Since we booked an all-in package for this tour, we didn't really have to worry about anything. Well, don't take "anything" too literally. I meant the important stuff, like the transportation, the food, the itinerary and all those things. It would be an awful lot of work to get this together by ourselves (especially this group of lazy kids). Don't get me wrong. I like camping, bonfires and nature and stuff but I hate planning for it. With this arrangement, all I had to pack were my clothes, my cam and other personal stuff (plus another bag full of chips that I promised to bring for the kids).
We were scheduled to leave at 12 midnight from the meeting place at SM North EDSA bus bay. Honestly, we were kinda scared at this point because we didn't really know if Kuya Jeff and his gang will show up and that all of this maybe a scam. Well obviously, it wasn't a scam and they did arrive (a bit later than expected though, but who's in a hurry?) After a short meet and greet, we were introduced to a couple who were also joining us for this trip. Then we're off to Zambales.
It was a quick ride to San Antonio, Zambales. I'm already used to traveling this route so I wasn't really into site seeing on the way. We arrived at around 4am and parked in a nearby 7/11 outlet. We ate some breakfast while our dear organizers visited the local market for some last minute grocery shopping. I wish I ate a lot more than I did that morning. But even if I did, nothing could've prepared me for what was in store for us on the next island.
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| our boat ride to the islands |
At the crack of dawn, several boats were already lined up by the beach of Pundaquit. All of them are probably waiting for the tourists coming in to the islands that day. There was nothing special about the beach here but this isn't the town's best asset. We were one of the first groups to leave the town and arrive in the island of Capones.
We got excited as we got off the boat. The sun was just coming out and the light was perfect for photo ops. While we were taking pictures, Kuya Jeff interrupted us and said that we had to get going. Going where? To the light house. And I was like, "Oh, I didn't know we were going to a lighthouse."
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| Capones Island at the crack of dawn |
And then we're off. Kuya Jeff's group and some other locals served as our guide. It was fun at first. I like walking by the beach. But as we went further, the path became harder to cross. We had to walk along the rocky parts of the beach and had to climb in and out of some of them to pass through. I didn't have enough sleep, food and water in my system for this strenuous exercise. I'm not much of a walker (if there's such a word). And this wasn't walking. I think this is what they called trekking. Now I hate trekking too (forgive me for my innocence in outdoor activities). I just kept on taking pictures of the island and my friends, hoping to relieve some of the stress I'm getting from this unexpected side trip.
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| beginning of our journey to the lighthouse |
We stopped by this old structure that's supposedly the camp for the Philippine Navy. We rested there for a while until we resumed walking. I think the most stressful part was not knowing when its gonna end. They kept saying "malapit na" but it felt like we've been walking forever. Towards the end of the trek, we were already climbing through a steep, muddy, uphill path. After 2 hours, we finally arrived at the goddamn lighthouse.
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| old Philippine Navy camp (or something like that) |
Its really old. The only way you can get to the top of the light house is through a creepy spiral staircase. It felt like its gonna break any moment. Its really old. Waiting for us at the top is an amazing panoramic view of the sky, the sea and the rest of the island. It was breathtaking (and not because of my exhaustion). We were lucky enough to be the first ones to arrive because we had the lighthouse all to ourselves. We spent a few minutes there, absorbing the view and taking pictures. A couple of groups arrived as we were climbing down the staircase. I saw the mix of fatigue and excitement in their faces as they went through the path that we just came from. Well, I couldn't care less about them anymore because I knew I'd be facing yet another monstrous trek back to the boat.
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| the Capones Island Lighthouse |
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| old spiral staircase to the top |
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| view from the lighthouse |
Somewhere along this journey, my (favorite) slippers gave in and I had to switch slippers with someone else. We kept on switching foot wear with one another till we got the bit of comfort that we needed to get through. My boyfriend had to walk through the rocky path barefoot at some point. The torture didn't end as we arrived back at the starting point. We didn't bring anything with us aside from our cameras. All our stocks (food and water, especially the freakin' water) were in the boat. The boat was floating somewhere, not anywhere near us, so we had to wait for it to come back. In the middle of the island and under the heat of the sun, all we were thinking about was a glass of ice cold Coke. These are the moments when you appreciate the little things that you neglect when you have them.
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| the boat bringing us to Anawangin Cove |
Then salvation came in the form of a boat with loads of water, soft drinks and ice. We jumped into it immediately and helped ourselves with (what seems to be) the prize for the challenge that we've been through. This boat will then take us to our final destination - Anawangin Cove. More on that on my next blog.
Lesson learned: Always check your itinerary.
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