Early arrivals and Puerto Princesa, Palawan {Cath}

---

Early Arrivals

The alarm went off as planned, and in our haze of morning alertness, we managed to pull our things together, check out of the room, and wave down a taxi by 6:15. Everything went smoothly, and by 7:10, our bags were checked in and all we had to do was wait for the 7:50 boarding call. (Our flight to Puerto Princesa was due to leave at 8:30.) So there we were. Waiting. And waiting. Eventually the 7:50 came and went, but still the boarding signs did not show our flight. Darrell, went down to the gate to ask about it, and the attendent pointed to the flight on the screen and told him not to worry, our flight was next.
At 8:00 I was a getting more than little worried so I turned to the gentleman next to me and asked for the time. He said "06h00". I completely misheard him, I thought he's said 6, as in before 7 and after 5. Darrell told me to pay no attention. He's probably missed his flight.

I then asked someone else for the time, and a person after that... and they told me the same... but there's no way!

But it was true... I was wearing our only watch, and instead of turning it one hour back when we arrived, I'd turned it one hour forward!! 😊 Darrell and I just burst out giggling... I had to buy him a cup of coffee in penence 😊

So, we read, we dozed, and we people watched. The airport did not disappoint on the variety. There were a lot of interesting characters that morning. There was the cute granddaughter, who, tired of charming all onlookers was now asleep on her proud Grandmother's lap. The slightly older toddler in his tropical shirt now playing 'Mom lift me up with your legs again'.
There was more rowdy group of middle age men laughing loudly and taking photos of each other.

Then there was my favourite character. The lady that looked like a younger version of the 'Oracle' in the Matrix. She had the same frizzy hair and the same smile. Her personality, however, was more like 'My Fair Lady's Eliza Doolittle, talking loudly about how she can't help that the inside of her nose itches. Still, she was quick with a smile, and very kind to the older, overweight man in the wheel chair that she was looking after. I liked her a lot.
...It was a very long wait!

And then, finally, it came! 07:50!! 😊

Puerto Prinsesa, Palawan

The flight to Puerto Princesa was great. The plane was bigger than I'd thought and, much to my relief, there was very little turbulence.

We touched down at the tiny island airport at 09:35. It was brilliant from the minute our feet hit the runway. There was just the one carouselle unfer the garage-like tin roof that the airport staff loaded our bags on to. We had to write our passport details in the "Immigration" book and then we were off!

There was surprisingly little haggling necessary with the tricycle drivers (motorbikes with a large metal side car -each with their own name) at the small airport. After a bit of convincing that it was really where we wanted to go, our driver took us to the budget accomodation of our choice, Banwa Pension (we paid P50 for the ride). It turned out to be a really great little spot! -not that you would guess it from the overgrown outside 😊 The interior is all decorated with wood, wooden masks, strings of beads and quited blankets to give a very 'earthy' feel. The outside verandah is draped with ivy and thick greenery, and more of the beaded strands and . And all for P450 for our double room 😊 Our kind of place.

The town itself was fantastic. The tricyles repalce jeepneys, and the 'give me money's are replaces (well, for the most part) by 'Hellowhatsyourname'ses.

The whole place is covered in trees and small cafe stalls selling anything from sweets and coke, to small bakery goods, to home cooked meals in pots. Darrell and I stopped in at one of the bigger cafe's and got a coke each. The lady at the counter asked if we wanted it in plastic, and thinking she was offering us a carrying bag, said no, we're okay just holding it. We battled to get the screw off caps off for a while (much to the entertainment of the locals across the street 😊 ) then Darrell realised that she was actually asking if we wanted to tip the coke into a plastic bag, so that she could keep the glass to recycle. fun 😊

Ambling on, coke packet in hand, the children playing in the street would pause for photo's as we walked by, 3 older boys were headed over to their obviously well used hoop for a game. As we passed some men sitting shirt-less in thir patio chairs they called out to Darrell to sample some of their Tanduay -the local rum 😊
And from behind yet another wall, 'It's been a hard day's night' by The Beetles, while a motorbike is cleaned from it's hard day.

Generally, from the residental areas that we've been through life seems to be taken at coconut pace and every one is welll relaxed. As we turned towards the town center, things definately seemed to pick up some more, to a more bussling atmosphere. Here, in town, the tricycles roam the concrete streets , zooting in and out of each other, transporting whoever needs a lift to wherever they want to go. It's fantastic!
Rizal is the main street with the shops at the top end filed neatly next to each other like boods in a library. Each with their own colours to attract you and their own stories to tell. Their signs above the doors like the place markings on the spine.

Our meandering had taken us far from our beautiful budget room thought the streets to the well manicured waterfront, back up through the seemingly more rural area, and back towards the town we'd driven through from the airport. We were now back in the 'suburbs' and were very hungry. Our noses lead us to a local cafe - it had big steel pots on a table at the entrance. Boy were we in for a treat!
We picked 2 of the 4 meals on the menu (one that looked like a chicken stew, and the other that looked like a potato soup.) Not sure what to do next, we sat at one of the plastic tables on the pavement to see what would happen.
First, our table was laid with a fork and spoon wrapped in a serviette, and shortly afterwards, a lady brough us 2 small bowls of our selection and 2 large bowls of rice. We assumed we were supposed to mix the rice and the stew, so we did. It was an unbelieveable, unforgetable, meal. Both the stews were chicken based. The one we though was potato/coconut based has a slight Thai green curry flavour, and the other had a richer, more tngy taste to it. We couldn't stop talking about how taste sensation the full meal. They were amazing! -what followed just added to the wonder of our experience, the whole thing, 2 stews, 2 bowls of rice and 2 cokes, came to P80! (Just less than $2!) Unbelievable!

WE left feeling completely satisified, grinning from ear to ear, all the way home.

---

Photos

Approaching Palawan
A few stepping-islands before Palawan

Arriving in Palawan
On our colourful Cebu Pacific flight

Immigration
Literally just a small wooden desk and a friendly officer

Tricycles
A great way to get around. Although 2 of us & our bags is a bit of a strain

Family transport
5 people on a little 125cc bike. A photo op that's bypassed me several times beore.

Comments

[mandy Sands]

Great
Thanks for your blogs! Even though you have left Korea and that was primarily why I started reading you blogs, I love the new additions. Must go and look the places up on the wrold map though!! LOL!