Yagballs, Inflatable Rafts, Wobbly Ankles: Some notes on Calaguas

I still couldn't figure out how to best write about the Calaguas Island adventure. So I'm listing some thoughts that I have:

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8 hours on the road, but there is a huge difference comparing the road north to Pagudpud and the southbound route to Bicol. One, the north road is generally flat, and not too many lefts and rights. Bicol, on the other hand, is like meandering through the small intestines from the rectum up. This drive gave me aches on my shoulders and neck as well. But lest you be mistaken, I love this road! It is a lot more interesting not being able to see the whole road ahead of you, and driving at night only wakens your senses, giving you a sort of tunnel vision. I feel somewhat guilty for hogging the whole drive to, but hopefully no one really minds.

Leo and I had a lot of "yagball" moments. We were texting each other on the trip, heckling each and every near death experience we had. Wish we were all crammed in a van so we could laugh and scream ridicule into each other's eardrums! hahaha!

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We arrive at Leo's house at last. Their ancestral home is one of my favorites actually. I would love to go home to a place that is designed just like it. A lot of wide, open spaces and smartly designed to have an unfinished yet relaxing feel.

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Ok, so I didn't mention that we... ahem... I got lost on the way to Leo's house. Thought I drove past the exit, turned out i wasn't there yet. Had to use the "bad" road and lost my bearings and directions. Of course, my "macho" side wouldn't ask for directions at first, until heckled to submission by my 3 backseat drivers. Sheesh!

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I wanted to close my eyes and rest before the 2 hour long boat ride to the island. But no, Jundel volunteered me to go to the market. So the three little pigs (Myself, Leo and Nolan) went to the market, a sight unfamiliar to males in general. We couldn't decide on what to buy. There was no "Frank's" in sight, and the carenderia food didn't look too appetizing. So we bought the barest minimum of supplies and prayed to the gods that there was a 7-11 or a McDonald's on Calaguas Island. I'm sure the others were snoring back at the base. Crud!

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The boat ride started out as an Amazon river safari, twisting and turning at a snail's pace before we hit the delta. Then started the open water towards a hazy speck of land on the horizon. Two hours of daydreaming... I couldn't let myself fall asleep for fear of being thrown overboard due to excessive noise. hehehe.

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White sand... white sand... clear waters... more white sand... Land ho! We were ready to de-virginize Calaguas!

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Unloading the boat with our stuff was tiresome. Expecting the worse, we brought everything from home, even the kitchen sink! And all in small parcels mind you. We had close to 30 pieces of "stuff" unloaded. It seemed as though we were part of a colonizing party, ready to spend the rest of our lives on the island. If only we were so lucky...

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Seeing that we had arrived at lunchtime, the first order of business was food. Some made fire, others prepared and marinaded, others did nothing. Hahaha! Bunch of free loaders!

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So lunch was over, we made our way to the beach. Fun! Until RJ called me out of the water and pointed at something out of a horror movie. Mark's foot was hanging loose at the tip of his leg. WTF! Maybe it would have been best to let him be and toss him onto a boat headed home. But we had to be reluctant (and useless) heroes. With all our might, we tried to put humpty dumpty together again to no avail. Oh well... wish you luck on surgery, tough guy!

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So we all did our thing on the beach, the memory of Mark's dislocated foot fresh on our minds. Leo slept all of the afternoon, RJ and Lei donned their two piece and headed to the far end of the beach (pictures of which we are still waiting for, by the way), Frtiz and Maj took pictures with their automatic SLR's and made their mark on shore, Nolan and I had our bromance moments, Jundel and Soph had their quality time trying to beat each other on a cellphone game. Yes, there was no one else around... no one else. How cool was that!

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We pitched camp on an elevated part of the beach. Fearing that high tide would come and wash us off. Good thing RJ had the foresight to bring her inflatable "raft" which oddly doubled as a bed.

No, it wasn't an inflatable bed... why would anyone bring an inflatable bed to the beach? That would be inviting ridicule... and pretty much announcing what a pansy you are. No, it was a raft, not a bed. But then RJ also brought large fluffy pillows... (?) And stuff toys?

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So we made it til morning. RJ and Lei showing off how adept they were at cooking breakfast. Scrambled egg pancakes. I had my usual coffee and cigarettes. Then one by one, people started to come into the hut, awakened by the searing hot summer sun on the beach. Nolan missed the sunrise (I woke you up, bro) shots that he had wanted to take but didn't seem to mind too much.

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So that was Calaguas Island. Hmm, reading what I wrote it didn't seem like much, did it? But you know what, if this post seemed a bit boring, it is probably because you weren't there.