Aahh... summertime... the season to put on our bikinis and get a real tan... the season for island hopping and frolicking under the hot sun drinking GP... that's what we were dreaming of when a bunch of friends (Lei Mangubat, Mel Dator, Lyra Dietrich, LA Villareal and Choy Calunsod) and I left for our Bicol trip. Two days of beacheneering in the pristine white beaches of Caramoan Peninsula, one day of swimming with whale sharks and in Lyra's and my case, diving with mantas! That was the plan.
No one expected that it would be raining in Naga, with gray ominous skies looming over Mount Mayon, obscuring our view. We sneaked each other glances, as if afraid to say the truth lest saying the word “ulan” might bring a string of curses to our adventure.
We immediately boarded a van which took us to Sabang Port. The driver was busy texting when we almost hit a truck in front of us with the big “Keep Distance” painted at its rear. Mel's chicken and egg sandwiches cheered us up. After an hour, we arrive at the port, and a bunch of porters unceremoniously handled our bags and stowed them in the boat. Of course, they charged us after. Hay, support local tourism na lang!
The long, narrow and low boat had no easy access to its seats. One had to be on all fours, and crawl from the side into the seats. Rain fell harder. Lei and Mel got drenched within five minutes because the strip of tarp covering their heads just wasn't enough.
Everyone else in our group fell asleep on the boat except for me since I downed a cup of brewed coffee at my house, leaving me uppity and alert. After a while, I felt Lyra stir in her seat, looking green and queasy. Her stomach was giving her problems, bad! For the whole trip when she had her head bowed, she was actually praying that she'd make it to the bathroom. And so her prayer was answered. She was even provided with wipes. :) Lei was confused when she saw Lyra getting off the boat first and literally sprinting away. By the time she came back with an impish smile, we were all aboard a pick-up which will drop us off to La Casa Roa.
On the way, the driver shared that the weather hadn't been cooperative for weeks! It's been raining on and off since the unfortunate tsunami in Japan. We're f___ed.
La Casa Roa was an old house turned into a lodging, it had a warm feel of a lola's ancestral house, but with colorful walls. Our room had two bunk beds, a matrimonial bed and toilet and shower rooms. And bright pink walls. Girls got dibs on the bunk beds. The boys shared the big bed.
There was no question of even boarding another boat for island hopping, the weather was that bad, and the trip too long. We had our lunch at a resto in town- bicol express, laing, sinigang na baboy, perfect for the chilly weather. We refused to let the rain restrain us to our room, so we put on our rain jackets (buti na lang!) and walked around town. We saw a tiny barbershop where equally tiny 7-year-old boys were having their hair cut. We saw a mocha brown river looking very much like Mekong River in Luang Prabang, Laos. We saw a huge brick church and the market. I took a few pictures at the neighboring coprahan. Then we conceded and settled in the hotel.
We passed the time reading Outside magazine, books like “Big Fish,” and “After Dark.” Mel was the only one capable of doing the complicated accounting of our expenses. When all else failed, we took out the GP and wine. We plotted our plan in case it still rains the following day--We'll leave Caramoan and spend two days in Donsol instead. If the rain stops, we'll go island hopping. Dinner was fried chicken and pork chop. We turned in after the third bottle.
Oh, and I left the key in the room, and Lei had to open it with a card.
Gloomiest start to the summer ever!
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