Let me start this post by borrowing these lines about real friends from one of my favorite websites:

So how do you know if you are real friends or just simple friends?

A simple friend hates it when you call after she has gone to bed.

A real friend asks you why you took so long to call.

A simple friend seeks to talk with you about your problems.

A real friend seeks to help you with your problems.

A simple friend expects you to always be there for them.

A real friend expects to always be there for you!

Now don’t get me wrong, it’s good to have simple friends, as they are fun and offer another network of people to socialise with. But you can’t bet real friends, you know the ones you wear trackies around, go to a movie when you are feeling down or just hang out and talk about stuff.

Truly, I found not only simple but real friends during my stint as the only Filipino out of the 10 finalists of the GoPro Hero Contest sponsored by the The Planet D’s Dave and Deb. Candidly, I participated in the contest not only for the prize but for sentimental reasons as well. After I launched my travel site in the few remaining hours of December 31, 2011, I kept on sending e-mails to travel blog administrators begging for links. Immediately, I got a rebuke from a seasoned blogger sternly advising me to stop sending e-mails for support as, being a neophyte blogger, I don’t deserve to get it. By heaven’s grace, and when I was on the verge of total disillusionment, an email from the prestigious Canadian blogging couple Dave and Deb had arrived offering my first ever  link from a foreign travel site and encouraging me to go on with my travel blogging passion and hurdle the trying times as a novice as they had also threaded on the same path three years ago. Since then, I always made sure that I browsed on their travel site every time I opened the net, hence, I was among the first to know the launching of the GoPro Hero Contest.

Candidly, the post announcing the contest finalists had sent shivers down my spine for I didn’t really expect to land into the top 10 given the overwhelming number of Dave and Deb’s fans around the world responding to their call for entries. When I was informed that the winner shall be chosen from among the most number of “likes” from Facebook account holders,  I knew that I would be facing a tough challenge judging from my experience as a hands-on campaign strategist during my stint in the hotly contested seat for the board of Directors of a local electric cooperative. Hence, I embarked into a campaign offensive posting on my facebook account wall so my more than 500 listed friends can read and vote. Immediately, my staff at the Socorro Empowered People’s Cooperative (SOEMCO) responded to the call and served as my first wave of campaigners. Credit is due to Novelyn Ramirez who texted her co-employees to support their CEO. But, it was Joymafe Tesado who provided the missing voting link as she had discovered that one has to like first to The Planet D’s Facebook Fan Page before the like button would appear below my picture. My immediate family members Vanjing, Vladimir, Ranjick, Eimereen, Edil Jovann and Edrian had moved heaven and earth to win votes for me. Glenn Mark and Ysis Dizon had left no stones unturned in getting support from their friends. My friends Raul Pregon, Robert Quisto and Imelda Espenorio Dela Concepcion campaigned hard for me. But, to my surprise, two relatively unknown friends came to my rescue and provided the core of my campaign. The first being Lovely Libra, an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) based in Qatar and the other in the person of Evelyn Tamayo Solde another OFW based in Hongkong. Truly, their Facebook chatting prowess had attracted a number of OFWs to vote for me. Another unexpected support came from Desiree Joy Deloso Macumo-Roque, a Filipina immigrant in Australia who rallied her Filipino friends to support me. A number of my relatives, friends and fellow travel bloggers also provided their support either as campaigners or avid voters.

As in any other life endeavors, there were ups and downs in my campaign. Frustration really struck me when my personal message of appeal posted on the wall of my friends had merited a deafening silence. A number of my friends, though, deserve consideration as they had thrown their support for me, only that they missed the voting mechanics. But I was truly overwhelmed in knowing that majority of my votes came from people whom I didn’t know personally.

Having been adjudged as the winner of the GoPro Hero contest is no ordinary accomplishment in my life and I am really indebted to all my 378 supporters for getting the coveted prize. I vow to reciprocate the sponsor’s generosity as well as my voters loyalty through quality posts about my island vacations escapades supported by nice pictures and videos taken by the GoPro Hero Camera/Video. And to give due recognition to my supporters’ selfless efforts, I deemed it proper to include them in this list of  MY REAL FRIENDS:

Acquiring a waterproof camera is among my wish list after I launched my island vacations site in the remaining hours of December 31, 2010. The reason of course is obvious- there are so many under and over water scenes that can only be captured by a waterproof camera. In the vicinity of Sohoton Cove in Bucas Grande Island, Socorro, Surigao del Norte, Philippines alone, there are so many comely natural attractions worthy to take pictures or videos at but are impossible to be photographed using my Nikon D 7000 DLSR Camera, among them:

1. The “Hagukan” Cavern – the name is coined from the local term “haguk,” which literally means “snore,” due to the thundering sound resembling that of a snoring giant that it produces as low tide approaches. The strange phenomenon happens as the trapped air inside the cavern escapes out when the narrow entrance is exposed as a result of the receding water. You can enter the tiny cavern by going on a 10-meter free style swimming towards a hard coral serving as platform at the cavern’s center.  Your thrill will not stop at setting foot on the hard coral submerged half a meter below sea level for the reasons that, as you glance upwards, you can savor the breathtaking view of the sparkling crystalline white stalactites and stalagmites in its grandest forms which, aided by a bit of light coming from the pinched entrance, illumined the entire cavern. Looking downwards, you can witness a luminous turquoise waters which seemed like brightened by compact florescent lamps thereby offering the only chance of dark-skinned visitors to wear a fair complexion. A terrific sight indeed very much worthy to be shared to my readers which can only be captured by a waterproof camera.

2. The “Magkukuob” Cavern- the monicker is taken from the Visayan word “kuob” which connotes “bend” as you have to lean your body forward to barely make through a low entry point and walk up the steep and rugged passageway into a skylight towards a wooden platform on a cliff situated 15 feet above sea level. Truly, the diving platform seemed so low for spectators on board the boat. But for the first timers stepping on it, the sight resembles that of the ocean scenery as seen from the window of  the ascending plane. In fact, visitors wanted to go back but would be turned off with the recently experienced rock  climbing and spelunking challenge. Hence, he/she would be left with no choice but plunge into the crystal-clear waters.  Candidly, the whole climbing and plunging experienced is worthy to be documented but only a waterproof still and video  camera is  capable  of doing so.

Truly, after I had acquired my Nikon D 7000 DSLR Camera, I  engaged on a saving session for my long-dreamed waterproof camera. Fortunately, fate seemed on my side that I might acquire it without spending my hard earned money. Being an avid fan of Deb & Dave of The PlanetD’s Round the Workd Adventures, I  did my customary scan over their latest blog posts. To my excitement, I stumbled on their post about the Go Pro Hero HD Camera Contest launched in their facebook page with this high definition still and video camera being offered as a prize. . .

Image Courtesy of http://theplanetd.com

Glancing at the camera, I said to myself “this is the waterproof still and video camera that I had dreamed to acquire for so long  time.”  Excitedly, I participated in the contest taking into consideration the contest mechanics.  As I opened my facebook account yesterday and to my surprise,  I received a notice that I was selected as one of the ten finalists. The final winner will be picked from among the highest number of votes coming from facebook account holders. So here I am, appealing for the support of my dear readers. To vote for me, please follow these voting mechanics:

a. Click on this Facebook Link:  ”The PlanetD’s Round the World Adventures” and “LIKE” on the fan page;

b. Go to: “GoPro Contest Finalists”  album;

c. Click my picture, the one with UP Sablay, and “LIKE” it.

Your like would be counted as one vote for me. Voting will end on April 2, 2011. Wherefore,  my dear readers, with so much humility I am earnestly soliciting your support for me to win the much coveted waterproof camera. Rest assured that your generosity would be reciprocated in terms of quality posts coupled with high quality photos and videos taken, hopefully, with use of the said Go Pro Hero HD Camera.