JOURNEY THROUGH PARADISE

FINDING THE GENIE'S LAMP

From Purto Princessa we headed north to El Nido the "Aladdin's Cave" of Palawan. We would discover a journey to such a promising destination would be as fraught with peril as the description implied. Two hours down the national highway was no big deal but then the blacktop ended and reality set in. Slogging through the slimy red clay soaked with the rain of recent typhoons we were sliding almost sideways when we finally fell right out of the ruts and buried the front bumper in mud. Our little Filipino boss woman promptly hopped out and tried to dig us out singlehandedly. When this was clearly not going to work the five guys in the van reluctantly shed our shoes and climbed out into the scorching mid day sun to push. No way. Nothing. We stood there for some time as motor bikes with families on board made there way past through the four foot deep ruts and the massive public bus stopped on the top of the last hill to watch us an not come anywhere near. Finally a dude with a 4x4 braved passing us and offered to pull us out. Well after he ripped the bumper of his truck the next guy pulled us free. Suffice to say it didn't stop there. We had to stop no less than six times to pile out and push for freedom. What a red muddy mess. Eight bone jarring hours later we piled out into another beach strewn paradise and were greeted by a deluge of rain that left us soaked to the bone. Safe at last. We hope...


INSIDE THE CAVE

After a day in our beach front hotel that looks out over the South China Sea we set out to discover some of the best snorkeling in the world and maybe get stranded on a fantastic tropical island. This part of the Philippines is the Southeast Asia you see on post cards with rock shooting strait up from the water peaking in tall rounded mountains where the misty clouds get caught at the top. The day before we were swimming in the ocean as a cloud crawled over the mountain to float across the bay weeping a visible curtain of rain into the sea. We watched it sweep towards us and in minutes we were standing in a cascade of water as suddenly lightning flashed over our heads! Lets run!


WE FOUND NEMO

Our first stop snorkeling was at a hidden lagoon we had to get to through a narrow tunnel of crystal blue watter. After an hour we were heading to out the best reefs except our boat decided to stay right where it was. And who could blame it really. Finally the captain swam the boat to that deserted beach we had been hoping for and announced he'd start our lunch of roasted fish while we waited for rescue. The adventure builds. In the mean time we put on our snorkel gear and found the most amazing underwater paradise you could possibly imagine. One word. Biodiversity. Coral in every color and shape you will never dream of. Fish like living rainbows, bright red jellyfish, cloud upon cloud of neon minnows, and there as we were floating along... Nemo! We saw the coral waving like a tree in the storm and there weaving in and out like little bees were the cute little clown fish. And it only got better from there. After we were saved we found two more sites better than this one. I don't think that Aladdin's Cave had treasure to equal the magic we say at El Nido.


ESCAPE FROM THE MYTHICAL CAVE

Too soon it was time to leave the beaches of wonder to reach our final destination , an island surrounded by Japanese WW II ship wrecks. This time it was the midnight ferry for an 8 hour cruise, an 8 hour cruise. Someone said there might even be bunks to sleep in so with our sea sick medicine in hand we when through security to the boat. Well the "ferry" turned out to be a cacophony of humanity with grandparent, families and babies piled on top of each other next to a full cargo of live live seafood, roosters, and a roaring diesel engine. Luckily we were on the top deck where Eileen and I found our seats in 24 inch wide cots at opposite ends of the room which you crossed by carefully stepping between sleeping people and ducking the hanging laundry. We negotiated a place together next to the family in two bunks with two gorgeous toddlers, who wanted to climb to see out through the open walls or windows and maybe fall overboard. Finally we settled in to enjoy our open air voyage into the darkness.

At first light the next morning we woke up to the roosters crowing below us as a surprise rice and egg breakfast was served to all the passengers. I couldn't get through that night without another one of those "ah ha" moments. This is how the most people in the world take a ferry. And for just a few hours I was a part of that world majority just doing what they do to live life in the 21st century.


UNDER THE SEA

On Coron Island we had our most interesting accommodations yet. The market and most of the hotels jut out into the harbour on stilts and piers while our toilet dumped strait into the water. Nothing we could do about that but watch the adorable little kids jumping from the piers and having a great time swimming in it.

Further out in the more crystal sea waters a different kind of disaster lurked. During WWII a Japanese supply convoy was spotted and attacked by the American fleet of helldiver planes. Surrounding the island are the wrecks and we decided to get serious about our explorations and go scuba.

As we plunged below the surface the dark shadows of the wreck loomed up in front of us I felt a little spooked. I had this caught in a graveyard at midnight kind of feeling. But when I turned around to see a tiger fish in all it's poisonous spiky glory, hovering just over the bow of the wreck, I knew I'd been carried to a different world. I spent one of the most mysterious, astounding and frightening days of my life exploring this different world.

Not as frightening as Eileen's day though. We were beginning our second dive and the guides hadn't really discussed who would go with who. So under water already, one of them points at me and says to follow him and the two more experienced divers. No problem except the other guide was off with the two other beginners who panicked with 6 inches of water over their heads. So, that left Eileen, 12 feet down trying to equalize her ears, first day of her life doing scuba mind you when suddenly she turns to see she's all alone. Panic set in, however if you know Eileen you know that once she sets her mind to something it's as good as done. So alone and fighting to keep her stomach where it belongs she desends to 30 feet and explores this sunken Japanese war ship on her own. Sometimes a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. When our guide finally brought us back to the boat she was a little miffed at being abandoned under the sea, however this was offset by the wonder of the world we had just traveled to beneath our feet.