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Published: December 2nd 2006
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Hello from stormy Mindoro.
We left our hostel in Manila on Tuesday morning with only the vaguest idea of how to get to our next destination; Mindoro island. After a brief conversation with the guy on reception we discovered our vague plan was wrong (or just impractical, not sure which) and headed for the metrorail which we were to catch two stations to a bus stop. Stupid us it hadn't dawned on us that the metrorail at rush hour may not be the best place for two backpackers. After the security guard did a very halfhearted check on our bags we braved the platform. The first train arrived, it made the tube at rush hour look spacious, we let it go and prayed the next would be better, it was! The trains are ominously or just smartly separated into female carriages and other. My nerves jumped a little when I looked around the carriage and could see no other women, only several men staring at us. Soon their faces broke into smiles at the crazy foreignors and we relaxed. Hot and sweaty we found our bus to Batangas (port for the ferry to Mindoro) the journey was easy and the
coach had aircon, so little hardship there.
At the ferry port security was again very high. In Manila there are security guards with guns everywhere, your bags are searched at all the malls. I have never been too sure if high visibility security reassures me or just raises questions in my head as to why they are needed. Anyway our bags were searched on the way into the building, we bought tickets and our bags were xrayed before entering the departure lounge. My bag was stopped due to a metal torch in the pocket but while I was being quizzed, Ed valiantly came to my rescue and don't ask me why, admitted to having a pen-knife in his bag which had already gone through. The security guards were amused by his honesty and after a brief conflab gave the confiscated pen-knife back to us and warned us not to do it again. This amused me even more as Im not sure what we are meant to do with it if we can't bring it through any ferry ports.
So after 3 bag searches we were set for take off (well cast off). Our a ferry to Sabang beach
was an outrigger... another first on our travels. The journey was smooth and pleasant but I was not quite so confident after I read one such ferry sank in The Southern Philippines less than a week ago after reaching the island.
The Philippines just keeps getting better and better. The people here are great, ya sure there are touts but when you say no thank you, they smile, shrug their shoulders and politely say maybe tomorrow maam. We got a fantastic room complete with galley kitchen, a stones throw from Small Lalaguna beach in Nick and Sonias cottages. They are possibly the friendliest hosts we have had! So we have lapped it up as one should on the beach, shopping for food and cooking all our own meals every day (what a novelty this is). Our primary reason for coming here (other than its proximity to Manila) was to snorkel. Yesterday we hired out snorkel gear and headed to Big Lalaguna beach (a 5 min walk) where we saw great fish and coral right off the beach. I had never been snorkeling before and can't believe what I have been missing out on. Today we got a little braver
and hired a small outrigger to bring us to deeper waters in search of giant clams. Unfortunately a storm is brewing. A guy on the beach kept telling us a typhoon is coming, we thought he was only saying it to encourage us to go in his boat to Coral Garden yesterday instead of today but to our surprise when I googled it, it was true. Because of this I was nervous in the boat and didn't enjoy the snorkeling as much as yesterday, the water was also very deep and a little rough. Plus, we saw a sea snake! The boat guys denied it but I swear we did. That was the end of my snorkeling.
So now everyone is battening down the hatchs for the impending typhoon. The wind has picked up and no ferries are running to the mainland. We are more than happy to spend an extra few days here! We are about to buy in supplies and we will cook up another storm on our little gas ring should the electricity go later. One small downside, I won't get into it too much. Lets just say our guidebook informed us Sabang and Puerto Galera
turn into Sin City after dark. We have been unaffected with our fridge stocked with San Miguel and plenty of fresh food to cook we have little need for the local night life!
December 2nd - Post Typhoon We have just arrived back to Batangas on the mainland and have been without electricity, running water and of course internet for 3 days. Typhoon Durian hit Mindoro hard on Thursday night. Much harder in fact than anyone had been prepared for. Thankfully most of the boats had been put ashore and buildings secured but there was still alot of structural damage. We got up the next morning and were amazed by the accepting nature of the Philippinos...they grabbed their brushes and just got on with the clean up, still laughing and joking as they worked. No ferries sailed on Friday so we just hung around, reading and watching the still choppy sea. Today we decided it was time to get on with our travels and bid our hosts farewell.
We had a very ominous start to our day when we missed the first ferry by minutes and shortly afterwards while waiting for the next in a cafe Ed's tummy
started to play up. Just after his lenghty trip to the "comfort room" a man came running up the beach looking for us. He informed us our ferry which was meant to leave from the beach was actually leaving from Puerta Galera (the nearby town). All the passengers were crammed onto a Jeepney (another first for us) and brought to a port about 15 minutes away. The outrigger boat (now dubbed the songthaew of boats) was smaller than our previous one and looked in dubious repair to me. Once we set off I duly noted that there were enough lifejackets on board and relaxed. That is for two minutes, until we left the shelter of the bay and the water started to get choppy. Not long after one of the passengers grabbed a life jacket and not one to be left behind, I grabbed two for Ed and I, most of the others followed our lead. The trip was horrendous and I can safely say it is the most afraid I have been in many years. The helpful guy Ed had sparked up a conversation with really put my mind at ease by telling us he was not afraid of
Beautiful sunset
We photographed this sunset for ages so bear with us! sinking so much as the SHARKS!
Obviously as you are reading this account, we reached land safely. Said a few thank you prayers and gave our driver a tip. I have to say he deserved it. Our plan to visit some more islands has been put on hold for a few weeks and now we plan on heading North (yes dry land) for a week instead. Sadly when we finally managed to log on I had an email in my inbox telling us about the landslide in Mayon (South East of here). We feel very lucky to have escaped so lightly when many peoples lives have been changed forever. Sorry for the sad note to the end of this blog but I guess it reflects the way we feel at the moment.
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barefootcontessa
donna
Hi!
Glad you made it out okay of Puerto Galera. I know how scary it can be sometimes riding a barely breathing outrigger with big waves attacking you. Been there, done that. Anyway, hope you enjoy the northern part of the Philippines! If the weather permits and the roads are good, try going to Sagada where you will be able to see hanging coffins and good caves to go spelunking, Banuae also, where the Rice Terraces are.