Beep. Beep. Beep
You blink twice before realizing your alarm is going off. For the fifth time. Damn. Giving yourself 0.5 seconds to wipe the sleep out of your eyes and kick yourself for sleeping in, you throw on the first thing you see in your closet. Brush teeth, smooth hair. Jumping in your car, you realize you don't have time to pick up that much needed coffee. Double damn.
You drive to work, grumbling about staying up too late, that report you need to hand in, and the awful traffic. Why are people driving so slow! Have they never heard of being in a hurry?! Oh, look at that..Should have filled up with gas on the way home after all. What a shitty start to a persons day right?
What does that have to do with traveling you may be thinking?
Every single day, life presents you with obstacles and situations that challenge your patience, your ability to "deal".
My biggest challenge has been learning how to "Shake it Out". Shake that mood, that little piece of something that hasn't gone the way you hoped. Bad days don't just happen at home, on a work day. The world is full of bad days.
When Andrew and I woke up this morning to catch our bus, we were both exhausted, and far from ready to spend another day on a stuffy bus. We crept around the dorm room, careful not to wake the occupant of the top bunk. After collecting our things, we rushed across the street to eat breakfast. Thinking we were short on time, we crushed a coffee and muesli and quickly walked down to pick up water and snacks for the journey. Next in line at the 7/11, a man walked in the front entrance, stepped to the very front of the line, and proceeded to make his purchase. Umm, what?! This ignorance towards line ups has really boggled my mind here in Asia. Everywhere you go, people push and shove to reach their destination, and when there does seem to be some organization, someone always ignores it. Although frustrating, the best thing to do is just let it be.
After paying for our water and crackers, we went back up to the hostel where we were told the bus would be late. 45 minutes late. Okaaay, so much for rushing. So we sat, tired and annoyed. Now we sit here on this little squishy van, with no idea if this is what will be taking us the 6 hours to Koh Chang, or if we are transferring onto an actual bus at some point.. We could sit here angry, demand the driver tell us where we are going, whether we paid for a little van with broken a/c or a comfortable bus with working a/c (and a bathroom? Ok that's pushing it). Instead, we sit back, take a look around, and smile.
As Jim Brickman says "Lalalala la la, it's a Beautiful World"
Wherever you are, take a minute to be thankful. Thankful to be healthy, to have a clean bed to sleep in, food to fill your hungry bellies. That's just the beginning. There is so much to be positive about in this wonderful world of ours. I'm not asking you to forget the people who are less fortunate, or the countries that are in need of so much. Just take time out of your day to forgive "that guy" that cut you off, or have some patience with the "stupid" tele-marketers for doing their job. Smile at someone walking down the street. Thank the cashier ringing through your milk. Most of all, give the people you love a hug and kiss, and if you find yourself in a crummy mood "Shake it Out".
I promise I'm working on taking my own advice!
I'll update all after our travels in Koh Chang. Thanks for reading.
Take a listen to Shake it Out by Florence + The Machine and Beautiful World by Jim Brickman
:)
A&C
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Friday, March 16, 2012
A&C, Feeling "Amasian"
Sawatdee!
Here we are, back in Bangkok! Which means we have a lot to update everyone on. Sitting in the Elefin Cafe, sipping on a latte, what better time then now to fill you in.
Our first stop after Bangkok was an island called Koh Tao. We had heard many good things about the diving there, so after a couple weeks since our last dive we were pretty excited to gear up and swim with the fish! We spent two nights there and fit in 4 dives (and one Thai massage!). The diving was great, although there were tons of other divers in the same areas underwater. I think we may have been spoiled in the Philippines, as some of the areas were quite remote in comparison. Still, no complaints! We had a great dive master, and seen loads of cool fish and sea-life, including a Sting Ray-Andy thinks we should amp our story up a little bit "We were chased by s Sting Ray, and Chelsie shot it with her spear gun!" Better?!
After Koh Tao we took a quick boat ride over to Koh Phangan. We had the best 4 nights, although our livers were paying for it afterwards. We stayed at a hostel called The Lazy House, where, on arrival, we were shown around Haad Rin, and introduced to some dorm-mates. Already we could tell it was going to be a great hostel to spend the Full Moon Party at. Koh Phangan is the island of the legendary Half Moon and Full Moon parties. People come from all over the world to deck themselves out in neon paint, neon shorts and Full Moon tank tops, and drink buckets on the beach! A bucket is literally a sand bucket filled with your choice of alcohol (vodka, rum, whiskey, etc.) and your choice of mix (sprite and red bull is a popular one). Throw a few straws in there, and you are good to go! Now, it may seem like a good idea at the time, but after about 2 or 3 of those the idea doesn't seem so intelligent the next day!
Our first night in Koh Phangan we met with a group from the hostel at the Lazy House restaurant, The Outback. This was the first time we had met so many other Canadians! After eating, we decided to start a game of Flip Cup! Team Canada Vs. The World! Can you guess who came out on top?? Team Canada baby!! We ruled the Flip Cup table, and soon had people from other tables coming to join in on the fun. After many games of that, we decided to head off to a popular hostel, Coral Bungalows, for one of their famous pool parties. It was crazy. We have never seen so many people in/around a pool. There were people, buckets, and clothes flying everywhere! It was great fun, even if the pool was a tad warmer then is should have been...
The next day we got moving around 11am and re-grouped with Team Canada. We walked down to the beach where we met another group of Canadian girls. We decided to hire a boat to drive us over to another part of the island where we could hike into a waterfall. We all hopped on the long-tail boat, and after about 30 minutes we arrived. We spent the day hiking into what was more of a swimming hole then waterfall. It was a beautiful day out, so we just relaxed on the rocks, and swam around. It was an awesome day getting to know our friends from all over Canada. That night we played some Sociables, more Flip Cup, and headed to a pre-Full Moon beach party. The beach was packed, and that was just an intro as to what the next night would hold! We didn't stay out long, as we knew the next night would be a long one!
The next day a bunch of us rented motorbikes and drove to a small lake nearby. We had heard there was a swing rope, so we thought we would check it out. Conveniently situated alongside the lake was a bar/restaurant promising free use of the swing rope to customers. We decided to stop for some lunch and a drink. After eating we all took our turns at the rope and swam around the lake. There was also a floating dock, floating "mountain", and a couple of small water tramps. We played around for the day, then rode our bikes back to get ready for the Full Moon Party! After showering,we got our battle gear on and made our way over to another hostel where everyone was getting painted up! Buckets in hand, neon shorts and tanks on, we painted stripes, Canadian flags, even a moose head for Andy! Satisfied with our creations, we headed into the sea of neon. It wasn't hard to spot Andrew out of the crowd, as he had a huge Canadian flag on his back! Although, we did see one guy with the flag painted on his face..
We danced, watched the fire shows, and drank our buckets. We were determined to watch the sunrise! At one point it was absolutely pouring, but the music pumped on, and we danced like crazy. It was one of the greatest moments of the trip, both of us just having the time of our lives!! By 6am we were spent! But, like I said we were still determined, and at 7am when that sun poked out, there were still loads of people fist-pumping along the beach(not to mention many passed out along the beach..). We all sat on a picnic table and watched the sun come up, putting an end to an unforgettable night. Bellies full from the chicken sandwiches we enjoyed earlier that morning, we made our way back to the hostel, showered off whatever paint was left over and crashed into bed. That day we slept, ate, slept again, and watched Avatar with our dorm-mates. Pretty low key after our crazy Full Moon night. The next day we left our island of fun and made our way to the chill town of Railay.
We got to Railay and realized it was the perfect post-party place to spend a few days. Laid back and relaxed is exactly what we needed. We found a nice little bungalow to stay in and made our way to the beach to watch the sunset. Our first full day in Railay was spent hanging out in the infinity pool. The sun was out, and we were happy to lay around and do nothing! We treated ourselves to a traditional Thai massage, where Andy left feeling like he got "shit-kicked". Alright, so the Thai woman are a little rough... At least he only had to pay $6 to get a little beating right?!
That night we experienced the best fire show of Thailand! Held at the Last Bar, these Thai men are talented!! One was swinging the fire ropes from his mouth! There were fire sticks being tossed in the air, to each other, and even synchronized routines. It was unbelievable! We talked to one guy, and he said that he had to practice for 6 months without fire before be was aloud to light the sticks. Many of the Thai men working the fire shows are also DJ's, rock climbing instructors, bartenders, etc. Very busy, but talented young men.
The next day we decided to try out some rock climbing! Im not a huge fan of heights, so I was a little nervous at first. In the end, we both loved it!! Railay is known for it's amazing rock climbing. We started at 9am and with only a short lunch break, climbed until 6pm! It was a long and tiring day, but so much fun! We both loved the challenge, and the feeling you get when you reach the top. Totally exhilarating! Not to mention, the breathtaking view. We definitely want to do it again.
That night we met a couple from Germany, and a girl from Norway. We watched another fire show, then went for a late night swim and snack! Time flew by us, because by the time we said goodnight, it was 430am! We now have another European country to visit friends in!
We were sad to leave Railay the next day. We so enjoyed our days by the pool, evenings sitting eating pizza and drinking Mojito's at Joy Bar, listening to Bob Marley, and watching the sunsets. Mornings lounging on pillows, eating Muesli, and sipping on a coffee. So much to be thankful for in those 3 days on Railay.
One evening in Railay, we met a guy who had just come from a cstch and release fishing resort just outside of Krabi(about a 10 min boat ride from Railay, and 35 min drive from there). After Andrew and him chatted, looked at pictures, it didnt take me long to see that this was going to be our next stop! So, we packed out bags, sent a few emails, and booked a night at Gilhams Fishing Resort. We arrived to a beautiful lake with bungalows surrounding it. The resort is owned by a family from England,and they were so friendly and helpful we didn't want to leave! The rooms were gorgeous,and you could see the sun rise from the mountains right from bed! It was quite a luxury in a backpackers world.
The day we got there, I set up by the infinity pool with my book, while Andy got ready to fight with some fish! From 1pm until 8pm he fished, with one of the staff Joel, there to coach him on. These fish are no easy catch. It takes up to an hour sometimes to bring one in.
The lake is stocked with over 1000 fish, of 50 different species. In the last 6 years since the resort opened, only 25 species have been caught! Joel told us there are fish over 500lbs in there. Andrew said "there are grizzly bears in that water!" The first day Andrew caught a 90lb Mekong Catfish, and right before ending the night, a 260lb Arapaima. That was a good fight.
The next morning we woke up bright and early. Andy headed out to the lake and was fishing by 7am. I decided to go for a run around the lake a few times. When I got back, one of the staff had asked Andrew who was chasing me.. By noon, Andrew had brought in 7 fish! Three Siamese Carp varying from 30-50lbs, four Amazon Red Tails varying from 20-40 lbs. At the end of the day, a 130lb Mekong fought with Andrew for at least 45 minutes! A good way to end the trip. I don't think I've ever seen a guy sweat so much! Joel had asked "You ready for some pain?!" He meant it. Regardless, Andy would go back in a second!
After leaving Gilhams, we spent one night in Ao-Nang before heading back to Bangkok. I spent the morning doing a Yoga Detox, while Andy toured around the city (and walked onto a private beach full of seniors..he got kicked off within 5 minutes).
Well, we are all caught up! After a night bus here, we dropped our bags off at Soi 1 and sat down for some fruit and muesli, and a coffee. Now we are going to leave you at that, and head off to the infamous weekend market!!
Cheers!
A&C
Here we are, back in Bangkok! Which means we have a lot to update everyone on. Sitting in the Elefin Cafe, sipping on a latte, what better time then now to fill you in.
Our first stop after Bangkok was an island called Koh Tao. We had heard many good things about the diving there, so after a couple weeks since our last dive we were pretty excited to gear up and swim with the fish! We spent two nights there and fit in 4 dives (and one Thai massage!). The diving was great, although there were tons of other divers in the same areas underwater. I think we may have been spoiled in the Philippines, as some of the areas were quite remote in comparison. Still, no complaints! We had a great dive master, and seen loads of cool fish and sea-life, including a Sting Ray-Andy thinks we should amp our story up a little bit "We were chased by s Sting Ray, and Chelsie shot it with her spear gun!" Better?!
After Koh Tao we took a quick boat ride over to Koh Phangan. We had the best 4 nights, although our livers were paying for it afterwards. We stayed at a hostel called The Lazy House, where, on arrival, we were shown around Haad Rin, and introduced to some dorm-mates. Already we could tell it was going to be a great hostel to spend the Full Moon Party at. Koh Phangan is the island of the legendary Half Moon and Full Moon parties. People come from all over the world to deck themselves out in neon paint, neon shorts and Full Moon tank tops, and drink buckets on the beach! A bucket is literally a sand bucket filled with your choice of alcohol (vodka, rum, whiskey, etc.) and your choice of mix (sprite and red bull is a popular one). Throw a few straws in there, and you are good to go! Now, it may seem like a good idea at the time, but after about 2 or 3 of those the idea doesn't seem so intelligent the next day!
Our first night in Koh Phangan we met with a group from the hostel at the Lazy House restaurant, The Outback. This was the first time we had met so many other Canadians! After eating, we decided to start a game of Flip Cup! Team Canada Vs. The World! Can you guess who came out on top?? Team Canada baby!! We ruled the Flip Cup table, and soon had people from other tables coming to join in on the fun. After many games of that, we decided to head off to a popular hostel, Coral Bungalows, for one of their famous pool parties. It was crazy. We have never seen so many people in/around a pool. There were people, buckets, and clothes flying everywhere! It was great fun, even if the pool was a tad warmer then is should have been...
The next day we got moving around 11am and re-grouped with Team Canada. We walked down to the beach where we met another group of Canadian girls. We decided to hire a boat to drive us over to another part of the island where we could hike into a waterfall. We all hopped on the long-tail boat, and after about 30 minutes we arrived. We spent the day hiking into what was more of a swimming hole then waterfall. It was a beautiful day out, so we just relaxed on the rocks, and swam around. It was an awesome day getting to know our friends from all over Canada. That night we played some Sociables, more Flip Cup, and headed to a pre-Full Moon beach party. The beach was packed, and that was just an intro as to what the next night would hold! We didn't stay out long, as we knew the next night would be a long one!
The next day a bunch of us rented motorbikes and drove to a small lake nearby. We had heard there was a swing rope, so we thought we would check it out. Conveniently situated alongside the lake was a bar/restaurant promising free use of the swing rope to customers. We decided to stop for some lunch and a drink. After eating we all took our turns at the rope and swam around the lake. There was also a floating dock, floating "mountain", and a couple of small water tramps. We played around for the day, then rode our bikes back to get ready for the Full Moon Party! After showering,we got our battle gear on and made our way over to another hostel where everyone was getting painted up! Buckets in hand, neon shorts and tanks on, we painted stripes, Canadian flags, even a moose head for Andy! Satisfied with our creations, we headed into the sea of neon. It wasn't hard to spot Andrew out of the crowd, as he had a huge Canadian flag on his back! Although, we did see one guy with the flag painted on his face..
We danced, watched the fire shows, and drank our buckets. We were determined to watch the sunrise! At one point it was absolutely pouring, but the music pumped on, and we danced like crazy. It was one of the greatest moments of the trip, both of us just having the time of our lives!! By 6am we were spent! But, like I said we were still determined, and at 7am when that sun poked out, there were still loads of people fist-pumping along the beach(not to mention many passed out along the beach..). We all sat on a picnic table and watched the sun come up, putting an end to an unforgettable night. Bellies full from the chicken sandwiches we enjoyed earlier that morning, we made our way back to the hostel, showered off whatever paint was left over and crashed into bed. That day we slept, ate, slept again, and watched Avatar with our dorm-mates. Pretty low key after our crazy Full Moon night. The next day we left our island of fun and made our way to the chill town of Railay.
We got to Railay and realized it was the perfect post-party place to spend a few days. Laid back and relaxed is exactly what we needed. We found a nice little bungalow to stay in and made our way to the beach to watch the sunset. Our first full day in Railay was spent hanging out in the infinity pool. The sun was out, and we were happy to lay around and do nothing! We treated ourselves to a traditional Thai massage, where Andy left feeling like he got "shit-kicked". Alright, so the Thai woman are a little rough... At least he only had to pay $6 to get a little beating right?!
That night we experienced the best fire show of Thailand! Held at the Last Bar, these Thai men are talented!! One was swinging the fire ropes from his mouth! There were fire sticks being tossed in the air, to each other, and even synchronized routines. It was unbelievable! We talked to one guy, and he said that he had to practice for 6 months without fire before be was aloud to light the sticks. Many of the Thai men working the fire shows are also DJ's, rock climbing instructors, bartenders, etc. Very busy, but talented young men.
The next day we decided to try out some rock climbing! Im not a huge fan of heights, so I was a little nervous at first. In the end, we both loved it!! Railay is known for it's amazing rock climbing. We started at 9am and with only a short lunch break, climbed until 6pm! It was a long and tiring day, but so much fun! We both loved the challenge, and the feeling you get when you reach the top. Totally exhilarating! Not to mention, the breathtaking view. We definitely want to do it again.
That night we met a couple from Germany, and a girl from Norway. We watched another fire show, then went for a late night swim and snack! Time flew by us, because by the time we said goodnight, it was 430am! We now have another European country to visit friends in!
We were sad to leave Railay the next day. We so enjoyed our days by the pool, evenings sitting eating pizza and drinking Mojito's at Joy Bar, listening to Bob Marley, and watching the sunsets. Mornings lounging on pillows, eating Muesli, and sipping on a coffee. So much to be thankful for in those 3 days on Railay.
One evening in Railay, we met a guy who had just come from a cstch and release fishing resort just outside of Krabi(about a 10 min boat ride from Railay, and 35 min drive from there). After Andrew and him chatted, looked at pictures, it didnt take me long to see that this was going to be our next stop! So, we packed out bags, sent a few emails, and booked a night at Gilhams Fishing Resort. We arrived to a beautiful lake with bungalows surrounding it. The resort is owned by a family from England,and they were so friendly and helpful we didn't want to leave! The rooms were gorgeous,and you could see the sun rise from the mountains right from bed! It was quite a luxury in a backpackers world.
The day we got there, I set up by the infinity pool with my book, while Andy got ready to fight with some fish! From 1pm until 8pm he fished, with one of the staff Joel, there to coach him on. These fish are no easy catch. It takes up to an hour sometimes to bring one in.
The lake is stocked with over 1000 fish, of 50 different species. In the last 6 years since the resort opened, only 25 species have been caught! Joel told us there are fish over 500lbs in there. Andrew said "there are grizzly bears in that water!" The first day Andrew caught a 90lb Mekong Catfish, and right before ending the night, a 260lb Arapaima. That was a good fight.
The next morning we woke up bright and early. Andy headed out to the lake and was fishing by 7am. I decided to go for a run around the lake a few times. When I got back, one of the staff had asked Andrew who was chasing me.. By noon, Andrew had brought in 7 fish! Three Siamese Carp varying from 30-50lbs, four Amazon Red Tails varying from 20-40 lbs. At the end of the day, a 130lb Mekong fought with Andrew for at least 45 minutes! A good way to end the trip. I don't think I've ever seen a guy sweat so much! Joel had asked "You ready for some pain?!" He meant it. Regardless, Andy would go back in a second!
After leaving Gilhams, we spent one night in Ao-Nang before heading back to Bangkok. I spent the morning doing a Yoga Detox, while Andy toured around the city (and walked onto a private beach full of seniors..he got kicked off within 5 minutes).
Well, we are all caught up! After a night bus here, we dropped our bags off at Soi 1 and sat down for some fruit and muesli, and a coffee. Now we are going to leave you at that, and head off to the infamous weekend market!!
Cheers!
A&C
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Bangkok, You Got Me
Sa Wat Dee!
We are two and a half weeks into Thailand,and couldn't be happier with what we have seen and done so far.
Our first stop in this remarkable country was Bangkok. A city that slaps you in the face with culture, delicious food, and a lovely kind of chaos. We instantly fell in love with the busy (but clean-in comparison to Manila) streets, the crazy night life, and of course, the STREET FOOD. The food is just so cheap too! A delicious spicy chicken and rice combo for 40 Baht! Or a huge plate of Pad Thai for 50 Baht. Even the western-style food comes cheap. In other words, eating well, for a good price, comes easy!
We spent 2 nights in Bangkok so far, and plan to head back this weekend for another couple nights. We didn't hit up the weekend market last time, so that's on our agenda for Sunday! "They" say if you can't find it at the market, you won't find it in Thailand! Mmm I love a good shopping session!!
We stayed at an awesome hostel while in the city, Soi 1 Backpackers. Really simple dorm rooms, but the atmosphere is everything! The owner, Dave, is the man to go to with ANY questions about ANYTHING to do with Bangkok. He knows where to go, how to get there, and the cheapest way to do it.
Our first night there was spent getting to know some of the other backpackers staying there, watching movies in the common room, and taking a walk around Bangkok. The next day we took the MRT and a short boat ride on the river to the Wat Pho Temples. Full of Buddhas and intricate tiling, one of these Temples holds the famous Reclining Buddha. An enormous Buddha(46 meters long)covered in gold leaf, laying on it's side. It is absolutely beautiful. Even just the tiles surrounding the other Buddhas, or covering the seats of the Buddhas, were gorgeous. The colors are magnificent, and the time it would have taken to create such architecture makes you appreciate it even more. I wouldn't mind visiting another temple once we are back in Bangkok.
Our second night in Bangkok was a crazy one! Dave puts on a hell of a pub crawl, and it was one of the first topics of conversation when we arrived at Soi 1. A group of 12 showed up that night, so Dave decided he better hold one of his legendary pub crawls. The party starts at 10:00pm and doesn't stop until Noon the next day! Although not many last that long. Andy and I were done, along with almost all the other pub-crawlers, by 630am..two others lasted until 10am, while Dave took the cake! He was STILL out somewhere at 1230pm the next day! Keep in mind this man is well into his fifties. Call me impressed. I won't go into complete details, but I will say that Bangkok is a CRAZY city, and the Hangover Part Two really doesn't exaggerate on what can go down.
We may have coped out early in Bangkok's standards, but I suppose that means we just have to give it another go next time round. We'll let ya know how it turns out...
The craziness didnt stop in Bangkok..Next post will be all about our time on the islands of Koh Tao, Koh Phangan, and Railay.
Khaawp Khoon Kaa to all for reading!
(that's Thank You in Thai)
xx A&C
We are two and a half weeks into Thailand,and couldn't be happier with what we have seen and done so far.
Our first stop in this remarkable country was Bangkok. A city that slaps you in the face with culture, delicious food, and a lovely kind of chaos. We instantly fell in love with the busy (but clean-in comparison to Manila) streets, the crazy night life, and of course, the STREET FOOD. The food is just so cheap too! A delicious spicy chicken and rice combo for 40 Baht! Or a huge plate of Pad Thai for 50 Baht. Even the western-style food comes cheap. In other words, eating well, for a good price, comes easy!
We spent 2 nights in Bangkok so far, and plan to head back this weekend for another couple nights. We didn't hit up the weekend market last time, so that's on our agenda for Sunday! "They" say if you can't find it at the market, you won't find it in Thailand! Mmm I love a good shopping session!!
We stayed at an awesome hostel while in the city, Soi 1 Backpackers. Really simple dorm rooms, but the atmosphere is everything! The owner, Dave, is the man to go to with ANY questions about ANYTHING to do with Bangkok. He knows where to go, how to get there, and the cheapest way to do it.
Our first night there was spent getting to know some of the other backpackers staying there, watching movies in the common room, and taking a walk around Bangkok. The next day we took the MRT and a short boat ride on the river to the Wat Pho Temples. Full of Buddhas and intricate tiling, one of these Temples holds the famous Reclining Buddha. An enormous Buddha(46 meters long)covered in gold leaf, laying on it's side. It is absolutely beautiful. Even just the tiles surrounding the other Buddhas, or covering the seats of the Buddhas, were gorgeous. The colors are magnificent, and the time it would have taken to create such architecture makes you appreciate it even more. I wouldn't mind visiting another temple once we are back in Bangkok.
Our second night in Bangkok was a crazy one! Dave puts on a hell of a pub crawl, and it was one of the first topics of conversation when we arrived at Soi 1. A group of 12 showed up that night, so Dave decided he better hold one of his legendary pub crawls. The party starts at 10:00pm and doesn't stop until Noon the next day! Although not many last that long. Andy and I were done, along with almost all the other pub-crawlers, by 630am..two others lasted until 10am, while Dave took the cake! He was STILL out somewhere at 1230pm the next day! Keep in mind this man is well into his fifties. Call me impressed. I won't go into complete details, but I will say that Bangkok is a CRAZY city, and the Hangover Part Two really doesn't exaggerate on what can go down.
We may have coped out early in Bangkok's standards, but I suppose that means we just have to give it another go next time round. We'll let ya know how it turns out...
The craziness didnt stop in Bangkok..Next post will be all about our time on the islands of Koh Tao, Koh Phangan, and Railay.
Khaawp Khoon Kaa to all for reading!
(that's Thank You in Thai)
xx A&C
Friday, March 02, 2012
How Do You Sum Up 11 Days in Paradise!?
Hey All!
We said goodbye to the Philippines on Wednesday after almost 6 weeks of touring. We loved every minute of it! Can't say we were too sad to leave though, as we had Thailand to look forward to!
Our last stop in Phili was the island of Palawan. Surrounded by limestone cliffs and crystal clear water, this was the most beautiful island we have ever been to. After picking Danni up in Manila, we took a plane to Puerto Princesa. It didn't take long for us to introduce Danni right into the life of a traveler, as we jumped right onto a Jeepney to Sabang. No better way to do as a Philippino does then to ride atop a Jeepney! For three hours the three of us huddled among bags of rice, bananas, and an array of other foods, clothes, and luggage. We arrived in Sabang slightly sun-burnt but happy to be there. We stayed in a little hut just off the beach for two nights. The main reason for stopping in Sabang was to see the Underground River (apparently one of the new natural wonders of the world..). You gear up with a helmet and lifejacket, jump on a little boat and tour through the caves for about 45 minutes. It was really neat to see, but I think we could have done without all the "this rock is called Sharon Stone" "this rock looks like a mushroom!" "oh look, it's a turtle rock" "what does this rock look like?!" I've also never seen so many bats in my life!
Sabang was nice, but the place we really wanted to be was El Nido! We took a 6 hour van there(we met a Philippino man from Grande Prairie! His name is Dave and he works at the Den! Such a small world) and arrives to sunshine and backpackers!
El Nido is a little nook of paradise. Great people, great food, and even better beaches. We met up with a few people we had previously met in other areas of the country, which was really cool! Walking into our hostel the day we got there, I almost ran right into Val coming from the beach, and before that we walked right by Chris, the Kiwi we met in Sagada! Later that day, we also met up with 2 Aussies we were in Sagada with. Our first full day there we went on an island hop. We spent the day snorkeling, swimming, and sitting on the beach! The lunch our guides made for us was amazing! We stopped on an island, and they hauled their baskets out, chopped up a bunch a fresh fruits and veggies, cooked up rice, fish, and pork, and we sat on the beach and filled our bellies. So tasty. We ended the day burying Val in the sand, and watching the sunset. Unreal.
A couple days were definitely lazy days, where we literally just read our books, wrote in our journals, and relaxed in the sun. It was so nice not making any plans. Just wake up, eat breakfast, sip a coffee, and..sit. Sit, eat, go for a swim, repeat.
One of the highlights was an overnight camping trip on a little island. 15 of us met up, and with 11 bottles of rum lined up on the beach, we set up tents, started a fire, and ate another delicious fish fry thanks to our guides. My favorite part was when we went for a midnight swim and seen how the water lights up when you move. It was as if my fingers and toes were sparking in the water! A couple of us that had never seen it before were swimming around like little kids, yelling and laughing, splashing the water. Andy loved getting to know our Philippine guides, and falling asleep under the stars(no way was he sleeping in a tent! The only downfall was him not having his hammock!). I won't go in to detail on the fact that all 11 bottles of rum were very empty in the morning...
One of our last days on the island we rented Kayaks(although I think Andrew underestimated Dan and my strength..getting back against the current was NOT an easy task!). We kayaked to another little island, swam and hung out on the beach. Worked up an appetite on the way back, so we stopped for a yummy falafel burger at Blue Azul.
Another highlight of El Nido was renting motorbikes with our Swiss friend Nico, and driving 45 minutes to a totally remote beach. There was NO ONE on the entire beach all day! This Beach was long and wide, with warm, clear water! The boys played frisbee while Dan and I did some sand writing. We spent most of the day here, none of us could get over the fact that we were the only people on this beach(check out Facebook for pics!) Another amazing day.
Food was awesome in El Nido as well! Yummy muesli for breakfast, curries and squid, pizza and falafel. A super good variety(although being in Thailand now, the food is is waaay better!).
The last 11 days are so hard to put in to words, I can sit here and describe what we did, but it just doesn't do the island, people, ocean, any justice. The friends we left behind are people we really hope to run into again! Judging by the way people travel in southeast Asia, I have a feeling we will do just that! Danish, Swiss, American, Finish, the list goes on for the countries we are now welcome to visit a friend in.
Leaving the Philippines also meant sending Danni off, back to Canada. It felt strange having her go home, and us to another country! It's still a little crazy that we have until July to travel. But, we are loving every minute of it, although we think of everyone at home everyday!
Ps I wasn't joking when I asked who was coming to visit next!!
Today we are off to southern Thailand. First stop is Koh Tao for some diving, then off to Koh Phangan. Actually, our bus leaves in ten minutes, so I better run!
Love to all, and I promise I won't wait so long to write the next post!
xx A&C
We said goodbye to the Philippines on Wednesday after almost 6 weeks of touring. We loved every minute of it! Can't say we were too sad to leave though, as we had Thailand to look forward to!
Our last stop in Phili was the island of Palawan. Surrounded by limestone cliffs and crystal clear water, this was the most beautiful island we have ever been to. After picking Danni up in Manila, we took a plane to Puerto Princesa. It didn't take long for us to introduce Danni right into the life of a traveler, as we jumped right onto a Jeepney to Sabang. No better way to do as a Philippino does then to ride atop a Jeepney! For three hours the three of us huddled among bags of rice, bananas, and an array of other foods, clothes, and luggage. We arrived in Sabang slightly sun-burnt but happy to be there. We stayed in a little hut just off the beach for two nights. The main reason for stopping in Sabang was to see the Underground River (apparently one of the new natural wonders of the world..). You gear up with a helmet and lifejacket, jump on a little boat and tour through the caves for about 45 minutes. It was really neat to see, but I think we could have done without all the "this rock is called Sharon Stone" "this rock looks like a mushroom!" "oh look, it's a turtle rock" "what does this rock look like?!" I've also never seen so many bats in my life!
Sabang was nice, but the place we really wanted to be was El Nido! We took a 6 hour van there(we met a Philippino man from Grande Prairie! His name is Dave and he works at the Den! Such a small world) and arrives to sunshine and backpackers!
El Nido is a little nook of paradise. Great people, great food, and even better beaches. We met up with a few people we had previously met in other areas of the country, which was really cool! Walking into our hostel the day we got there, I almost ran right into Val coming from the beach, and before that we walked right by Chris, the Kiwi we met in Sagada! Later that day, we also met up with 2 Aussies we were in Sagada with. Our first full day there we went on an island hop. We spent the day snorkeling, swimming, and sitting on the beach! The lunch our guides made for us was amazing! We stopped on an island, and they hauled their baskets out, chopped up a bunch a fresh fruits and veggies, cooked up rice, fish, and pork, and we sat on the beach and filled our bellies. So tasty. We ended the day burying Val in the sand, and watching the sunset. Unreal.
A couple days were definitely lazy days, where we literally just read our books, wrote in our journals, and relaxed in the sun. It was so nice not making any plans. Just wake up, eat breakfast, sip a coffee, and..sit. Sit, eat, go for a swim, repeat.
One of the highlights was an overnight camping trip on a little island. 15 of us met up, and with 11 bottles of rum lined up on the beach, we set up tents, started a fire, and ate another delicious fish fry thanks to our guides. My favorite part was when we went for a midnight swim and seen how the water lights up when you move. It was as if my fingers and toes were sparking in the water! A couple of us that had never seen it before were swimming around like little kids, yelling and laughing, splashing the water. Andy loved getting to know our Philippine guides, and falling asleep under the stars(no way was he sleeping in a tent! The only downfall was him not having his hammock!). I won't go in to detail on the fact that all 11 bottles of rum were very empty in the morning...
One of our last days on the island we rented Kayaks(although I think Andrew underestimated Dan and my strength..getting back against the current was NOT an easy task!). We kayaked to another little island, swam and hung out on the beach. Worked up an appetite on the way back, so we stopped for a yummy falafel burger at Blue Azul.
Another highlight of El Nido was renting motorbikes with our Swiss friend Nico, and driving 45 minutes to a totally remote beach. There was NO ONE on the entire beach all day! This Beach was long and wide, with warm, clear water! The boys played frisbee while Dan and I did some sand writing. We spent most of the day here, none of us could get over the fact that we were the only people on this beach(check out Facebook for pics!) Another amazing day.
Food was awesome in El Nido as well! Yummy muesli for breakfast, curries and squid, pizza and falafel. A super good variety(although being in Thailand now, the food is is waaay better!).
The last 11 days are so hard to put in to words, I can sit here and describe what we did, but it just doesn't do the island, people, ocean, any justice. The friends we left behind are people we really hope to run into again! Judging by the way people travel in southeast Asia, I have a feeling we will do just that! Danish, Swiss, American, Finish, the list goes on for the countries we are now welcome to visit a friend in.
Leaving the Philippines also meant sending Danni off, back to Canada. It felt strange having her go home, and us to another country! It's still a little crazy that we have until July to travel. But, we are loving every minute of it, although we think of everyone at home everyday!
Ps I wasn't joking when I asked who was coming to visit next!!
Today we are off to southern Thailand. First stop is Koh Tao for some diving, then off to Koh Phangan. Actually, our bus leaves in ten minutes, so I better run!
Love to all, and I promise I won't wait so long to write the next post!
xx A&C
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Eat, Sleep, Dive
Okay, okay, so first of all, I must admit I have been procrastinating slightly in writing our next blog post. Thank you to everyone for patiently waiting! Sorry to keep the suspense on what we have been up to as of late.
Last week, before arriving in El Nido, which is where we are now, Andrew and I spent 4 days in Puerto Galera, with the sole purpose being to get out PADI open water dive certificate. We talked to a few people with dive shop recommendations, and after a little searching we walked into South Sea Divers, the "cozy" dive shop. We were greeted by Sky, the American owner and 30 yr resident of the Philippines. He had that "super chill" thing goin on, but we could tell he takes his diving seriously. We booked in to start our course immediately. With 5 videos, 4 quizzes, and 1 final exam ahead of us, not including the actual diving, we knew the next few days would be busy. Who would have thought we would be doing homework during our travels?! We spent 3 hours the first morning in the pool, learning all the skills, and getting a feel for the equipment. Those first few breaths underwater in the pool were quite exhilarating, and even more so once we got into the ocean. Andrew and I were laughing later that day about how it took us both a few quick inhale-exhales to just calm down and relax underwater. Its both strange and absolutely wonderful to not have to come up for air. After 3 hours in the pool, we emerged blue-lipped(and having to pee!!) for a well deserved lunch. We filled our bellies with beef curry and rice, then made our way back to South Sea for some, uh, VERY exciting videos. I may be being slightly sarcastic ;)
Our second day we did our first ocean dive. It's a pretty shallow dive, and we spent most of the time practicing the skills we learnt in the pool. At the end of the first dive though, we did get to swim around and just enjoy the underwater scenery. Dive ended, which meant lunchtime, more videos, some quizzes, and then dive number two! More skills, but this time a bit of a deeper dive, with even more fish and plant-life to see. I don't know all the names of the fish we seen, but to name a few, Angel fish, Clown fish (Nemo!), some Moray Eels, a few little water snakes(one super poisonous snake!)some big Groupers, and tons more colorful and funky looking fish. It's an amazing feeling to be surrounded by the ocean wildlife. I think I recall Andrew saying "I seen some coral down there that looked like a deer shed!!". Always a hunter :) It's safe to say we were both smiling ear to ear behind that regulator, just elated to be finally diving. We did 2 more dives the next day, wrote our final and received our PADI certificates! We had one more day in Puerto Galera, and one free fun dive to enjoy!
18 meters underwater is an unreal place to be, so we are pretty excited to continue our diving in Thailand with our Advanced open water dive course. We really want to get a night dive in as well, and there is even an underwater photography course that I think would be fun! Needless to say, I don't think we'll be getting bored with Scuba anytime soon! Ps thanks to everyone who encouraged us to take the course. Money very well spent.
That brings us to El Nido. A mystifying little place surrounded by looming limestone cliffs and filled with island-hopping backpackers. It's been a fine place to be this last week, and with 3 more days to go, the adventure continues. Boat tours, snorkeling, camping on the beach over-night, and riding motorbikes to an absolutely empty and beautiful beach, to name a few. But more on that later. It's 4am here, and I really should try to get back to sleep!
Oh, and a shout-out to my Dad on his birthday! Love you Dad. Andy, Danni, and I will be singing Happy Birthday at the top of our lungs during breakfast!
Cheers Everyone!
One more thing! I have tried putting pictures directly on the blog, but the IPad seems to enjoy being difficult. I continue to add them to my Facebook page though, so if you don't have Facebook, maybe bug someone who does to show you! Get a better idea of the who/what/where. Thanks!
Last week, before arriving in El Nido, which is where we are now, Andrew and I spent 4 days in Puerto Galera, with the sole purpose being to get out PADI open water dive certificate. We talked to a few people with dive shop recommendations, and after a little searching we walked into South Sea Divers, the "cozy" dive shop. We were greeted by Sky, the American owner and 30 yr resident of the Philippines. He had that "super chill" thing goin on, but we could tell he takes his diving seriously. We booked in to start our course immediately. With 5 videos, 4 quizzes, and 1 final exam ahead of us, not including the actual diving, we knew the next few days would be busy. Who would have thought we would be doing homework during our travels?! We spent 3 hours the first morning in the pool, learning all the skills, and getting a feel for the equipment. Those first few breaths underwater in the pool were quite exhilarating, and even more so once we got into the ocean. Andrew and I were laughing later that day about how it took us both a few quick inhale-exhales to just calm down and relax underwater. Its both strange and absolutely wonderful to not have to come up for air. After 3 hours in the pool, we emerged blue-lipped(and having to pee!!) for a well deserved lunch. We filled our bellies with beef curry and rice, then made our way back to South Sea for some, uh, VERY exciting videos. I may be being slightly sarcastic ;)
Our second day we did our first ocean dive. It's a pretty shallow dive, and we spent most of the time practicing the skills we learnt in the pool. At the end of the first dive though, we did get to swim around and just enjoy the underwater scenery. Dive ended, which meant lunchtime, more videos, some quizzes, and then dive number two! More skills, but this time a bit of a deeper dive, with even more fish and plant-life to see. I don't know all the names of the fish we seen, but to name a few, Angel fish, Clown fish (Nemo!), some Moray Eels, a few little water snakes(one super poisonous snake!)some big Groupers, and tons more colorful and funky looking fish. It's an amazing feeling to be surrounded by the ocean wildlife. I think I recall Andrew saying "I seen some coral down there that looked like a deer shed!!". Always a hunter :) It's safe to say we were both smiling ear to ear behind that regulator, just elated to be finally diving. We did 2 more dives the next day, wrote our final and received our PADI certificates! We had one more day in Puerto Galera, and one free fun dive to enjoy!
18 meters underwater is an unreal place to be, so we are pretty excited to continue our diving in Thailand with our Advanced open water dive course. We really want to get a night dive in as well, and there is even an underwater photography course that I think would be fun! Needless to say, I don't think we'll be getting bored with Scuba anytime soon! Ps thanks to everyone who encouraged us to take the course. Money very well spent.
That brings us to El Nido. A mystifying little place surrounded by looming limestone cliffs and filled with island-hopping backpackers. It's been a fine place to be this last week, and with 3 more days to go, the adventure continues. Boat tours, snorkeling, camping on the beach over-night, and riding motorbikes to an absolutely empty and beautiful beach, to name a few. But more on that later. It's 4am here, and I really should try to get back to sleep!
Oh, and a shout-out to my Dad on his birthday! Love you Dad. Andy, Danni, and I will be singing Happy Birthday at the top of our lungs during breakfast!
Cheers Everyone!
One more thing! I have tried putting pictures directly on the blog, but the IPad seems to enjoy being difficult. I continue to add them to my Facebook page though, so if you don't have Facebook, maybe bug someone who does to show you! Get a better idea of the who/what/where. Thanks!
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Mountain Air = Refreshed and Rejuvenated!
Hello!
A quick thanks to everyone who has been keeping up with us! We are nearing the end of our first month of travel and are incredibly excited to continue this crazy adventure we are on. Of course, it goes without saying how much we miss our friends and family back in Canada! We hope everyone is doing well, and love love hearing from you :)
Okay, back to business. This last week and a half has been a busy one! As of now, Andrew and I are PADI certified divers! But I'll talk more about that on the next post. This post will be dedicated to our time spent up in northern Philippines.
After spending a couple nights in Manila, we jumped on a 9 hour night bus to a town called Banaue. At about 6am we arrived, groggy and stiff, to a rainy, but absolutely breath-taking view. Banaue, in the Northern part of Luzon, is based around mud-walled rice terraces created around 2000 years ago. Being that Banaue is a little touristy these days, we decided to head right up to an even smaller village called Batad. Andrew and I, along with our new friends we met on the night bus, Maaike and Anouk from Holland, and Val from Switzerland, got some breakfast and tea in our bellies, then hopped on a Jeepney. Now these roads are single lane type back roads on the very edge of a mountain. In the Philippines, there is no such thing as "single lane". Passing, weaving, and speeding doesn't seem to change outside of city limits. To add to the already sketchy roads, the rain had caused some major damage, so we were forced to stop for tractors and construction workers as they were fixing the roads. Although bumpy and at times scary, it was a fun ride up, with an awesome view! Now Batad is not actually reachable by car/Jeepney, so we were dropped off with about an hour hike to go. The way there was easy enough with our packs, because it was all down-hill. Coming back was a whole different story!! Anyways, we got there all in one piece and headed to Batad Pensionne House. This quiet little hostel is literally in the middle of the rice terraces. The view was unreal, and the air was fresh! We were greeted by a barking dog (whom Val later named Perksie) and tw sweet girls, Lisa and Gina. These two locals really took care of us during our two nights stay. These girls do ALL the cooking(the Mountain pizza is really something to try!)cleaning, etc for the hostel. With all their hard work, they still managed to sit down with us at night and learn how to play Crazy 8's! Out first day in Batad was pretty relaxed, the boys played Chinese Poker with a local at the hostel, our Dutch friends had s nap, and I went up to visit with some little ones. Thankfully I brought my camera and some Peso's for candy, because these kids were adorable! I took a couple pictures and then motioned for them to come over and look at them. Well,after that they were hooked! I had little hands, little noses, little eyes, all over the lens, just so curious as to what this "machine" could do. We played around for a while, one little boy took over as photographer, and then I headed up, with some very excited kids following, to buy candy! It was a really great way to spend the afternoon. Every one of them just as precious as the next.
Our second day we spent hiking through the rice terraces surrounding Batad, and then to the Tappia waterfalls. The falls were gorgeous. We got there, took off our shoes and sunbathed on the rocks. That night we met Maarten, also from Holland, so the 6 of us had some dinner, then played a few (some a little vicious) games of Spoons, Bullshit, and Crazy 8's. We may have been the loudest guests Batad Pensionne has seen in a while...yelling BULLSHIT and leaping across tables for that.last.damn.spoon!! It was a hilarious and ridiculously fun way to spend our last night in Batad. We were sad to say goodbye to our new friends, but will keep in touch, and maybe even meet again in El Nido!
The next morning(Sunday) we took the grueling up-hill hike with our heavy packs and the bumpy Jeepney ride back to Banaue. From here Andrew, Val, and I jumped on yet another Jeepney(this time for 3 hours)to bring us to another town called Sagada. This ride introduced us to Luke and Josh from Australia, and Chris from New Zealand. Sagada is a super chill mountain town, with a slightly isolated feel. Isolated in a good way! Being that it is 12 hours from Manila, there really arent a lot of tourists there. Its another place to get in some awesome hiking, which we did, see some crazy/creepy hanging coffins, which we saw, and explore the dark and mysterious caves, which we also did! I'll explain a little more on the hanging coffins thing. If you have Facebook, take a look at our pictures because we posted a couple of the coffins so you can get an idea of what they are. Some of these coffins are centuries old, while others were put there recently. Other coffins are actually embedded right into the caves surrounding Sagada. It is really something to see. There are mini coffins that we at first assumed were children, but we found out later they are actually adults in the fetal position. Being that you enter the world that way, they also believe you should exit the same. The whole concept of suspending a coffin, with a deceased person inside, is a little hard to grasp, but it's been done for years. I plan to research a little more into the reasoning.
We spent that evening chatting with our fellow travelers over some San Miguel(yes even I had one! Ok,I added a little sprite..but still!)and food! We didnt stay up late, as we were getting up at 600am to go caving! Googling this particular cave expedition ALMOST changed my mind...as we were told, it's not for the claustrophobic, and definitely for the courageous. Ummm..courageous?? Last time I checked that wasn't exactly one of the words I would use to describe myself. Andrew courageous? Most definitely. None-the-less, I geared up and got ready to face 3 hours 700 meters underground with the boys! It was a wicked morning!! We had 3 guides pick us up at our hostel at 630am, the begin our walk to the entrance of the first cave. These guides weren't exactly what you would call "professional" looking, but experienced would be a better word. After a few stops for them to buy cigarettes(uhhh??) and pick up the GAS lanterns that would be our light source(huh?!) we began our descent. We were scaling rocks, squeezing through holes(that's when being small came in handy!) and propelling down with ropes. Most of this we did barefoot to get a better grip (and one of the Aussies sandals broke, so the rest of the boys went barefoot with him). I kept my sandals to avoid bat poop, but eventually it was just easier without them! We stopped at the bottom for a swim, a cold swim!! The guides watched, smokes in hand. By the end of it we were muddy, soaked, hungry, and happy! It was one of the coolest things I have ever done. Most definitely the most adventurous! Another pro is it was only about $10 to do it, haha! Being that you are pretty much thrown into an unknown cave, with no idea as to what you are going to be up against, to charge any more would be ludicrous. All in all, it was crazy and fun, and we would both do it all over again.
Aside from adventure, Sagada brought us the best homemade hot chocolate (real chunks of chocolate) and BEST homemade yogurt. Mmm, I would go back strictly for the yogurt. Thick creamy, and deeelicious! I think I'm drooling...
Well I hope I didn't leave anything out, if so I will be sure to fill you all in next time! It is Thursday evening here. Here being Sabang Beach, right outside of Puerto Galera. After going back to Banaue, catching the night bus to Manila, then another bus from there, we have spent the last 2 nights in Sabang Beach. As I said before we are now certified divers! We leave here after one more dive tomorrow morning to go back one last time to Manila. This will be a very exciting stop in Manila as Andrew and I are picking up my little sister Danni from the airport!!!! Dan is gonna spend our last 2 weeks in the Philippines with us! Safe travels Danni! We will be waiting with wide open arms!
Who else wants to come for a visit?!? Thailand anyone??
I'll post another quick blog possibly tomorrow evening to share our diving experience :)
A&C
A quick thanks to everyone who has been keeping up with us! We are nearing the end of our first month of travel and are incredibly excited to continue this crazy adventure we are on. Of course, it goes without saying how much we miss our friends and family back in Canada! We hope everyone is doing well, and love love hearing from you :)
Okay, back to business. This last week and a half has been a busy one! As of now, Andrew and I are PADI certified divers! But I'll talk more about that on the next post. This post will be dedicated to our time spent up in northern Philippines.
After spending a couple nights in Manila, we jumped on a 9 hour night bus to a town called Banaue. At about 6am we arrived, groggy and stiff, to a rainy, but absolutely breath-taking view. Banaue, in the Northern part of Luzon, is based around mud-walled rice terraces created around 2000 years ago. Being that Banaue is a little touristy these days, we decided to head right up to an even smaller village called Batad. Andrew and I, along with our new friends we met on the night bus, Maaike and Anouk from Holland, and Val from Switzerland, got some breakfast and tea in our bellies, then hopped on a Jeepney. Now these roads are single lane type back roads on the very edge of a mountain. In the Philippines, there is no such thing as "single lane". Passing, weaving, and speeding doesn't seem to change outside of city limits. To add to the already sketchy roads, the rain had caused some major damage, so we were forced to stop for tractors and construction workers as they were fixing the roads. Although bumpy and at times scary, it was a fun ride up, with an awesome view! Now Batad is not actually reachable by car/Jeepney, so we were dropped off with about an hour hike to go. The way there was easy enough with our packs, because it was all down-hill. Coming back was a whole different story!! Anyways, we got there all in one piece and headed to Batad Pensionne House. This quiet little hostel is literally in the middle of the rice terraces. The view was unreal, and the air was fresh! We were greeted by a barking dog (whom Val later named Perksie) and tw sweet girls, Lisa and Gina. These two locals really took care of us during our two nights stay. These girls do ALL the cooking(the Mountain pizza is really something to try!)cleaning, etc for the hostel. With all their hard work, they still managed to sit down with us at night and learn how to play Crazy 8's! Out first day in Batad was pretty relaxed, the boys played Chinese Poker with a local at the hostel, our Dutch friends had s nap, and I went up to visit with some little ones. Thankfully I brought my camera and some Peso's for candy, because these kids were adorable! I took a couple pictures and then motioned for them to come over and look at them. Well,after that they were hooked! I had little hands, little noses, little eyes, all over the lens, just so curious as to what this "machine" could do. We played around for a while, one little boy took over as photographer, and then I headed up, with some very excited kids following, to buy candy! It was a really great way to spend the afternoon. Every one of them just as precious as the next.
Our second day we spent hiking through the rice terraces surrounding Batad, and then to the Tappia waterfalls. The falls were gorgeous. We got there, took off our shoes and sunbathed on the rocks. That night we met Maarten, also from Holland, so the 6 of us had some dinner, then played a few (some a little vicious) games of Spoons, Bullshit, and Crazy 8's. We may have been the loudest guests Batad Pensionne has seen in a while...yelling BULLSHIT and leaping across tables for that.last.damn.spoon!! It was a hilarious and ridiculously fun way to spend our last night in Batad. We were sad to say goodbye to our new friends, but will keep in touch, and maybe even meet again in El Nido!
The next morning(Sunday) we took the grueling up-hill hike with our heavy packs and the bumpy Jeepney ride back to Banaue. From here Andrew, Val, and I jumped on yet another Jeepney(this time for 3 hours)to bring us to another town called Sagada. This ride introduced us to Luke and Josh from Australia, and Chris from New Zealand. Sagada is a super chill mountain town, with a slightly isolated feel. Isolated in a good way! Being that it is 12 hours from Manila, there really arent a lot of tourists there. Its another place to get in some awesome hiking, which we did, see some crazy/creepy hanging coffins, which we saw, and explore the dark and mysterious caves, which we also did! I'll explain a little more on the hanging coffins thing. If you have Facebook, take a look at our pictures because we posted a couple of the coffins so you can get an idea of what they are. Some of these coffins are centuries old, while others were put there recently. Other coffins are actually embedded right into the caves surrounding Sagada. It is really something to see. There are mini coffins that we at first assumed were children, but we found out later they are actually adults in the fetal position. Being that you enter the world that way, they also believe you should exit the same. The whole concept of suspending a coffin, with a deceased person inside, is a little hard to grasp, but it's been done for years. I plan to research a little more into the reasoning.
We spent that evening chatting with our fellow travelers over some San Miguel(yes even I had one! Ok,I added a little sprite..but still!)and food! We didnt stay up late, as we were getting up at 600am to go caving! Googling this particular cave expedition ALMOST changed my mind...as we were told, it's not for the claustrophobic, and definitely for the courageous. Ummm..courageous?? Last time I checked that wasn't exactly one of the words I would use to describe myself. Andrew courageous? Most definitely. None-the-less, I geared up and got ready to face 3 hours 700 meters underground with the boys! It was a wicked morning!! We had 3 guides pick us up at our hostel at 630am, the begin our walk to the entrance of the first cave. These guides weren't exactly what you would call "professional" looking, but experienced would be a better word. After a few stops for them to buy cigarettes(uhhh??) and pick up the GAS lanterns that would be our light source(huh?!) we began our descent. We were scaling rocks, squeezing through holes(that's when being small came in handy!) and propelling down with ropes. Most of this we did barefoot to get a better grip (and one of the Aussies sandals broke, so the rest of the boys went barefoot with him). I kept my sandals to avoid bat poop, but eventually it was just easier without them! We stopped at the bottom for a swim, a cold swim!! The guides watched, smokes in hand. By the end of it we were muddy, soaked, hungry, and happy! It was one of the coolest things I have ever done. Most definitely the most adventurous! Another pro is it was only about $10 to do it, haha! Being that you are pretty much thrown into an unknown cave, with no idea as to what you are going to be up against, to charge any more would be ludicrous. All in all, it was crazy and fun, and we would both do it all over again.
Aside from adventure, Sagada brought us the best homemade hot chocolate (real chunks of chocolate) and BEST homemade yogurt. Mmm, I would go back strictly for the yogurt. Thick creamy, and deeelicious! I think I'm drooling...
Well I hope I didn't leave anything out, if so I will be sure to fill you all in next time! It is Thursday evening here. Here being Sabang Beach, right outside of Puerto Galera. After going back to Banaue, catching the night bus to Manila, then another bus from there, we have spent the last 2 nights in Sabang Beach. As I said before we are now certified divers! We leave here after one more dive tomorrow morning to go back one last time to Manila. This will be a very exciting stop in Manila as Andrew and I are picking up my little sister Danni from the airport!!!! Dan is gonna spend our last 2 weeks in the Philippines with us! Safe travels Danni! We will be waiting with wide open arms!
Who else wants to come for a visit?!? Thailand anyone??
I'll post another quick blog possibly tomorrow evening to share our diving experience :)
A&C
Monday, February 06, 2012
"Massadge M'ameSir!"
Hi again! This time from the chaotic and crazy city of Manila! We are only here for a quick nights rest before heading off to the "Mountain Town" Sagada to hike away our beers and cocktails from the last 6 days.
Boracay is one of those places that just pulls you right in. After a few days spent lazing on the beach, eating absolutley anything imaginable, and okay, DRINKING anything imaginable, you feel like you need to get out, but just can't fathom going anywhere else. Our mornings were spent walking or running the 4km on one end of the beach, then making our way back for breakfast. Oatmeal and omelettes at our hostel, fruit shakes or crepes at Jonah's Bar, or fresh fruit and muesli with a steaming vanilla latte from Cafe Del Sol. Considering this being an island, one might expect to be deprived of such variety in foods. Nope. Not on this island. The amount of STUFF, for lack of better word, that is transferred in and out by boat is just unreal. This is no Gilligans Island. This is the Holidayers paradise. Of course, this being well known to a lot of the Asian population, we were by no means alone on this lovely little island.
About 15 meters from the shore runs a pathway with restaurants, bars, and shops on one side, and vendors, fruit stands (corn stands, schwarma stands, you-name-it stands) on the other. Men walk the beaches selling hats, sunglasses, word carvings. And do not expect to get through a single day without hearing "Massadge M'ameSir" "Come for a massadge M'ameSir?". Translation: Excuse me, would you like a massage..M'ame, Sir?.
Andrew and I are thinking of dropping the whole name thing all together. Who needs a first name when we could just combine ourselves as M'ameSir?! Jokes aside, everyone is very pleasant and friendly, and only trying to be respectful in acknowledging passerby.
At nighttime, the island really comes alive. Lights, live music, fire dancers. Most restaurants set up on the beach so you have the choice of dining in or out. The pathway is like a highway of people. Old, young, boy, girl, ladyboy(there were plenty of these ladyboys..Andrew was actually hit on by a couple of them. Ladyboy=boy dressed as girl) everyone wants a taste of Boracay's nightlife. One of our first nights there we went to a bar/restaurant called Nigi Nigi Nu Nuu's and decided to conquer their SUPER cocktail. A super cocktail is pretty much a GIANT drink of your choice served with about 6 straws and many smiles from the bartenders. While choosing, I mentioned that I'd really like to try their famous Long Island Iced Tea. So, low and behold, Andrew and Chelsie are faced with a massive, strong-smelling, sweating, Long Island Iced Tea. Let me give you a little perspective on this GIANT glass. I'm talking, basketball sized, fit 12 drinks in it glass. Yep. Needless to say,after bullying Andrew into choking the last of it down, because "WE HAVE TO FINISH!" we spent the evening dancing our bums off at a wicked neon streaked club called Summer Place, before stumbling our fuzzy heads home. Oh, and just incase someone tries to tell you otherwise, we did NOT spend a good hour being sick in unison. Nope, not us.
Back to the beach! After we DIDN'T spend a day being, ahem, hungover, we got out the snorkel gear and swam our little hearts out. The waters are just pristine, and warm! One day Andy tracked down a man "on that surf board thingy, with the paddle thing" for me so that I could try out Paddle Surfing! Sooo much fun. Paddle surfing is where you stand on a surf board and paddle around. Its sctually a really good workout! We took turns cruising around on that thing until we were both tuckered out and resorted to using the board as a flotation/tanning device. Ahhh.
We loved the hostel owners as well! The main owner Teddy, was there with his son Theo, and his fiancé Natalie, so we spent a lot of time chatting with them. Theo and Natalie, both from Seattle, live in New York City, so they were pretty intrigued by us Canadians. We swapped pictures, emails, and Facebook, and they gave us a ton of info on our next destination! They had just come from a couple days up in the small villages of Banaue, Batad and Sagada, so we have a list of places to stay, eat, and even a guide they recommend us ask for!
Last night the four of us went out for a Mexican dinner, enjoyed some hot and fresh mini donuts for dessert, and walked home in the rain. It was a great last night in Boracay! I think I miss it already, but the mountains are calling our names! The pictures that Theo and Natalie showed us looked phenomenal! The lack of electricity(good thing we brought our headlamps!) and hot water will be a little shock to the system at first, but hey, we are Canadian right?! We can handle anything ;)
We'll write again once we have ventured our way through the waterfalls, rice terraces, and mountains of Banaue, Batad, and Sagada! Time to burn off 6 days of Boracay's food and drink!
Love to all,
Andrew & Chelsie
Boracay is one of those places that just pulls you right in. After a few days spent lazing on the beach, eating absolutley anything imaginable, and okay, DRINKING anything imaginable, you feel like you need to get out, but just can't fathom going anywhere else. Our mornings were spent walking or running the 4km on one end of the beach, then making our way back for breakfast. Oatmeal and omelettes at our hostel, fruit shakes or crepes at Jonah's Bar, or fresh fruit and muesli with a steaming vanilla latte from Cafe Del Sol. Considering this being an island, one might expect to be deprived of such variety in foods. Nope. Not on this island. The amount of STUFF, for lack of better word, that is transferred in and out by boat is just unreal. This is no Gilligans Island. This is the Holidayers paradise. Of course, this being well known to a lot of the Asian population, we were by no means alone on this lovely little island.
About 15 meters from the shore runs a pathway with restaurants, bars, and shops on one side, and vendors, fruit stands (corn stands, schwarma stands, you-name-it stands) on the other. Men walk the beaches selling hats, sunglasses, word carvings. And do not expect to get through a single day without hearing "Massadge M'ameSir" "Come for a massadge M'ameSir?". Translation: Excuse me, would you like a massage..M'ame, Sir?.
Andrew and I are thinking of dropping the whole name thing all together. Who needs a first name when we could just combine ourselves as M'ameSir?! Jokes aside, everyone is very pleasant and friendly, and only trying to be respectful in acknowledging passerby.
At nighttime, the island really comes alive. Lights, live music, fire dancers. Most restaurants set up on the beach so you have the choice of dining in or out. The pathway is like a highway of people. Old, young, boy, girl, ladyboy(there were plenty of these ladyboys..Andrew was actually hit on by a couple of them. Ladyboy=boy dressed as girl) everyone wants a taste of Boracay's nightlife. One of our first nights there we went to a bar/restaurant called Nigi Nigi Nu Nuu's and decided to conquer their SUPER cocktail. A super cocktail is pretty much a GIANT drink of your choice served with about 6 straws and many smiles from the bartenders. While choosing, I mentioned that I'd really like to try their famous Long Island Iced Tea. So, low and behold, Andrew and Chelsie are faced with a massive, strong-smelling, sweating, Long Island Iced Tea. Let me give you a little perspective on this GIANT glass. I'm talking, basketball sized, fit 12 drinks in it glass. Yep. Needless to say,after bullying Andrew into choking the last of it down, because "WE HAVE TO FINISH!" we spent the evening dancing our bums off at a wicked neon streaked club called Summer Place, before stumbling our fuzzy heads home. Oh, and just incase someone tries to tell you otherwise, we did NOT spend a good hour being sick in unison. Nope, not us.
Back to the beach! After we DIDN'T spend a day being, ahem, hungover, we got out the snorkel gear and swam our little hearts out. The waters are just pristine, and warm! One day Andy tracked down a man "on that surf board thingy, with the paddle thing" for me so that I could try out Paddle Surfing! Sooo much fun. Paddle surfing is where you stand on a surf board and paddle around. Its sctually a really good workout! We took turns cruising around on that thing until we were both tuckered out and resorted to using the board as a flotation/tanning device. Ahhh.
We loved the hostel owners as well! The main owner Teddy, was there with his son Theo, and his fiancé Natalie, so we spent a lot of time chatting with them. Theo and Natalie, both from Seattle, live in New York City, so they were pretty intrigued by us Canadians. We swapped pictures, emails, and Facebook, and they gave us a ton of info on our next destination! They had just come from a couple days up in the small villages of Banaue, Batad and Sagada, so we have a list of places to stay, eat, and even a guide they recommend us ask for!
Last night the four of us went out for a Mexican dinner, enjoyed some hot and fresh mini donuts for dessert, and walked home in the rain. It was a great last night in Boracay! I think I miss it already, but the mountains are calling our names! The pictures that Theo and Natalie showed us looked phenomenal! The lack of electricity(good thing we brought our headlamps!) and hot water will be a little shock to the system at first, but hey, we are Canadian right?! We can handle anything ;)
We'll write again once we have ventured our way through the waterfalls, rice terraces, and mountains of Banaue, Batad, and Sagada! Time to burn off 6 days of Boracay's food and drink!
Love to all,
Andrew & Chelsie
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