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Published: July 26th 2011
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Last Monday I travelled back to Puerto Princesa so that I could catch my flight to Busuanga. However, when I went to check in at the airport, on the Tuesday afternoon, and after much confusion surrounding which queue I should be in I was told that my flight had been cancelled. I was directed to the AirPhil booking office (when I say directed, I mean the general direction was pointed towards with the use of pursed lips - a method of communication used by many Filipino people) where I spent an hour explaining the problem and working out new flights. The staff there were really helpful so I must say thank you to them and they were able to arrange a flight to Manila and then to Busuanga for the Wednesday at no extra cost. There was a bit of a rush changing flights in Manila but no real problems until I arrived at Busuanga airport and discovered that my bag had not been loaded onto my flight. Luckily I had my money and passport on me but everything else was in my bag. After a 30 minute van ride to Coron Town, through rolling hills and grass meadows (yes, grass
meadows. I was told that the grass had been imported by Marcos so that he could feed his big game that he had bought from African countries, when he was in power, and kept in Busuanga) which reminded me of England on a very hot day, I was able to check in to my lodging house and go to the AirPhil office to track my bag. I was told that hopefully my bag would arrive on the next flight and ... it did, so that was a great relief. I spent Wednesday evening looking around the town and taking pictures of the amazing sunset that turned the whole sky a range of colours from purple to red. The town is fairly small but the market was busy every night as Coron Town is the port and business hub for the Calamian Islands in northern Palawan.
On Thursday morning around 2am I woke because my right eye was weeping and sore. By 8am my eye was a little swollen and red but it wasn't affecting my vision so I decided to go on a boat tour to Coron Island. We first stopped to walk inland for about 10 minutes towards Lake
Kayangan - a fresh water lake inside the island with very clear water, in a beautiful setting with the limestone cliffs reaching hight above the lake on all sides. After a lunch of fresh crabs, seaweed, barbecue pork and fish, on a secluded beach, we set off for one of the shipwrecked Japanese WW2 vessels that are good diving spots around the Calamian Islands. I didn't dive but the wreck was relatively shallow (between about 4-10m) so I was able to snorkel and free dive down to it. The fish here were plentiful and we were able to feed them in the water which is good fun. On the way back we visited the Twin-Lagoons that are linked by a low wall of limestone which you can either climb over or swim under to reach the adjoining lagoon. This was another amazing spot and the route used to enter the first lagoon really makes you feel like you are on an adventure as an explorer - that is until you are reminded of reality by the sight of another tourist boat.
I had to cancel my tours on Friday and Saturday because my eye was badly swollen and I looked
like Sloth from the Goonies! I was taken to the hospital on Friday afternoon and the doctor gave me a prescription for eye drops that they didn't have on the island so I had to wait it out until I got back to Manila on Saturday evening. I also discovered on Friday morning that my flip-flops had been taken by another guest and so I was left with a strangers old flip-flops to wear! However, the disappointment of missing the tours was slightly reduced by the fact that it started raining on Friday morning and didn't stop until I left Busuanga.
Back in Manila on Saturday and my contacts at the hospital were able to set up an appointment with an ophthalmologist. He gave me a prescription for eye drops - which could be obtained - and told me that I had 'sore eyes', which is Conjunctivitis. My eyes are recovering now but they are both still red and swollen.
I'm due to travel home at the weekend after an amazing time in the Philippines working and travelling. Speak soon, Tim.
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Linda Griffiths
non-member comment
Sloth etc
wow didn't that time go quickly! HAve been reading your blog after your Mum sent me the link. Some really fab pics and descriptions. Just one complaint, where is the picture of you looking like a sloth!!!!! Wedding was brilliant shame u couldn't make it. All the lads were there - Rupert, Tom Dunn, MAtt Franklin Baz. Safe journey back. Linda x