We may have been locked up in our homes for months on end, but it didn’t shield us from everything that’s been happening around the world. If anything, the lockdown served to make us more aware, and if I may say more hyper-aware, of current events. In fact, we’re so current we knew that an earthquake was going to happen before it happened! How ATM is that!

Locked down at home, I thought of escaping to an otherworld without the white noise of social media. Going off the grid seemed to be the best idea.

Reviewing listings at Airbnb unearthed quite a gem. While it was mere minutes away from civilization, the cabin was built on a slope in a protected forest area. It is quiet, isolated, and powered by solar energy. There are no power lines which meant no refrigerator, freezer, or air conditioning. There is no Wifi, and 3G data signal is erratic. In other words, it was perfect.

Our adventure started a week before, planning our menu for three days with only an ice box. We opted for a meat dish for dinner on our first night; the next meals revolved around eggs, veggies, mushrooms, and dried fish. And because birthdays were to be celebrated, we brought with us an elegant strawberry shortcake.

Because it’s us, we kind of lost our way getting there. It reminded me of the time we were to stay at a friend’s weekend home in Tarlac and missed the exit at NLEX. Not familiar with the route at the time, we thought we might end up in Subic, which wouldn’t be so bad either.

This time around, Waze flaked out on us and we ended up on our way to the town of Talisay! Mwahahaha! We knew we had missed a turn when we lost the view of the lake. It was one of the things which attracted us to the place, and we couldn’t see it. What lay before us was a narrow road winding up and down the mountain, with the forest getting thicker by the minute. We were lucky to get a phone signal at one of the turns, and a quick call to the caretaker set us in the right direction.

When we finally arrived, we were not disappointed. The cabin was exactly what was promised in the photographs… charming yet functional, rustic yet practical, inviting yet secure. I particularly loved how the glass doors and windows beckoned the outside in, and from virtually every corner of the cabin, you’d get a view of the outdoors.

We would spend the next days doing… nothing.

In the morning, I would flop down a chair in the balcony, under an umbrella, enjoying the breeze and the view. I always had company. Birds would be singing. Bees would be buzzing. A couple of chickens paid us a visit one time, cooing and crowing.

I became obsessed with the gigantic leaves of plants I know not the names of. One had red leaves, which turned to green; others seemed to have a dozen fingers. And always, I would turn to the clusters of bamboo, several stories tall, swaying with the wind, dancing to their own rhythm.

The sky told its own story: blue one moment, gray the next with clouds casting shadows on the lake below.

At night, we were enveloped in darkness with the crickets enjoying their merry reign. Every so often, they’ll be accompanied by the croaking of bullfrogs and the chapping of geckos. A lone firefly parked at the front door once, and we marveled at the absolute ingenuity of nature.

It was a much-needed reprieve, a timely reminder that whatever else has been happening all around us, there is still so much to be thankful for.

I sincerely wish that you could find the opportunity to get off the grid, if not physically then mentally. You so deserve it.

Take care!

Interior photos from Overlooking Forest Cabin