Boracay Vacation Before Typhoon Frank

I realized I haven't written anything about my trip to Boracay to celebrate my 26th birthday. It was the best trip to the island ever. I have been there many times over but this last one tops my list.

As soon as I got out of the plane, I realized that I missed the place so much. Although the island had been so overrated already, it still has a soft spot in my heart. In fact, I think I want to get married here someday (or in Bantayan or Amanpulo) I hope. Anyway, I had reservations at the Boracay Island Mandarin Hotel and a hotel car picked us up in the make shift port as the real port had big waves. I was so happy to be able to not work for four days and stay in the island.



The first day was spent by the shore. It was fun watching the waves reunite with the sand. It was a rather relaxing afternoon and before the sun set we feasted on some delicious Hawaiian Baby Back ribs, Lua Lua Steak and the oh-so-yummy Baked Potato. We headed back to the hotel and before we went up to our room, we decided to swim in the pool. We then went to the bar, had some cocktails and beer before calling it a night. June 17, my birthday, I was awakened by one too many texts and phone calls. All greeting me to have a happy birthday. That day was spent touring the island, visited caves and more sumptuous food. The boatman gave me a blue-green fish and he put it in a makeshift fishbowl but I decided that the fish doesn't belong there so I said thanks and told the boatman that the fish deserves to be in the sea where he is meant to be.



When we got back to our hotel room, I was surprised by the hotel staff with a happy birthday chorus, black forest cake and a bouquet of roses and one nice card. It was so nice of them. (Thank you to the Mandarin staff, you are assured that when I get back to Boracay I will be staying in your hotel again).

The rest of the afternoon was spent shopping and drinking some more cocktails and feasting on some delectable spicy chicken wings. When we were on our way back to the hotel, we met a young couple from UK and we chatted until about midnight. We had one too many drink at the Nigi Nigi Nu Noos bar. They had delicious cocktails but almost half the price compared to the ones in our hotel. A few minutes after midnight, we said our goodbyes and we went to Guillys Island to people watch and drink some more. What a way to celebrate one's birthday? After the rain stopped, we headed home and called it a night.

The third day, we went parasailing and reef walking. I finally conquered my fear of being hoisted up in the air. It felt really nice and calm almost meters up. The wonderful Boracay breeze against my face and the blue seawater down below. I enjoyed my 15-minute fly time for Php2500. After being on air, we then went to the second activity for the day...reefwalking. It was fun feeding fishes and e were actually walking underwater. What I didn't like was the smell of oxygen so it wasn't long until I decided to come up for real air. We had lunch after and then went swimming at the Mandarin pool again. The rest of the afternoon was spent in the tattoo shop. We got a pretty good deal for a rather big tribal tattoo. I got myself some henna as I am not yet ready for the real ones. It was our last night so we had a little party at the hotel with some live band playing.





I dreaded for morning to arrive as that would mean that by afternoon we will be in Manila again. We spent the morning swimming and lounging at the beach, taking some more pictures and building my own little sandcastle. Neither of us didn't want to leave, we wanted to stay longer. It was a very memorable vacation. It will never be forgotten.



The next morning we were already in Manila. And Typhoon Frank was already trying to signal his fury. And then the news was all over the place, a ship has sunk, a thousand families were homeless, roads and towns flooded, too many landslides, livelihoods halted, and Boracay was damaged (news said it was minor but there was no electricity and only a limited supply of water was available). These made me realize that I am such a blessed person. I was so happy for not being stranded in the island. I was doubly happy we didn't extend. I was happy we were home safe. But I was sad for the remnants of the typhoon.

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