Beach life in Boracay

Boracay

 

Palawan would have no more time for us. We awoke at 4:30am after ten beers and four hours sleep (it was worth it) on Dan's porch, and waited at the roadside for our ride. We waited 40 minutes - and were sweating it for our midday flight.

 

A six hour van ride, two flights, a tricycle ride, a boat ride and another tricycle ride later, we found ourselves lucky again. Who knew, there was no more accommodation on Boracay, given the second busiest night of the year - the day before New Year's Eve. A bump on the head of the boat would prove fortuitous, as a Belgian girl named Danielle laughed at me, prompting me to take the empty seat next to here and stage a quick recovery. Ha ha, that was funny.

 

We accompanied Danielle to the 'quiet' side of the island and checked a few places, all of which gave cheerful grins and said 'sorry' in impoverished tones. Well, Kiwi's being Kiwi's, the third place I checked - metres from the beach - had one room available, as someone had just cancelled at the last minute! The place was a bamboo built second story flea infested pit with no shower, but it was accommodation, and it only cost $15 per night between us. Not bad for Philippines number one tourist destination on the night before New Years'.

 

We settled in with a few beers and within a few minutes had made friends with three Norweigian lads - Eamon, Jonas and Daniel, who had been travelling together for some time. Such instinctive kinship, I think, is so rare and often found in the most unexpected places, and only in certain circumstances. No one had any guard up, and it seemed so effortless. More beers, a meal, and the usual laddish antics later, that bond was sealed, though I don't think the two Russian girls who joined us had quite as much fun.

 

As we talked, word got out that I was keeping a journal and all that kind of thing. One of the lads - Dan - was a talented Ukele player and singer. He suggested I write a song for him. Well, over about an hour, I did just that.

 

And here it is, my first ever song:

 

Passing my way on these waves

Wind in the trees

On this night full of light

Crashing hard on the shore

Baring my soul to the sky

You will forget me again

 

There are another three verses, a chorus, bridge, and melody, but for fear of relentless mocking and endless teasing, I won't go any further. If you want the whole thing, send me an e-mail and I might send you the whole thing.

 

But probably not.