Iloilo Weekend Part 2

I woke up at 5 a.m. to take my medicine, so my tummy would behave the whole day. Aargh! It's really such a hassle when acid reflux is pestering you during a getaway. Anyway, after taking my medicine, I fell asleep once more, and woke up minutes before 7 a.m. - the time we set for everybody to meet up at neighboring Sarabia Hotel for our island hopping.

We rode a jeepney going to Ortiz, where the port is. Mel and Doc Bon talked to the boatmen, and after discussing a few things, we already had a rented boat! Woohoo! The boat ride was fun, with jokes and laughter from 17 people and picture taking here and there.




(left) Everybody. That guy with a huge, Close Up Confidence smile? That's Joel.
(right) One of the islands we saw.

One thing that I found amusing during the boat ride was the "store" in the middle of the sea. Our boatmen bought fish from another boat.

The Boat a.k.a Fish Store. Photo by John Laurence Patulan

The boat ride was long - approximately 30 to 45 minutes - before we stopped by a beach. I don't know the name of the island, but it was a beach and there were a few people swimming. Bino's family was there. A small group of what I think were teenagers was even having some sort of a lecture. We decided not to stay there for long; Turtle Island is just beside it. So we stayed at the shore of the unknown island while Bon and two others bought food for our lunch.



(left) U-Bloggers at the Unknown Island. Photo by John Laurence Patulan
(right) Jumpshot. Ang daming limbs ni Otep hahahaha! Photo by John Laurence Patulan

At Turtle Island came our Survivor Guimaras ordeal. As we approached the island, our boat got stuck because of the rocks at the bottom of the sea. The water was already too shallow for our boat to traverse. As the boatmen were figuring out what to do, we went into Survivor Guimaras mode. Bino even took a video of himself giving a "testimony" of what we were experiencing ("Naabisuhan na kaming walang makakain sa isla, pero hindi kami naniwala." In English: We had been told that there was nothing to eat in the island, but we didn't listen). The danger was evident in his tone of voice, but Leah, who was beside him in the video, was smiling. That was really hilarious!

Anyway, since the boat wouldn't nudge, we alighted the boat and swam to safety waded in the water to the shore. When we got to *ehem* dry land, I hung my things at a tree branch and swam a.k.a floated (I can't swim haha!). That was my most awaited moment! Haha! But before basking in the sun, of course, I made sure I sprayed sun block on my skin - the "uber waterproof, uber sweatproof" Beach Hut Spray!

(left) Commercial Mode: Beach Hut Spray. Non-sticky. Non-greasy. Non-eeww! Photo by Ate Roanne
(right) Me and My Dearest at Turtle Island, Guimaras. Photo by John Laurence Patulan

We had to get back to Iloilo City before 5 p.m. because U-blogger Mark a.k.a "Ang Poon" had a plane to catch. We were set to leave the island at 3 p.m., but because our boat was stuck, the boys had to help the boatmen do the legendary "1..2..3....PUSH!" But the boat was uncooperative. "1..2..3....PUSH!" "1..2..3....PUSH!" "1..2..3....PUSH!" "1..2..3....PUSH!" "1..2..3....PUSH!" "1..2..3....PUSH!" and a whole lot more "1..2..3....PUSH!" About an hour or so, finally, the boat was pushed to a reasonable depth. The girls, Mark a.k.a "Ang Poon", and John followed, wading and getting scratched and wounded by the sharp edges of the rocks below. But none of those could rival the wounds the boys had gotten from pushing that boat. That was... heroic. And did I say legendary? It was more than an adventure.

When we got back to Iloilo City, "Ang Poon" immediately took a cab and bid us farewell. Some bought siopao. We agreed to meet at 9 p.m. for a videoke night at Smallville. So off we went to our respective hotels and showered and went to dinner. Ate Roanne, my dearest, and I went to Deco's to buy pasalubong (butterscotch yummmy yummy yummy!) and eat dinner.

(left) My Dearest at the Entrance of Deco's.
(right) Ate Roanne, Me, and John Laurence. Photo by John Laurence Patulan

It was my first time to try Batchoy, which Iloilo is famous for, and I didn't know it was sooo good! The warm Batchoy broth was so comforting, with its sweet, savory taste. I tried the noodles from JL's bowl and it was delicious. Too bad I already got full from my bowl of Callos so I didn't get to try more Batchoy. When I visit Iloilo again, I shall order Batchoy with sotanghon noodles. Hehe.

After dinner was *drum roll please* videoke time! Woohoo! Another moment I had been waiting for. Haha! In case you didn't know, I love love love love love LOVE singing! Whether singing loves me or not, that's not for me to answer. Haha! Anyway, Ate Roanne and I went to Smallville for the videoke session. It was past 9 p.m., and for sure, it was going to last until a little after midnight. Never mind that my dearest and I had a 6.15 a.m. flight the next day, and we were scheduled to leave our hotel at 3.30 a.m. Never mind that I wouldn't have any decent sleep (again) before my flight. This is videoke time, and I wouldn't miss it. And most especially, this is videoke time with the U-bloggers. I definitely wouldn't miss it.

So there we were - five hours of choosing songs, passing the microphone, singing our hearts out, cheering at our scores, witnessing Bino's "The Voice", CJ's dance moves, Ate Roanne's impeccable "Weak" performance (hihihihi!), and a whole lot more. Music really is a great way to bond. The four walls of that videoke room were witnesses to how we, who just met each other in person for the first time, sang, danced, partied, and had so much fun like we've known each other for so long.

Then, the clock stroke 1.30 a.m. Time to end the videoke night. Time for the night's "last song" (how many "last songs" did we have? Hahaha!). Time for group hug. Time to say goodbye and head back to our respective hotels. And for me, time to get ready for our flight.

My dearest and I arrived at the Iloilo International Airport before 5 a.m. Because I just partied a few hours before, I comfortably lay down my tired oh so tired body on the chairs at the waiting area. Haha! With my shawl keeping me warm, I fell asleep, until it was time for us to board the plane.

I was still light-headed when we got off the plane in Manila. My body was so exhausted from the adventure-filled, two-day vacation with the U-bloggers. All I wanted at that moment was to crash on my bed (or on our couch 'coz I probably wouldn't make it to my bed hehe) and finally get some decent sleep. But even if I already felt like collapsing or something, images of the Iloilo trip still kept on playing in my head. That was really one of the most remarkable experiences I had this year, and now, two weeks have already passed, but the fun I had with the U-bloggers and with my dearest in Iloilo stays fresh in my mind.