Saturday 7th February
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| El Nido sunset |
It is the same
temperature in Hobart today as it is here in El Nido - 33 degrees! I imagine it will get cooler in the evening
than it does here, but maybe not!
Some of my
Tasmanian family are spending the day frolicking in the extraordinary paddling
pool Zoe bought with her birthday money (thank you Dad and Fleur!) Just amazing what $48 will buy at
K-Mart!
Who would be a
dive master?? It sounds like a glamorous
job, doesn’t it? But…the pay is not
good, and the labour is unremitting. I
can barely carry one tank, and the local lads here lug three at a time!
As we were having
our 5 o’clock cocktails at Seaslugs the other day I saw a little boy walking
down the beach with a big box strapped over his shoulder. He was calling out BALOT! BALOT!
Some of the men at a nearby table called him over. I was very curious to se what was so
desirable. The men handed over a few 20
peso notes (20 pesos = 55 cents) and soon they were happily…drinking eggs,
after first cracking them open and adding a bit of soy sauce. They were very happy to tell me what they
were doing when I went over – the eggs are 24 days from fertilisation, and they
are considered to be a great delicacy.
And would I like one?? So very
kind but no…(The men thought this was HILARIOUS!)
We are leaving
here tomorrow to go south, down the west coast of Palawan. We have to renew our visas at Puerto
Princesa, about ninety nautical miles away, on the east coast. We should be able to anchor and take a bus
across. Our other alternative is to take
a six hour bus ride from here…Hmmm…what would be nicer…a few days gently
cruising south on 2XS, with comfy places to sit, a cool breeze, cups of tea at
hand…or a twelve hour return trip on a bus driven by a wanna-be Michael
Schumacher?? Rik and Nina were still
emotionally scarred from their helter-skelter bus trip from Puerto Princesa to
El Nido.
They also had
hideous tales to tell of renewing their visas in Manila. They arrived at the office in good time and
filled in the many forms necessary for a one-week extension. Oh but…the man who stamps the form isn’t
here. Come back on Monday! They went away for the weekend and dutifully
came back to have the form stamped and they weren’t allowed into the office
building because Rik was wearing thongs, and Nina was dressed in (very
respectable - I have seen them!!) shorts.
Their hotel was miles away and Rik was not impressed with the idea of
having to trudge back and forth. He
tried to hire shoes from passers-by and eventually the security guard at the
Immigration building lent him a shiny black uniform pair. But then…they didn’t
have duplicate copies of their passport photos so back and forth they
went. It makes a good story for later, says Rik, but it was NOT fun at the time.
We have no idea
whether or not there will be internet connection down the coast. Maybe, maybe not…but I will try!
BirthdayBoy
Today is Leo’s
ninth birthday. He is at such a great
stage of his life. So competent, clever,
funny, at ease with the world. He is
good at his school work, interested in the world around him, able to read Harry
Potter books, popular with his friends, a kind and gentle family member. What more could anyone want??
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| Leo seen here wrangling the army bear giving to him by Uncle Michael |
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