, restos, bars and dive shops
Chocolate Hills - hills side-by-side shaped like giant Kisses chocolate
Tarsier - pocket-sized marsupia looking like a monkey
Balicasag Island - one of the best dive spots in the Philippines
Loboc River - river cruise on a boat
Anda Beach - fine white sand beach with resorts, restos and cottages, 3 hours by bus from Tagbilaran
Cabagnow Cave Pool - brackish water pool about 5ft deep inside a limestone opening on the ground, 8 feet deep, P50
Lamanok Island - walk on a 100m bamboo bridge on stilts to a resto area to take a boat tour to caves and nearly attractions, P300
Combento Cave Pool - cave pool with underwater cave system, P20
Can-umantad Falls - long narrow drop until it hits a bulbous mound spreading it into a a curtain-like water canopy and down into a splash pool
Canawa Cold Spring - deep refreshing cold spring with developed pool area
Firefly Tour - evening boat ride into the river to watch fireflies

hotel

Fox & The Firefly Cottages - SUP paddle boarding, luxury riverside native cottages, mountain bike tours, SUP yoga
Baranggay Valladolid, Loboc, Bohol
Bohol Tropics Resort - seafront location, manicured surroundings, swimming pool, resto/bar
0133 Graham Avenue, Brgy. Cogon, Tagbilaran, Bohol 6300
Oasis Resort - Alona Beach location, dive center, resto / bar
Alona Beach, Panglao, Bohol

yoga

Jing Yoga - health & well being through yoga
The Courtyard - Airport Road fronting the church
Bohol Meditation and Yoga Center - 2nd Floor Lim Magtajas Bldg. CPG Avenue

Bohol Travel Info/Tips

Bohol FYI / Tips

the tourist area where most of the hotels, restaurants, ticket offices, tour operators are, is located within the Alona Beach area
the tourist attractions in Bohol are far apart and spread-out. It would be difficult to visit them all using public mass transit. Better hire a van (P3500/day) if in a big group, or rent a motorcycle (P400/day + gas)
Bohol relies on its tourism for revenue. As expected, everything they can capitalize on from tourism is extensively used and developed

Tagbilaran Port to Panglao

You can charter any tricycle from the port all the way to Panglao (~P300), but if you want to do it on the cheap,

don't take the tricycles lined-up inside the port. Walk past the port gate and immediately outside, you'll see many tricycles. Take one to the bus terminal in Dao (~P15)
in Dao, take the jeep that plies the Panglao route (~P20)

Tagbilaran (Bohol) to Cebu City by boat

** schedules and rates keep changing, call for latest schedule

Weesam Express - departs 6:15 AM, 11:30 AM, 4:00 PM
one way: Economy (aircon) P500.00, Economy (non-aircon) P400.00, First Class P600.00
round trip promo (at least 2 days advance booking): Economy (aircon) P600, Economy(non-aircon) P500, First Class P1200
round trip promo (1 day or on the day booking): Economy (aircon) P800, Economy (non-aircon) P700, First Class P1200
Ocean Jet - departs 6-7:05-8:20-9:20-10:40-11:40AM, 1-2-3:30-4:20-5:30-6:30PM, 2 hours, arrives Pier 1 in Cebu
Open Air / Tourist Class P800, Business Class P1000
+63(32)255 7560 / +63 (32) 255 0115 / 0917 638 0000
SuperCat (2GO) - departs 5:50-11AM, 3:45-5:25-8:15PM, arrives Pier 1 in Cebu
P 500.00
+63 32 233 7000

Things to do, Places to go in Bohol

Chocolate Hills - this is a clustering of more than 1200 hills within a 50km² area. They range in height from 30-50 meters. What's unusual is their near-perfect conical shape resembling an individual chocolate chip. No one knows how they were formed. Entrance is P50/pax.
Tarsier Conservation Area - located Upper Bonbon, Loboc. The tarsiers are no longer being played at by tourists as circus props, but instead, visitors now view them in cordoned-off areas in their natural 6ha habitat. As they are territorial and nocturnal, they are predictable on where they can be viewed. P50/pax.
Alona Beach (Panglao) - Alona Beach is the tourist hub of Bohol. It has 1.5 kms of white sand beach lined-up by bars, hotels and restos. Alona is also the jump-off point for Balicasag Island, a world class dive destination.
Danao Adventure Park - located in Barangay Magtangtang, 72 kms (2 hours ride) from Tagbilaran. Adventure activities include river trekking, tyrolean traverse, rappelling, bouldering, rock climbing and ziplining.

Blogs

Bohol blogs