Philippine Travel Notes

Some say its your ride of a lifetime, others say it is such a hassle. Many don’t like it, some call it fun. Call it anything, I don’t and won’t subscribe to it. But what can you do if you want to be in a paradise called Caramoan? Ah, feel what you must, but just live with it! As for now, there is no alternative and we are all kind of being blackmailed. Thus, no need to take pity on those men. They had/have other choices for a livelihood, but its them who opted for this “human carrying business”. In fact, their townmates (that’s who I asked) allege they are making every effort that the situation be not improved, so they can go on with this kind of primitive-moronic kind of transportation. AND, the boatmen cooperate. Hello Cleopatra, thine times are still in Camarines Sur! Quite a backward way of doing it. And yes Larry, “somewhat barbaric” to see in these times where even the lowly flooded street gets to have a “bridge” in an instant! And as if this “carrying business” is not ridicu...

We are still on the Caramoan topic. And this "Sabang" being mentioned is just halfway there. Its a little barrio by the beach, in the town of San Jose, which is the end of your van ride from Naga, and where begins your boat ride to Caramoan. To get on the boat, you have to ride on a human being! The reverse (arriving from Caramoan) is of course the same thing. How do we, the tourists, do these ‘human rides’ to avoid glitches? I mean you and me who do not have access to the governor’s helicopter? Here are what I can tell you… Choose wisely That means, the taller the ‘porter’, the better. Why? Because the deepest portion of the sea that they’ll carry you to, can be from chest-deep to neck-deep, depending on how tall (or how shorty) the porter is! And you’ll be sitting by his shoulder! Be realistic with how heavy and how big you think you are. Why? Because you cannot be sitting on a smaller human being for him to carry you across, without accidentally dropping you unto the ...

So, there I was, ready to leave Caramoan, even if reluctantly! I found out that departing from town center (or any of the resorts for that matter) towards the Guijalo Port is no simple thing. The easiest way is still to charter a jeep or tricycle if you are traveling as a group. The habal-habal ride is best if, like me, you are traveling alone without so many things to bring. Why? Because its not as if there are available rides anytime you wish to go, especially early in the mornings. The tricycles may not want to take off if not full to the roof, even if you say you are trying to catch the boat departure! You can coerce them of course, but then you’ll have to pay for the vacant spaces if you want them to move pronto – which may, after all, end up more expensive! I took a habal-habal ride at 6:15AM so I could catch the 7AM boat departure for Sabang. Too early a trip? Yeah, very! Especially if your bio-clock has already adjusted to ‘vacation mode’! And on a habal-habal, the trip cou...

Alright folksie folks! So there I was on an island hopping tour of my own! As in, I was the sole passenger with the boatman and his boathand or assistant, whatever he’s called. Just three of us hopping from one island to another. I am just not good at names or did not care to remember them, so I cant tell which island was what. In fact, I even forgot, or did not care too about taking pictures of some places we went to as I got carried away enjoying the scenery, wading, swimming or just lazing around - which should have been the case anyway, right? But I do have a few shots if only to tell you how grand this place is. Here we go… Those are 3 foreign girls baking in the sun! You can see the big lizard, right? The boathand, assistant whatever and at times my photographer! The boatman, owner, tourguide, adviser and also at times my photographer! Folks take note of this: Boatmen (even if mine was a good English spea...