In the Middle of Nowhere
- Chiquikay
- Feb 12, 2016
- 4 min read
Travel Essay
Comm 1 under Prof.Reginald Quirong
May 22,2015
It was in the midst of summer when I found myself in one of the hidden summer destinations of the country.I experienced a piece of paradise in the peaceful island of Calaguas in the region of Bicol. I was so thrilled since it was my first time to taste summer in an unfamiliar place. My trip started with a long bus ride from the city of Makati up to the town of Vinzons in Camarines Norte, then a two and a half hour rough boat ride to reach the island. It was exhausting but worth experiencing.
The exhaustion I felt was all gone as I saw the picture perfect scene of the vast clear waters displaying different shades of blue. The wonderful cerulean summer sky with feather-like clouds was superb. I felt like I was lost in a moment. All I did was listen to the beach waves, as I inhaled the fresh sea breeze in the atmosphere and enjoyed the serene view. The long beach covered with the finest sands along with the beautiful green hills and mountains made me take a deep breath. The clear blue water was so inviting. Anyone would surely be tempted to swim even under the scorching heat of the summer sun. It was such a relaxing moment to grasp, a perfect escape from the busy streets in the city.
I got two days and one night to break away from reality and to enjoy this paradise. Living in this island makes you travel back in time- limited phone signals, no electricity, no concrete rooms to stay in and no modern indoor plumbing. There were only native cottages, camping tents, four comfort rooms and one sari-sari store. At first, I thought it would be difficult to survive in such situation but I was wrong. I realized how much fun it could be despite the absence of internet connection.
One of the important things I look forward whenever I travel is food. I so loved the food served for us; it exhibits the scrumptiousness of “lutong-bahay” meals. I liked how they promote the Pinoy style of cooking. Tour guides would prepare the food on the spot. All the ingredients and tools needed for cooking are brought to the island together with the tourists; therefore, we can assure the freshness of every food prepared. And wait, there’s more, they have a mobile bar! They have this tiny bar, which happens to be on the island every weekend. Free light drinks are available just enough for chillin’ out along with a live performing reggae band. Can you feel that relaxing vibe? Just sitting on the powdery bits of sand, chit chatting with your friends around a bonfire, having some drink, enjoying the music, and breathing the fresh air? Oh no. Now, I think I’m missing the place. Oh well, moving on; let me share to you the fun must- try activities.
The first activity I did was island hopping.I honestly did not enjoy this so much. I felt dizzy while on board the boat because of the huge waves. I think I wasted my time on this activity. Nevertheless, the good side about it is that I was able to take more pictures of different views and make use of my photography skills. There are various activities doable in the island but I wasn’t able to experience them all. Some of these are; In waters, people can do scuba diving, snorkeling and kayaking while on land, people can do walking along the stretch of the island, trekking on a hill or playing beach volleyball, frisbee, etc. I guess my experience would be better if I tried them all.
Another thing I would like to commend about this island is its cleanliness. I salute the people behind the success of the island’s maintenance. They have a strict policy on tourist’s garbage. Whatever you brought to the island shall be brought back to the main land. It is really a good idea, isn’t it?
The locals of the islands live on the other side and they’re a bit far from the place where tourists stay. Nonetheless, we can still see them, especially the kids, who dive and swim like pros in the clear waters of the island. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to talk to one of them; all I had was a chance to take a photo of them as they plunge into the waters. I am not a good swimmer, and I never had an experince of diving. Just by looking at those happy kids made me realize how lucky and happy they are to live in such paradise. Once, I thought that maybe if I live in a remote area, doing the same thing, facing the same view everyday, my life would be boring. I guess I was wrong. I saw how satisfied these young kids as they swam and jumped off the cliff with happy smiles painted on their faces as they bond with their friends.
This trip made me realize that even a distant, undeveloped area can be a place of fulfillment. I have visited various beaches in the Philippines, but I would say Calaguas is the best. Calaguas is like Boracay during the 1950s. Imagine Boracay without the tall buildings, hotels, restaurants, boats, crowd, etc., and that’s how beautiful Calaguas is. For me, I’d like this island to stay just like this. Clean, peaceful, breathtaking and not too crowded. It’s a definitely a good island escape. I had a good experience in the middle of nowhere.
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