Philippine Travels # 9: Secret Hideaways

It was 8 in the evening on a Saturday. I’ve already been sleeping for 5 hours but I didn’t feel like getting out of bed yet because 1) it would mean I’d have to go back to reading cases, and 2) I had a grand 14 hours of sleep the week prior. I was going to make up for it.

At around 8:30, soon after I made up my mind to sleep again, I got woken up by my roommate and another friend, Elijah, who were telling me to pack my bag so we can go surfing.

I don’t really remember what my reply was, but I’m pretty sure it involved an expletive and a “Don’t want to.”

5 hours later, though, we were already on the way to Quezon Province with Tom, another friend, and with nothing but a few, hastily packed clothes, little cash, and a ukelele on hand. We decided to forego the surfing trip (for which I am both highly grateful and embarrassed for; the first because I told them I’d only go if they give me the entire Monday to study, and the second because they actually acceded to my demand. I owe these guys.) and chose to go to a nearer (yet still far enough from Manila) destination. Best of both worlds, I guess.

We left Manila at 2, and we arrived at Quezon just as the sky gave way to the sun. We were on an ancient, rusty minibus with no windows as we saw the witnessed the painting of the heavens. It was like a montage on a video, really, watching the sky shift colours whilst The Beatles’ “Here Comes the Sun” was playing; only, you know, this was much much more beautiful, especially since we were actually the ones singing (albeit out of tune) to the song, accompanied by Eli’s playing.

After a fifteen minute boatride, we were finally in paradise.

Photodump!

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We went to 2 islands, and we were back in Manila by 10 that same day.

(And yes, I got to study the entire Monday. All’s well that ends well, definitely.)

Budget: <1000

Cab to Cubao: 100 PHP (depending on where you are)

Cubao to Quezon (Grand Central Terminal): 240 PHP

Bus from Grand Central Terminal to Drop-off: 35 PHP

Boats: 800 PHP (for one island), 1200 PHP (for 2), 1800 PHP (for 3) – we got the 1200 PHP one

Total: 50 + 480 + 70 + 300 (since there were four of us) = 900 PHP

Also, happy birthday Kim and Mikka, two of the best adventure buddies ever! And dad, too. The biggest adventure buff I know, who was the first to teach me that life is best lived outdoors (especially with people who love the same things you do). 

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