Salamat Pilipinas

Day 229 - Wednesday 25th January 2017 2.27pm

Who am I kidding, a stationary familiar life is not on the agenda!

There is a rooster on our boat. Cockadoodledooing away. On a boat. In the sea. To an island. In the Philippines. Guess there's a first time to experience everything.

I don't think it had quite sunk in yet that we are actually in the Philippines - one of those destinations you dream of your whole life but seems like another world away. It was one of the tops of my list and when Megan and I were deciding where to map our route, Myanmar and here were the first places we both said. That feels like forever ago now, yet here we actually are.

After our tragic flight we grabbed a taxi straight to our little hotel (Star Movies and a comfy bed are always crowd pleasers) and ventured across the road to the swanky western shopping mall to be cheered up by chilli con carne, blue cheese burger, hot fudge brownie and the best salted caramel ice cream you could ever dream of.

Our ride through Cebu City reminded me a lot of Yangon and arriving in Myanmar - it wasn't quite what I expected but I don't know what I had thought before. Rustic and fascinating and real - it's hard to describe but fascinating to watch, I love watching life in places like this. Cute kids running down the path in their oversized school uniform, a man sleeping against a lamppost with a big straw hat, street vendors and traffic sellers with their bags of peanuts and unidentifiable objects. There's something going on whichever window you look out from, with people's lives that you simply cannot imagine a day of.

Now we are on a boat to Bohol island, unsure of the dark weather conditions approaching this week. First we are staying in the Chocolate Hills then we'll head to the beaches of Panglao, hopefully for some diving, dolphins and dry weather!

Day 230 - Thursday 26th January 11.45pm

Listening to dogs howling, roosters cockadoodledooing, the pitter patter of rain and the squeaky fan rotating.

We are now staying at 7P2 Guesthouse in Carmen, ran by a very friendly chap who fell in love in Italy then returned to his hometown to welcome guests from around the world and hear about their stories.

We negotiated a taxi here from the boat with our first Filipino pal Sammy, attempting to befriend him so he didn't rip us off or decide to kidnap us. The journey was a few hours long but gave us our first glimpse of Bohol living. The scenery is beautiful and it reminds me a lot of Sri Lanka with the sounds smells and humidity. The Philippines offers a unique mix of European and Asian culture twisted in with island life too; instead of temples there are churches every hundred metres, shaded by palm trees, standing proud from the Spanish era. Christmas explodes all over the Philippines too, something they fully celebrate for many weeks longer than any other country I’m aware of!

Life in Carmen is simple, rustic, real living. It is the most back and beyond we have been and it reminds me even more of Myanmar. There’s nothing at all here for tourists, it’s just the local village to the famous ‘Chocolate Hills’, so not many people stop by. Hence every person we pass will have a good look, including all the trucks tricycles and motorbikes driving by! It has very comforting to be greeted by all the friendly locals though, welcoming us to their country.

We tried to be adventurous for dinner last night by hitting up a local shack, mainly because there wasn’t any other options. Still we have absolutely no idea what we ate, three unidentifiable hotpots that unfortunately were not the most appetising. Filipino food, you are letting down your country. Luckily we found a snickers style bar for only 7 pesos in the pharmacy opposite, this may have to be our diet for a while.

We took our trip up to the Chocolate Hills on a tricycle with Edma, our next Filipino pal, stopping off at a bakery with all four giggling cashiers coming to serve us whilst we took a risk on the red bean pastries (which we hoped was jam or chocolate). The scenery from the top of the hills was beautifully odd; lush perfectly circular hills blobbed around the landscape. It is thought that they were formed hundreds of thousands of years ago from coral formations when the island was partly underwater, sculpted slowly by rain and erosion over the years to produce some Hershey’s Kisses style hill tops (hence the common name), covered head to toe in every direction with palm trees, paddy fields and endless greenery.

Another very local lunch for 40 pesos, with a similar style to last night where we pointed and some indescribable dishes were presented on plates that were not quite big enough. Still yet to be convinced on this cuisine I must say.

Today we had a short break from the sprinklings of rain for a chance to actually read in the sunshine, plan our route through the Philippines (hello private jet – watch this space) and have a walk through the dusty village to check out the local market. We thought we’d be safe with dinner tonight – a pot noodle and bananas, accompanied by the resident shrew in the outhouse.

Day 231 - Friday 27th January 12.27pm

Day 231 – the longest I have ever been away from home! Spending it in true Asian style, packed at the back of a colourful old bus, winding between the paddy fields and palm trees, getting lots of shy looks and goggles from the locals, towering two feet above all their heads, with the people who can't fit climbing up to ride on the roof. All for £1 for a 2 hour journey through the entire island.

2.44pm

Well that ended up being one of the most enjoyable bus journeys, despite the constant bum bouncing on the hard benches. And for the first time ever I've been told "You've got a nice nose"!

From asking the bus boy what he was using a wooden block for when we stopped (to prevent the wheels from rolling down the slope), I had opened up an invite for Rafi to become our new best friend/tour guide/Tagalog teacher/Megan's husband. It made the rest of the long journey very entertaining, we weren't quite sure if we were learning some rude language but his excited giggles were the highlight, and he kept emphasising how much he wanted to swap noses. He helped us get a jeepney (common local transport, literally a jeep with three bench rows and not enough space for your head) to our next destination of Panglao for only 25 pesos, but not until an obligatory group photo and a kiss on the cheek!

Once again the views and greenery remind me fondly of Sri Lanka; endless farmland, bamboo huts and always a dusty looking man lounging in the wooden bus stops, seeking respite from the rays. I love watching local life, especially when everyone is smiling, waving and shouting “Hello Mam”!

5.55pm

Our first steps on the silky white Filippino sands - Palm trees, clear seas and the sunset bordering the beach. I'm quite looking forward to the next three weeks.

Day 233 - Sunday 29th January 3.33pm

Friday night was filled with celebratory cocktails, American food and good old Asian karaoke, so Saturday was a struggle. We are staying at Alona Hammocks, pretty much a mattress or hammocak with a net in a treehouse, but we have the additional LUXURY of a two man tent, crammed into a non-existent space next to the reception/bar. An interesting location but great to meet people (not so great when there’s a really annoying loud voice and constant cackle at 7am.) When we finally mustered the energy to get out the tent, we wolfed a 'traditional Filipino burger breakfast', grabbed our sarongs and headed for the beach, just in time for the heavens to open as we walked down our road. In desperate need of a banana shake we were told at the only/closest cafe that they didn't have any fruit. So trawled back through the downpour to a cafe next to our hostel where we spent the next few hours with a shake, cheesecake and lazily rinsing the wifi. Back to the hostel to watch TV from our tent and eat Filipino pork, rice and noodles for 80p. It’s getting better. But still an Italian dinner to satisfy our bellies and a quick stop at a beach bar once the rain stopped.

Today has finally provided a dry break to head to the beach to enjoy the crystal clear sea with our tree house friends and Greek tapas for lunch (they do international food a hella lot better than their own.)

Day 234 - Monday 30th January 7.04pm

It feels about 11pm after such a packed long day; we spontaneously joined the guys from our hostel for the island hopping boat tour - something we'd thought we'd have to skip due to the measly weather. Instead a 5.15am alarm after one hour sleep and a few too many 99 pesos cocktails. Nothing that a little catamaran bounding through the waves won’t heal (Megan wasn’t quite so sure).

The sea was truly beautiful, bright turquoise and immaculately clear - the iconic postcard scene that still doesn’t feel real no matter how much you pinch yourself. We spotted dolphins streaming through the water, catching a glimpse of one jumping against the sunrise, which was a magical sight and one I wish I was more awake for, it felt like I was dreaming! Our first boat stop was Balicasag Island for a quick fruit shake and snorkelling on the reef wall, spotting a whole rainbow of fish and sea life at our feet. After that was the stunning Virgin Island sand bank. What better than a fresh coconut, spontaneous Chinese photo shoot (they love it) and 'The Beach' style jumping shot with our hammock friends. Sand banks are so simple yet enchanting, literally just a bank that rises above the water with the odd shrub; but the contrast of the white sand, turquoise sea and blue skies make it unreal. Shame about the other tourists being around eh?

The rain managed to hold off all day and the afternoon was once again a delight - of course this was the time we had to pack, find food and start our journey to Cebu.

Right now we are on yet another boat, full of a hundred bobbing sleepy heads, from Tagbilaran to Cebu, for a quick stop before our early morning flight to Boracay. A squished journey with three in a tricycle to the port, sitting on our bags for two hours in the port asking the security guards for some chocolate (they loved it) and an achy uncomfortable sail to Cebu City. Are we there yet?

10.30pm

We’ve made it to Cebu. The tricycle seemed to take hours, the boat definitely days and the taxi was stuck in traffic for decades. Arrived to our spacious four bed family room, convinced ourselves to shower, and our only dinner option was a local 'buy one take one' burger from a little shack in the wall. Better than the stodge in a pan.

Day 235 - Tuesday 31st January 12.12pm

It feels like today has lasted forever.

Barely shut our eyelids before another early morning hit to get to the airport. Spaghetti bolognese at 7am for breakfast and only a 45 minute flight over to our next stop, Boracay.

With a runway next to the beach and getting a coach from the plane through the town to the airport, we could tell immediately this place was going to be great. The wooden shacks lining the street remind me of Myanmar once again, giving it a local charm that really makes you smile.

The sky had turned dark since the early morning sunshine we saw in Cebu, but we decided to take a stroll to the beach regardless. The rain had stopped so we dozed on some sun beds with a perfect view of the ocean and a couple of hours later the sun was back out and the clouds cleared, leaving us with the most majestic sunset, the sky a vibrant masterpiece, honestly one of the best I have ever seen. How can a place be so incredibly beautiful no matter what time of day?

The sea is so calm and refreshing, you could just sit in it all day and be contempt watching everyone enjoying this paradise. I’m not sure we’re going to want to leave.

Day 236 - Wednesday 1st February 3.21pm

Wow. Just wow. I've fallen slightly in love with the Philippines.

That idyllic scene of crystal clear water turning to turquoise and backed by the coral reef, under the blue skies and palm trees, exists perfectly and pristinely in the Philippines. I haven't ever been to a beach this beautiful, and I'm only in Boracay where the beauty of White Beach attracts a thousand other tourists. It doesn't seem to matter though how many people are here, everyone sits in the shade of the palm trees so the white sand stretches untouched for miles in both directions. We came down early this morning and that's when it looks the most incredible and enchanting. Photos and words will not do this view justice, so to understand it the only option is to come here to experience it yourself! (What a chore eh.)

Day 238 – Friday 3rd February 3.25pm

We are loving life here. Enjoying floating in the calm sea, reading in the sunshine and trying out all the wonderful (international) cuisine on offer (they do a mean Mexican here). Anyone who’s been to Boracay will have heard of Spider House, a trek to the perfect sunset spot one end of the beach with the weirdest interior and great food. Raw tuna sushi, spring rolls and a banana peanut butter milkshake really hit the spot. I can't get enough of this place, it’s delicious in every single way.

10.40pm

Today was my first experience getting my legs waxed by a man, which surprisingly was one of the best I’ve experienced in Asia (I have horror stories of paper and privacy which do not want to be relived). Tonight was topped off with a pineapple mojito and seafood pasta, then making pals with the sand artists, security guards and shop assistants, and now a guilty treat of a white Kit Kat Chunky in bed. The simple things.

Day 242 - Tuesday 7th February 11.10am

We've had an airport security guard escort us, to our own terminal, with a gun, for our private jet to the paradise island of Coron. Yes Filipinas.

Well, when I say private, nearly. It is a jet, with only 7 other passengers.

Our trip to the airport consisted of a tricycle, 40p boat ride, then another tricycle, costing a grand total of £1.67. We absolutely loved our time in Boracay – meeting great people in our hostel and more local pals, watching fire shows on the beach and enjoying double dinners over sunset. Yesterday we ventured on another boat trip, which started off just Megan and I, adding on a German girl who we met for a photoshoot down the beach, a massive group of Brazilian guys with a never ending coolbox of beer, then an Aussie and American we met at Pasta Night at the hostel. Absolutely soaked, absolutely hilarious, absolutely choppy with waves crashing over our little boat and annihilating us all. Snorkelling with the rainbow of fish around Crocodile Island (luckily it just looked like one), cliff diving on Magic Island (I wasn’t so brave) and a brief visit to Crystal Cove. Dinner went from a gang of 2 to 16 as well, with the most delicious burritos and mango daiquiris courtesy of our new friend (only the owner) to say thanks for bringing them! A cheeky little massage to end the evening then a late night packing session, not wanting to leave this paradise.

Boracay, you’ve been amazing.

2.38pm

So our private jet with Air Juan has security higher than Heathrow, in the tiniest little airport I’ve encountered. Not gonna lie we felt like celebs walking over to our jet, waving off the paparazzi and holding our hats. It was like a luxury minibus with wings, literally all just sitting with the pilot. No air hostess trolley on this one though.

The views and everything about the experience was insanely incredible, sailing over turquoise reefs and paradise islands, it was worth every penny just for the scene through the window. Something I would definitely recommend to anyone heading to the Philippines – Air Juan do a few routes but on limited days and they get booked up quick, so get right on it!

Baggage claim is just a wooden block, where you watch them carry your bag from the jet ten metres away onto it. No staring at an empty conveyor belt for days thanks.

The airport road is like a jungle safari on a single bumpy dust track. A hundred cows were herded towards us on the narrow road, their farmers like Cowboys cantering up on horses behind them. I love this place already.

Day 243 - Wednesday 8th February 9.16pm

Time to discover our new destination. Yesterday we explored the maze of streets around the tiny town of Coron and watched a dusty game of basketball with the sunset as the backdrop. They absolutely love basketball here, there’s a net along every mile of every road no matter how rural. So we had to make sure we fit in with our new obligatory Filipina and Golden State jerseys from the market too. Dinner was an amazing chicken curry at Brujitas (an absolute must) and a gelato pud on the way home.

Today we gave ourselves a lazy morning but were productive with research and planning for our remaining days, then a hike up Mount Tapyas fuelled by a delicious lunch of fresh spring rolls, spicy aubergine and watermelon juice at Levine's. With over 700 steps, we scrambled in the sweltering sun up to the Hollywood style 'Coron' letters overlooking the bay, catching our breath on top of the grassy hill to watch the sun set over the island cliffs and glistening sea. Next a back-breakingly-bumpy tricycle ride through local life; fruit stalls, wooden shacks and petrol sold in Sprite bottles. We arrived at Maquinit Hot springs for my first ever experience. Despite a small crowd it was actually very chilled out, and the steamy water enveloped you in a warm comforting hug. Sitting back, staring at the stars and moon shining down and listening to the water was bliss. This is the life!

Day 247 - Sunday 12th February 10.59am

Somehow it's time to hop on yet another boat and say goodbye to an island we've loved. Unfortunately there's still going to be many many hours sitting uncomfortable on a hard waiting room bench in the next week, as we will have four destinations of boats buses and planes just to get us to Sri Lanka. What a great excuse to catch up with my blog and book eh?

Coron has been an incredible experience. Chilled, stunning and unique, it is definitely on my list to return. We hopped on the boat with a handful of others and our new Canadian friend Carl for a trip to Coron Island (we stay in Coron town opposite) - the majestic home of turquoise lagoons, hidden lakes and white sand beaches. It is inhabited by the indigenous Tagbanua tribe, one of the oldest ethnic groups in the Philippines, who protect the island and live in a couple of small villages, with their own language and lifestyle to survive. On our trip we snorkelled around the corals of Siete Picados and turquoise depths of Kayangan Lake, marvelled in the white sands of Banul and Atwayan Beach and swam with the tropical sealife through the towering cliffs of the Twin Lagoon. Lunch was a fresh seafood buffet on the sand, complete with an interesting dish of squid ink seaweed. Can we repeat this every day please?

Canadian Carl joined us at Brujitas for a chickpea curry and the healthy pick-me-up of fresh calamansi juice and another ice cream stop off on the way. Little did he know, he was to become our best buddy for the rest of our trip, making business plans for living a chilled life in this fantastic town.

We loved our boat trip so much that we hopped on another the next day, to the further island of Malcapuya, the definition of paradise. This just gets better and better. So insanely beautiful that your eyes widen and your smile grows and you can’t stop yourself saying Wow. With a fresh coconut, sarong in the sand, book in my hand and a dip in the crystal water, life felt pretty good. We stopped off at a sand bank and Banana Island too for another freshly caught seafood lunch and spectacular snorkelling amongst Parrot fish, Rainbow fish and baby Nemo’s. If you’ve ever dived or snorkelled you’ll know the predominant sound you hear is from the huge fish nibbling on the coral, something that has always marvelled me. After a great day we invited our tour guides out for a drink with us and Carl, learning more about their everyday life in Coron town, and how much they love exploring the islands and waters surrounding it.

Yesterday we decided to read by the pool and soak up the rays, visiting the Banh Mi van for lunch (we got super excited, but didn’t top our Hanoi favourite), browsed the markets once more then enjoyed a rooftop dinner at Levine's with the most spectacular colour show after the sun had set behind the mountain. Scoffing cake on our dorm floor with Carl and Megan, it was the perfect way to end a brilliant trip.

Day 254 - Sunday 19^th February 9.43pm

We’re here! Over five months later I’m back in my second home, Sri Lanka. Surprising how easy it is to sleep on a noisy airport floor when you’re exhausted.

Our weekend of travelling began early yesterday morning with a tuk tuk from the guesthouse to our five hour bus ride with Ricardo (the lovely bus driver who let us sit at the front and invited us to meet his family and couldn’t get enough of Megan’s singing), waiting for what felt like days in Puerto Princesa airport, a quick hour’s flight to our new bed on the tiled floor of Manila airport. Yay. Then on to Kuala Lumpur for the same floor experience, this time on a carpet fortunately, although the cleaning wasn’t quite so fortunate. Thirty eight hours of travelling and sleeping in airports made us delirious, but we have had a laugh reminiscing on our backpacking experiences together so far.

After we left Coron on our extremely bumpy boat ride to El Nido (I was a little scared for our safety and my stomach), we explored the famous streets of El Nido town, but felt a bit lost after feeling very homely in Coron. After a very disappointing burrito we decided on an early night, hoping tomorrow would bring a brighter day.

Instead we felt fed up, with no motivation to explore. Backpacking life most certainly isn’t thrills and adventure every day. We kept trying to shake ourselves, YOU’RE IN THE BLOODY PHILIPPINES! But after turning into Sand Man on the insanely windy beach, we decided enough was enough. Time for a massage to lift our spirits.

Valentine ’s Day was a romantically sandy day at Las Cabanas beach, only a 20 minute tricycle away. The beautiful sunset made our backdrop to a funny photoshoot and we treated ourselves to some fresh barbequed seafood for dinner. The next day we were going to join the obligatory boat trip around El Nido’s famous sights, but after a fisherman got killed in the waves all boat trips were cancelled and we decided on Las Cabanas again, this time slightly less sand stormed. The next day was another bumpy tricycle ride with Roy to Nac Pan beach for a day of sun, sea, sand and singing Filipino kids, who sat with us to practice their English and show us their best school songs. The boney chicken adobo wasn’t as appetising as I hoped and may haunt me for a while. Yet to find that delightful Filipino cuisine. Our day ended with the most amazing rainbow sunset ever, spreading right across the beach and sea. The skies and scenes here most certainly make up for the lack of local food, one million percent.

So for our last day in the Philippines, what do we decide to do? Be lazy f***ers in bed all day, with intermittent trips for food/shopping/booking buses. Backpacking is draining, and I feel sick, so I’m allowed a lazy day no matter where I am in the world.

We had heard a lot about El Nido before we came, from travel blogs and passers-by, it’s often referred to as the number one destination in the Philippines too. Don’t get me wrong it’s great, also I think our experience was different as we weren’t able to do the famous boat trip, but overall I was a little disappointed. Coron was by far more stunning and fascinating, especially as it’s still more rural and untouched. But one of my favourite experiences so far. Now our days in the Philippines are up, and it’s on to the next chapter back in Sri Lanka.

I most certainly hope I’ll be back, there’s too much more still to explore. Salamat Pilipinas.