A thrilling Bohol trip with the Kitty Girls

Taking the first flight of Cebu Pacific at 5:45 a.m. to Tagbilaran City, I expected that cranky, dud-looking sleepyheads would meet me at the airport. To my pleasant surprise, they were exactly the opposite. At 4:30 a.m., the Kitty Girls were gorgeous, affable and wide-awake in the excitement of their first visit to Bohol, which as we all know is one of today’s most attractive tourist destinations in the Philippines with its beautiful beaches, caves, dolphins and whales, waterfalls, historical churches and landmarks and the Loboc Children’s Choir.

The month of May being also the month of fiestas in Bohol, when Boholanos wherever they may be in the world would return home, starting with the fiesta of Tagbilaran City on May 1, all flights were full. Landing in Tagbilaran airport, we were met by our organizers, Dennies Du and Donald Fuertes, who immediately brought us to the grand Bohol Tropics Resort where a sumptuous Filipino breakfast awaited us. I watched, oh, so enviously as the young Kitty Girls gathered together by star-maker Joji Dingcong, with their whistle-bait model figures, gorged on rice, eggs and tapa, while I simply had fruits and water. As everyone was sleep-deprived, we all went after breakfast to our well-appointed rooms to catch up on sleep.

Lunch was during the Loay River Cruise (care of Rio Verde Floating Restaurant) where we had our very own round-shaped Calamay boat (named after the famous Bohol sweet delicacy calamay). Not only were the views panoramic; our food was so yummy as well. We had a native Boholano singing sentimental songs for us during the whole river cruise. All the time, the girls were so thrilled, always taking photos, as the boat meandered along, of the sights unfolding before us, which included a replica of a Bohol indigenous settlement and Amazon-like rainforest scenes that would make a visitor want to stay much longer than the allocated time.

After lunch, off we went, through our brand new Kia Motor SUVs, to the Chocolate Hills where I almost gave up after climbing only about 30 steps, were it not for vehement objections from the Kitty Girls. Very fit and muscular Ayanna Oliva (the Wild Cat) simply would not hear of me quitting. Being competitive (although not in the physical sense) since my grade school days, I drudged on. Huffing and puffing as I arrived at the top where the viewing area was located, I happily observed tourists having a grand time not only marveling at the incredible Chocolate Hills but also taking note of the stunning Kitty Girls who became the main attraction for about 20 minutes. Fellow travelers from Manila just could not believe their luck; they had always wanted to see the Kitty Girls in person (as they could only watch them regularly on ABS-CBN’s Wowowee and ASAP) and their visit to the Chocolate Hills led to an unexpected dream come true. Adventurous 20-year-old Filipino-American and Japan-raised Nicole Deen (aptly called Sporty Kitty) almost gave me a heart attack as she playfully went to the edge of the viewing area to make unbelievably funny but extremely dangerous poses. Aaaahh... Nicole so much reminded me of my younger and foolish days again.

Viewing the tarsiers was another highlight of the Kitty Girls’ tour. Jocelyn Oxlade, a.k.a. Sexy Kitten, the British-born and raised Filipino-British beauty, obviously an animal lover, was so taken with the cuteness of the world’s smallest primate. Tanya Yuquimpo (Punk Kitty), the Chinese-Filipina, who for me appeared to be the most fragile and sensitive among the five, yet who did not fear to express what was on her mind, contented herself just watching the endangered animals from afar.

Dinner was a formal sitdown at the Peacock Garden Luxury Resort and Spa owned by Hans and Lani Schoof and their amiable daughter Katrina Schoof. The place, with its elegant European touches, was absolutely different from the resorts we are accustomed to in the country. For a very short while it felt like living the life of the rich and famous or being on the set of The Bachelor with all the expensive fixtures.

The following morning was spent by the Kitty Girls lazing at the Bohol Tropics’ lovely pool to the delight of the vacationers there. Lunch care of Bohol Tropics’ owner John Jesnil Yap was heavy and we started wondering how many pounds we had gained in just one day. Mall visit at the Island City Mall made us realize that Bohol practically had everything, including a big mall that had anything we wanted. And then it was merienda time once again at the Madelicious Ihaw-ihaw Restaurant.

As we were all stuffed, we all begged off from dinner before the show. And at last, it was time for the Boholanos to experience the Kitty Girls, Live! in Bohol at the New Sandugo Ballroom of the Bohol Tropics Resort, also care of other major sponsors: Dragon Fireworks, Dunkin’ Donuts, Lazy Party Club, Pepsi and Globe Telecom. Ayanna and Jocelyn were notable as soloists, while talkative Nicole kept the night alive with her witty spiels. Australian-Filipina beauty Veronica Scott (a.k.a. Kitty-Next-Door) was the graceful dancer who kept the men at the edge of their seats. All in all, it was a beautiful show to watch with the five sexy models-turned-singers singing and dancing the night away. The songs were popular and their choreography captivating. It was definitely an exhilarating entertainment.

In the end, the Boholanos wanted so much more of the Kitty Girls and the Kitty Girls wanted so much more of Bohol. I knew exactly how the Kitty Girls felt. It was my fourth visit to enchanting Bohol, and I still could not have enough of it.

(You can help promote Bohol by voting for the Chocolate Hills as one of the new Seven Wonders of Nature. Cast your vote at www.net7wonders.com until Dec. 31, 2008. E-mail me at [email protected].)