Let me set the scene. "My girls" by animal collective begins to play (the one with the super dreamy intro) im sat at the front of a ferry, all alone. The temperature outside is a wonderful 84 degrees with a breeze that you would dream of. Here I am, too dark to see the ripple of the water but that doesn't mean it's not there.
That's not why I'm here. To tell you it's there. I've been places lately, and I apologize for taking forever to post. Let me recap my last two and a half weeks or so.
That's not why I'm here. To tell you it's there. I've been places lately, and I apologize for taking forever to post. Let me recap my last two and a half weeks or so.
Left Thailand on a Tuesday morning. Slept at Kuala Lumpur airport and flew to Manila on a Wednesday. Took the evening bus to Baguio into Thursday 3 am. Waited at the freezing rainy station for the 6 am bus to Sagada. Too exhausted and ill to enjoy Sagada so in bed by 9. Friday spend the morning in Sagada then take the bus back to Baguio (7+ hours). Saturday enjoy the Bencab museum and cooler weather of Baguio before heading to San Fernando that evening. Went to a deserted San Fernando (oh Chinese New Years..) and nearly walked back the 10km thanks to lack of jeepney. On Sunday took the 7 hour bus back to Manila. On Monday moved to parañaque and stayed put for a whopping 2 nights there! On Thursday hiked Mount Taal in Tagaytay. On Friday set for batangas and my first dive. I loved it so much I got open water certified and stayed for two more nights. And now I'm here. On this moonlit ferry taking me to who knows where. Well, technically to puerto galera. We probably arrive in an hour but it's felt like two already. From there I will take a bus for 3 maybe 4 hours to Sablayan where a friend has arranged some fun for me. Will take a zip line (the worlds longest!) to Pandan Island, then spend some time in Apo Reef before heading to coron to do some wreck diving. Sounds like fun?
I'm exhausted. I'm just going to get to sablayan and sleep for more than 6 hours I hope, unless there's some friendly roosters I seem to always meet. Tomorrow I will go to the beach, and do nothing. Nothing. I just need one day. I just went on 6 dives in 3 days. I saw sharks! TWO! Two sea turtles! An eel! A sea snake!! And countless beautiful creatures. I feel so blessed.
But for now, I wait. And try to enjoy as much as I can. This breeze is so enjoyable it's worth a vacation in itself. I'm less stressed. Today alone I took a boat to the sea and back. Took a tricycle to catch a jeepney to catch a tricycle to get to the ferry. Taking the ferry and hoping to jump onboard the bus that's in the lower deck to take to Samblaya. Come on Dimple bus lines, I know you've got room for a joe like me!!
Edit: Dimple Bus was full. Had to take one of the several people yelling directions in my face's van. We drove so fast, I felt like throwing up. Our 3 hour trip was over in 2 and a half... over too soon. He took me to the bus station, said to take a tricycle the last 1 km, and even asked for it to be okay to get shorted on my change. So there I am, at midnight, walking down the street luggage in tow. An out of place white boy, but not scared at all. Everyone is so friendly here. Maybe overly friendly (I'm looking at you ladyboy who harrassed me!), but I made it. I passed out immediately.