Traveling is about seeing places and meeting people. To spice things up, I really don’t mind the latter, because for the longest time I haven’t been active in the cultural exchange scene. Oh how I miss the grumblings of a foreign traveler. I saw lots of foreign couples hanging around. This is quite understandable as El Nido’s romantic vibe makes this a perfect place for the honeymooners. Aside from the Hongkong guy I met in the bus I also met some other interesting people. There was this young French girl and this Israeli guy I met after my rock climbing adventure. My experience with them was limited to a single night’s conversation. Since they were in El Nido, we were on the same level of agreement when it comes to nature. Their grumblings were just limited to the country’s social problems, food and some little differences, the usual point-of-view I always get from the western people. Nevertheless, the French girl was nice enough. Forget about the Israeli guy since he seemed to have lots of things to whine about. I really didn't want to spoil the night and argue with some guy coming from a totally different world.
It was early morning in El Nido and I was getting ready for the island hopping trip. I was excited as I’m about to see what’s deep within. And to my surprise, my new friend from rock climbing was also my island hopping guide.
I was a little worried about the weather, it was a cloudy day. Fortunately it didn't rain that time. The trip consisted of stops in small, big and secret lagoons. You have to swim through the small lagoon to get in. It is really beautiful inside, the water is clear and deep, and the views around are marvelous. This is nature at its best, I found myself worshiping it.
I was having a good time with this nice local family I shared the boat with. The daughter told me about how she saved up for this trip so her mother and father could experience the beauty of our country. And I found out that they were from Cagayan de Oro, another one in my list.
El Nido was holding me in a state of trance, I was reflecting on the beauty of nature and the goodness of life. A dip into the emerald waters, a walk on the vast stretch of white sand and a breath of fresh air - this is what it is to be happy. The amazing scenery makes me forget about the material world we’re living in. Life will end any minute from now, and I believe that we should visit this part of the country before it’s too late. This is my God, the nature. It’s real, it’s visible and it’s powerful.
After the visit to the lagoons we stopped in an island for some lunch. The tour includes a buffet, with seafood, vegetables and fruits. I guess the price of the tour is worth it. And so we relaxed for a while, enjoyed a good conversation and ate a hearty meal. The left-over food will be fed to the fish, and that would be our next activity. Unlimited cuteness up next!
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