To save ourselves from the stress of waiting for late comers, which most probably meant to save themselves from the stress of waiting for me (wehe), we all decided to just spend the night at Chris' place. Woke up at around 6 in the morning. Splitted into two cabs going to the airport. Our driver took a longer route and mistakingly headed to the International Airport. I dunno if he did that on purpose in order to charge us a higher fare or what. The moment we reached the Domestic Airport, the meter read Php180. That's almost Php50 higher compared to what the others had to pay. Boohoo!
Nweiz, we flew Zest Air, formerly known as Asian Spirit. I'm very much aware of the airline's bloodied reputation. I've heard stories - turbulent flights, plane crashes and all - enough to make me feel nervous about the flight. And as they say, with Asian Spirit, you fly as an Asian and you land as a spirit. Nyaha. But of course, there's not much I could do really but to have my fingers crossed and pray for a safe trip.
April's description of the plane couldn't be more exact. It just felt like riding a bus that grew wings. Hehe. In fairness to Zest Air, the experience wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. The plane took off and landed smoothly. I guess it helped that the weather was on our side. Although the Zest-O juice could've come with a mamon to match. Hehe. But hey, we landed at Busuanga Airport in one piece so hand me another Zest-O and I'll drink to that! ^_^
Since we weren't able to settle any arrangements for our ride from the airport to the resort, we were welcomed by three shuttle services. One came from Seadive resort, one was Kuya Eran's contact and another for Zest Air passengers. The Zest Air driver was a little too assertive so Kuya Eran's contact stopped arguing and simply gave way. But in the end, we got into the resort's van after explaining that he was really scheduled to fetch us.
Travel time from the airport to Coron town was around 45 minutes. It was a rough and rocky ride, I felt my brain jiggle inside my skull. But I believe they're already in the process of improving the road as we saw portions of concrete roads along the way. For almost half an hour, we were surrounded by lush green grass, green trees and green mountains. Everything was green, green, green! I bet even the air smelled green! Ahihi.
Checked-in at Seadive resort. The rooms were fine but the service we experienced was indifferent and downright slothful at times. And I think it wouldn't hurt if the receptionist would put on a smile. After all, she's paid to do so. :)
Kuya Eran and his niece Joan met up with us to discuss our itinerary. Since he had another group to handle, Joan would be our tour guide for the first two days. After handing them half of our payment, Joan accompanied us to Binalot Tong Daon for lunch. Their food was a real budget-saver. For only Php60, "May kanin at ulam na, may itlog at kamatis pa!" Hehehe.
After lunch, we went back to our rooms to rest for a while. At around 4pm, we started our own itinerary for the day. We first braved the 700+ steps hike up Mt. Tapyas. I intended to count the exact number of steps it would take to reach the summit. But then I got too tired that I couldn't even remember what comes after 149. Nyaha. When we finally reached the top, we all looked wasted and dehydrated. But the view from above, seeing the surrounding mountains and the nearby islands, was well worth all the sweat.
Descended the mountain after sunset. It was certainly much easier to walk down the steps. Though the climb really did turn my legs into jello. Hehe. In order to soothe our weary bodies, we headed to Maquinit Hot Spring. The tricycle ride was bumpy and quite scary. We had to pass through dark woods with only the tricycle's headlights illuminating the way. We started imagining things like a creepy horse-drawn carriage following us and poker-faced kids flagging us down that if we decide to ignore them, they would suddenly appear inside the tricycle. Yikes! Qué horror! Hehe.
Heaved a sigh of relief when we finally reached our destination. Weird as it may seem but according to Joan, the water there is actually salt water with a temperature of around 40°c. At first it was a little too hot to enjoy until my body adjusted to the heat. But after some time, I started to feel really nauseous. I thought the heat took its toll on me alone but it turned out that April and Franz felt the same. So we stepped out of the water and just stayed at the cottage while we waited for the others.
Went back to the resort for dinner. Since we still were a little mucho, we tried the food at Seadive. Hehe. Got myself a generous serving of fish fillet. I think it was enough to feed two persons but because I was hungry I was able to wipe my plate clean all on my own. Hmmm!! Hehe.
After dinner, we all went back to our rooms to freshen up. Then we started watching The Life Before Her Eyes but because it was a tad boring... ZzzZzz...
11.29.08
Joan fetched us at exactly 8am. First stop was Kayangan Lake. The climb uphill was fairly easy since the steps were either carved or were huge slabs of stone. Stopped at the summit to take pictures of the cove and the cave. Hehe.
We then proceeded on our way down the lake. The water was sooo clear, you can actually see all the way to the bottom even without diving into it. It was a serene paradise of emerald green waters and lots of what-looked-like-tiny-swordfishes swimming around.
Lunch was served before leaving Kayangan. We had crab, fish, cucumber salad and fruits for dessert. Too bad they weren't able to get us some shrimp and squid. Huhu. Yeah, the craving wasn't satisfied but it was a pleasant meal nonetheless.
Not so far from Kayangan is Barracuda Lake. It got its name from a big barracuda that used to live there. Again, we had to do some climbing to reach the lake. It was more challenging though since we had to climb over limestone rocks and crags. I wasn't wearing strapped sandals so I had to be extra careful not to slip. Luckily, I reached the lake unscathed. Hehe. But because my body was starting to complain, I just sat at a nook among the limestones with Joan and Jozzel.
They dropped us off at Lambingan bridge. I imagined it as a hanging bridge with a scenic view but it turned out to be nothing like that. It was simply a wooden dock with some benches waiting for night to fall and for lovers to come out and play, I suppose. Hehe. We just had fun reading the love notes scribbled on most of the planks.
"Smile is the best people make-up" (Anu daw?!?)
"Bakit hindi ka sumipot ang dami qu pa nmang dalang tinapay.. grahams pa..." (Awww...)
"Alam mo ang swerte mo. Bk8? Kc u have me db!! Ang swerte mo kc cla wla 2lad qoh!! Kya sana ingatan mo kc out of stock npoh" (Hahaha!)
"Ask q c god bak8 may taong manhid sbi nya wla aqng ginawang ganun napahiya ako at napayuko kc sv nya manhid ba sya o di mulang matanggap na iba mahal nya?" (Mei ganun?! Hehe.)
Our itinerary ended early, hence the decision to climb the Hollywood-inspired Coron sign that we saw atop a hill. One of the locals told us that we could ride a tricycle to get to its foot. But we had lots of time to kill so we walked instead. It was a pretty long walk, I must say. But a much needed dose of exercise for me. Hehe.
The climb itself wasn't troublesome but trying to capture a decent shot of us all in front of the Coron sign was. The tripod was setup a couple of meters down the hill in order to fit the entirety of the sign into the frame. Tried different camera settings - 10 seconds delay and burst shots. Then Joji had to run and position himself before the last shot. After a number of trials, we finally achieved that one perfect shot.
The clouds rolled in and it started to drizzle. Good thing we brought our umbrellas with us. Walked back to the resort and washed ourselves. Everyone was too tired and lazy for dinner so we just threw in some bread and some spread. Tried watching a thriller movie entitled The Ruins. With all the screaming for help and the mystery surrounding the movie, we were off to a good start. Or so we thought. Hehe.
11.30.08
Armed with our snorkeling gears, we first went to Siete Pecados. It was named as such because of the seven islets surrounding the area. Boats were not allowed to drop their anchors nor use their tikins since these could harm the fishes, the corals and what-have-you underwater. I've been itching to see what the world beneath the waters of Palawan has to offer. I took the dive and the moment I plunged my head into the water, I was immediately in awe of what I saw. Surely, the itch had been scratched but a new itch had started to crawl all over my body. Literally this time. I was scratching myself furiously that it took most of the fun out of the experience. I emerged out of the water with a couple of red spots on my legs. Joan told me 'twas caused by the jellyfish eggs. Argh. I soo hate jellyfishes! o_0 @#$%
Black sea urchins were also abundant that Joan and our bangkers constantly reminded us not to go near them. Told us that if we get ourselves pricked, we could go down with a fever. Now who would want that? One of our bangkers had a weird fondness with these spiny creatures that he kept on diving and picking them up by hand. He told us that he's already immune to the pain. Well, either that or his hand is too calloused already. Ahihi.
We then went to Kalachuchi Beach. 'Twas named as such because of a small island with - surprise, surprise... Kalachuchi flowers! Hehe. I enjoyed snorkeling in this part of the sea more than I did in our previous location since the water here did not give me that annoying itch. Hehe.
Next stop was the Skeleton Wreck where we saw the remains of a steel-hulled boat. It was a pretty scary looking boat. But experience-wise, I think the divers are the ones who would appreciate it more. It's different when you're simply hovering on top of the wreck compared to diving into the wreck itself. I just took a coupla shots of it and then I swam around for the fishes and corals.
Chris found an anemone with clownfishes swimming around it. He tried capturing a decent shot of it but most of his shots came out blurry. Perhaps our bangkers noticed our undying enthusiasm in finding Nemo so they caught one for us and placed it in a plastic cup. So cute, this little fish!!! We kept on taking pictures of it in every angle possible! Ahihi. If only I could take this cute little fish home... Hehe. But we thought, what if there is a Marlin and a Dory out there, eluding jellyfish stings, fighting off blood-thirsty sharks in hopes of rescuing Nemo? Hehe. So after the photo shoot, we returned Nemo back to the water. ^_^
Off we went to Banol Beach for lunch. The beach is simply a small stretch of white sand tucked between rocky cliffs and greeneries. While waiting for our food, we just relaxed and took some pictures around.
Again, we had seafood for lunch! Fish, crabs, and loads and loads of shrimp!!! My favorite! Ahihi. They also served us some grilled pork chop since Franz is somehow allergic to seafood. It goes without saying that our lunch ended with big and satisfied burps. Hehe.
After eating, we all bummed around the beach for a while. I thought I could sneak in some zzzzs while Joan and the Kuyas ate and fixed their things. But as I was about to catch my sleep, Joan told us that we would be leaving the island already.
Our next stop was CYC Island, which is just a small beach with two small cottages. It is the only free public beach in the area. No wonder the island was very busy when we got there. We all decided to pass this one up since there's nothing really inviting about it.
Twin Lagoon was our next destination. To reach the other lagoon, we had to pass through a hole, which is only visible during the low tide. There weren't much tourists around when we reached the other side. It was quiet and peaceful as can be. We just enjoyed the surroundings and the water. Then our attention was drawn to a troop of monkeys jumping around from one tree to another. Funny how we tried getting their attention with our "ooo-ooo-aaa-aaa-eee-eee". Nyaha.
We then went to Twin Peaks. I'm not quite sure where the name came from. Based on the pictures we took, I suppose one of the rock formations has two peaks. Wow! Who would've thought?! Haha. Our tour guides were a bit apprehensive about letting us into the water. The waves didn't look very friendly. We weren't that excited to try and make friends with them anyway so we just took pictures and wrapped up the day's itinerary.
Had our dinner at Kawayanan Grill Station. Service was a bit disorganized and slow. Our orders took ages to be served. When the sizzling sisig finally arrived at our table, we weren't able to mix the egg immediately coz we had no utensils at hand. Other than that, the food was ok at a reasonable price.
12.01.08
It was lunch time when we reached Banana Island. While they cooked and prepared our lunch, we explored the giant aquarium surrounding the island. Joji brought our left over pandesal from breakfast to feed the fishes. Everytime I held out a piece of bread, fishes would swarm around me. At first I was taken aback coz they come in schools and they swarm in a frenzy like they haven't eaten for days. But when I got used to them, it was a fun experience!
Kuya Eran called us for lunch. Swarmed around the table in a frenzy. Haha. We had chicken, shrimp and crabs. I think they also served us fish but it went barely noticed. Hehe. I'm sure gonna miss this kind of lunch. My dad and my brother are both allergic to shrimp and crabs so we very rarely have them on our table. Very rarely as in twice, thrice a year. The last time we had shrimp, my dad sweated profusely and his face was bloated. To think that he only ate three pieces at most. Bummer.
After lunch, we walked along the beach for a while. Walked to bring the food down to the soles of my feet. Hehe. And then we rested in one of the hammocks shaded under a palm tree.
Hopped on our boat for our next destination. Malcapuya Island, just like Banana Island, is a powdery white sand beach. But there were less shaded areas except for some cottages. Franz opted to stay in one of the cottages (or was it a daybed?) because he was having some trouble with his hearing. I stayed with him for a while but I wasn't able to resist the tempting sight of the water! Hehe.
Off we went to Culion Island. It was once established as a leper colony where people with Hansen's disease or leprosy were placed in exile. From our boat, we saw the PHS logo engraved on the face of the mountain. I dunno exactly what it meant but a fine piece of art it is. Hehe.
We arrived at the island half an hour past 3 o'clock. We weren't able to visit the Culion Museum since it closes at 3pm. It would've been nice to learn more about the history of the island. We just visited the Culion Cathedral. Good thing I remembered to enter the church left foot first. Hehe. Roamed around the church for more photo opportunities.
Our next stop was the bestest best we've been to on this entire trip! The Coral Garden! The corals came in different colors and shapes and sizes and were breathing with so much life! It was just amazing and beautiful and I dunno how words could describe it! Unfortunately, my battery was running low so I wasn't able to take as much photos as I wanted. Apart from the few shots that I've made, all I have now are mental images of His wonderful creation. I hope it's something that I won't soon forget. Hehe.
Time was pressing and we had to leave for our last destination: the Lusong Gunboat Wreck. According to Google, it is submarine hunter shallowly submerged where the stern breaks the surface at low tide. Yeah, whatever that means. Hehe. You could actually stand on the wreck but I didn't dare do it. I'm chicken like that. Hehe.
12.02.08
We only had one major destination for the day: Calauit Island Safari. The trip to the island was sooo long, I dunno exactly how many effing hours it took us to get there. I slept, watched a movie, and slept again but our bumpy ride just didn't seem to end. We stopped by an eatery for a quick breakfast. After feeding our hungry stomachs, we hit the road again for another hour or so. Rode a boat that would finally take us to the island. I thought to myself that after travelling for several hours, it better be worth it. Sadly, the so-called "island where animals roam free" was a complete disappointment.
First, I saw a couple of deers. And when I say a couple, I am being extremely accurate. Well, we're just a few days away from Christmas. Maybe Santa's flying forces were out practicing their flight for the big night. Wehe.
The tram stopped to give us a chance to feed a giraffe named Eva. Named after Eva Mendes, Eva Fonda or Eva Papaya, I am not quite sure. Hehe. It was a pity though to see the giraffe severely wounded. It wasn't just a simple scratch or a small cut but several open wounds. Manong told us that she was being treated already and that the violet spots were in fact the medication applied to the wounds. Cute. Parang indelible ink lang. Hehe.
The wheels turned and then we saw a dazzle of zebras. Some got off the tram to take better pictures up close. But as for me, the shots taken from where I stood in the tram were good enough. I just gave it a 4.8x zoom, snap, and that's it. How bored could I get?! Hehe. Ever wondered what a zebra's true color is? Is it white with black stripes or black with white stripes? Today I learned that it is the latter. Well, at least I've learned something new. Hehe.
Saw a tower of giraffes after. And then we saw a pair of giraffes. And did I mention that we saw another giraffe? Just like déjà vu! Hehehe. Then we all got off into an area where the caged animals such as porcupines, monkeys, boars and bearcats are kept. Funny how one of the bearcats was sprawled on a tree branch looking like it was suffering from a terrible hangover. A "beer cat", we jokingly called it. Hehe.
We also went to a crocodile swamp. But unfortunately, we weren't able to see any crocodiles. Manong climbed and balanced himself atop a narrow wall and started poking the area with a pole. But no matter how hard he tried to disturb their peace, they weren't stirred from their hiding. I could just imagine the crocodile biting the pole and with one quick swish, sending manong's body into the air and crashing right between its razor sharp teeth. It was a danger waiting to happen so we just told him that it's fine and we could just continue on with our tour.
Turned out that it was the last leg of our Calauit Island tour. I was left wondering where our day went. To waste, I suppose. Should've spent the whole day at Coral Garden instead. Hehe. Oh well. As the cliché goes, I'm just charging it to experience. Hehe.
Had our lunch in the eatery where we had our breakfast earlier. Guess what our lunch was? Crabs!!! And I'm not complaining! Hehe. We then went to Concepcion Falls. Really had no plans to take a dip so I just took pictures, one click after another. It was only Chris and April who took the plunge. And according to them, the water was cold. Hehe.
When we arrived back in town, we scoured the place for pasalubongs. Again, we decided to have our dinner at Kawayanan Grill Station but this time, it was my treat and Roxie's. The service was better compared to our first dining experience. And the fish fillet with butter sauce was scrumptilicious! Very much that we ordered a second serving!
I was still kinda full from our dinner but just a few moments after we arrived at our room, I started munching on a slab of bibingka. Pigging out, alright. Nyaha. Turned on the DVD player to watch a movie for the last time and just like a lullaby, I was off to Lalalaland in no time. Hehe.
12.03.08
It was time for us to say goodbye to Palawan. Time to leave the island that momentarily took us away from the smoggy and chaotic city that is Manila. Time to face the reality of going back home and going back to work. Huhuhu.
No longer would I mention anything about our last day in Palawan. How we waited for the Zest Air booth to open while all the other airlines were already busy doing business and how I went down with a slight fever and a terrible coughing fit. But I just did mention it, didn't I? Haha. Oh well. I just want to get this long post over and done with. So there. Hehe.
