Disclaimer: This post is over one year late and but one of the many to come. Hehe.
Since I’ve dedicated the year 2014 for my
wanderlust, I decided that for my 23rd birthday, I should spend it
anywhere far, close to nature, the sea, and the stars at night.
The same thing I did for my Baler trip last
March 2014, I joined yet another travel group for this trip. I was browsing for
travel trips which will land on May 3, my birthday. I found one from Extreme
Outdoor Adventure, scheduled from May 2-4, Calaguas Island.
Reservations made, I readied myself for the
trip.
The trip consumed 10 hours in the van, 3
hours in the boat. My butt is numb from sitting down when we reach the island.
Although, as beautiful as a paradise would be, Calaguas Island washed all the
weariness and sleepiness away from my system. Actually, the moment we rode the
boat, I was already feeling giddy, almost tasting the ocean on my tongue, the
sun on my skin. So, when the boatman anchored the motor boat that carried us
across the Pacific Ocean, the smile on my face was evident.
We reached the island two hours from lunch
time. Upon arrival and after the inevitable picture taking, we set up our tents
while the organizers prepare our lunch. The beauty of Calaguas is being
preserved with the absence of hotels and other forms of accommodations aside
from tents packed by the island’s visitors. I love this about the place. The
simplicity, the primitiveness.
The sun is high and bright in the island.
After lunch, scalding as it is, I walked barefooted on the fine white sand of
the island towards the sea.
Tell me you would do things differently had
you been in my place. Look at that beauty!
For hours, I stayed in the water, earning a
generous amount of tan although trying to protect the new ink on my back.
Birthday tattoo, baby! Heh!
When the sun started descending on the
west, we went snorkeling. With a new friend I made during the trip, we
visited the corals and the fish that resides in them. Now here comes the sad
part. As beautiful as the island is, its corals are mostly dead. This is
because they are being used to anchor the boats. They’re colorful and would’ve
showcased more vibrant colors had they been alive. We saw few fishes. And we
had to go to the deeper part of the ocean to see the corals.
From the afternoon until the early evening,
I was in the water, my feet enjoying the fine, white sand and my whole being
enjoying simply being in the water. I suspected that, (say I believe in
reincarnation) I may have been a sea creature in my past life. I always enjoy
swimming, being in the water, and the freedom I always feel whenever I was
floating, the soft waves lulling all thoughts away. I love it.
Darkness had enveloped the island when I
decided to come out of the water and take a shower. Dinner will be served by
the trip organizers and, frankly, I was already feeling cold. The cool air in
the island is so pure and fresh, asking me to dry myself immediately lest I
want to catch a cold.
Let me tell you more about the island.
During our visit there last year, the island is still a relatively new
tourist-destination – no hotels or any forms of accommodation, no electricity,
no source of water except for a sole manual water pump where we had to line up,
wait for the others to finish with the pail and dipper, and then take a bath in
front of everybody still standing in line, waiting for you to finish. If you’re
shy, you can turn your back on them and face the endless and then darkened meadow.
It’s a unique experience, especially to
those who haven’t experienced anything as primitive as that. As for me, the experience is far from new. We used to fetch
water, wash our clothes, and take a bath in a public well near our house years
before the government realized that we are a community in need of water piping
in our houses. We even used to walk for an hour to the river to wash our
clothes then take a bath, swim a little, long before the public well became
accessible to us. Suffice it to say, I was taken back to the old days with this
experience from the island. *insert smile here*
After dinner, I went back to my tent. Sir
Edz said that there’d be a socials night where everyone in the group will
drink, exchange stories, and get to know everyone. I don’t remember what I said
but my mind is already zooming out to sleep. I haven’t slept well on our way to
the island and sure didn’t sleep when we came, my body is asking for sleep. And
so I gave in.
I realized just then that it was hot
sleeping in a tent. What I did was keep the tent open to allow the fresh island
air cool me down. At 11:30, I went out and lay on my back at the beach, staring
at thousands of stars above me.
As I said at the beginning of this blog
post, the trip was to celebrate my 23rd birthday. May 3, 1991, at
11:30 pm, I came out of this world. So when the clock struck 11:30 that night,
May 3, I gifted myself with the soothing experience of lying by the beach, the
stars keeping my eyes busy, and the sound of waves meeting the shore relax both
my body and mind. I simply love it. Just lying there, thinking of nothing else
but being thankful for being alive.
We were in Gumaca, Quezon, still on our way
to Camarines Norte when Mama called and greeted me Happy Birthday. A few hours
before that, I received text messages from some friends, wishing me the same. I
felt really special. Simple greetings like that make me feel special. I’m that
shallow. Haha!
But Calaguas, being a far off island from
mainland Camarines Norte, doesn’t have cell site signal. And so, I wasn’t able
to read some more birthday messages until the next day when we climb the hill
sitting in the island. It was funny; seeing people clamor over getting signals
for their phones. I did receive a few more messages which added to the fun. :D
The hill gave us a great view of the island’s
coast line. It’s pretty small but definitely beautiful! I saw my brightly-colored
tent from up there too! Hah!
After our short trip and photo ops at the
hill, we climbed down for a full breakfast. After that, we came back to the sea!
Of course! Again, we went snorkeling and were even more pleased to see the
corals even clearer with the bright sun providing generous light. It’s fun.
Seeing the world under the sea – a territory I seldom get to see and explore.
We enjoyed our time with the fish and
corals too much that we didn’t realize it was time to go. When we came out of
the water, the boat has already been loaded with our bags, the group boarded
and ready to go, and are waiting for us to come out. Heh! We boarded the boat
without the luxury of washing the salt water from our bodies.
Another three hours passed and we found
ourselves back in mainland Camarines Norte where we were able to wash our bodies and
change clothes; except for those who still wish to surf. I took a bath and
changed clothes. No more surfing for me. I’m beat from snorkeling for hours. Haha!
I forgot the name of the municipality where
they surfed and where we ate those yummy local burgers. Sir Edz said that the
burgers, drinks, and videoke while we wait for the surfers are to celebrate my
birthday. (awshu.. tats ako. hehe) So, we partied while the others surf. It was
f-u-n! It was dark when I retired in the van and waited for the rest to pile
inside. My mind’s already travelling home, on my bed, then at the thought that
it’s my first day on the new job the next day. Talk about professionalism here!
We reached Manila at around 3am, got home a
little past 5am, took a shower, changed clothes, ate a little, then went to
work for my first day. These instances excite me. The rush for time, getting
things done, beating deadlines without sleep or while under the influence. I’m
sick in the head, and these things make me feel even more alive when
successfully accomplished. Hehe.
I’m 23 and lovin’ it! Looking forward to
more birthdays to come. Cheers!
