She stood tall against the silhouette of trees, one arm clutching a gun, the other holding on to a nearby branch. Her eyes, masked by camouflage, scanned the dense foliage of the forest—on the lookout for fellow tributes. A rustle of leaves on her left made her turn; her stance on the defensive as a barrage of water came shooting at her. She screeched, launching a water balloon at her nemesis, trying to stun the assailant while grabbing his life ribbon.

Welcome to JEST Camp’s Hunger Games.

We emerged from the forest of Subic Bay, trying to apply—and failing hard—the survival tips given by the Aeta guides as a prelude to the JEST Camp Hunger Games. Our stomachs on the other hand have a different Hunger Games in mind, what it wanted was lunch, a pretty heavy one. Good thing JEST Camp has prepared just the right one for us, a boodle fight at their Kawayan Kitchen.

HOW KAWAYAN KITCHEN COOKS THEIR MEALS

During our two-day stay at Subic’s JEST Camp, most of our meals were cooked using buho or bamboos. The camp practices what it preaches, almost all of dishes—including our rice—were prepared using the method the Aetas demonstrated to us the first day we arrived.

► SEE: PAMULAKLAKIN FOREST TRAIL JUNGLE SURVIVAL

Logs and kindling were piled, and hotdogs with soft marshmallows were skewered on thin bamboo sticks. Twilight has set a few hundred feet above Subic Bay. From a frame of tree branches, we can clearly see the city below, alive and twinkling; its electric hues illuminating the darkening sky, reflecting on the dark bay. With a flash of flint, our bonfire whooped into existence. We basked in the glow of the fire, mesmerized with its intensity, ready with our hotdogs, stories, and bottles of beer.

JEST CAMP ENTRANCE ARCH

MAGAUL BIRD PARK’S GIFT SHOP

We were at Subic’s JEST Camp. It was my third time to visit this place and it has definitely changed since I last set foot on it. Together with a group of friends who share the same passion for traveling (and drinking beer), we went here to witness the opening of the Magaul Bird Park’s Wings of the World and test our friendship with the JEST Camp Hunger Games.

Six travel bloggers wouldn’t have a standing chance against the adrenaline-filled weekend activities set up by Subic Homes if not for the food they generously provided us. We got to taste a plethora of dishes that three of Subic’s premier restaurants laid down before us.

Before doing the Subic’s Treetop Adventure, we got to have lunch at The Aristocrat. I remember seeing branches of this restaurant in Manila when I was still a kid but have never set foot inside their premises. Begging your pardon but my food preference then mostly consists of Chicken Joys and Yum Burgers.

Visitors were already milling through the spacious safari-inspired lobby at one of Subic’s main tourist attractions. Our weekend getaway was almost over but we have one last stop before we let Monday gets its way. We tied our imaginary boots, donned our khaki vests and put on our helmets; Zoobic Safari here we come!

The first thing I noticed while waiting for our tickets to be processed was the tiger cub near the entrance. Little did I know that we’re gonna be having a pretty close encounter with this cat a few minutes later. Like children, we were herded into his den, handed a milk bottle and sat a few away from the little tiger.

We were ready for anything after the adrenaline rush of the Subic Tree Top Adventure. Our next activity however turned out to be much tamer than the previous one, we would be visiting the JEST Camp which was just a few meters away from our current location.

JEST or Jungle Environment Survival Training is a lot like the Subic Pamulaklakin Trail I visited a year ago where locals teach visitors the essentials in surviving in the forest by properly and efficiently utilizing its resources with minimal tools on hand.

Since the afternoon was getting late, we however didn’t get to try their survival training. What we were able to do was visit their Bird Discovery Center, the Finches’s Fort and their Maze of (Mis)Fortune, or at least that’s what I think it’s called.

I held on to the handle bars, my grip tight as a vise, and waited for release. I suddenly rushed through an open expanse of the forest; everything zipped past and became a blur. A whooping shout involuntary escaped from my lips, I was riding above Subic’s dense treetops, Superman style!
I’m really not one for adrenaline rides; I hardly ever go to amusement parks, participate in water sports or ride park zip lines. It’s not that I’m a scaredy cat or anything; I just really don’t find them interesting. And the fact that I would have to pay a huge amount just to get that thrill doesn’t add to the appeal either.

There was a time when Subic was synonymous with weekend getaways before other town resorts started sprouting up near the Metro. I still fondly remember trips with my family and old flames along its shaded tree-lined roads, spending time on its white sand beaches and buying affordable PX goods at its many shops.

A chance to revisit Subic came a few weeks ago courtesy of Subic Homes. A group of travel bloggers were invited to check out the sights in the area and stay at their Vacation Villas at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.