My trip to the Philippines was a
rushed and unplanned one. It was only a week before the trip when I got
informed of the available block leave. I knew how precious this 7 day
opportunity was, for the fact that I will be undergoing a 9 month long training
at Officer cadet school. And so I made yet another rash decision to leave the
country. Why the Philippines you ask? Because of the incredible diving spots that I
heard about from fellow divers and travellers. However the plans that I had for
my trip were changed and rescheduled even before i arrived.
 |
| Brother and sister giving a cheeky grin |
 |
| A young boy giving me his "handsome" pose |
I touched down in Manila, the capital
of Philippines only to realise that my transfer flight out to Legazpi had been cancelled due to a blackout in the Airport. Rather than waiting around for the
power to stabilise, I made an impromptu decision to settle down and explore
Manila for the day; I hopped onto a local Jeepney and my ride around the city
allowed me to see the different sights of Manila. I must say that it was a
pretty productive day because I did all of this, while using my phone to rebook
my flight.
 |
| A local Jeepney |
 |
| Walls of Intramuros |
 |
| Rizal Park |
Fast forward hours worth of flight
and bus transfers; I eventually found myself sitting by the beach in Donsol.
With a bottle of Corona in my hand, I observed a lone fisherman boat out into
the sunset. Time seemed to unknowingly fly by and before I knew it hours had
passed. The subtle colour change of the ocean caused by the last orange rays of
twilight seemed to possess a sanative quality in that feeling.
 |
| The Fisherman preparing to leave shore |
 |
| Setting up his netting |
 |
| Reeling in the net during sunset |
Imagine walking straight into a
tropical paradise, that's how I felt when I reached the underground river.
Clear emerald green waters coupled with rustic sun rays streaming
through the dense vegetation. Swimming through it felt as though I was floating
through time; an indescribable feeling. To top it off, there were only 4 of us
there, making it so much more peaceful.
 |
| The underground river |
 |
| Group Selfie |
 |
| Solo Selfie |
By midweek I had planned to start
diving but unfortunately an accident took place and it required immediate
stitches. This meant that I had to cancel my plans once again. At that point of
time I should've felt angry but on contrary after receiving help from both
friends and strangers I was surprisingly filled with positivity. Days after the
accident were rather slow paced, on one of the days I explored and strolled up
and down the quitinday hills. The beautiful sights together with the windy
breeze brushing against my face really made my day.
 |
| Steps up the hill |
 |
| Multiple hills |
 |
| Aerial view of the Quitinday hills |
Towards the end of my trip I decided
to attempt a hike up the Mayon volcano. Similar to the last time when I was in
Australia, I didn't want my injury to limit the things I could do. So i did it.
The hike was tough and the porters weren't exactly the friendliest people but
when i finally reached the lava point all of that seemed to fade away.
 |
| Beginning the trek up |
 |
| Dried up lava molten |
 |
| On the edge |
This trip has taught me that
travelling anywhere or indeed even getting out of bed is never without its risks
and discomforts. Sometimes things might not go your way but it's most certainly
not an excuse to complain and give up. Philippines, you have not seen the last
of me, I'll be back for you. Here's to the next adventure.
Been to Legazpi before? Let me know about it below!
No comments
Post a Comment