Would've updated earlier but time was spent organizing and emailing the hundreds of pictures taken. It's been said that what happens in Boracay, ends up on Facebook/Youtube, but I shall exercise the better part of discretion... and just tell people what happened if they asked me nicely. My god, some of the stuff that happened w/ and to us is probably still illegal in most Islamic Fundamentalist countries. Hurrah for heathen beaches.
Woof, it's been one week and two days since a baker's dozen of us multinational tourists went to Boracay for 4 days and 3 nights of sun, sand, surf and an excuse to celebrate The Contessa's birthday in semi-style. Made the travel arrangements courtesy of Dee and Pan Pacific, and made new friends by way of David's entourage: His girlfriend Xeniya Mikhailovskaya from Kazakhstan, Charles Bird from Canada (teaches English in Shanghai), native Shanghainese Maggie Duan and Yan Pan, co-worker Mark Erickson Sy, as well as Dennis Choi's and The Contessa's friends Sharon Valerie Lim and Mae Tan, respectively. Yan met up w/ her other Chinese friends Monica and Jen.
For the bulk of the trip I was the money-handler (as a lot of them chose to pay for the trip on the day of our departure from Manila, leaving me w/ a plastic envelope full of several tens of Gs in cash), the Information Center (not one morning would pass w/o the phone ringing or the door being knocked on and someone asking me where everyone else is or what we were doing for that day), tour arranger and Yeller (Yo, let's GO!), but I still enjoyed myself. Very little came in the way of vacation FUBARs to ruin my experience, be it a discharged electric toothbrush, broken goggles and tripod, misplaced sunblock, or even alcohol-induced skin rashes.
At the beach Xeniya and Lyndon got the idea to go jogging from Ariel's House to the end of Station 1 and back. (So much for a relaxing vacation. Then again, I did have all that Mang Inasal chicken to burn off.) And while she was fortunate enough to receive a brief piggyback ride from David, I had make do w/ the fact that after this run Lyndon will later spot gym equipment in front of the bar at Ariel's and compel me to go work out w/ my old gym partner again in the quest to Look Good Naked.
Later Fernds introduced me to Marc Nelson after I spotted the latter talking to the former, w/ Mimie beside me when I did. She was just one of the few girls in the group that went gaga upon spotting him, w/c wasn't hard. (The guy was cut, and his tan a strange shade of red mud.) Apparently it also made Mimie's day because she now completed her annual Marc Neslon beach stalking sighting and photo-op, along w/ Derek Ramsey earlier today.
The Contessa's Bday Dinner had us checking out D'Talipapa wet market to buy our dinner fresh, mostly seafood like clams, oysters, crabs, fish and lobster. After singing Happy Birthday in several languages, the party was night-capped at L'Soleil Bar, where I had to leave a half-hour after midnight. Needs my sleep, and needs to count the cash.
Next morning we prepared for a full day's worth of activities, as recommended by Fernds and sports celebrity turned human brick Marc Nelson: Cliff jumping at Ariel's Point. There was also snorkeling, a lunch buffet and relatively endless drinks, but the of highlight was the opportunity to jump from heights of 3, 5, 7 and 10+ meters into the ocean blue. Granted the video above makes it look short-lived and not a big deal, but hells-to-the-no, working up the nerve to just get going and jump would challenge the resolve of even your dedicated suicide jumper. The feeling was similar to that first dip off a roller coaster, where you think u left your stomach, brain and other vital organs before the quick drop down. If you land correctly (feet first) it's awesome. Incorrectly (feet first but your body's bent so your butt takes most of the impact) and the back of your things will look like you went through an illegal frat hazing ritual. I jumped off the highest point (as per my promise to Fernds) and he got me a T-shirt saying I did so for my troubles. After all that we engaged the service of Dennis semi-pro photography skills for a bikini shoot by the 2nd-to-the-highest diving board, w/ Dennis muttering, "I love my job."
When we got back we barely rested before the weightlifting and jogging started again. I was sore for the latter and ended up jogging w/ Islander slippers on. (Must've done it wrong, 'coz my left heel still hurts.) For dinner most of us (the ones who weren't still full from the buffet lunch and/or Happy Hour) went to True Food Indian. Then we went to Cocomanga bar, where Mark's contact Albert got us a great pillowed spot, where apparently Yan was well on her way to finish Cocomanga's infamous Still Standing 15 Shots challenge. She got to sign her name on the ledger (for future plaque production, I think) and a T-Shirt. And she got really really drunk. But at least she (and Xeniya who followed later on-- also finished 15 shots and a shirt) was a fun drunk. And I said the pillowed area was great because it cushioned Yan's body when she tripped and fell over, almost passing out w/ a smile (and her hair) in her face. More dancing, body shots and makeout sessions followed, but I've leaving it there. :p
The next day was for separate group activities. Dennis and Sha-Val got their hair braided. I opted out of the fly-fishing (the rubber raft ride, not the boring fishing activity), banana boat (wimpier version of fly-fishing), and para-sailing (expensive and probably overrated), while saying yes to helmet diving (glass kept fogging up, though), jet-skiing (the need of speed, if not the sore forearms and biceps that followed) and ATV driving (handles great but a real smoke-belcher).
As a last hurrah Mark opened the bottle of JW he brought with him, basically starting the post-dinner activities w/ the nightcap before the eventual club-hopping. Yan's friends Monica and Jen were able to join us for one last swig before their early morning flight back to Shanghai tomorrow. And lo and behold Maggie was starting to loosen up more than ever, w/c was a sharp contrast to her in-bed-by-midnight attitude the night before. Great dancer, too. After Hey Jude we found ourselves back at L'Soleil, where Boracay mainstay Melanie managed to get us all free fruity-flavored shots. Mmm, way better than tequila. This was followed by a late-night beach walk w/ Yan and Maggie back to their new hotel (they booked one day less than us at Tides) at the Golden Phoenix, located waaay over the butt-end of Station 3. When I got back to my room it was past 3:30AM.
On our last day, some of us went for some last-minute para-sailing, while Lyndon and I opted for a couple of laps at the Tides' pool (after availing of our single free buffet breakfast). While our day at the beach had to end, no-one said the fun had too, as well. After touching ground in Manila we all met up again later that evening at Dencio's in Rockwell, w/ my netbook presenting a impromptu slide show of most, if not all, of our shenanigans. Suffice to say that was the first and last public screening of those pix. We were still in vacation mode, though, this time planning a trip to Shanghai so that our new friends can return the favor for the fun and hospitality we showed them. I'd be more game for it if I can afford it. But I have reasons to go, so...
As a disturbing (for straight guy roomies Lyndon and I) end-image, I present what was on our bathroom wall at Tides. Man, first their sodomy-setting bidet hose, now this:
No comments:
Post a Comment