Day 20: Bohol "Remember me"

Above: View from patio at hotel

After sleeping for 9 hours (after a 2 hr nap), I was feeling great at 6:30 am! Apparently I had a one day cold or I actually bought crack instead of sinutabs and am feeling the euphoric effects. One never knows with these foreign pharmacies. I hung out by the pool (working on being just a little less white) all morning reading. K & B went to town to get a few things. For lunch we went to the Bee Farm down the street which is an organic restaurant/hotel with an ocean view. We got the buffet (not because we’re sloppy hogs) so we could try several different things. This was the best food we’ve had since arriving in Bohol. The Filipino food we’ve had leaves much to be desired. Why didn’t we go here earlier?!

After lunch we went motorbiking for several hours all around the island – super fun! Kids were yelling hello to us everywhere we went as they got out of school. Kavita rode with Boston as he has a better handle on the bike than I do (as seen with the post-scuba near-van experience). We rode through neighborhoods, by schools, on dirt & paved roads, past shacks, skinny cows, houses, tons of flowers, a really old church, goats, and many, many mangy dogs. I think we saw 3 other white people the whole time. B & K were ahead of me and created quite a circus. Uniformed schoolchildren in groups would open mouthed stare, giggle, shout hello, and watch them as they drove on. They wouldn’t even really notice me until I started to pass them – very funny to watch.

We stopped for drinks at a roadside hut/store an hour or so into our journey. We made some friends – old & young – sober & not so much. I’ll let you guess which categories the grandma with the cigar falls into! After I showed her her picture she told me, "Remember me!" To which I replied, "Oh, don't worry! I will!"

Once it started to get dark, we figured we should head for the hotel as that’s usually when it rains also. I read in the pool for a little while until the monsoon rain started in. For dinner we decided to go light with vanilla ice cream with mango. We’re health nuts. After a riveting game of Phase 10 in which I was declared the winner (even after an enormous amount of smack talk from my brother), we went to sleep.

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Day 19: Bohol "Nut's Huts"

Today we did a tour of the Chocolate Hills which are 1268 - 50m high mounds that during dry season appear chocolate from the dead grass. Since it's rainy season though, they were a bit green. Boston ran into one of his fellow teachers there doing a bike race that ended at the top of the Hills. Afterwards we went to a tarsier center to see the teeny tiny monkeys that remind me of Smeagol from Lord of the Rings. There was a larger monkey there in a cage whose long arms stole the glasses off a guy's face who got a bit too close.We ran into B's friend, Kate, again with her husband and friends there. They invited us to have lunch with them off the river. We hired a small boat driven by a kid no older than 14 to take us down to the waterfall at the end and then up to Nut's Huts for lunch. There are huts you can rent out that no doubt have no electricity and maybe running water. This is the kind of place where they don't expect you to shower for days on end. They have a fun restaurant though so high on a hill from the river that feels like a treehouse. They had wonderful rolls and so-so food but awesome views.Afterwards we took the boat back, and it started to rain. And by rain, I mean monsoon-style pouring. Luckily, it has tapered off by the time we got to our stop where our van was waiting.
That morning I woke up with a pounding head - probably sinus - so once we got home at 4:30 pm I took a couple sinutabs and promptly passed out. I woke up at 6:30 to find K asleep. I got up for a bit so I wouldn't wake up in the middle of the night, but after some chocolate cake at 9 I was ready to go back to bed. Tough life, out here!

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Day 18: Bohol "I can't believe I didn't hit that van."

B & I had scuba this morning around 9 am. We hopped on our motorbikes and took off towards the large beach and Genesis Divers. Yes, there was more staring; I'm still a spectacle. This time I just smiled and said hello, and then they would break into a large grin and say it back. Guess I just need to break the ice? With every islander! I needed gas, so we stopped at a roadside hut and bought 1 liter for $1 out of a coke bottle. It's not legal, but that's how it's done here.

Kavita went running and had a similar experience with the staring. Yes, Miss India is visiting also! Since no one runs here, she was asked several times where she was going. After answering once and explaining it was for exercise, they seemed to understand it better and let her go on her way. At one area, a group of workers she passed yelled out to a guy waiting for a bus who was asleep on the bench coming up. He sits up to have look also as she runs by. Hot Stuff passing through!

SCUBA

Scuba was great! We couldn't do a boat dive at a nearby island because it was only the two of us wanting to go today, so we did a dive a ways off the main beach. I was skeptical, but it was pretty great. The first dive was a wall dive, and as I looked down as we descended, I was thinking, "This is preeeeeeeeeeeeety deep." I didn't look at the gauge when we got all the way down because I was too distracted by all the creatures. Boston told me later that we went to 108 ft! Hello! That's much deeper than I was expecting. They don't advise past 60 ft for my certification, but I'm still alive so I guess it's alright! We went by several caves and coral reefs where we could see moray eels, giant fish about 5 ft long, another kind of starfish I haven't seen before, and just loads of fish. Good day!
Afterwards while trying to get up a tight hill crowded with cars and people, I hit the accelerator instead of the brake (It's all the same hand!) and almost ran into a parked van. Luckily I swerved to miss it, but then it got a little crazy with overcorrecting and my feet flying out for balance losing my flip flop. So I stopped to get it but didn't pick where very well (middle of the hill). Then I couldn't get going again so a bunch of local men came over to help hold it. I was all freaked out though from my near accident and wanted to start at the top of the hill. They, of course, don't understand and are yelling at me, "Get on! Get on!" I'm yelling back, "I can't! I can't!" Boston was silent which really was the best choice. Finally the men realize I'm not comfortable starting in the middle of hill and help me almost to the top. I get it started, and we make it back to the hotel. Phew. Clearly, still have some work to do.

We hung out at the quiet hotel patio (we're the only guests!) reading, blogging, working, and eating with the intention to go back to Alona beach (scene of my motorbiking klutziness) for dinner. However, rainy season finally reared its ugly head, and it rained for about 3 hours. After today's scene I don't think riding in the rain is a good idea, so we just stayed put. No massages....Maybe tomorrow...