The Plan.
It took me about two weeks [or more] to make a full-on itinerary for the trip. I even prepared printed copies as guides. (Talk about being OC, yes?) The ground plan had to be detailed because everything should go by the schedule.
There's no room for errors. Everything has to go as planned. Our destination doesn't have any resources readily available - no stores, no restrooms, no electricity. The plan? Get to Kalanggaman Island and back to Cebu in one piece by hook or by crook.
The Dilemma.
A few days before our island getaway, we're met with the deal breaker.
Our contact for the transportation had a slight change of mind and decided to increase the fee from 5K pesos to 10K pesos! That would raise the budget more than what we planned. 'Bummer', I said.
But nothing's gonna stop us. [insert inspiring climactic audio here]. We have to go.
The Plan B.
With so little time left, it seems like our destination, Kalanggaman Island, is slowly drifting away. But we are all determined to go. We agree to cancel the reservation with our contact, go to the port to find a boat that's going to take us to Kalanggaman Island, and haggle the cheapest fare 'til our last breath. If all else fail, we'd go to a nearby island - Carnaza.
The Day.
Saturday came. It's difficult to contain the excitement. Being a corporate slave, specifically a callboy, this vacation is something I look forward to all week.
Knocked-off from the office at around 9:00AM and rendezvous with the gang at Cebu North Bus Terminal. Original plan was to take the 10:00AM bus trip so as to reach the port by 2:00PM. That would give us enough time to find a boat and haggle our way to Kalanggaman Island.
Waiting.
Time check: 10:00AM.
Only 5 of us itching to board the bus; 2 of our friends are still on their way.The environment became hostile. Our energy level is starting to dwindle. The waiting is slowly killing the hype. Luckily, we know how to cheer each other up with below-the-belt kind of jokes; the kind that seems offensive to other people but not to friends.
Only 5 of us itching to board the bus; 2 of our friends are still on their way.
Time check: 11:00AM.
An hour pass, they're nowhere in sight. The bus is starting roll out of the parkway. We look at each other with desperation. Small talks no longer work. We're still waiting, like watching a It was like waiting Called them up and found out that their cab pulled over by a traffic police for a violation. My tummy growled, my heart sank.
An hour pass, they're nowhere in sight. The bus is starting roll out of the parkway. We look at each other with desperation. Small talks no longer work. We're still waiting, like watching a It was like waiting Called them up and found out that their cab pulled over by a traffic police for a violation. My tummy growled, my heart sank.
Finally, after..[i lost track of time then] waiting, the gals arrived. We were so ready to lash out but we still need to catch the bus. Hurriedly we boarded the bus with enthusiasm and excitement. Booyeah! Timecheck: 12:30PM.
The bus rolled out of the terminal. Jokes here and there about how clumsy they were, how hungry we are and how stingy we look since we never got time to fix ourselves considering we just got off from work. It will take us another 4 hours to get to Tapilon. Enough for us to take some rest amidst the bumpy road.
The Crossroad.
Time check: 4:30PM. We finally arrived in Tapilon Port. Everyone was smiling ear to ear with excitement. But first, we need to find a boat to Kalanggaman. Luck was not on our side then as there wasn't any boat available going there at that time. 'Think quick.', I huddled the team. Unanimously, we decided to go to Carnaza Island.
Boarded the last trip; supplies on hand and hearts eager to go on this adventure. To start with, we don't even know where the island is. We decided to just wing it and rely on man's inner goodness. Turning back was not an option. We just needed to keep moving forward.
And it turned out to be one of my best adventures to date.
Whacky Thoughts:
Sometimes, taking small conscious risks can lead to unexpected turn of events that may or may not be favorable. Yes, it can be scary but as long as you stick with the principles of travelling and maintain a positive outlook, everything will come your way [eventually. lol] I'm glad we weren't able to get to Kalanggaman Island [yet.]. I'm glad we decided to go the alternative instead. Because what happened was far more magical than what we originally bargained for.
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Been wanting to go to Carnaza myself... a couple questions: How much did it cost to hire a boat to and from Carnaza? Where did you camp? Do you have the contact number of the boatman?
ReplyDelete10k for a boat to Calanggaman?!?! Is he for real?!?! If you still plan to go to Calanggaman, try contacting Seri Panares, we hired him when we went there last year. http://mustachioventures.blogspot.com/2011/07/island-of-calanggaman.html
Howdy Mustachio!
DeleteWe didn't hire a boat going to Carnaza. We didn't have enough time and there was only one boat available then. We road a public boat transport. But on the way back to the mainland, it cost us 800 petot. But if you want, you can ask for help from Hazel Recla Beloria - 0929.718.9927.
Yep, 10K. Rates from our contact - Daily Inquirer Delivery and Bogo Tourism Office.
Not to worry, I did finally get to Kalanggaman. Will post story soon. :D