28th/29th February birthday

28^th/29^th February 2015

Rose's Rudie Nudie cak

It was a very sad day, shattering really, but…it was also our darling Rose Thomas’s third birthday!

She was thrilled to bits to be THREE, to have her own cake, to have people singing Happy Birthday, and to be sending her cards.  

She is such a firecracker, and yet so full of love and understanding.  My dad adored Rose, and was very proud of her, as well he might be!!

28th February 2015 - farewell to my much-loved father

Saturday 28^th February 2015

Dad and Fleur

My father, Adrian Harmsen, was my biggest fan, and now…I have lost my biggest fan.

Yes I will still write a daily blog but…will there be anyone following it on a map, plotting the co-ordinates, waiting to see photos of me happily snorkeling??

Dad turned 90 in October last year, and he confidently believed he would live to 100.  Until he got bowled over by a big bad melanoma…

Dad, centre, with most of his clan

I got to his bedside yesterday morning at 10.00 and…he was very happily ensconced in the arms of Sister Morphine.

He never met the other wonderful therapist in the Whittle Ward, Pippa, (many generations later) sister to my own dearly beloved Hayley.

But he was surrounded by love, admiration and affection.

And he would have loved this late evening panorama of the Derwent River…he did so love Tasmania.

It is worth noting that last Friday, 20^th February, Dad drove his little blue car into town to the Bridge Club and played to WIN.  And…win he did!!

27h February - Coron to Busuanga Bay Lodge - motor boat to Huma Island Resort - therapy dog

Friday 27^th February 2015

Getting from Coron to Tasmania was, to say the least, complicated.  We had tickets booked for March 4^th and we thought – oh naïve fools – that it would be very simple just to make a few changes.  Not so much… It is peak season for tourists in the Philippines, plus Chinese New year week, and all of the planes out of Coron were booked solid, until 5^th March.  The Sunday 2GO ferry to Manila was also packed solid. 

In the end we got tickets on the 8-seater seaplane which flies from Manila to the islands and back, on a more or less regular basis.  Our friend Maine, in the travel agency, helped us make our booking.  But…we would have to move from Coron to Busuanga Yacht Club, because the plane would leave from Busuanga Bay Lodge at 11am on the 24^th.  Thus hasty arrangements with Dingong, change of mooring, a bit of rushing about.

But we were all sorted, or so we thought.  Dingdong sent a little banka to pick us up at 10 to take us to Busuanga Bay Lodge to wait at our leisure for the plane… A rather anxious young bloke on the dock said, in a soft voice, “Hello ma’am…I do not think the plane is flying today.  It only flies Mondays and Thursdays…”

I hope Dingdong brings in my washing...

And yes indeed…Kenny, the manager, made some enquiries and indeed the plane wasn’t coming to Busuanga at all.  The good news is…it was leaving at 3pm, from…another island across the way. 

Too far to swim…

Pete had been talking to Mike Batchelor, the owner of Puerto del Sol resort, and of the moorings in the bay, when I went up, trembling a bit, to interrupt with the unwelcome news that the plane wasn’t coming.

Mike Batchelor

He didn’t seem to think there was any great problem – nothing he would like better than to zoom off between the islands, in his sturdy speedy motorboat.

Icey

His lovely girlfriend, Icey, had never been to Huma Island Resort.  I asked her if she knew it and she said, “Oh yes, I have seen it on TV!”  So it was very thrilling for her, being allowed to set foot in this $1000 per night resort, and to have lunch in the beautiful restaurant near the beautiful pool.  (OF COURSE we invited Mike and Icey to have lunch with us! It was the very least we could do.)

More re the this saga tomorrow…

And today I met the BEST therapist in the Whittle Ward: Jack!

26th February - Alfaros - Puerta del Sol - Philippines - Hobart (Tas)

Thursday 26^th February 2015

Rosalyn and Benno

On Friday we had dinner and Happy Hour at Alfaros, the beautiful lighthouse resort, just near 2XS.  We made friends with Benno (Switzerland) and Rosalyn (Philippines), who were staying at the resort.

Rosalyn was gorgeous but didn’t really win my heart by guessing my age as…75…(WTF???)

Jimmy, the resort owner/builder/designer, tried to persuade us he is 77…SO not true…

Jimmy and Pete

We had run our food supplies right down to the very last egg so on our last night in Busuanga Harbour we had dinner at Puerto del Sol, where I discovered that Johnalynne’s name is really…Johnaville!!

Johnaville!!

On the way we had drinks on the splendid trawler-style boat, Shelly D, with Rory (South Africa) and Shelly (Canada.)  The protocol for drinks on board other people’s boats is – you take your own drinks, glasses, ice if necessary, and you also take something delicious to share.  Even if it is only peanuts.  But we don’t have any peanuts…  So our splendid contribution to Shelly D Drinks was: a bulb of garlic, four large shallots, and six potatoes, in a plastic bag.  We are nothing if not stylish guests!

Shelly and Rory

We haven’t had so much SailorSocialTime for many months.  In the restaurant we met up with Hans (Switzerland) and Natalia (Alsace) who have been sailing their beautiful 52’ Amel yacht, Esperanza. around the world for seventeen years… Very nice people, but we possibly won’t see them again.  Ships, literally, which pass in the night.

Pete with Natalia

2XS is on a solid mooring, under the care of the Busuanga Yacht Club, based at Puerto del Sol.  A very competent bloke called Dingdong is going to keep a sharp eye on things while we are away.

Dingdong

And yes we are away…back in Hobart.  The saga of our attempts (eventually successful, obviously,) to get here will take me a while to churn out.  I am at present fairly jetlagged and incapable of going any further…

Farewell to the Philippines until mid-March