Boracay Part 5: The Last Day: Island's Black out and the race to Manila

6:30PM - I was in my cottage at Boracay Dream Resort relaxing on the bed, just staring up at the celing fan while it moves in the same way as others before me had stared at it. This was my last night in Boracay and I've planned myself to go Bar Hopping on my own. I've set my eyes on at least 4 bars around station 2, order a couple of beers at each stop just to get the feeling of each Bar. 

Then the dark clouds got together and formed a threat that made other tourists outside looked up and at the horizon. The sky was getting dark and oh my golly I haven't seen a setting Sun so big before, I literally blinked and wiped my eyes if what I was seeing was true. It was true! The Sun was as large as a basketball inches away from your face.

Sorry for the blurred picture, the orange color at the horizon is the big setting sun but was blocked by the dark clouds.

7:30PM - First on my list was the famous "HOBBIT HOUSE" which was a shocker when I got to Boracay because the Hobbit House in Malate, Manila was my long dream place to go to but I never had the time because of my busy schedule as a student in Manila. So when I saw this place I quickly noted that it is a "Must" place to go. 

They are the "Hobbits" and they are the wait staff AND SUPERSTARS of the restaurant. 

Around that time while I was eating my Carbonara when the sky opened its eyes and release massive amounts of rainfall in the island! I texted my brother to check the weather and they said it was alright, but in my case with a few thousands left in my pocket, I started worrying because the coconut trees started dancing like oompa lumpas!

I have a panic syndrome where when something's not right I think of the worst case scenario, in this setting that I might be stuck for a few days, I took out and calculated my budget and I remembered how I can skip meals and eat every 12 hours when I'm in school and this might be the moment where it will be most useful. 

Boracay might be a paradise but it gets rough too, it's scary especially if you are alone like me! I'm thinking of a lot of survival plans but this is the point where I wished to be just at home. It took me an hour to finish my plate!

I went back to my hotel, I tried to outrun the rain but it was too strong, I got wet and it was really cold. I stayed at my cottage and watched for the news and there was nothing in it! I waited and waited, constantly checking the weather outside.

9:30PM - The rain stopped and I rejoiced! grabbed my jacket and went outside to drink at Pat's Bar. I didn't go bar hopping anymore because I was still watching my budget in case something bad happens. 

Pat's Bar's French Fries with one of the best Filipino beers "Red Horse"

10:00PM - ....whooo! Oh yeah! Party!party!party! I laaaaabbbb Buuuurrraaaaakkaaaayyy!!! - Those were some of the best reactions I heard around the bar when the Island went totally dark! Yes, my last night was turning into some kind of a misadventure! There was a power outrage in around Boracay and Pat's Bar doesn't have a generator, too bad! I wanted to spend the last night with the bar and it's live Reggae jives!

What to do? What to do! I billed out and went back to check out The Hobbit House and eureka! It has a generator, I went inside again and the 3 Hobbits were surprised to see me and I said to them "I told you I'll be back!" So I ordered Red Horse again and started chatting with the Hobbits and even I was surprised with their life stories. They all hail from the capital of the Philippines, Manila! They were hired and brought to the paradise. One said that it was "Boring", the other one said it was "Lonely" but the other one said that it was "Awesome" - We now can guess who the guy Hobbit was.

I was touched by how they handled themselves and their confidence made me think that I'm a smaller man than they are. I liked them and they were friendly and it made me feel that I wasn't alone. Then I ended the conversation and went straight back to my cottage, good thing my cottage have generators too.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ......

8:00AM - I woke up and you know what that is. It's breakfast at "REAL COFFEE" once again! I went there and ordered "Jack's Omelette" I waited patiently for Nadine because I wanna say goodbye before I leave her lovely place. I waited...and waited....and waited... I thought she wasn't coming so I asked the cook to give me a pen and paper and I wrote a note in case I couldn't wait for her any longer. It said in the letter how great the food was and how I was excited to eat breakfast ( I don't eat breakfast in Manila ) 

Presenting: Jack's Omellete!

9:30AM - She finally showed up, she looked a little stressed but it was rinsed away quickly by the barrage of good mornings from her regular customers. We had a little chat and I gave her the letter because sometimes I just can't say things because I'm too shy to admit that I'm such a fan of her place so I gave her the note I wrote earlier. 

Just one more picture as souvenir!

REAL COFFEE was the best breakfast I had in my life hands down, it was the place I missed the most.

*********THE RACE TO MANILA*********

1:45PM - Inside the restaurant across Caticlan Airport, I ordered Tapsilog (Beef Jerky strips, Fried Rice and Egg) worth $4. I was the only one in the restaurant, hearing the roar of the planes taking off and landing at the small airstrip. I haven't even touched my food when I heard on the speaker that my flight was cancelled. I paid the bill and I said that I'll be back for my food.

I ran across the street and inside the airport to settle things, they moved me to a 4:55PM flight instead of my original 5:15PM. After things were put to place I went back to the restaurant to feast on the food I ordered, my order was good but it leans on the expensive side.

3:00PM - Looking at the field of Caticlan airport, I remember the good times I've had, Pat's bar and the Reggae beats, the Hobbit House with their great life stories both the boring and interesting ones and of course, Real Coffee Cafe and their fleet of breakfast meals!

3:17PM - I heard my name over the speaker to present myself at the ticketing counter. The first thing that came in my mind was that "Shit! I didn't pack illegal things inside my bag, or did I?!" So I hurried and got there in no time, well that's because it's only 10 steps away from where I was seated. They told me that my flight's plane can't touch down at the airport due to the strong winds and so they have to transfer my flight to Kalibo airport which was 2 hours away from where I was!

I mean what the hell?! They moved my flight 2 times! Even if they'll be bringing us there by their service van along with some foreigners, I was pissed off with the Airline. But I can't do anything about it because of course, "SAFETY FIRST" policy always comes up!

*THE NEXT PARAGRAPHS ARE THE BLOW BY BLOW ACCOUNTS OF MY FLIGHT

5:37PM - It's a rainy flight, the plane's wings are shaking. The sky, painted with midnight blue and the blinking lights. What a bumpy ride! It's rough! The plane goes up, down, up, down, left, down, right, down!

5:53PM - I took a shaky piss inside the lavatory, the mood and ambiance of the passengers are quite obvious! Eerie quiet, everyone was just not comfortable and the crew were also seated but tried their best to smile. That's one thing you should know, if the crew is seated; it's going to be a tough flight!

5:57PM - Turbulence again. The crew threw a contest, guess the title of the movie line.

6:02PM - Now in the middle of the ocean, I'm looking at a fire red horizon! Magnificent!

6:10PM - I'm seeing thunder and lightning just across the left wing, I bet it's about at least a kilometer away.

6:14PM - At last! I saw land! It's the might island of Corregidor if I'm not mistaken.

6:35PM - Finally! We landed at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3, we took a 10 minute aerial tour of Manila.

Forgive me for the Blurry picture once again, that's the plane I took.

I was so happy to step on land once again! The flight was fast but I felt it was the longest day!

Boracay was "A beautiful ride"

At first I didn't think that the Boracay trip wouldn't be good but the Paradise proved me wrong. It's not the beach that I'm missing, not the white milky sand although it was really impressive. What I miss about the island is not the island, but the people who are in the island. The culture, the nightlife, the feeling of "Hakuna Matata" and the experience made me want to stay just one more night. But fantasies are only short lived, well for now.