Made it to the white sandy beach

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I made it (Day 1)

The beach here is pretty amazing. The water is a nice emerald green color. Or maybe it's turqoise.

I took an overnight ferry to Boracay from Manila. I was a little late leaving for the airport, but was able to flag down a taxi after 10 or so minutes. The driver was really nice. He took a shortcut because the traffic was really bad. We made it to the ferry terminal in plenty of time. The guards talked to me and asked the driver to pop the trunk. Later I learned that a bomb blew up a ferry in Manila harbor a year or so ago. I got through the ticketing area, managing to fight off people trying to push ahead and break in line. They took my photo and I walked the plank to my bunk, which was in a really crowded room. But there was A/C. I met many people on the ferry. First, a guy named Rex who took my picture. I ran into him later right before his stop. He asked me what I thought of Filipinos. I said they were kind. And he told me to be careful if I come to his hometown on the island of Romblon, because some people might poison me. I couldn't believe this so I asked him to clarify. He said that if I share a cigarette or let someone use my cigarette to light theirs, they might put poison on it. And I should watch my drinks as they might also do the same. What's funny is that everyone here puts a napkin in the mouth of the beer before serving it to you. Anyway, I met a group of English teachers from Manila. They teach English to Koreans who come to the PI to study. One guy, Jun, says he's sick of it. He got his Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and now wants to go to America. There was a big group of teachers and their families, maybe 13 or so total. They're here in Boracay also. And I met many others on the ferry but I can't remember all their names. There was Frank from Australia who is married to Filipina. He has two kids. He was traveling to his wife's hometown. We talked a lot about random stuff, none of it that I can remember now. And then his brother-in-law Jess, who is only 19. His dream is to be a seaman, maybe Philippine Coast Guard. He showed me his school photo ID where he studies seamanship. He's wearing a white officers uniform. And then Kent, from Montana. Kent, quite a bit on the odd side. His grandfather owns Swisher Sweets cigars and some other big dairy. His grandfather is also married to a Filipina and bought a house in Romblan. Kent was traveling with his filipina fiancee. And then Dr. Rodriguez who lives in Lubbock, Texas. He's been there 30 years. Kind of has a southern accent, too. And then Carlos, who is a Filipino criminologist. He was traveling with his family to Boracay. He wants his son to go to America. One to be a teacher and the other a doctor. Many people I met, yesterday being the second day. Last night I stayed up most of the night and watched a karaoke competition in the ferry's cafeteria. Afterwards, I tried to sing, but it took a while to pry the song book from the drunk ones. They just kept singing horribly. I did get a couple hours sleep. I saw Carlos this morning, and he said, you slept soundly last night. Yes, oh yes, indeed. Poor Carlos couldn't sleep because of my snoring. But oh well...

So here I am in Boracay. I walked around a while with the English teachers to help them find a place. They settled on three rooms, ranging from 1,300 to 1,700 pesos. I tried to find my place, Casa Camilla, but couldn't. I stopped walking well from the beach area and asked a big white guy where it was. He let me know the direction, but I was too tired to backtrack more, so I sat down and had a beer. The big guy was German. I guessed it straight off. Turns out he's been here 20 years. First came on holiday in 1985 and never left. He showed me his hotel and restaurant he's building. It's almost finished. Quite quite nice. I wish I could've stayed there, but I'm by myself and on a budget. It was only 1,500 pesos ($30) to rent the whole apartment. I ended up eating some spicy Hungarian sausage with sauerkraut and had a fine time anyway chatting with Mr. Eckert, the owner. Seems like he knows a lot about the island.

I eventually made my way to Casa Camilla, but the room sucked and they wanted more for it than I reserved it for. So just left to go exchange money. The money changers then told me about Melinda's place. They also work there. They took me and I settled on a little cottage for 400 pesos ($8) a night. It's pretty basic. I walked into the shower and a cat was on top of the wall (this place is pretty much open area with bamboo and thatching on the roof. I then noticed a huge spider almost the size of my hand while I was showering. I killed it and it washed out the little hole in the wall. Then I saw a little lizard. Maybe he was there to eat the spider. I don't know. Well, I need to find something to eat and some aspirin. It really is beautiful here.

Meet big bug (Day 2)

Yeah, so I have a new roommate. It's a huge cockroach that I couldn't kill last night. But it's ok, I kind of feel the island vibe because I'm staying in this tiny little nipa hut that's totally open to the outside world. I have mosquito netting, but somehow this morning I woke up with bites on me.

Before I went to bed, I went out to the beach to stare at the stars at 1am. I couldn't believe it! Every star looked about 10 times bigger than they look in Japan. And there are so many. I laid down and ended up falling asleep. The surf woke me up a little later, and I couldn't find my flashlight. I guess it has become part of the beach. And speaking of the beach, I couldn't get the sand off me. No matter how I often I shower, the sand just sticks to your skin. It's like powdered sugar but it won't dissolve.

Last night I ended up looking for an all-you-can-eat place. I heard there are lots of them here. I found one for 200p, and 2-for-1 beer (50p). So I ate two big plates of food (spaghetti, rice, chicken, oysters, pork, ... more pork) and two beers for 250p ($5). I then showed the bartender some Japanese yen and ended up giving him and all the staff one, five, and ten-yen coins because they were so interested. Turns out no Japanese really come here. It's full of Koreans though.

After eating all I could eat, I went to a little place and watched a soccer match between England and Hungary. I met a guy from England there. His name was Paul. He had just gotten his open water certification with his buddy. He was staying a few days and his buddy was in Angeles trying to make some new girlfriends. Paul and I talked soccer and travel. He went to Hong Kong for a few days and then to Manila and, finally, Boracay. He's a good chap, and from somewhere south of London. We plan to meet at the same place and watch the match tonight between Germany and Costa Rica. The place has a huge almost-movie-size screen right on the beach. Paul told me to walk north where I could see some discos. I had nothing better to do so I started walking north. The beach-front path ended and I had to walk along the beach. It is here that all the big fancy resorts are. I walked a ways and came to a bar on the beach called "Jonny's." Nobody was really there but a table of drunkards and a guy playing the guitar. He was really good so I decided to sit down for a while and watch.

The guy kept playing. He had a really good voice and knew a lot of songs. At some point the guys next to me asked me to join them. They were smoking a hooka (a Middle-eastern tobacco pipe). The guy's name was Jun and he owned the place. He was only 23. He introduced me to his best friend who was totally plastered. I learned they drank a whole bottle of tequila earlier. I also met the best-friend's girlfriend and also Jun's sister. To make a long story short, we all ended up on stage again singing, but not to any audience really, just to the sand and waves and the drunk people walking back from the discos.

Jun kept talking to me about the Philippines and about how the Koreans leave their trash in Boracay and don't clean up. He says that they don't care about the Philippines. He also told me how bad Japan was in the war. He told me to watch a movie about the Bataan death march which came out a year or so ago. I told him I would. But I also told him that the Japanese are great people and I had many Korean friends back in the States. I just think it's the tourists that don't care.

This morning I went for a burger and met the owner. He was from New York. Named "Miguel, Michael," he said. He talked to me for an hour telling me about he ended up in Boracay. Started in LA, then to Mexico, and Europe, and to India for 18 years, and finally to Boracay, where he has lived for the last 26 years.

I think I'm going swimming today. The water looks absolutely fantastic.

Germans and the world cup (Day 3)

Yesterday, I went back to Mr. Eckart's place and had sinugan, which is a kind of sour Filipino soup. It was delicious. I was interested in going fishing on the island, so I asked him about it. A Filipino guy was there named Edward. He offered to take me around the island for 1000p. We could fish using string. When you feel a tug, pull. Hmm. No rods, reels or any of that extra crap. I told him I'd think about it.

Then this guy Andy from Germany walks in. He owns a dive shop called Scuba Libre right on the beach. He invited me over and I met his wife, Sonia (also from Germany) and little baby boy, Alex. He's only 2 1/2 months old. So cute! I hung out with them for almost the entire day. They told me about how they came to Boracay and why they have come to live here for 10 years and forever more. There place is right on the beach. They have a pool table, bar, many rooms of snorkeling equipment, etc. And they are located on the quiet side of the beach. It is absolute paradise, so I know why they're staying.

I went for an evening swim. It was the first time I swam in about a year.

Later I went to watch the World Cup match between Germany and Costa Rica. Germany won 2-1. Many Germans were in the crowd cheering the German team. There are many Germans here. Today, I'm planning on taking a boat trip with Andy and their friends. Not sure where we're going, but I will know when we get there.

Boredom settles in (Day 4)

Ok, three days in Boracay might not be enough, but it feels like four days is too much. I don't dive, but you need to do that here. There's just enough time for swimming and drinking beer. Man, my belly ain't getting any smaller.

So last night I went on this boat that took us off the island to the other, larger "main" island. Panay. It's a collection of mountains, forests, and a really rocky beach. I found out about this little boat de-tour from the German guy Andy. He said it's a party. A full-moon party. He had never been, he said.

We met up at a dive shop and then got into a boat that took us across the water, maybe about 20 or so minutes. There were local Filipinos and some local foreigners, and three guys fresh off the boat (me, and two guys from Holland, Rick and Thomas). We got out of the boat and the shore was so rocky it hurt to walk barefoot. There was a huge fire going and a lot of trance music. It was around 9pm. There was food layed out a bar serving really expensive drinks. All this on the beach, next to the jungle, on an island (I hear) falls asleep at 9pm every night.

I wasn't too happy. Nobody there was really eager to chat. Everyone was just chilling out with each other and doing various things. People would disappear into the shadows. Along the beach they passed various things around a circle. I mostly just sat on my bar chair and listened to the music and drank expensive drinks, because if I tried to chat with anyone, they typically didn't answer. What a bunch of morons. Oh well, who cares. Then a guy came up to me and offered some magic "stuff". No thanks, I said. I know what that stuff can do to you. I asked Thomas about it, and he said, yeah, he knew a guy who tried it. He was living in Holland at the time. He disappeared about 4 hours later and three years later his family finally tracked him down in London living a completely different life, not really knowing exactly what happened to him. So most of us caught the boat back to Boracay at 1pm while the others stayed on the second boat which may not have come back until 8am. Back in Boracay, I watched more World Cup soccer. That's what I've been doing here. That's what I'm going to do tonight. At least it's paradise here, but I'm a bit bored.

Oh, yesterday I met some more people. I met this British guy (I forget his name) who came here for a one week trip after he got divorced and is still here, 18 months later! And I met more travelers. A white guy from Chicago and his Filipina wife, and their two children. And today I met a Japanese girl here who also seems to have gotten stuck. She's a scuba instructor. And I met another instructor from Spain. This place really has an international flavor. Kinda cool man.

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